Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Now that's service!
I guess enough has been written about BA's catering woes. Hit me 3 times in 3 business days, which is not bad going (first by all flights being cancelled, 2nd & 3rd by trip to Oslo, via Heathrow).
Upon passport control at Geneva (the 2nd, BA one), turns out you can get a 18SF voucher if you run after someone making a fast exit. This - even at inflated airport prices - you can exchange for something far better than I've had on a European flight since the good old days of Swissair, when breakfast on a mainly empty Airbus to London was a pleasure.
Things at Heathrow are a bit stickier. A bag of crisps, some dipping sauce, an apple and a couple of biscuits. Wonder what they get in Club? (A choice of apples?)
Coming back is even more fun. I ask if we're leaving on time - why I don't know as you can never believe the answer. Plane is arriving soon - and it touches down on queue. Boarding time passes, departure time passes. What is happening? Turns out the crew are stuck in traffic (obviously they don't listen to the 'friendly' in-flight announcement saying you MUST be at your gate 1/2 hour before departure). When we take off the story has changed to 'late in-coming aircraft'. ?? Turns out the person next to me was due to leave the day before - on the plane I came in on. Apparently it was cancelled due to 'a bit missing'. Wonder if it was missing when I was on it? Guess so... No food, no voucher, nothing. Same onto Geneva, but managed to get a bag of crisps after explaining that I was unable to arrive at the airport early and provision myself due to - late in-coming aircraft... (well, it works for me...)
To be reminded what service is, just visit Switzerland. Car up on the ramp - all four wheels changed in parallel. As fast a change as a pit-stop. On your way as fast as you can say "toblerone".
Upon passport control at Geneva (the 2nd, BA one), turns out you can get a 18SF voucher if you run after someone making a fast exit. This - even at inflated airport prices - you can exchange for something far better than I've had on a European flight since the good old days of Swissair, when breakfast on a mainly empty Airbus to London was a pleasure.
Things at Heathrow are a bit stickier. A bag of crisps, some dipping sauce, an apple and a couple of biscuits. Wonder what they get in Club? (A choice of apples?)
Coming back is even more fun. I ask if we're leaving on time - why I don't know as you can never believe the answer. Plane is arriving soon - and it touches down on queue. Boarding time passes, departure time passes. What is happening? Turns out the crew are stuck in traffic (obviously they don't listen to the 'friendly' in-flight announcement saying you MUST be at your gate 1/2 hour before departure). When we take off the story has changed to 'late in-coming aircraft'. ?? Turns out the person next to me was due to leave the day before - on the plane I came in on. Apparently it was cancelled due to 'a bit missing'. Wonder if it was missing when I was on it? Guess so... No food, no voucher, nothing. Same onto Geneva, but managed to get a bag of crisps after explaining that I was unable to arrive at the airport early and provision myself due to - late in-coming aircraft... (well, it works for me...)
To be reminded what service is, just visit Switzerland. Car up on the ramp - all four wheels changed in parallel. As fast a change as a pit-stop. On your way as fast as you can say "toblerone".
