[stevescoots]

Binman, watch out for the toilet on the A side at the galley. it was hanging off its mount!, I actually snapped it back into place and turned the latches myself, didnt want the crew thinking i had done it!

[rferguson]

Hi all. Just a little update for you. We received an email from Frank the new Head Honcho in regards to all things Customer Service related. Here is some info from the email:

– ‘We are in the midst of preparing and planning for a significant brand campaign, which we are looking to launch later this year. The filming has finished and we are now editing. It looks fantastic! ‘

– Last month, I announced Bill and his team would be doing a trial for SCCM engagement. As part of that program, we have built some amazing apps for the iPads that have been distributed to the trial group. All 150 or so have now been rolled out across the fleets and the initial feedback is quite amazing. Having seen some of the development work the team had put together, I knew this would be a great tool for our crews.

What I had not realised is what an impact this is having on our customers. Some of the SCCMs have found some creative ways to use this tool as a customer facing device and our customers are blown away. I have had a number of customers writing to me on how impressed they are that we have put this in place and how it has impacted their opinion of BA. This was unexpected to me, and a nice bonus, thank you!!!

– The 777-200 GMIS retrofit is still scheduled to start in November and this will be a huge improvement. They will come out looking like mini 777-300s with all the bells and whistles, giving a significant boost to the look and feel of our fleet. They should all be complete by the end of 2012. In the meantime, we have just approved the business case to put the iPad IFE solution on all these planes in First – and a few spares just in case. Unfortunately, we cannot implement this throughout the plane because it requires too much stowage and weight. But, for our First class customers this will be a major upgrade. We have also decided to put this solution on the LCY-JFK route. They should be on board from September 1.

– Talking about retrofits, our 767 LH fleet is to get a make over as well. Starting in late December, this fleet will be refurbished to a great standard and will take about a year to complete. The 767 SH will start May 2012. Again, it will make a huge difference. Boy, those engineering colleagues are going to be busy!

– We are also continuing to make progress with catering. The processes are complicated so it takes time to get it all in place but we are moving. The nuts and hot towels in CE are being well received by our customers and our colleagues. We have done a trial on two of the routes to serve the CW main course in WT+, just to see if it would work from a service routine. Again, some great feedback and we are now looking to serve the CW main course on ALL flights in WTP+ from the October menu change. This will be well received by our customers and a significant improvement.

– New and better wines and champagne (in F&J) are starting to be rolled out from September and again will be popular. The ice cream sundaes trial we did on the JFK routes have proved to be a hit with our customers and we are rolling that out across the North Atlantic routes. More importantly, in our quest to get the menu loading right (something all of you have been telling me we don’t), we have worked with a group of our cabin crew across the fleets to establish what they would think the correct loads should be. This should allow us to better estimate the dishes that are in popular demand. We are asking you what is right. It is impossible to get this right all the time – it would mean huge amounts of waste – but if we get this right 90 per cent of the time it will be a big improvement. This will be in effect from the October menu change.

– We now have some of the best baggage performance in Europe. However, sometimes bags don’t make it and the Ops team have recently started a SMS messaging initiative. For those customers whose bag is not on the flight, they will receive a text message right after landing, advising them to go straight to our colleagues on the ground to assist them. Then the customer will be kept informed as his bags are shipped and delivered to him or her every step of the way. This will save a customer from an otherwise frustrating wait at the belt, and get them on their way, and keep them informed. A great initiative from the Operations Team, thank you!!

– Last but not least, we will be making some exciting changes to the Executive Club before the end of the year that will add improved benefits for our most valuable customers. I look forward to sharing more detail on this in my next few monthly messages.

[David]

Was in CW on a flight to the Middle East yesterday and was disappointed to see that the same old tired, cellophane-wrapped sandwiches are still being served as the pre-landing meal/snack. This meal/snack has remained virtually unchanged since I started flying BA frequently in 2004.

I can’t believe that this is the best BA can do (even without changing its ‘per meal spend’) – and certainly it’s not the best way food can be presented to its premium passengers. If Qatar Airways can present grilled scampi on a skewer on a 45 min flight (DOH to DXB, for example), surely BA can step up its game.

On a more positive note, the chocolate cake and ice cream was a treat after the main (lunch) meal. Too bad that the ice cream was served in a cardboard cup (with the lid still attached); but a nice start.

[VintageKrug]

Interesting email, rferguson.

It does look like improvements are on their way, with more to come.

I asked once about the need for the cellophane on the sarnies, as I agree it looks tacky.

The reason is apparently that the bread dries out within minutes in the dry aircraft air, so delivering them in such a fashion ensures they are fresh and moist when we eat them. Makes sense. Still think it’s tacky, but that’s the reason.

[FlyingChinaman]

The cabin crew can open the cellophane wrap BEFORE presenting the food to the valued customers (are they?)

Is there a union work rule that prevent this procedure?

[Hippocampus]

Thank you to rferguson for posting the update. It looks very encouraging and please do post any further updates/developments

Regarding the 2nd CW meal service, I would prefer a light 2nd hot dish such as soup rather than loading up on carbs at the end of a long flight.

[Scandinavian]

@Flying Chinaman

It has happened in business class on another large European airline that the cabin attendant refused to remove the wrapping on the second meal service on a long-haul flight due procedures governed union regulations! So it’s a relevant point you raise!

[FlyingChinaman]

Scandinavian: Thanks for the input. THe two European airlines I travel most between Asia and Europe are LH and LX and I do not recall these cello[hane wraps. Nor did I remember the Gulf airlines leaving the wrappers on.

The Asian airlines certainly NEVER serve food in such a manner and it could not have been a health issue as their passengers leave their these flights all fit and happy!

So in essence it could be a quaint European labour rule.

[Scandinavian]

Exactly! A quaint European labour rule from a Northern European airline that is not Finnish.

However, it once again emphasises the effect union regulations can have on product delivery, regardless of their size or nature. Something like warm nuts with a pre-drink or an extra hot towel in business class can seem straight forward to the traveller but may require an enormous amount of negotiation with unions due to the extra input required by cabin crew. Based on my experience, this is a major challenge in improving product delivery.

[Hippocampus]

Air France has similar issues and it is for this reason you don’t receive hot meals in the shortest of the short-haul flights in business class on AF.

[FlyingChinaman]

Thanks for the information. It helps to make me understand why there are so many no-no’s with the Western airlines.

I wonder how long can these outdated practices CAN survive in the free-market of today business and aviation world!

No wondered I love the Asian/Gulf airlines – where the passenger’s comfort comes FIRST!

[VintageKrug]

I am no supporter of outdated Union practices (though I do agree in principle with right minded business-focussed Unions).

One should also consider that the pay and conditions of some of the cabin crew on Arab/Asian airlines is pretty dreadful (MUCH worse than the BA Mixed Fleet contract, just to nip that in the bud).

The low rates of pay are not great (almost subsistence in some cases), but from a passenger perspective the long hours and other issues should be of concern, however good the service may appear to be.

I don’t think the sandwich wrapper issue is a Union-related one; it would be impractical to store sandwiches for a 9+ hour flight any other way that would keep them moist and even the 10-15 minutes it takes to arrange and serve them from a large tray could cause them to dry out.

However it’s exactly things like this which can be experimented with on Mixed Fleet, so let’s hope they have a go and see if it can work.

The sarnies were served sans wrapper on my last CWLCY flight, so there is precedent for this, and the F Dorchester Tea sarnies are similarly unwrapped at the point of service; probably adds considerably complexity to the delivery protocols. But it does look much better, here’s a pic:

http://tinyurl.com/3hjqe8c

We should also remember that certain religions prohibit the serving of food which isn’t sealed, so having a wrapper is a positive advantage for some, though I wouldn’t imagine the ham sandwiches are especially kosher…..

[FlyingChinaman]

Great to hear an improvement but a Kosher meal IS not a good example as it is always looking dreadful and the strict Jewish dietary regulations come over taste! I have never had such aweful food in all my visits to Israel.

The Japanese airlines certainly pay a decent salary to their crew members and I shouldn’t think CX and SQ made slaves out of their FA either!

It is a well known fact that the Asian carriers employ more FA than their western counterparts and the extra staffing level evens out the extra attentive duites,

The passengers are the winners!

[MartynSinclair]

Linguine with summer vegetables and minted pea cream sauce – a very delicious dish.

[Bruce98]

probably adds considerably complexity to the delivery protocols. But it does look much better, here’s a pic:

What planet are you on pal?

We are talking about taking the wrapper off a sandwich.

[Author]

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