At the same time, British Airways has sharply cut back its evening meal service on flights departing after 9pm.

While Club World passengers were previously offered a three-course meal, they will instead have to settle for a main course and dessert.

BA has said the “one-tray” meal service will allow passengers on late-night flights to get to sleep more quickly. However, the airline already offered this quicker option for people who did not want the standard full menu.

Rob Burgess, editor of Head for Points, a blog that helps flyers maximise their air miles, said the changes were most likely a cost-cutting measure. 

He said: “The biggest structural issue with the airline business is that most of your costs are fixed. Fuel costs are fixed. Aircraft leasing costs (or debt repayments) are fixed. Staff numbers are set by law and pay scales are fixed in the medium term. 

“Whilst it seems petty to start attacking the in-flight food budget, it is one of very few levers to pull.”

As food cannot be served until the aircraft is at cruising altitude, passengers on flights leaving later in the morning may not be served their brunch until 1.30pm under the new system. Mr Burgess called the changes “crackpot” and predicted they would be a “disaster” on his blog.

A spokesman for British Airways said: “We’re incredibly proud of our premium dining experience, which includes a wide range of meal options to suit the preferences of our customers depending on the time of day they’re travelling.

“We trialled our new brunch offering with thousands of customers across numerous routes and received extremely positive feedback on both the quality and variety of options offered.”

BA has launched a £7bn investment programme that it says will be used to upgrade aircraft, cabins and lounges and improve its website and app over the next two years.