Finnair Plus - AY long haul food quality in J (2012) - opinions?

I know this topic has been discussed a lot in a separete thread where the main topic is the introduction of pre-order selection for ex-HEL flights.

I thought, however, to open a new thread to discuss the general opinions about the offerings/quality. To me the main things for flying in long haul J are:

1. personal space in terms of sitting/sleeping comfort
2. possibility to work = power, light, room to spread your things a little bit
3. relative quietness of the cabin (varies but in general better than at the back)
4. possibility to eat reasonable quality meal(s) onboard, often you don't want/have the time to eat during the day/at the aiport
5. enjoy a drink or two, if one wants/feels like it

I think the newer planes in AY fleet are doing OK job here in terms of the hard product and also my recent experiences with J crews are getting better, it's still hit and miss but more often good than bad crew, which is good.

But to the main topic of this thread, the food. I have had some extremely poor offerings lately I just think AY needs to put lot more emphasis on the food quality.

I'd tried another one of these pre-selection meals on the other flight as the menu itself wasn't anything to write home about...it was a total disaster, once again...dry, tasteless and also very small portion (not that it mattered as it was so dry/bad I couldn't eat it anyway). Also, on another recent flight had an Asian prawn meal which was also so poor in quality that any 2 eur microwave meal would have been better...I mean seriously, we are talking about long haul J here where tickets are 2.000-5.000eur a piece..some other meals have been OK but still at max. on the level what for example AA and BA serve on short haul (to give comparison from OW). Many, many airlines have better food even in Y.

I'm I totally alone here or how do you others feel..? It would be very interesting to hear some comments from non-Scandinavian flyers as well.

Also, I just want to add that I'm by no means selective with what I eat but I've just had so bad experiences with AY food lately that I couldn't keep it to myself.

Just to close, I still give AY ^ for drinks, most wines + desserts, I think these are up to par but a lot of room for improvement with the main meals, in my opinion.

I'm I totally alone here or how do you others feel..? It would be very interesting to hear some comments from non-Scandinavian flyers as well.

Also, I just want to add that I'm by no means selective with what I eat but I've just had so bad experiences with AY food lately that I couldn't keep it to myself.

I agree, except that the soup has without exception been really tasty. But the main course, salad and the whole presentation has been pretty pathetic for a business meal. I like the wines, though.

btw. Finland is not part of scandinavia.

btw. Finland is not part of scandinavia.



Did I say we are? ;)

But good point anyway!

...
btw. Finland is not part of scandinavia.
... but nordic brothers! ;)


I put the complete inflight service experience (including food and drinks) very high on the list.

My opinions for 2012 (some winter 2011 flights included) are:

* Pre-selection meals is a failure as a premium IMO. From the booking experience (a clumsy, unreliable add-on to the booking pages) to the delivery. I had a reindeer, cooked/heated to the point where all moist had left the steak. Instead if was all over the cloth when served. The purser saw it, hesitated for a while, but finally decided to change my table cloth for a new. It was delivered last of all meals in the cabin. Food-wise, it wasn't terrible, but far far far from premium.

* Timing of food-service is odd, and I feel this has been getting worse for some time. For some late flights, like AY70 leaving HKG well past midnight, it can take well over an hour before service is even started. No pre-dinner drinks, no service at all. But when service starts, they seem to be in a big hurry, and it is difficult to enjoy meals in the commotion.
To "compensate" for the late service, the breakfast is really early, all plates cleared around 2 hours before landing.
IMO these flights could be perfect sleeper flights, where you can enjoy a full day in HKG and still arrive home without loosing any office hours, but it gets destroyed by this new timing of service.

* The entrées are usually very good, and have improved. Often well presented, waking apetite, and many times giving a sense of surprise.^

* For main courses, I keep getting a feeling of same ol', same ol'. They do change the menu, but in reality there seems not to be any variation in what comes out on the plate.
The salad is fresh, but I think it has been the exact same type of salad and dressing for three years now, so...

* Deserts usually of good quality. Desert menu could do with a greater variation, and a greater selection. To me it is the same few items coming around every other flight.



So I also feel disappointed by the main courses. For me it is in terms of quality of food, variety and as well as how it is served.

I have to say that AY has really not impressed me with their meal services. I found it quite shocking that AA, which is always rated as the worst OW carrier, beats AY hands down when it comes to the meals! One problem is that AY over-complicates some of their dishes in J. Also, the presentation usually leave a lot be be desired, I find they way they serve things very economisque. If they would still have F-class, I could understand the poor presentation, but as J is AY's flagship product, it really should be upped a notch.

I´ve got only one less good meal on my AY-flights in J on my last trip to HKG. Annoying cause I got the opportunity to select first as a Platinum. Otherwise I have never had any complaints compared to BA, which almost always serves bad quality, unappetizing-looking food in J. And their beakfast is always a joke. Iberia food is always good, even though the service isn´t always.
Like Finnair wines too and they always offer a top-up with the smile.

... cooked/heated to the point where all moist had left the steak.
You just described every airline steak I've ever had, no matter J or F. I'm sure there's room for improvement on AY, but seriously, has anybody honestly gotten a nice tasty medium or rare steak in the air on any airline, any class?

I m missing variety, since ages they serving the same selection on flights to BKK. I was just checking for my next flights on Sunday, nothing changed since at least Juli 11. Or nothing which one will realize.

You just described every airline steak I've ever had, no matter J or F. I'm sure there's room for improvement on AY, but seriously, has anybody honestly gotten a nice tasty medium or rare steak in the air on any airline, any class?

It can happen, I have had nice, tasty & medium cooked steaks both with AA (F) and with Lan (J). But like you say, it's more often a total miss and that's also a reason why I tend to avoid them.

I agree that the main dishes are so-so and a bit of hit and miss, sometimes they are decent or even good, sometimes they are just bad.

However, comparing to my flights in J with BA and CX lately, I must say I rank the overall food experience of AY at the same level with these and maybe even higher than BA. Even more than AY, BA can serve some really tired food.

You just described every airline steak I've ever had, no matter J or F. I'm sure there's room for improvement on AY, but seriously, has anybody honestly gotten a nice tasty medium or rare steak in the air on any airline, any class?

Yes, on my last AA flight from LHR to MIA I was brave enough to order the beef fillet, and it was awesome! Usually I don't order steaks on plane because most of the times they are like rubber.

After a looong time I flew AY longhaul again yesterday/today.

The experience in total was better than on SK, about the same as on LH or OS, behind LX or VS.

The food was a very positive surprise, expecially the starters ("sapas") - a Finnish type of tapas plate and some other stuff. Really good and tasty - and I liked the Finnish touch.

The main dish was a bit of letdown after the starters - I went with the pasta dish - OK, but nothing special. The other options would have been salmon or Korean.

Dessert was a nice "berry heart"

Wine selection was short, but seemed well thought out. I went for the Ozzy Riesling, really good, the other white option would have been a French Chardonnay.

I slept through the breakfast service so no comments on that.

Service was impersonal - all the other airlines I mentioned have better.

Seat is better than on SK (I didn't get the new business class aircraft)

The food was a very positive surprise, expecially the starters ("sapas") - a Finnish type of tapas plate and some other stuff. Really good and tasty - and I liked the Finnish touch.

The main dish was a bit of letdown after the starters - I went with the pasta dish - OK, but nothing special. The other options would have been salmon or Korean.

Dessert was a nice "berry heart"

Wine selection was short, but seemed well thought out. I went for the Ozzy Riesling, really good, the other white option would have been a French Chardonnay.

I slept through the breakfast service so no comments on that.


I flew HEL-PEK-HEL this week. I agree on the starters "sapas", they were surprisingly tasty. On HEL-PEK I had salmon, it was OK (much better than salmon HKG-HEL last October). Dessert, wines and calvados good or better. Slept through the breakfast. Too much of that very good calvados?

On the way back had white Chinese fish for main dish, quite spicy. I did like it. Before landing time for pasta, big disappointment. Soggy, tasteless stuff.