On our recent flight to Hong Kong with British Airways we were flying First Class and to say I was pretty excited was an understatement especially when it came to the gluten free offerings! Was the food going to be different from business, was it going to be tastier or was I going to have to pull out my gluten free snacks that I had stuffed away in my carry on luggage as it was that fancy pants food that consists of only a lettuce leaf and a piece of meat the size of your little finger nail!
It all started well with champagne offered before we had even taken off…I decided it would be rude to decline and also ordered a healthy orange juice…it was just before 10pm and bubbles get me rather hyper!
Our starters were presented to us pretty early on into the flight, it was a night time flight and hells bells I wanted some sleep (I may have been doing the dishes at 5am that morning and spent the day at work before our flight so was getting pretty darn tired).
First up was a watermelon and feta salad which was okay, the feta didn’t taste of anything and well neither did the seafood starter…there wasn’t a choice given on what I wanted to eat, I’m assuming this is what happens when you’re flying first class as a gluten free passenger. Presentation wise I thought it looked pretty good….
Until….we got the main meal and seriously how BA think they can serve this meal up to a First Class Passenger is beyond me! I love the strategically placed pieces of broccoli and I’ve actually had this meal before on an European Business Class flight so there is nothing different between Long Haul First Class vs Short Haul Business Class just in case you were wondering.
Dessert was okay, a plain cheesecake; I’m assuming they pay someone to strategically place the raspberry on top of the cheesecake…
…but as you can see, G’s was a little bit more inspiring to say the least! (I should point out G wanted me to photograph his dessert as he thought it looked photogenic and he hates me photographing his food; at least one of us was happy).
Obviously after the feast in the Concorde Lounge and then the food above it was time for me to sleep off my two dinners…so I got into my pjs. And yes my pjs have shoes on them!
After a slightly bumpy ride over Siberia but still managing to get forty winks, it was time to see what my gluten free first class breakfast was…my excitement was waning.
The gluten free breakfast started off with fresh fruit…as I sat there eating my fruit platter my little brain was in meltdown as I was wondering who was eating the rest of my passionfruit! Seriously how can BA be so stingy and only give a quarter piece of passionfruit and can I just say why?!?!
I declined the gluten free bread as I normally do…it’s solid as a brick even when you’re flying first class…let’s just say the quality of gluten free bread on my recent Malaysia Airlines flight was a class above however I was flying a class below in business! Trust me the bread on BA will block your colon for days…awesome if you have a runny bum and don’t have imodium with you.
Up next was the cooked breakfast which I ate a few bits and pieces of like the bacon, spinach and baked beans…I hate scrambled eggs. Once again gluten free passengers don’t get an option…it’s this on nothing – am I sounding whiny??
I know First Class passengers on BA complain regularly about the quality of food on board; while G enjoyed the meals that were on offer (he eats gluten), I found the gluten free dining in First Class to be beyond disappointing and whoever thought this was gluten free first class food needs to be shot! You can check out more of the First Class Dining options with British Airways via their website here.
Trust me this food is not the quality that you expect to be served on a £6000 airline ticket…thankfully we only paid over £500 for our tickets.
Come on British Airways…sort your bloody gluten free options out, they’re a disgrace!
So what do you guys think? I’m not expecting gold leaf but would this be a total let down for you if you were flying First Class with an airline that prides itself on being one of the best?
xx
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