[Binman62]

Dear SangFung.

To Fly…To Serve.

[JordanD]

Sidebar point in response to esselle, but according to the folk on FlyerTalk (I’ve not personally been through the lounges since March, hence not offering a personal opinion), the biscuit replacements aren’t “unbranded bulk buy cash and carry staples”, but handbaked, specialist type biscuits.

I believe the biggest issues is that because they are from this specialist supplier they are presented in “Cookie Jars” which a number of people are taking issue with because they feel it to be unhygenic.

[TominScotland]

JordanD, that is precisely what the biscuits are, presented in attractive cookie jars and they certainly look very appetising. I don’t know which cash and carry esselle visits but they don’t look anything like the biscuits on sale in ours. Hygiene is another matter – you would assume that passengers in the First Lounge washed their hands occasionally but you never know.

As a side thought, those complaining about biscuit hygiene are probably the same folk who advocate unwrapped sandwiches in First which have been exposed to the fouleties (am I making up a word here?) of the air in an aircraft cabin some 10 hours+ into a flight. How unhygenic is that?

[esselle]

If the biscuits are hand crafted on the Isle of Mull, it is a shame they do not look like it. Poured unlovingly into a kilner style jar does not do them any favours. They look like they are unbranded bulk purchase cash and carry staples.

On the wider point, the FlyerTalk postings are hardly gushing with praise about the changes.

[SenatorGold]

I used the BA lounge at CPT two weeks ago. The “new” BA lounge is the old South African Airways lounge and to a large extent is furnished accordingly. The former BA Terraces lounge closed some months ago. I found the lounge very spacious – in fact I had one part of the lounge entirely to myself and was able to get on with work undisturbed. As a result I didn’t have time to investigate the food and beverage offering very closely. However I did appreciate the shower facility. Staff on the lounge reception desk informed me that commencing July 2013 there will be a four month refurbishment of the lounge. Currently I think BA are the only airline to have their own dedicated lounge at CPT.

[BeckyBoop]

one thing on the cookies/biscuits couldnt they place a set of tongs next to the jar so people dont use their hands?

[NTarrant]

Used the arrivals lounge at T5 this morning. I asked for a bread roll and te member of staff was a bit vague as to whether they had any, she went off and checked and said they didn’t have any. When I asked if they had run out or didn’t have them at all she just said “yes”. English not clearly being her first language and the fact it was now 1015 I left it there.

Nice to see decent size toast and oat cakes to have with cheese. However whilst the biscuits are certainly not from Booker Cash & Carry i’m not sure I like the idea of a biscuit jar where the contents can be handled.

[MartynSinclair]

About 6 – 7 months ago, the packaged weight watchers cookies left the shelves of the lounge. For a time, if I asked some were brought out.

I know I am in the minority, but some healthy snacks for us health concious foodies would be appreciated…

[openfly]

Senator Gold…..

The CPT BA lounge is no longer BA only. It is being used by Singapore and Emirates passengers. The long-awaited refurbishment will, as you say, start in July. There will then be a First / Gold section and a large area for “the rest”. It could be better than the “new” First lounge at T5!

[FormerlyDoS]

“I know I am in the minority, but some healthy snacks for us health concious foodies would be appreciated…”

I’ll second that, Martyn.

[HongKongLady]

I think you might be fooling yourself with the weight watchers biscuits, MS! They are probably full of nasty artificial sweetners. Steer clear of them and have a banana 🙂

[Papillion53]

Esselle – My “commission” was a rather large bridal slab and a pile of boxed biscuits thrown in a carton which was placed in the boot of said Austin Allegro! But they were all delicious!

Well now the hotel group has long since disappeared but HQ was in Glasgow, they also had several casinos throughout the UK, and we had to wear t-shirts at promotional events with the slogan “The guarantee of Stakisfaction”! Does that give you a clue?

One bright spark did suggest we had that slogan painted on our cars – it was bad enough having to wear those blooming t-shirts, especially at golf tournaments, can you just imagine driving through Glasgow with that on your car???? Mind you I was young and knew no better in those days and it was the late 70s/early 80s! Can you imagine the uproar these days if the “sales girlies” as we were referred to by management, had to wear such a thing. Mind you there would be uproar at being called a “sales girlie”! And quite right too, we didn’t care for it much either! But we had great fun haring around everywhere, in our Allegros, wearing our smart suits and very high heels, looking, we thought, very glamorous and smoking (I know but we all did it for a while!) those very long, very thin “More” cigarettes. I actually hated smoking but it just looked, well so glam, so I smoked the menthol ones which weren’t so bad!

Ah those were the days ….. :-))

MS – I’m with HKLADY on the weightwatcher biscuits – have you tried Nairns oatcakes – not the original ones but they do ginger, fruit and chocolate ones. They are quite delicious and are packaged in small packs inside the box, so perfect to slip into your bag for a snack, or if you are on the run at breakfast time.

[FormerlyDoS]

“I asked for a bread roll and te member of staff was a bit vague as to whether they had any, she went off and checked and said they didn’t have any. When I asked if they had run out or didn’t have them at all she just said “yes””

Trained to resist interrogation?

[Speedbird_ABZ]

Esselle I too had the Red Thai Curry last week and was looking for the meat and carbs to go with it – but no rice/bread right enough. There was a sorry looking baked potato, but I felt a bit short-changed with my runny curry on its own.
On the point of individual marmalades/biscuits etc, I witnessed a ‘gentleman’ go to every dish and pick up a spoonful of each one and look at it with no intention of taking any of them – he didn’t have a plate. Plus a couple of people finger a few biscuits in the jar until they chose one.
I’m on immune suppressants and can pick up anything going, but surely germs are being spread around in there. I know aircraft are blamed for spreading germs, but I think there is a higher chance in a lounge with what I witnessed last week.

[MartynSinclair]

I usually travel with some – I was hoping the BA lounge would provide some healthy snacks.

I can give credit to the American F lounge in LA, the Air NZ/Virgin LA lounge as well as others, who provide health bars (low cal) as well as fruit.

I know we are in the minority, so doesnt have to be much choice – just a take it or leave it would suffice for me…

[Author]

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