Improved Club World service introduction date anyone?

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 27 total)

  • YellowBelly
    Participant

    There has been talk recently about BA investing in an upgraded Club World service product (I am not talking about the new CW seat that is expected to be introduced on the A350).
    Does anyone have more information of the expected improvements and introduction date?
    Thanks


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    Given that execs of this mob believe that making people pay for their own food and all drinks (apart from a glass of water from the aircraft tank …. and no informed person would even consider drinking that, without boiling, IMO) is an improvement, I really wouldn’t set your expectations very high.

    F*cked up value system at the top means the race to the bottom continues.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    Duplicate post, content deleted to avoid repetition.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    “Given that execs of this mob believe that making people pay for their own food and all drinks (apart from a glass of water from the aircraft tank …. and no informed person would even consider drinking that, without boiling, IMO) is an improvement, I really wouldn’t set your expectations very high.”

    …come come FDoS, this is in economy, not club world… I too am waiting to see the new improved benefits in CW…. but economy is economy…. 🙂


    rferguson
    Participant

    Crew training will start in April and there should be enough crew trained up for it to launch on JFK services in August. ORD is slated as the second route.

    To get an idea of how the new product will look catering wise check out Turkish/Austrian airlines style of service. 😉


    ExecPlatAA
    Participant

    Flew CW yesterday BOM-LHR on the overnight flight. No service was needed by me as it was a 2 AM departure (not that any was forthcoming). 45 mins prior to landing was the ONLY time I asked for something – OJ and a cup of coffee. Only to be told, they need to tidy up the cabin and that it would be difficult to serve at this time (Crew should get a manifest of average fares paid for the seats – would hopefully make them reconsider their nonchalance?). OK! Tidy up what ? The cabin was a mess and how hard is it to pour a coffee and an OJ glass (from a tin no doubt). Ughh. Why do these people fly – cant they get other jobs instead (preferably non customer facing/). Cant wait (NOT) to check out the Turkish/Austrian airline type of service..:)


    Tramor01
    Participant

    The Do&Co food quality/service on Austrian and Turkish is excellent…. I won’t hold my breath that BA will reach a similar standard 😉


    rferguson
    Participant

    ExecPlatAA – that’s a bit slack of the crew. 45 minutes before landing is often the most busy time in Club for pre landing teas, coffees and juices especially on east coast US – LHR night flights. At -40 minutes one of the pilots will come onto the PA to give the pre landing update. This also serves as a reminder to passengers that they have twenty minutes to freshen up before the seat belt sign comes on. At -20 minutes the seat belt sign is illuminated and no more cabin service should be conducted.


    ExecPlatAA
    Participant

    I agree rferguson. I just wish we would encounter more crew like you on our flights – in all your posts it is evident that you love your job, care for your passengers and are truly knowledgeable about business travel. This flight unfortunately was a disappointment.


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    …come come FDoS, this is in economy, not club world… I too am waiting to see the new improved benefits in CW…. but economy is economy…. ?

    Flew CW yesterday BOM-LHR on the overnight flight. No service was needed by me as it was a 2 AM departure (not that any was forthcoming). 45 mins prior to landing was the ONLY time I asked for something – OJ and a cup of coffee. Only to be told, they need to tidy up the cabin and that it would be difficult to serve at this time

    I rest my case 🙂


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    I flew Qantas Premium Economy today, from Dubai to Heathrow.

    Main meal was a very nicely prepared and presented beef curry

    Second meal was a hot panini style chicken/cheese sandwich – absolutely delicious

    Throughout the flight, the crew kept coming around offering drinks and party size choccy bars (2nd meal on BA, LOL), pretzels, cashews etc.

    I wasn’t drinking, as I need to drive tonight, but the selection of wines etc look very good.

    It felt somewhere near a business class service (if not quite).

    MAN/LHR/DXB/MAN and change out of £700, according to my client who paid for the ticket. Excellent value for money.


    Flightlevel
    Participant

    QF previously had reputation similar to some BA and have come a long way to raise service standards in recent years – or maybe their staff fly on EK sometimes and compared? Some cabin crew have no idea of their competitors service and QF have done well.


    rferguson
    Participant

    Totally agree about Qantas. IMHO they are probably the top airline out there to fly outside the asian/ME carriers. Premium Economy is very much positioned as ‘Business minus’ and the small touches really make the difference.

    Flightlevel – I remember how awful QF were to fly with. Really bad. They had a terrible reputation amongst the Aussies. I guess this wasn’t helped by the fact that the main competition were all pretty excellent airlines – SQ, CX, EK, NZ. Then Virgin Australia came along and gave them a run for their money on the transpacific routes. But their most important routes were always OZ-Asia and europe where the competition were streets ahead. Fortunately for BA its main competitors have been the US airlines but they are finally waking up to the fact that the US airlines have not just caught up with BA but have sprinted past.

    Qantas introduced a Mixed Fleet model of cabin crew, but one which seems to work. Basically all the A380 crew are on the new contract yet they are still paid decently and have reasonable terms and conditions. Enough to keep loyalty high, turnover reasonable and the idea of working for Qantas an aspiration anyway. Crew from the ‘legacy’ fleets can do secondments to the new fleet. They retain their same pay but work to the more streamlined T&C’s so it’s a win-win situation. The legacy crew member does not lose out financially and the company gains a great mix of mature experience and new starter enthusiasm. They invest very heavily in cabin crew training – the course to work in First or Business class is by application, is six days and ends with a meal in a fine dining venue. There are also additional training courses for galley management, wines etc etc. This really seems to have paid dividends for them.


    JohnHarper
    Participant

    Improved? Is the correct word not ‘enhanced’?


    rferguson
    Participant

    £400M is being thrown at it JH. This will be a ‘genuine’ improvement. 😉

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