Coffee is for closers, and spoons – it seems – are only for business class passengers, at least on British Airways.
According to Simon Gold, he and his wife were told “cutlery was for Club class only” when they asked for a spoon to feed their baby on a flight from Madeira to London.
While parents should certainly bring all they need for a trip, rather than relying on an airline for pretty much anything, in this case they accidentally packed the spoons they’d need for their one year old in checked luggage. And the flight attendant would only provide spoons to those flying Club Europe.
This meant that Simon and his seven-month-pregnant wife, Ortal, 29, had no way to feed the starving toddler during the four-hour flight.
He was fuming, “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing – I wasn’t asking for a free meal, I wasn’t asking for an upgrade or a better seat.
“I did a double take. I tried to engage their faces to see if they were trying to make a joke but it was deadly serious.
However “the crew finally gave in after 40 minutes of screaming from Jacob and handed over a spoon.” In this case it wasn’t an accommodation to the parents, clearly, but to the rest of the cabin and for the aesthetic benefit of the crew themselves.
According to British Airways the crewmember never denied them the spoon in the first place, and explained away the 40 minute delaying in helping as “a busy flight” where “our cabin crew could not immediately offer our customer the spoon he requested, but did so as soon as possible.”
Club Europe isn’t very good on British Airways, it’s generally a coach seat without extra legroom and just a blocked middle seat, plus food. There’s less seat pitch than on Ryanair. Since the spoon is really the main differentiator between the classes on this class-conscious airline, ‘cutlery is for club class.’
The depths that BA has fallen to boggles the mind!
Absolute bullshit article. The “starving” child? Do they just collect it from Ethiopia. Some people like to complain for the sake of complaining Why have you even published this non news worthy article?
@Tim, how lucky and blessed your life has been. Anyone who has experience the blood-curdling screams of a child would have nothing but sympathy for the parents plight. But I’m sure you find BA’s explanation as completely satisfactory, right? #smh
I used to consider BA to be a provider of very good service in-flight when it came to travel with very young children regardless of class of service, but that era is now over and service from BA too is a gamble.
Normal BA. Had a flight in 2019 club Europe and there was pudding all over the seat belt and seat back pocket when I boarded. Crew refused to clean it up saying it wasn’t their responsibility. Asked me to get towels from the bathroom to clean it up myself. I asked to change seats and was denied Bc plane was full. It wasn’t. Response from BA was that they would pass on the feedback but no apology or compensation.
@Mon- I would seriously clean it up, save the dirty towels, and throw it at the crew on the way off the plane at the end. That is horrible customer service
Looks like Mr Gold is looking for compensation! Gee what a surprise.
@Mon: are you *sure* that was chocolate pudding? blech!
@KL: they’d get you for assault.
@Lars: yes, Madeira is Portugal, not Spain. I’m surprised by that coming from someone who has travelled as much as Gary.
and finally all airlines are just sh!t these days. and so many passengers are sh!t these days too. but BA is really at the bottom of the pile. i stopped flying them between NA and Europe many years ago and i couldn’t be happier. added benefit is that i get to avoid LHR T5 as well.
Madeira is an autonomous state of Portugal not Spain.
Just from a catering/logistical point, I am surprised they didn’t load plastic cutlery, even for Club World passengers… because my experience (here in the US) is that parents of toddlers usually request plastic cutlery. And, also here in the US, with all the cuts we’ve had in service, I’ve seen that request made recently and there are sets of disposable plastic cutlery loaded.
BA Club World in Europe is stinks. Why wouldn’t the parent’s prepare for the trip? Why would anyone accept anything from BA?
As a BA gold, I find BA to be truly atrocious
Flew IAD-LHR in business on their 788 a few days ago. Terrible as usual.
Flew UA on the way back in Polaris, wow so much better….am thinking of making the switch
Amy Klobuchar would have suggested a comb.
The entitled kettles are becoming daily news.
My wife worked for an organization, whereby, a person’s , in the organization, only response for extraordinary service not covered by policy, would requested in a heavily accented Boston accent, “Do you have the form?”
@flying while high again – cut your penis off! I suppose you think all those in line for the soup kitchen are entitled? Cut off your penis and balls!!
that’s very typical service on British Airways, the worst low-cost carrier in Europe.
And this is why the likes of Ryan Air and Easyjet continue to do well. Everyone loves to hate them but ultimately, they offer cheap tickets, minimal service or comfort, all the warts are visible upfront, and therefore, it is difficult to get disappointed.
LIES
I’d really like to hear the other side of the story from nearby passengers or the crew. I’d bet what really happened was far from what’s described here and the victimized mother and her husband were exactly the kind of insufferable entitled assholes you often encounter in all kinds of establishments these days. Screaming toddler and clearly exaggerated horror story shared through social media are telltale signs..
The writer forgot to add lounge privileges, and on board free alcohol, in addition to the food. As well, experienced cabin crew. Read into that as you wish. I’ll take BA over the others mainly for safety.
@cr
What has Amy Klobuchar got to do with this?
@Tim
Prove it!
@V.A. Gina They make those cotton insert things to help deal with your vag issues.
Do me a solid and ride the mega bus or amtrak so I don’t have to smell you.
I used to love BA and hold it up as a great standard of full service airline. But after a few business class trips over the past few years I have sworn them off and will only fly with them if I have no alternate.
For some inexplicable reason they seem to believe they need to compete with Ryan air on the quality of their service offering.
Gary,
Next time you ask for coffee on a flight, I’d expect to hear, ” Coffee is for closers.”
There is more to this story than meets the eye. Firstly that kid is not a baby. He looks well over 2 years old.
Secondly why didn’t the parents pack a spoon?
Thirdly why the need to go on holiday with a young kid and her being so heavily pregnant? What ever happened to just enjoying your home or going for a short break in your own country?
To me they are a pair of whiney millenials who expect everyone to pander to their little noah/jayden/harrison or whatever unique name their son has…. They musy of been a massive pain to deal with or be seated next to…
Hope they dont have anymore kids.
Lies. I would love to hear the other side of the story. Though i can imagine the parents were entitled and selfish… people who take young kids on planes always are. I don’t get this need for young kids to be even be on planes. Whats wrong with taking a staycation?
So my lady wife just told me about this article. I doubt the plane staff were rude or refused a spoon. I bet the parents were very rude. Though i have to say why didn’t they pack a spoon? Also that kid does not look like a baby to me! He looks well over 2 years old! Why would you even want to go on a plane if you had a young child in tow and are heavily pregnant? Too risky and too annoying for other adults who dont want to hear screaming kids etc. You can tell this couple are not only rude but not very intelligent…
Especially during a still raging pandemic.