[Henkel.Trocken]

It’s a typical bean counter saving. No doubt some sad person spent an age working out how many breakfasts a year they could save by bringing forward to service closure from 09.59 to 09.29 and possibly more if 09.25 departures became 09.30 departures. What they probably forgot about was disgruntled passengers who would not be amused to lose their breakfast which they were expecting when they purchased their tickets.

I do hope the savings are being used to fund a dividend for shareholders but I’m not holding my breath waiting as it’s probably more likely to fund Walsh’s bonus.

[VintageKrug]

The obsession with Walsh is unhealthy.

It’s important BA fulfils the needs of the majority of customers, the most loyal or highest margin (fully flex) of which will have enjoyed food in the lounge pre-flight.

I certainly don’t wait until nearly 10am (which realistically is the earliest someone will actually eat on an 0930 departure) to have my first bite to eat of the day; I doubt others do.

There are plenty of food options in the terminal for those without lounge access.

I see no problem in “bean counting” as you so disparagingly call it; while others rack up debts and inflated costs it would be irresponsible if BA didn’t manage costs, and simple things like this can literally save hundreds of thousands of pounds which can be re-invested in products to improve customers’ experience where it is most needed.

If there is a failing here, it is the lack of advance warning of the change to the general flying public (though it was trailered on other sites), and the lack of specifics about what to expect at which times of the day:

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/euro-traveller-seating/public/en_gb

The vague references to “snacks” and “food” and phrases like “lunchtime”, “rest of the day” and “afternoon” should be made more precise.

But that is the only complaint I would have about this policy.

[Swindoneric]

VK, with respect the “breakfast” offering in the BA lounge at Edinburgh is limited, and the last time I was there certainly didn’t include LHR “staples” such as the bacon rolls offered in the lounges. If I take the 0930 flight then for me it means leaving home at 7am so the breakfast was always a relevant part of the equation. You say that “there are plenty of options… for those without lounge access” and one if these is of course easyjet. If BA are offering a cuppa and a biscuit then another differentiator is gone.

[Henkel.Trocken]

Ever the apologist Krug.The reality is service standards have been reduced and there is no way of apologising that away.

Perhaps you could now explain where my dividends are and why I’m better off not receiving them – please don’t turn your answer into one of your regular anti-BASSA rants.

[esselle]

The breakfast in the lounges is dreadful. Bacon smothered in grey claggy pap, unripe tomatoes sliced and left to warm up on their own, tinned mushrooms……….and if you were getting an early morning flight why on earth would you want to sacrifice any more precious time to go to the lounge first? Even the coffee on BA domestic services has been “value engineered”, although this is no doubt as a result of extensive consumer feedback.

[Bruce98]

The answer is orange.

Clean A319, allocated seat, get a Priority Pass, eat Eggs Benedict in the #1 lounge, board the plane, buy a nice coffee or juice, relax and make the most of your day.

None of this lemon, trainers or value engineered cr*p.

[Deleted_User]

Or an enormous hair dryer.

Depending on the time of day I am very content with a black tea or G&T on a 1-hour flight.

[Henkel.Trocken]

I agree, the answer is probably orange for much of the time on the basis of my recent very pleasant experience though in my case it’s also with East Coast who serve an excellent choice of breakfasts until about 10.30am and more than biscuits or crisps during the day. Some of their on demand hot options are excellent.

I’ve just booked a trip to NCL for £10 less than BA at no loss to me in terms of time as I will avoid the increased bag searches and hassle of two airports.

The best thing about East Coast is that since they were brought back in to public control, they are generating a profit which is excellent news for the taxpayer.

Now, if only I could buy shares in them rather than BA I might get some return.

[TominScotland]

I have just taken the 17.15 from Glasgow to Heathrow and, I am disgusted to report, no hot breakfast was served – I find this unacceptable. Furthermore, no seatback IFE, no fully flat beds, indeed no New First and I was then refused access to the (admittedly closed) Arrivals Lounge in T5. I am sure that had I been travelling with Swissair, Sabena, TWA or Pan Am, such disregard for customer needs would not have been tolerated – my apologies, I forgot they all went out of business……

Off topic but worth thinking about when savouring the prospect of your pre-09.30 cooked breakfast on BA (or LX or LH), that Ryanair reported 6 monthly profits up 10% today (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/nov/05/ryanair-profits-rise-10-percent-higher-fares) and the Evening Standard reports that “Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary today outlined plans to dominate European skies and fly 120 million passengers a year as rival airlines go bust and flag-carriers cut down their short-haul operations to save money”. You may be lucky to get any complementary inflight catering on short-haul soon……

[canucklad]

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to be offered a breakfast on the EDI – LHR flight. After BD went “all are we or are we not low cos”t

And VK. I’m afraid I’m hopeless in the morning- getting an early morning flight basically means timing the arrival at the gate 30 mins after leaving my house!! And that’s 30 minutes after falling out of bed before my car arrives. In total 1 hourish from. Oh god is that the time to BA announces the dep!!

So BA’s in-flight service became their welcome USP.

However I’m afraid breakfastgate is just the start of it. Without competion on the UK’spremier route BA will have a service akin to the bad old shuttle days with CC doing a reasonable impersanation of Hattie Jacques conductress sketch!

[VintageKrug]

As I wake up here in my hotel room surrounded by empty bottles of booze, rising to the indecent image of the skinny jeans slouching on the bed in a reluctant clinch with the happy jumper, I can say a proper breakfast is an important start to the day.

I was commuting on the EDI-LHR route when food was removed; personally while the salad and rice pud was welcome I could easily have done without it, and the waistlines of many a businessperson were no doubt helped by not offering this option.

Breakfast is an essential meal, but I don’t know anyone who habitually eats it after 10am, and it’s not unreasonable that BA stops serving it after 0930 departures.

A cup of tea, large cookie and a smile should be enough for most and I don’t see why the many should pay extra for the few who arrive on the plane unfed at such a late hour; if I came down to breakfast during the week at home, the kedgeree would well and truly have been removed from the sideboard by 9am, let alone 10am.

As I’ve said before, the real failing here is the lack of precise information about what will be served when; armed with proper information there’s no reason for anyone to be disappointed.

[BeckyBoop]

So why do most hotels serve breakfast until 10am and an airline cant?

Granted most people in the week eat breakfast before 9am but on the weekend it is very different as most people like to sleep in quite normal really.

Weekdays serving breakfast until 9 and 10 on weekends is fair and then after serve some fresh pastries, crossaints, muffins, donoughts or fresh fruit with either tea, coffee, juice or champagne.

[VintageKrug]

For an 0930 take off, it is unlikely that service would start until just prior to 10am, that’s the point.

I’d say this is more in line with the “10am” cut off.

Inthe hotel I’m at right now, it’s an 0930 cut off.

The majority would have eaten well before that time.

[canucklad]

BB….or champagne 🙂

Not a good idea, when we where in Milan ( Scotland trip) couldn’t understand how one of our party was so keen to go to breakfast every morning.

Champagne with your corn flakes ……yum yum for the tum tum

The chic of Milano ruined by kilted hung over Scotsmen swilling their Spumante at 9.00…..

I actually do tend to agree with you VK about Breakfast after 10.00, even though i don’t normally have my bacon buttie until 10 most days.

Means i can skip lunch…..

Heres the clip relating to my earlier comment about BA and Hattie Jacques

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_dR5OYuY7A

[esselle]

If there is an end time for breakfast, what is there to say about a start time for lunch? On a CE flight some years ago, I was mildly nauseated by sweet and sour prawns served up at about 10.45!

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