A couple of days ago, I wrote about how British Airways introduced a new policy banning flight attendants and pilots from consuming drinks like coffee in public, including while walking through the terminal, in the gate area, etc. This policy was super controversial, and just days later, the company is being forced to largely backtrack, as reported by PYOK.
In this post:
British Airways budges on botched beverage ban
Okay, sorry for the heading… anyway. British Airways reportedly received significant backlash from employees about its new rules about consuming beverages, and unions representing employees got involved. They pointed out that in many cases, flight attendants and pilots might not see a crew break room for an entire day, so it’s ridiculous to basically ban them from eating or drinking between flights, since they’re almost always in public.
The company has now been forced to backtrack on this policy. British Airways is clearly trying to save face, acknowledging that the guidelines may have “given the impression” that eating and drinking were banned. While the company is still demanding that employees don’t eat or drink while walking through the terminal, it’s now fine for them to eat or drink while sitting down at an airport cafe or in a gate area.
Furthermore, British Airways attempted to ban employees from commuting on British Airways flights in uniform, but that policy change has also been reversed. The company claims that it’s now attempting to come up with a better solution.
British Airways really dug itself a hole with this snafu
Good employee morale is incredibly important at airlines, as it can greatly impact the level of service that customers get. You want employees at an airline to feel valued and aligned with the mission of the company. You’d think management would want to pick its battles carefully, and make sure that if a change is made that will negatively impact employee morale, it’s actually important and will make a material difference for customers.
With that in mind, this strikes me as a pretty major misstep. I can understand how it feels a little dehumanizing for crew not to be able to sip on a cup of coffee prior to working a flight where they may have to stay up overnight. The fact that the company backtracked so quickly makes this even more of a failure, and suggests the implications clearly weren’t thought through.
I don’t know who made this decision, but I can’t imagine that person has a great pulse on how frontline employees feel about things, because you’d think they would’ve anticipated this kind of reaction. Did they really think flight attendants and pilots would be like “yep, sounds perfectly fair, I didn’t want a cup of coffee anyway?”
It’s just odd how this was ever even a priority for the company. On the list of the top 100 complaints customers have about British Airways, I can’t imagine “crews having coffee cups in the terminal” ranks.
Bottom line
British Airways is backtracking on its plan to ban flight attendants and pilots from drinking beverages in public. The airline will now allow them to drink things like coffee while seated in gate areas or airport cafes, but they’re still told not to drink while walking through the terminal. This all seemed like a miscalculation on the company’s part, and I can’t imagine this is good for morale.
What do you make of British Airways’ reversal of its crew beverage policy?
I think this speaks generally of BA management. I don't think I have ever known an airline that will announce a change and then a few days/weeks/months later roll back on it.
This coffee-gate is just the first of many recent 'decisions' that have just been poorly thought out and obviously not trialled or consulted on. The other most recent being the decision to 'enhance' the long. haul business class dining experience by serving breakfast...
I think this speaks generally of BA management. I don't think I have ever known an airline that will announce a change and then a few days/weeks/months later roll back on it.
This coffee-gate is just the first of many recent 'decisions' that have just been poorly thought out and obviously not trialled or consulted on. The other most recent being the decision to 'enhance' the long. haul business class dining experience by serving breakfast on flights up until 11:59 and drastically scaling back the offering on late evening departures. Result, huge backlash, media digs and a roll back a couple months later.
Do they never learn? Do they never think 'hey maybe we should put out some feelers on this, trial, get feedback'. No.
If they would have surveyed 10 air crew they would have understood that the decision to ban coffee drinking would not be practical.
If they had trialled their catering 'enhancements' on one or two routes for a month or so they would have received the data they needed.
I think the problem with airlines like BA is that those who make it to the top where these (stupid) decision are made get there by being 'yes people' just going along with what someone more senior thinks is a great idea. And then, when there is a fall out, none of them take accountability.
I think the way to do this is positive reinforcement rather than negative. What does good service look like? Probably not glugging down coffee and tea and sitting around at the back of the plane reading magazines when a customer is looking at you. Sadly this is basically BA standard service. Pull together some mystery shoppers (randomly allocate to empty seats on day of departure? sure someone would love this!), greatly enhance incentives around reviewing...
I think the way to do this is positive reinforcement rather than negative. What does good service look like? Probably not glugging down coffee and tea and sitting around at the back of the plane reading magazines when a customer is looking at you. Sadly this is basically BA standard service. Pull together some mystery shoppers (randomly allocate to empty seats on day of departure? sure someone would love this!), greatly enhance incentives around reviewing crew and how they performed and showed up onboard etc. Give crew bonuses or let them bid for routes they really want to fly if they actually _perform_ vs just serve out years.
For a moment I thought His Excellency Mr Al-Baker had started a new job at BA!
Unite the Kingdom ! Stop immigration.
Just another bigoted cuck
Hasn't BA put enough egg on its face already with these idiotic policies ? Or maybe it still has an oversupply of eggs from its ill fated cost cutting late 'brunch' meal service that was promptly regurgitated by its 'victims' ?
There have been far too many examples of short sighted thinking only to be retracted after 'negative feedback' ...
This chronic mismanagement has a toxic effect on its tattered image.
Proving...
Hasn't BA put enough egg on its face already with these idiotic policies ? Or maybe it still has an oversupply of eggs from its ill fated cost cutting late 'brunch' meal service that was promptly regurgitated by its 'victims' ?
There have been far too many examples of short sighted thinking only to be retracted after 'negative feedback' ...
This chronic mismanagement has a toxic effect on its tattered image.
Proving once again the "B" in BA stands for 'Backtrack' !
.. lol.
If BA is in back-track mode they might care to reinstate serving clotted cream with the scones with afternoon tea in Club class. This must be one of the most miserly penny pinching stunts they have carried out since they destroyed the frequent flyer scheme.
Clotted cream and scones were freely available on both my CE flights this week.
(Oddly catering in Club Europe is consistently better than in Club World)
BA used to be a great airline but I stopped using them unless I have no choice. Their staff / crew are GREAT, but BA cancel flights frequently imo and management have made some poor decisions from in-flight catering choices to save money to this story you write about.
Typical brilliant thinking and implementation by airline management .. who when they do talk to employees on the line turn around and ignore what they were told and then implement something that doesn’t work .
No surprise! Typical british BS. Long live brexit. Just let them have their island.
Playing the devils advocate here …. a thought for those who think they know.
Scenario, BA employee walks through the airport carrying a pint of steaming libation in their Stanley. Small out of control child upsets the applecart and the child is scalded by the steaming liquid.
Who should/will be held responsible?
1. The drink carrier.
2. The parent.
3. The airport authorities.
4. The drinks provider.
5....
Playing the devils advocate here …. a thought for those who think they know.
Scenario, BA employee walks through the airport carrying a pint of steaming libation in their Stanley. Small out of control child upsets the applecart and the child is scalded by the steaming liquid.
Who should/will be held responsible?
1. The drink carrier.
2. The parent.
3. The airport authorities.
4. The drinks provider.
5. Or, the Company who allows its uniformed employees to endanger the public.
Come now you keyboard warriors of such worldly experience …. spill the beans folks.
No 2 ......parents should control their brats in public wherever it is.
How often does this scenario happen? Is there an epidemic of airline crew spilling drinks at airports onto children or onto the floor causing slips that result in injury?
If anything, crew know best how to navigate airport crowds while holding drinks and carrying lots of bags. Certainly better than most travelers. Should it actually be the case that airports ban passengers from carrying hot drinks at an airport so they’re not sued for...
How often does this scenario happen? Is there an epidemic of airline crew spilling drinks at airports onto children or onto the floor causing slips that result in injury?
If anything, crew know best how to navigate airport crowds while holding drinks and carrying lots of bags. Certainly better than most travelers. Should it actually be the case that airports ban passengers from carrying hot drinks at an airport so they’re not sued for poor janitorial standards?
Making a policy to stop a 1 in 1,000,000 occurrence is silly. At the end of the day you have to trust yourself and other humans to be responsible.
….. there is always one, or two, or three, or more who take the bait and run with it …. thanks for the entertainment folks …. :-)
I'm confused ..... Are we talking about a hot beverage or chili now ? ...
Cuz that would make a huge difference !
... lol
Thanks for 'stirring the pot' ( of chili -- hmmmm it sure smells good! )...
I was on a BA flight on Thursday (after you originally posted about this). While stretching my legs at one point, I asked the crew what they thought about it (3 of them hanging out in the galley), and interestingly, only one of them knew what I was talking about. The other two were speechless upon hearing about it lol, but also commented "seems about right." The reaction told me more about IAG/BA than anything else.
Conclusion pstm91? False news or not?
Were the two that were 'speechless' because they were far too occupied guzzling their favourite beverage ?
.. lol
If upper management can also adhere to these rules in the office, airport, public places, while moving rapidly then sure. BA, this hole is too deep and don't know what you're trying to prove?
Rightfully so. It was moronic in the first place. BA deserves no credit for this.
Sound like nazi/gestapo style controlling tactics by BA. Is smoking in uniform still allowed ? I hope so. There's nothing better than the cup of Joe and the smoke before/after a long flight. Especially some flights that are long, and people get tired and sleepy. Coffee is known to perl you up.
The worst thought out rule ever.
What do they think crews do when they get to the gate and find out their aircraft is tech and will not be boarding for one or two hours? They go to a coffee shop of a cafe in the terminal and grab a coffee.
Walking through the terminal in uniform drinking a coffee while having a loud conversation on their phone via AirPods - I get it. Sat down, drinking a cup of coffee. Idiodic.
like why would an airline think they have this much reach? if someone wants to eat/drink on their way to the plane or after they are off the plane--that's just not BA's biz.