And now British Airways charging for snacks

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Don

And now British Airways charging for snacks

Postby Don » Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:58 pm

We flew up with FlyBe on Saturday and back with BA (actually GB) as FlyBe dont do Sundays. Firstly checking in with BA at Gatwick and choosing exit seats according to the plan which turned out to be for a different aircraft as the one we boarded so no exit seats!

Then when service began I noticed the food trolley complete with all the gadgets for paying. Now you get a free sandwich and drinks but if you want snacks such as crisps, nuts, sweets .... they are chargeable. Something like 1.50 pounds for a small tub of pringles crisps and 2.50 for a bag of sweets.

I wonder if this is BA as a whole or GB starting to "easyjet" it.

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Postby Laslomas » Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:58 am

I am travelling with BA tomorrow, so decided to check this out. According to the BA website:

"As a full service airline, we offer you either a hot meal or a light snack on board, depending on where you’re flying, in which cabin and the time of day. Complimentary drinks are available throughout your flight."

I believe they always did have Pringles and sweets available as part of their 'Shop Service' and I would not expect to be given these for free. I agree with what many say that on a short flight a food service is not necessary, but personally I love it. It helps pass the time and a lovely bottle of wine, or a beer is great. Plus, by the time you have hung about the airport for 2 hours before boarding, unless you have had (and paid for a snack) I for one look forward to something to eat. The flights are so reasonably priced that by the time you add what you pay on Easy Jet for food and drink, I think they are equal value.

My flight tomorrow is midday, so the timing is just right.

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Postby beachbabe » Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:21 am

The trouble is ba offer full service only on their own flights.

I had the misfortune of booking BA, getting assigned Iberia and not only did you have to pay for drinks there was no gin, wine or tonic - just San Miguel.

Don

Postby Don » Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:06 pm

This is also true and Iberia stopped the "inclusive" snack and drinks some time ago, so if on a codeshare you dont get BA service. I have never seen this extra snack service on GB airways before although we flew with them a lot before they pulled out of Sevilla.

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Postby .:JONTY:. » Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:11 pm

On my return from Seville to Manchester, via Gatwick, I flew the Gatwick to Manchester leg on BA and had an excellent sandwich and a bottle of wine served with a smile, and the flying time with the tail wind was only 35 mins.
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Postby Faire d'Income » Fri Dec 14, 2007 6:07 pm

I've been on four BA flights this week and can confirm that they don't charge for the normal trolley service so I'd imagine that this is GB Airways getting into Sleazyjet mode several months in advance.

Thankfully, with the new BA timetable we won't have to suffer Sleazyjet much longer.

8)

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Postby yellerbelly2002 » Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:46 am

I recently flew with GB Airways (BA) from Gatwick to Gran Canaria. Granted a longer flight than to the Costa del Sol. Free bar service with offers of extra wine to accompany later hot meal. They did sell Pringles etc but these were intended as snacks whilst watching the in-flight movie. I know on the LHR-AGP flights I've taken this year there was just the bog standard sandwich and free bar service. Remember Iberia went over to paying for everything some while ago and they are not viewed as a low cost airline (yet). Give GB Airways their due for a professional service.

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Postby Retro P » Sat Dec 15, 2007 10:33 am

I've been watching this thread with (very) amused interest, can ANY of you tell me why it's important to have food and drink on a 2½ hour flight??
Ah! the full english!!

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Postby katy » Sat Dec 15, 2007 10:39 am

A drink is ok :) but not the food. Most people seem to eat lots before they board, have you seen them stuffing themselves at the airport!

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Postby beachbabe » Sat Dec 15, 2007 10:41 am

But it ain't 2.5 hours.

1.5 hours drive.

1 hour hanging around in airport.

1 hour drive when you arrive.

That's 6 hours with no gin and no tonic :shock:

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Postby frank » Sat Dec 15, 2007 1:17 pm

[quote="beachbabe"]

That's [b]6 hours[/b] with no gin and no tonic :shock:[/quote]

If that's proving a problem, I'd give AA a ring! (and I don't mean the motoring organization!) :D
Regards, Frank

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Postby Cassandra » Sat Dec 15, 2007 3:22 pm

Really depends on which way we're travelling and the flight times. Very late or very early don't really need to eat, just plenty of coffee to stay awake :shock: but I need to eat if my flight is around lunchtime or early evening, airport if we're doing UK to Spain but the food in Spanish airports is inedible so unless I want a lunch of pringles & chocolate, and why not :wink:, it's food on the plane for me every time!

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Postby Faire d'Income » Sat Dec 15, 2007 4:58 pm

Retro P wrote:I've been watching this thread with (very) amused interest, can ANY of you tell me why it's important to have food and drink on a 2½ hour flight??
Because it allows us one meal which we don't have to prepare, particularly on a Friday evening when all I want to do is get from the office to the aircraft and to our house in Spain, without having to add further time buying/cooking/being served a meal. Plus, its usually an indication of the level of service and quality of the offering if you're offered food by an airline being superior to the of the LCCS.

Don

Postby Don » Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:23 pm

Having done Clickair up and down this weekend, they offer exactly the same "menu" as Iberia and the cost is quite OTT. 3.50 euros for a can of beer, 6 to 8 euros for a small sandwich. At least twice the price of what you could buy in the airport but as you're not allowed to bring your pre-packed cava or gin and tonic through security any more, you are stuck. Better quality and value to arrive early enough to stock up in the departures lounge bar (unless you are lucky enough to have the "get into vip lounge" card) and snooze in flight. Having said that the standard BA sandwich and a couple of glasses of wine does help to pass the time on a 2 to 3 hour flight.

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Postby Retro P » Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:42 pm

So as I understand it some of you are incapable of managing your life for six hours without British food and drink, are unable to eat Spanish airport food , when you arrive you do not know where to find a cafeteria or bar and are therefore giving the thumbs up to inflight meals, I seriously think SOME of you should reconsider using the CDS as a holiday destination.
It's a 2½ hour flight for gods sake from the UK where you can get something to eat before you get to the airport, once you leave the airport at Malaga you are spoilt for choice where to eat, and as for all the whingeing about the cost of inflight snacks, priority boarding etc, go business class or get a life, but for gods sake change the record, I don't want to be rude but I'm now a bit fed up with Dons moaning about the cost of everything, Don, do some overtime for gods sake or go to Blackpool for your holidays :x :x :x
Ah! the full english!!

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Postby Paula » Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:48 pm

Perhaps there is a business opportunity there for you Retro, I notice you have a chefs hat on instead of a fez :lol:

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Postby Retro P » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:03 pm

Paula, I change my avatar from time to time (a) because it's my right and (b) to confuse my opponents, I don't kbow **** about food though!
I am though, really fed up with people whining about minor details if they can't afford it they should go somewhere else :x
Ah! the full english!!

Don

Postby Don » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:37 pm

Retro P wrote:So as I understand it some of you are incapable of managing your life for six hours without British food and drink...
For a start Retro, all this has nothing to do with British food and there are some of us who do not fly into the Costa Del Sol if we can help it, so we couldnt care a toss about the facilities at Malaga airport and some of us dont use Spain at all for a holiday destination but we live here. As has already been said a 2.5 hour flight is actually more like a 6 hour door to door journey unless you live on top of one of the airports. Allow one hour to the airport, check in and wait 1 to 2 hours before the flight, spend at least half an hour getting off the plane and out of the airport and then allow an hour to get "home" and you have a total of at least 6 hours. As this thread was all about seeing the full value for money with different airlines and some appearing very cheap until you add in all the "extras" whereby the more traditonal airlines such as BA, as was, often represented the best value for money overall. I can even add that BA business class is on occasions cheaper than BA economy (non-flex business versus the only full fare flexible economy left) and we always choose the best overall package so we do get to enjoy various business lounges around the world.

And to finish, if you're fed up with this theme dont read the effing thread. I am one who is fed up with people assuming that everyone here on A.com lives in the UK and has a second, third, fourth or even fifth home on the Costa del Sol so sees Andalucia only as a holiday destination. This forum is all about sharing information so people can make informed choices. What I am interested in is if BA are changing their service or if it is just GB pre-Easyjet.

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Postby Retro P » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:02 pm

Forgive me Don, due to the nature of your post, I assumed you were complaining about prices and service quality on various airlines, I do not live on the CDS but I do have a home there which I visit frequently, I also have a house in Benidorm which I do not visit frequently, what I don't understand is why you (and other people) are constantly griping about flight costs etc, I will reiterate, the flight itself is only 2½ hours therefore you can get a bacon butty ½ an hour before boarding, similarly you can get food within minutes of landing at Malaga airport, my point, to you, is this , If you live on the CDS then you must be aware of these costs, and I'm a bit fed up of hearing about it, I regularly pay 150-175 quid for a flight to malaga so the cost of a butty and a coffee is neither here nor there, now please in the interest of seasonal harmony, give it a rest, or do some overtime??

PS seasons greetings :)
Ah! the full english!!

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Postby spanish hopes » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:10 pm

Don, though I don't agree with you as i am quite happy with the budget airlines, (they do what I need them to do), I feel that your posts are relevent and welcome. If I don't like the subject then I have the willpower to not bother reading it. :lol:


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