British Airways Cabin Crew Told Not to Say Sorry to Passengers And Trained How Premium Inflight Food Would Break the Budget

British Airways cabin crew have been told to stop apologizing to passengers for service issues and have received training that sought to teach them that offering premium inflight food and amenities would wreck a strict budget that the airline has to spend per passenger.

The revelations come just days after British Airways was criticized by frequent flyers and staffers alike for introducing a new brunch menu and ‘goodnight’ supper service in what many people believe is a stealth way to cut costs.

Thousands of British Airways have attended a mandatory training day at the airline’s Global Learning Academy near Heathrow Airport over the past 12 months, where they were instructed to stop apologizing for the carrier’s service failures.

Cabin crew have been encouraged to stop using the word ‘sorry’ so liberally and instead thank disgruntled customers for telling them about their woes and that they will pass on their feedback.

During the same training course, cabin crew took part in a group exercise in which they had to assemble a mock Economy Class meal tray with a budget of just £5 per passenger.

Cabin crew were given various versions of different meal and service items, ranging from cheap budget options to more premium items that would take a bigger chunk out of the budget.

The idea of the exercise was to prove to cabin crew that while they would like to see passengers enjoy a more premium experience, doing so would break the airline’s limited budget and that compromises are required.

On October 15, British Airways introduced a new brunch menu in its long-haul premium cabins that have been derided by both flyers and staffers for its meager offerings.

British Airways has decided to offer breakfast-style dishes on all long-haul flights departing between 8:30 am and 11:29 pm, meaning that many passengers are being served cheaper-to-produce meals like omelets and pancakes at lunchtime after they have likely already had breakfast at home or an airport lounge.

The cost-cutting has also extended to late-night departures, with long-haul flights leaving after 9:00 pm being catered with light supper-style dishes like a hot sandwich and soup or a salad.

British Airways has been inundated with complaints about the new service and while the airline has publicly defended its menu changes, internally managers have admitted that they are working to make adjustments as a matter of urgency.

In fact, matters have gotten so serious that the airline is offering cash compensation to angry customers who have complained about the new service, while many other travelers have threatened to book away from British Airways until the old menus are restored.

Matt’s take

Given that other airlines are desperately trying to differentiate their product by improving onboard catering (just look at Qatar Airways and its new caviar service in Business Class), I’m really surprised that British Airways seems to be doubling down with its cost cuts.

Of course, profit margins can be razor-thin for airlines, even in expensive premium cabins, but British Airways seems to have scored a spectacular own goal with its brunch and supper menus.

Former CEO Alex Cruz once famously boasted that cost-cutting was embedded in the airline’s DNA, but despite his fall from grace, the training that cabin crew have received seems to prove that times haven’t changed that much.