British Airways used to bill itself, without irony, as ‘the nation’s favourite airline’. The days when it could legitimately use such a slogan are long gone. Now, the unfortunate passengers who endure a substandard service on the carrier are more likely to regard it as the nation’s least beloved airline, vying only with Ryanair for a distinctly lacklustre experience from start to finish. Flying with BA used to be about glamour, excitement and quiet customer satisfaction. More recently, it is all about penny-pinching, discomfort and boredom, with a side helping of inexplicable fear creeping in.

Those travelling with the airline are paying a premium cost for a budget service

The news that the airline is to scrap its hot food service on some of its short-haul European routes for business-class passengers at breakfast time may not, in itself, seem especially consequential. Most people feel little sympathy for the minor inconveniences of the wealthy. So it’s unlikely many tears will be shed for........

© The Spectator