Order your main meal in advance BA

Just received this, wonder if VS will do the same. Would eliminate some of the gripes from the back of a cabin if certain meals have ran out.
Sounds good on paper. But looks like you need to pay to book your seat, you then get the option to choose your meal...



"We can now offer you two new services to give you more options for selecting your in-flight meal. They are available on many of our flights departing from London Heathrow.

World Traveller
Book your seat in World Traveller on selected flights and you'll be able to pre-order and purchase from a selection of new in-flight meals between 30 days and 24 hours before your flight's departure. Your menu choices will be exclusively available at ba.com and include a range of mouth-watering alternatives to the complimentary in-flight meal. Drinks will be included at no extra cost.

First, Club World and World Traveller Plus
If you travel in one of our premium cabins you'll be able to pre-order your meal between 30 days and 24 hours before your flight's departure for free. Although meal choices will be the same as those on board, this service guarantees your exact choice of meal when you fly.

All dishes feature fresh, seasonal ingredients and have been developed by our renowned chefs to ensure they reach our exacting standards. By offering you more choices on board, we hope you'll enjoy a more personal experience when you fly with us.
Find out more →

They've been doing this for several months.

It's a cost cutting measure - if they know what people want in advance they can load fewer meals.

I used this on my flight to Singapore in W, I shall not be using it again. I received my meal nearly 30 mins before anyone around me. This meant I was finished eating well before the meal service began. The tray however was not cleared before anyone else's. Also, with the main meal everyone got offered more drink whereas I was passed by. Additionally, warm rolls were available and again I was passed by.

So, a meal with no bread, drink and a tray in front of me for an hour - forget it.

BA have been rolling this out for a while now, more and more routes you can pre-order your main meal in the premium cabins.

In Economy, you can 'upgrade' your meal, some of the meals are much nicer than the standard offering, and it is becoming quite popular, but the number per flight that can have a pre-ordered meal in economy is quite low, due to the extra storage space and work it creates in the galley.

As McMaddog has pointed out, you get your meal first (it doesn't come on the trolley) so your empty tray is left in front of you for quite some time!

Some photos from the BA open day a while ago:

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Those pics look very appetising.
I can see the disadvantages now you point them out!!

We ordered the meal in advance on our flight to Calgary in May and it was one of the best we have had, we were however in World Traveller Plus cabin. We have just had the option to do it on our next flight with BA in March we will be in Club on that one, so hope it all works out we will be on the upper deck of the 747.

Just got back yesterday from Vegas and the meals out and back were dreadful, so anything would be better than that.

Unless I'm wrong there is no difference in the quality of the meal in W between order in advance or on board, simply it guarantees your choice is available.
I think if a passenger is a fussy eater it's a great scheme, as I'll pretty much be happy with anything I'll stick to eating and drinking on board at the same time as most others.

Unless I'm wrong there is no difference in the quality of the meal in W between order in advance or on board, simply it guarantees your choice is available.

Yes, in WT+, Club and First it is just pre-ordering form the on-board menu, so the service and food is the same, but you get your first choice, at the same time as everyone else.

Only the paid for upgraded WT meals are served at a separate time, and due to crew feedback they have changed the bar round to offer you a drink & a drink to go with your meal (so 2 drinks) before any meals come out.

Interesting, that change must've only just come in because as you can see from my first post there were no drinks for my meal on Oct 10th. I didn't feedback to the crew as I just thought they were being lazy to be truthful.

Interesting, that change must've only just come in because as you can see from my first post there were no drinks for my meal on Oct 10th. I didn't feedback to the crew as I just thought they were being lazy to be truthful.

It is a change that has been made this month, I don't know what day though!

It's going to be like the situation with a large group in a restaurant, where when the food is delivered many will have forgotten what they ordered.....

It's good to hear they are responding to feedback. It won't however change my view and I won't be using this service again.

It's good to hear they are responding to feedback. It won't however change my view and I won't be using this service again.

Well it's good to be able to select your main in the premium cabins though.

One day they might find a way of integrating the upgraded meal service into the normal meal service in Y to remove the empty tray problem.

We flew CW to Vancouver and back over the summer, ordered our meal in advance on the outbound (inbound not an option) and it worked perfectly. I was impressed.

I am easily pleased when it comes to food and usually choose whichever meal is less likely to stain if spilled on board.
Normally chicken. But if, as on my last flight, my choice isn't available I don't mind but quite like getting 4000 miles on my account for not getting it.
Dick D