British Airways presented me with a stunning meal on a recent flight. For those that don’t know, the on board meal in Club Europe varies depending on the distance you are travelling.
Longer flights get a full three course meal rather than the standard two course meal served on shorter flights. These are hot meals and they are excellent.
BA777 – Stockholm Arlanda to London Heathrow (ARN-LHR)
12 September 2017
Airbus A319 – G-EUOI
Seat: Club Europe 1A
Departure: 11:35 Arrival: 13:20
After spending some time in the pretty decent Menzies Aurora lounge at Arlanda airport, I proceeded to the gate and waited for boarding. This was soon called and I settled in to my seat in the front row.
Safety On Board
There is a new British Airways safety video now featuring some well known people such as Gordon Ramsay, Gillian Anderson and Sir Ian McKellen.
It mentions the Flying Start charity which saves an announcement later in the flight. At almost seven minutes, it is quite a lengthy affair but it is quite fine. Once it is over, it’s up into the air.
There’s a Menu!
Flip down screens show the safety video and once flying these are deployed again to show the moving map. It is always nice to see your flight progress.
A Weary Bathroom
Before the service commenced I decided to hit the facilities. The Airbus A319 I am on must be one of the hardest working in the fleet, judging by the bathroom.
The Stunning Meal Begins
Drinks and nuts are first cab off the rank in the service. I selected a Champagne along with a sparkling water. Nuts are also distributed in their little packets.
Once the drinks pass is complete, the crew come by again. The tray is delivered next with the Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese starter, the dessert course and the cheese.
The crew member remarked that the beef cheek was a very good choice and is quite popular. I took this as a good omen and it was placed before me.
The Beef Cheek is a Winner!
When a dish looks good it usually is. In this case, the Beef Cheek with Celery Mash, Turned Vegetables and Thyme Jus lived up to my expectations.
Everything is cleared up and after a few more top ups of Champagne – from the big bottle on long flights, no piccolos here – it is time to land in London.
Overall Thoughts
I am delighted I got to experience a stunning meal in Club Europe. The catering department hit it out of the park with the beef cheek. Expressing my happiness when the tray was collected, the crew member remarked everyone said that. She lamented she had not yet been able to try it as there was never any left at the end of the flight.
Despite the mediocre dessert and woeful cheese, overall I am very happy with the experience. Passengers on the long British Airways European sectors are not being short changed by the meal quality or quantity, so well done. Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Featured image by Aero Icarus from Zurich, Switzerland via Wikimedia Commons.
I do like the English breakfast offered on their morning flights 🙂
I agree, it’s actually pretty decent, though I would like better “scrambled egg” 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
Trent, I hear your fulsome praise for the main course but how can your really go so overboard as to call the meal “stunning” when you call the dessert mediocre and the cheese course terrible and woeful, not great at all, with oat cakes that tasted like sand and very tired Brie.
You make a good point – perhaps I should have titled it, “Finally, a stunning main course on British Airways Club Europe”. Thanks for the comment!