Travelling British Airways - enjoy a delicious meal - unless you order "gluten free"!

On British Airways it would appear that "gluten free" translates to devoid of imagination; tasteless, and on this occasion no desert!

No desert?
The desert was meant to be fruit, but it didn't arrive and the stewardess couldn't have given a poorer excuse:

"Oh; sorry I'm really busy; there is only two of us; but I'll have a look to see what's available; but I don't think there will be anything!"

She never came back!

Poor alternatives
The alternatives and no show on one out of four (25%) of the food is really extremely poor by British Airways - who make a song and dance of the fact they "Don't charge for their meals" as a point of differentiation to other airlines.

In contrast to my meal, the passenger next to me - who didn't order a special meal option - received chicken breast in a rich tomato sauce accompanied by roast vegetables - not dissimilar to the image BA send in their email to me prompting me to "Order your main meal in advance?".

I received plain chicken breast with boiled vegetables - no sauce, no flavour!

Very, very, very poor because there is no reason to have not serviced me the same chicken - it has no gluten in the sauce; I checked!

Rice cake with butter?
He received a bread roll and butter... I receive rice cakes with butter - who the heck eats rice cakes with butter?

Ridiculous; because there is no reason to provide a gluten free roll or bread - there are literally over 50 gluten free breads and rolls on the market.

He received a on apple strudel for desert... I receive; well nothing, as they obviously forgot, ran out or just plain couldn't be bothered, but I should have received a fruit cocktail of orange, kiwi and grapes. But why could I have not received a gluten free strudel? 

If strudel is too hard to roster up, perhaps a very commonly available (Pret and Starbucks do them) gluten free chocolate brownie?

So on balance, this really is a shockingly poor service to someone who elected "gluten free" - not only did I have to tell the stewardess that I ordered a gluten free meal when they attempted to place a standard meal on my table, to which they said "Oh yes, XY, I knew there was a special here!"...

...which begs the question "Why the heck didn't you well remember then?" and instead of making me declare my special elected meal choice, simply bring it out, in the same manner you served the vegetarian meal options to the passengers who ordered their options; without fuss or fanfare?  I felt like I was being awkward for asking, bringing attention to me when I didn't want it.

Moreover and more importantly, why do British Airways have no imagination in your gluten free food choices?

The options were no doubt very healthy - absent of any fat (and indeed taste) - but I am not gluten free because I want to remain slim - I am gluten free because gluten has an adverse affect on my gut - and yet I enjoy tasty, rich, gluten-free food all the same!

Furthermore the general apathy and irritation shown by the crew to my polite and perfectly reasonable question as to "I appear to be missing my desert" left me overwhelmingly feeling as though I was a burden for being gluten free.

I, like most people, am not that price sensitive anymore; instead we are service orientated - we have choices of carriers to most destinations now, and based on today's experience, and recent activity by British Airways, I am starting to question their service values and brand equity.

So, on summary, if you fly British Airways and are gluten free: good luck; you'll need it!