British Airways Won’t Restore Pre-Pandemic Dining On Long-Haul Flights Until November

British Airways doesn't plan to restore its full pre-pandemic dining service on long-haul flights until the end of the summer season due to a major staffing shortage.

The plan to bring back the dining service for the Club World Business Class cabin in the spring could be delayed by as much as six months as the airline's efforts to bolster its workforce fail.

British Airways almost eliminated its dining service at the start of the Pandemic but has gradually resumed normal service as public health officials learned more about how the disease was spread and restrictions were relaxed throughout society.

British Airways used to offer a single-tray service in its Club World cabin, but now only serves every course at once.

The added benefit of the simplified service was that it required less cabin crew.

In an internal video, the airline said it would need to staff flights with more cabin crew but it was likely to last for the entire summer.

British Airways cannot resume its normal meal service until it is able to staff flights with more cabin crew over and above the legal minimum.

More than 2,500 new hire crew are set to take to the skies within weeks, with the airline actively recruiting new crew.

The aviation industry is facing a problem with the security vetting process which is slowing down the pace at which new staff can start working.

To free up as many cabin crew as possible, the airline says it also plans to limit the size of its shortfall Club Europe cabin throughout the summer.

A larger Business Class cabin requires additional cabin crew which BA can't guarantee.

The airline offers overtime for cabin crew to work on their days off and is now offering to buy back their annual leave.

As an international flight attendant, Maszczynski worked for the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying for a well-known European airline during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Matt is an expert in passenger experience and human-centered stories. Constantly keeping an ear close to the ground, Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage is often relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism.