BoB hot meal tray - anybody tried it
Apr 9, 2015, 6:28 pm
#61
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,342
They don't seem to want to sell the hot meals a lot of the time
Very recently flew AC 148 YVR-YYZ on the 787.
Sat in the bulkhead row, and was quite literally the first person in the Y cabin to order any kind of food, as others in the row declined. Requested a meal tray, and I was told that none of any kind were available(???)
Fair enough, BUT:
- Flight was J0 two days out, and I'm sure AC knows that the 787 J cabins ALWAYS fly full on this route anyway, so they should have been fully stocked.
- It's my understanding that there should be several surplus meal trays to allow for selection in the business class cabin.
- I later saw an FA eating what looked suspiciously like the typical AC salmon dish, although I can't be 100% sure -- do crew normally eat "extra" meals from J on domestic flights?
Seriously AC, if you're already sold out of meal trays in a widebody for the first passenger that asks, then I don't even know why it's on the menu.
Sat in the bulkhead row, and was quite literally the first person in the Y cabin to order any kind of food, as others in the row declined. Requested a meal tray, and I was told that none of any kind were available(???)
Fair enough, BUT:
- Flight was J0 two days out, and I'm sure AC knows that the 787 J cabins ALWAYS fly full on this route anyway, so they should have been fully stocked.
- It's my understanding that there should be several surplus meal trays to allow for selection in the business class cabin.
- I later saw an FA eating what looked suspiciously like the typical AC salmon dish, although I can't be 100% sure -- do crew normally eat "extra" meals from J on domestic flights?
Seriously AC, if you're already sold out of meal trays in a widebody for the first passenger that asks, then I don't even know why it's on the menu.
Me: Do you have any of the hot meals?
FA: This is a breakfast flight, we don't sell them on breakfast flights
Me: But it says here on the menu that there's a breakfast option? And I've purchased them before on breakfast flights
FA: Business class is full; there won't be any available
Me: Don't they normally overcater or have people decline to have a meal? Can you check?
FA: There probably won't be any left, but I'll check
(comes back after a couple mins)
FA: (reluctantly) We have the omelette or the pancakes
It seems like a lot of crews don't want to sell the hot meals, so it can be like pulling teeth sometime to try to buy one.
The only reason I was able to buy one on the flight above is that I'd questioned the FA about it, and knew that they often overcater for full J cabins to allow for choice.
Apr 9, 2015, 6:35 pm
#62
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I've had similar experiences where it's clear the crew didn't want to sell any of the hot meal trays. One example from a domestic premium long haul flight:
Me: Do you have any of the hot meals?
FA: This is a breakfast flight, we don't sell them on breakfast flights
Me: But it says here on the menu that there's a breakfast option? And I've purchased them before on breakfast flights
FA: Business class is full; there won't be any available
Me: Don't they normally overcater or have people decline to have a meal? Can you check?
FA: There probably won't be any left, but I'll check
(comes back after a couple mins)
FA: (reluctantly) We have the omelette or the pancakes
It seems like a lot of crews don't want to sell the hot meals, so it can be like pulling teeth sometime to try to buy one.
The only reason I was able to buy one on the flight above is that I'd questioned the FA about it, and knew that they often overcater for full J cabins to allow for choice.
Me: Do you have any of the hot meals?
FA: This is a breakfast flight, we don't sell them on breakfast flights
Me: But it says here on the menu that there's a breakfast option? And I've purchased them before on breakfast flights
FA: Business class is full; there won't be any available
Me: Don't they normally overcater or have people decline to have a meal? Can you check?
FA: There probably won't be any left, but I'll check
(comes back after a couple mins)
FA: (reluctantly) We have the omelette or the pancakes
It seems like a lot of crews don't want to sell the hot meals, so it can be like pulling teeth sometime to try to buy one.
The only reason I was able to buy one on the flight above is that I'd questioned the FA about it, and knew that they often overcater for full J cabins to allow for choice.
Apr 9, 2015, 9:04 pm
#63
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,313
I've had similar experiences where it's clear the crew didn't want to sell any of the hot meal trays. One example from a domestic premium long haul flight:
Me: Do you have any of the hot meals?
FA: This is a breakfast flight, we don't sell them on breakfast flights
Me: But it says here on the menu that there's a breakfast option? And I've purchased them before on breakfast flights
FA: Business class is full; there won't be any available
Me: Don't they normally overcater or have people decline to have a meal? Can you check?
FA: There probably won't be any left, but I'll check
(comes back after a couple mins)
FA: (reluctantly) We have the omelette or the pancakes
It seems like a lot of crews don't want to sell the hot meals, so it can be like pulling teeth sometime to try to buy one.
The only reason I was able to buy one on the flight above is that I'd questioned the FA about it, and knew that they often overcater for full J cabins to allow for choice.
Me: Do you have any of the hot meals?
FA: This is a breakfast flight, we don't sell them on breakfast flights
Me: But it says here on the menu that there's a breakfast option? And I've purchased them before on breakfast flights
FA: Business class is full; there won't be any available
Me: Don't they normally overcater or have people decline to have a meal? Can you check?
FA: There probably won't be any left, but I'll check
(comes back after a couple mins)
FA: (reluctantly) We have the omelette or the pancakes
It seems like a lot of crews don't want to sell the hot meals, so it can be like pulling teeth sometime to try to buy one.
The only reason I was able to buy one on the flight above is that I'd questioned the FA about it, and knew that they often overcater for full J cabins to allow for choice.
That flight annoys me to this day. SE on an M fare, and my upgrade didn't clear. But they don't have the yields for true J
Apr 11, 2015, 2:29 am
#65
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: AC:50K
Posts: 708
Personally I insist on paid J cabin if anyone wants me to fly down to SFO -- I don't want to risk sitting at the back of a Rouge plane, even if it is just two hours.
Apr 11, 2015, 5:09 am
#66
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: AC*E35
Posts: 484
I have to agree I feel that sometimes the flight attendants just don't seem to feel bothered to sell hot meals.
On my last flight YVR-YUL AC 150 J was just about full but the flight crews managed to sell at least 6 of the meals or maybe more because when it came for my turn 5 rows back of the bulkhead they were telling each other they had 4 of the egg but only 1 of the pancake left because they had been selling them.
On the other hand a couple months ago same flight I was in the second row or so and I was just told flat out we don't have any.
I wonder if it affects the flight attendants' personal meal supply if they sell these BOB meals....
On my last flight YVR-YUL AC 150 J was just about full but the flight crews managed to sell at least 6 of the meals or maybe more because when it came for my turn 5 rows back of the bulkhead they were telling each other they had 4 of the egg but only 1 of the pancake left because they had been selling them.
On the other hand a couple months ago same flight I was in the second row or so and I was just told flat out we don't have any.
I wonder if it affects the flight attendants' personal meal supply if they sell these BOB meals....
Apr 11, 2015, 6:34 am
#67
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I had the beef in brown sauce with whipped potatoes. I have obviously not been in domestic J for a while since this was a very poor meal for a J offering. It was OK value as BOB but for J it would have been very disappointing. 3 others managed to get the pasta option in Y.
Apr 11, 2015, 6:41 am
#68
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Apr 11, 2015, 7:55 am
#69
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Apr 11, 2015, 8:03 am
#70
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Let me say it again
Some crew bring their own meals and snacks, some of which looked quite appealing.
Apr 11, 2015, 9:05 am
#71
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,342
I find the vast majority of flight crews are great, but I've had a few (<10%) that don't seem to want to sell the hot meal trays even when they do have leftovers.
Apr 11, 2015, 9:13 am
#72
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: YXY
Posts: 3,506
This is the first time I notice this option. I'll watch out for it henceforth.
Oh, wait, I think I tried to order one recently. I wasn't aware that those were J class meals. However, I was told that there is no food, just snacks, because it was an evening flight. I was pissed. I had been in transit for a while already, the connecting flight was delayed, the Maple leaf lounge had closed anyway and kicked everybody out, and except for a hugely overpriced burger king everything else was closed. And then I can't even get a sandwich, let alone a warm meal, on board.
Hungry passengers are unhappy passengers!
Preorder, please. Maybe start with flights were ordinarily no meals are sold due to time of day. Stowage shouldn't be of the issue there.
Oh, wait, I think I tried to order one recently. I wasn't aware that those were J class meals. However, I was told that there is no food, just snacks, because it was an evening flight. I was pissed. I had been in transit for a while already, the connecting flight was delayed, the Maple leaf lounge had closed anyway and kicked everybody out, and except for a hugely overpriced burger king everything else was closed. And then I can't even get a sandwich, let alone a warm meal, on board.
Hungry passengers are unhappy passengers!
Preorder, please. Maybe start with flights were ordinarily no meals are sold due to time of day. Stowage shouldn't be of the issue there.
Apr 11, 2015, 10:07 am
#73
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: YVR
Programs: AC S100K
Posts: 978
If I really want a meal tray in Y, I'll politely ask the SD during boarding and offer the stub of my boarding pass to provide my seat number.
Never fails and I'll often get my first choice served earlier than other passengers.
Never fails and I'll often get my first choice served earlier than other passengers.
Apr 11, 2015, 10:17 am
#74
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: AC-SEMM, AA-Gold
Posts: 962
I have to agree I feel that sometimes the flight attendants just don't seem to feel bothered to sell hot meals.
On my last flight YVR-YUL AC 150 J was just about full but the flight crews managed to sell at least 6 of the meals or maybe more because when it came for my turn 5 rows back of the bulkhead they were telling each other they had 4 of the egg but only 1 of the pancake left because they had been selling them.
On the other hand a couple months ago same flight I was in the second row or so and I was just told flat out we don't have any.
I wonder if it affects the flight attendants' personal meal supply if they sell these BOB meals....
On my last flight YVR-YUL AC 150 J was just about full but the flight crews managed to sell at least 6 of the meals or maybe more because when it came for my turn 5 rows back of the bulkhead they were telling each other they had 4 of the egg but only 1 of the pancake left because they had been selling them.
On the other hand a couple months ago same flight I was in the second row or so and I was just told flat out we don't have any.
I wonder if it affects the flight attendants' personal meal supply if they sell these BOB meals....
EDITING to Add: on a recent LHR flights both of the Snack trays were not even put out as yet and yet there were holes in the saran wrap as someone had gone in and taken out all the Lindt Milk Chocolate Bars from the Galley Cabinet
Apr 11, 2015, 10:27 am
#75
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They often cater crew meals but are these only for pilots? I do see crew eating a lot of the catered meals and a lot of flights (transcon and TATL) see them stashing away the chocolate bars
EDITING to Add: on a recent LHR flights both of the Snack trays were not even put out as yet and yet there were holes in the saran wrap as someone had gone in and taken out all the Lindt Milk Chocolate Bars from the Galley Cabinet
EDITING to Add: on a recent LHR flights both of the Snack trays were not even put out as yet and yet there were holes in the saran wrap as someone had gone in and taken out all the Lindt Milk Chocolate Bars from the Galley Cabinet
The snack tray issue was mentioned in another thread. Some noted that Y pax were coming forward and taking the Lindt Bars, saying they were for grandchildren etc.
On a recent YYZ-YVR on a 788, 2 pax from Y came forward (no shoes on BTW), spoke to the guy sitting near me for a while, went up to the snack basket and took ALL the chocolate bars in it.
The 2 were young adult females and could have been the children of said J pax.
I wasn't the only one who saw it as it was daylight.
Therefore, I would not assume the crew takes them, at least not all of them.