After over 2.5 years, British Airways has finally restored full meal service in long haul business class.
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British Airways restores long haul business class meal service
Virtually all airlines greatly scaled back inflight service around the start of the pandemic, in order to cut costs and minimize contact between passengers and crew. Since then, we’ve seen airlines progressively restore service, though airlines have done so at very different paces.
Some airlines had already more or less restored inflight service by the summer of 2020, while other airlines still haven’t restored service. Along those lines, there’s some good news for British Airways passengers. As of today (October 28, 2022), British Airways is restoring its full pre-pandemic meal service in long haul business class (Club World).
Interestingly the carrier’s excuse for not offering a full service up until now isn’t because of cost cutting or safety, but rather because of crew shortages, meaning that flights haven’t been staffed with as many flight attendants as before. Offering a multi-course meal without enough staff is not only challenging for crew, but a disappointment for passengers.
What’s changing about British Airways’ meal service?
In the years leading up to the pandemic, British Airways greatly invested in its business class meal service, in partnership with DO & CO. I was extremely impressed by the quality of the carrier’s food at the time.
Service began with a drink of choice with nuts.
That was followed by an impressive soup, salad, appetizer, and bread.
Then there was the main course.
And lastly there was a separate dessert.
Frankly this was one of the best meal services you’d find on a western airline. Since December 2020, British Airways has been serving similar quality food, but all on a single tray, so you’d get an appetizer, main course, and dessert, all at the same time. Prior to that, the airline served boxed meals for several months.
With this change, we’re seeing the return of coursed meals, return of hot soup, return of hot dessert, and more regional meal variations. As part of the full pre-pandemic catering being restored, the airline is also reintroducing its express service on evening flights, for those who wish to be served one tray in order to maximize rest.
This is fantastic news for those who have any upcoming British Airways business class flights.
Bottom line
British Airways has now restored pre-pandemic meal service in long haul business class (Club World). You can expect the resumption of a multi-course meal, unlike what we’ve seen since the start of the pandemic, whereby everything has been served on a single tray.
Between this change and the rollout of British Airways’ Club Suites, the carrier’s business class is much more compelling than in the past. If only those fuel surcharges weren’t so bad…
What do you make of British Airways resuming its pre-pandemic business class meal service?
By far the worst full-service airline in Europe. And that’s saying a lot considering the sorry state the LH, AF, KL, etc are in. I avoid BA like the plague and nothing could make me fly with them, least of all the fact that they now serve a full meal in J.
Looking forward to experiencing this on Monday!
They charge such a ridiculous premium for some very sad seats and some very sad service. Dissapointing is an understatement. It’s been criminal. If you can’t provide your full service, and you acknowledge that, why are you still charging the same price?
It's about time and nice to see, with Virgin having restored Upper Class. With this change,
no longer a 'dont book' option.
Now time for AA, UA, and Delta to get on it, fast. The market is more competitive.
Just missed the restoration. Flew business LHR to IAD on 10/26. However, that the food was on one tray was the least of it. The choices of mains were beef cheeks, chicken pot pie, or veggie Korma. Basically these all are supermarket frozen selections. Combined with the ordinary yellow cheddar bits as a cheese course and a first course of a couple of tiny pieces of cauliflower in a chili sauce, it says everything about...
Just missed the restoration. Flew business LHR to IAD on 10/26. However, that the food was on one tray was the least of it. The choices of mains were beef cheeks, chicken pot pie, or veggie Korma. Basically these all are supermarket frozen selections. Combined with the ordinary yellow cheddar bits as a cheese course and a first course of a couple of tiny pieces of cauliflower in a chili sauce, it says everything about BA and its Do&Co catering.
The post COVID BA is on the pre COVID trend line: cutting service at every opportunity while increasing revenue--charging to reserve Business Class seats, etc. All of this for the pleasure of changing planes at LHR and playing ca. $1,800 to get the ticket with Avios.
I missed it too, on a work trip to Riyadh last week. Got the same one-tray service you described above, despite my company paying over £6K for the ticket. It wasn't awful (and I cared more about the comfortable seat for working and sleeping), but it was definitely lower quality than normal service and pretty pathetic considering the cost of the ticket.
I returned to London on QR via Doha and the contrast in...
I missed it too, on a work trip to Riyadh last week. Got the same one-tray service you described above, despite my company paying over £6K for the ticket. It wasn't awful (and I cared more about the comfortable seat for working and sleeping), but it was definitely lower quality than normal service and pretty pathetic considering the cost of the ticket.
I returned to London on QR via Doha and the contrast in catering was stark. That said, the quality/taste of some of the items I had on both QR flights were not great (the chicken patty in the burger in their 'light meals' selection tasted like rubber).
Over £100 to book a seat in business when you've spent £0000s is criminal.
If you have status with BA then you get free seat reservation. The policy is really a way of rewarding their best customers.
Nuts, missed it! Flew round trip Phoenix to London arriving home on September 18th. Nevertheless, the service and crew were remarkable….can’t begin to put the experience into words. Hopefully, we can fly on this incredible airline next year! Thank you British Air.
It was thanks to Alex Cruz and his Director of Finance Steve Gunning who offered nothing to BA but cost cutting. Anybody can do that but sadly they both lack any vision or innovation for the airline and blurred the BA product with pathetic ideas. Good to see both are no longer with the airline. Premium passengers need to be looked after! Alex Cruz was out of his depth running a far bigger and better airline compared to his Vueling!
Grrr! I 'm returning to LHR from LAX on BA Club, taking off on the 27th and landing on the 28th.
I don't choose flights according to their in flight dining options...
There's always Cattle Class for you.
You are paying for that dining whether you use it or not!
I’m flying to London from Boston in a couple of weeks, in Club World, then continuing on in Club Europe. I was advised to eat before boarding as the food isn’t great and that way I can maximize sleep. This makes me question what to do! It was a big splurge for me to fly CW and I want to enjoy it!
Now if you only didn't have to pay extra for seats in Biz class....:(
Sorry for the bad grammer in precious post. Was not able to edit.
It's interesting that BA said it was staff shortages and were no putting as many flight attendants on the aircraft.
I always thought that the number of flight on an aircraft in most countries is set by a regulatory agency based on aircraft/exits and not the airline itself. Just curious.
The *minimum* number of flight attendants on the aircraft is set by the regulatory agency; airlines are free to staff more than the minimum required, and typically do on longhaul flights.
I would strongly disagree with the comment that the food on the one tray service is similar quality. The starter and dessert are the ones served on short haul. Most of the starters are very poor and tiny. The worse one being the avocado salad which consists of a layer of wasabi dressing, half a cherry tomato and one solitary tiny piece of avocado. It's served in a ramekin. It's barely an amuse bouche! The...
I would strongly disagree with the comment that the food on the one tray service is similar quality. The starter and dessert are the ones served on short haul. Most of the starters are very poor and tiny. The worse one being the avocado salad which consists of a layer of wasabi dressing, half a cherry tomato and one solitary tiny piece of avocado. It's served in a ramekin. It's barely an amuse bouche! The main courses are the same as before. The cheese is also two tiny pieces served in a ramekin.
So what's the difference? It's still the same boring British food.
Not true.
MEANWHILE AT UNITED AIRLINES IT ONLY GETS WORSE AND WROSE
Ha! Figures, just flew back biz long haul, and had the single tray.
Was disappointed on the way out in first though, welcome nuts in a plastic bag ala SW air?! Wine selection quality pretty low. And no breakfast either flight even with am arrivals. First used to be way better.
On the plus side - we were sent to Concorde lounge in heathrow as our layover / arrivals lounge on way to...
Ha! Figures, just flew back biz long haul, and had the single tray.
Was disappointed on the way out in first though, welcome nuts in a plastic bag ala SW air?! Wine selection quality pretty low. And no breakfast either flight even with am arrivals. First used to be way better.
On the plus side - we were sent to Concorde lounge in heathrow as our layover / arrivals lounge on way to Paris! And club Europe food and service was above and beyond Florence > London city airport.
Yes, and the quality even trickles down to PE in my experience. I've had better PE meals on BA since their switch to Do & Co than virtually any of my J meals on AA.
Wow, when was your last one? Mid August, my last TATL in PE with them E/B (got fed up paying premium pricing for just a flat seat on a 7 hour flight) was a cold ham and cheese roll and dreadful coffee.