Flying isn't what it was – but don't blame British Airways

It is tempting, confronted with the news that British Airways is to swap out lunch on long-haul flights leaving between 8.30am and 11.29am in favour of a ‘Great British Brunch’, to conclude that flying has simply gone to the dogs. The cost-cutting move, which applies to business and First Class passengers, has raised many an eyebrow, especially as the brunch menu sees the traditional opening sallies of lunch (cheese, artichoke, choice of other appetisers) followed by a gear shift into waffles or eggs and other apparent constituents of the ‘Great British brunch’. Not only is it hard to think of anything less convincingly likely to be done well in the ‘British’ aviation context than brunch, which in modern times is a largely American institution, but the jarring inelegance of this meal construction sets the teeth on edge. And, given that a ticket can cost thousands of pounds, those are expensive teeth to set on edge.