Hot meals back on the menu for BA passengers

BRITISH Airways will start serving hot meals again on long-haul flights on Monday, it was announced yesterday.

For the last few days, passengers have had a drinks-only service as a result of a continuing dispute involving the airline's catering company Gate Gourmet.

Meals will be back on the menu from Monday for long-haul passengers leaving Heathrow and from Wednesday for long-haul customers flying in to Heathrow.

Mike Street, BA's customer service and operations director, said the meal service being provided from next week was "a far cry" from the normal service level, but would nevertheless be "a welcome move" for passengers.

He went on: "We continue to talk to Gate Gourmet regarding its capability to improve further on the service it is currently able to provide."

BA's short-haul customers will continue to be offered meal vouchers, access to refreshment centres in the terminals and pre-flight dining in the premium lounges.

Onboard refreshment remains limited to water for the time being.

Meanwhile, BA was continuing its investigation yesterday into whether staff were bullied into supporting the 670 sacked Gate Gourmet staff last week.

It was a wildcat strike by BA staff which led to chaos at Heathrow and the cancellation of hundreds of BA flights.

The Transport and General Workers' Union has threatened to take official industrial action if BA workers are victimised.

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