Air New Zealand Air Points - Feedback on Business Premier breakfast service

Hi all,

NZ is looking at redesigning the Business Premier breakfast service. The reason and aims are fairly broad at this point, but they want to offer 'healthier eating options and more personalisation.'

They're seeking feedback from crew about what would be possible to offer, and what customers like and don't like about the current service, so I thought here would be the perfect place to gather such feedback. I'll paste the thread to the relevant personnel.

Please keep ideas, comments etc realistic. I know one comment will be about the long time before landing the service takes place, but it would be great if you could consider the reasons behind this (ie, long flight, passengers that don't sleep will be hungry) and offer your ideal solutions (ie, have crew circulate cabin, offer awake passengers a hot gourmet snack option).

Good idea. I really like the fruit smoothies you offer on board. Delicious and healthy. I know many business travellers (including myself) really appreciate some more healthy options.

Good idea. I really like the fruit smoothies you offer on board. Delicious and healthy. I know many business travellers (including myself) really appreciate some more healthy options.

Agree with the fruit smoothies, but when I am travelling without my beloved Korean wife of many years who gives me a hard time about my eating habits, I love the option of a cooked breakfast and some hash browns :)

Yep smoothies are great.
Actually, I don't have any issues with Air NZ breakfast in BP. Some other * airlines across to Euro are not so good IMHO.

As for timing, have to wake up sometime!

Providing choice is important - light thru to fully cooked

i would be mindful of offering better presentation as it usually = less substancial. I love the breakkie onboard my NZ 101 on the new 777 at one stage. love the fruit smoothie. can we have more hot food options like noodles, pancakes and other creative options. I don't really like oily sausages and omlettes. How about energiser juices for wake up

Please keep ideas, comments etc realistic. I know one comment will be about the long time before landing the service takes place, but it would be great if you could consider the reasons behind this (ie, long flight, passengers that don't sleep will be hungry) and offer your ideal solutions (ie, have crew circulate cabin, offer awake passengers a hot gourmet snack option).

Great idea. Agree with others about the smoothies.

I would prefer breakfast to be served later for overnight flights. Some airlines (eg QF, SQ) take your order at the start of the flight - full breakfast or none/light (= later start to the service for you). If you wake up early and change your mind you can notify FA (the good ones will notice you are awake and ask if you want a full breakfast instead).

For trans-tasman early flights Oz->NZ it is less of an issue. For NZ->Oz it would be nice to be asked on departure if you want breakfast or sleep. With starts around 3am, I for one, would rather grab a quick bite in the lounge (where I'm making sure to be awake for flight call) then snooze on the flight.

In my limited experience in BP the main problem with the breakfast was the toast. It was rock solid on every segment (4) and virtually inedible. Perhaps I was just very unlucky

Jeff

Jeff, you're not alone with the rock solid toast. I've experienced it on every flight that's served me toast as well. That said, I've been told toast is difficult to do airborne.

I don't recall much about long-haul BP breakfast service, but I felt the Tasman BP breakfast I had two weeks ago was a little lacking. It didn't seem to be volumetrically any more than in economy - or maybe I was just very hungry.

One thing that particularly sticks out in my mind is the quality of the fruit that I had on my AKL-LAX and LAX-AKL sectors last year, it was absolutely awesome given how long it had been stored for breakfast. Great stuff! ^

The smoothies are also great.

In my limited experience in BP the main problem with the breakfast was the toast.

I think Air NZ's toast is great - crunchy, the way it should be! Almost as good as the smoothies.

My dear old mum could teach 'em how to make a proper (fluffy) omelette :D Those flapjack things that are labelled as such just don't qualify :p

How about good old Kiwi cereal on inbound flights too? Yeah, I know there are logistical issues with that, but Granola ain't muesli, and it sure ain't Weetbix :p

Personal likes: grapefruit juice, pancakes with syrup, pains au chocolat, maybe a savoury croissant instead of traditional greasies. Real (espresso) coffee made to order, even. Is that doable at altitude?

And yeah, a wakeup call slightly closer to arrival time would be nice.

justakiwi

Personal likes: grapefruit juice, pancakes with syrup, pains au chocolat, maybe a savoury croissant instead of traditional greasies. Real (espresso) coffee made to order, even. Is that doable at altitude?hmmm - I vaguely recall getting real flat whites made for me in biz in 2005 on the old product. I hadn't thought about it since, but you're right - all I've ever been offered since is coffee from the big pots.

Bringing back the real coffee would be a nice touch... if it's even gone, I've never asked - I'll try next week.

Thanks for the comments so far! Stuff like 'varieties of coffee' are exactly the sort of specific stuff that will help.

In answer to the queries, the only facility we have for making coffee onboard is a plunger (using Gravity brand coffee) in business class, and Nescafe Gold instant coffee in economy. I know QF/SQ/etc have specialist coffee machines that can produce cappucinos, etc. It'd be lovely to get one of those!

Breakfast is so important to me, if I am on a night flight.
While I cannot comment on NZ breakfasts, not having travelled long haul on NZ for many years, let me relay a huge dissapointment with Garuda on my last flight.
My partner and I own a condo in the Nusa Dua resort area of Bali, and travel Garuda as they are the only airline providing a premium service (of any depth) ex Australia. JetStar Star Class is not a premium service!!
The flight timings are morning departure from Syd - early afternoon into DPS, and the return is 2300 (but always late) from DPS and into SYD at 0630 (if on time).
The scenario is that most times you have to move to a late check out room at the resort (as we lease our condo when not using it), so you spend the day on the beach, have dinner then shower and change and leave for the airport around 2030 2100. Flight departing normally anywhere between 2300 and 2345. Delays seem to be due to late arrival of aircraft from JKT or late connecting flights from Surabaya.
On departure in J we used to get a nasty mini pizza,, soft and mushy from the aircraft oven, and 90 mins before arrival a really nice breakfast.
Fruit, cereal (choices from the cart) breads (danish, crossant, rolls etc), hot dish either omelette or nasi goreng, noddles, cheeses , juice and coffee.
On our most recent flight we got offered dinner a 0030 (now most pax refused, having eaten before going to the airport or in the lounge, and prior to arrival the FA were offereing Indonesian pax only a choice of breakfast. We asked for water and coffee and thats all we got.
The real issue was when we got home, after being away for 1 month, realized how hungry we were, no real food for 14--16 hours, and then having to go to the supermarket to replenish.
Yet previous we had a decent breakfast which would allow us to get home, have a sleep, then organise our ongoing life.
So breakfast is important, and should be healty - as all airline food should be.
I agree with the comments that the crew should get your preferences on departure and then either serve you or leave you to sleep. Garuda does include a sticker in the amenities pack - do you want to sleep or be worken? You place it on the seat back in front of you.
Something for NZ to consider - there has to be some reasonable priced cheaper options (always conscious of the bottom line)

Somehow have two options available.

For those awake (2 hours / 90 minutes before landing?) Full cooked breakfast.

Within an hour of landing - just cereal, smoothie and coffee.

Flew NZ1 LAX-AKL, NZ7 AKL-MEL. Didn't care for breakfast on NZ1, as could eat in lounge on arriving. And on NZ7, seat belt sign went off, seat went flat and I sleep for the first two hours of the flight - straight through breakfast. Wasn't offered anything, and wasn't expecting anything hot, but a fast breakfast option would have been appreciated.

One of the crew said to me after, that she was jealous of me sleeping as she had had a "Late Night" before the flight. Nothing to do with the meal option - just funny thinking all these people walking by me watching me drool.

Hi nz_crew,

Excellent topic - I think the breakfast is the weakest point in the otherwise excellent BP service. Healthy options are always good to have, but I really look forward to a bit of indulgence when flying AirNZ longhaul so it's nice to have something more substantial. Eggs seem really hard to do on planes (even with my limited culinary skills I can cook a tastier omelette than those offered on board) so having a really good non-egg, non-french toast option would be my top priority. For example the grilled ham & cheese croissants served on LAX-NAN flights (as far back as I can remember!) are excellent, the noodles on HKG flights are great and a dim sum option (as mentioned back in the day (http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24512&highlight=breakfasthttp://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24512&highlight=breakfast) ;)) would be fantastic. The LAX-FRA flights used to have a smorgasbord-type thing with breads, cold cuts and cheeses which was really good. There are lots of options other than egg beater omelette, french toast, scrambled egg etc. etc. and it would be fantastic to see some of these on board in future.

Varieties of coffee is a great idea (and not just for breakfast). Look forward to any enhancements to the service.

Cheers, Zac

Definatley more coffee choices and also Hot Chocolate !

Hot chocolate has always been available on request, but perhaps it should be listed on the menu (It's very tasty stuff, some Dutch brand from memory).

Keep the ideas coming everyone!

Hmm I did ask for a Hot Choccy on my last Y+ flight, and they said they didnt have any, was no biggy!

Hope it wasn't that nice Van Houten!! :mad:

I love the smoothies and fresh fruit options. Can depend on where the fresh fruit is loaded as to how ripe it is though. Flew AKL-HKG-LHR in Dec last year and was not keen on 2 breakfasts in a row i.e. before landing into HKG and then after taking off. However loved the dim sum option mid flight HKG-LHR. Have long ago given up on toast - but understand as someone who is obsessed about buttering toast as soon as it is done - that it is unreasonable to expect on an airline with lots of other passengers to serve toast the minute it is made! Omelettes always tend to disappoint and insipid unbrowned sausages are v off putting.
Food is vv important (as is the alcohol!) on a long haul airline so appreciate the efforts to ask for passenger feedback. A bit off the breakfast topic, but I always loved the concept of afternoon tea flying from LHR into LAX. I think they used to do petit fours but I did this get dropped in favour of dessert/cakes?

A "do not disturb" sticker.

The flight attendant woke me on one of my flights when I would rather have slept on (and did after the interruption and declining breakfast). :mad:

And I agree that then toast isn't great, and I love good toast :)

Definately a Do Not Disturb sticker to place on the seat in front of you or armrest or blanket or anywhere really

Great idea, they had a similar sticker on my last JAL flight.

I think it said "Sorry we have missed you, if you would like food/drink please let us know"

Definately a Do Not Disturb sticker to place on the seat in front of you or armrest or blanket or anywhere really

Great idea, they had a similar sticker on my last JAL flight.


AirNZ used to have a "do not disturb" sticker as part of the amenity kit - I'm sure both pax and crew would really appreciate this coming back. I tend to stay up watching movies and sampling the wines so not such a prob for me (but all my flights are for pleasure).

Few other thoughts on breakfast:
- agree with flykiwifly - 2 breakfasts in a row flying AKL-HKG-LHR is terrible (unless, as mentioned, there are more "mainsy" choices for breakfast - how about brunch ex HKG instead?)
- gottarequalify - excellent idea about the 2 types of breakfast! Full breakfast available 2 hrs before, cereal etc. available 1 hour before is excellent
- I thought the breakfast cards were great - why did they disappear?
- is it possible to use the ovens to bake (or finish off semibaked) fresh bread? This would be an awesome addition to breakfast, better than toast
- The smoothies are usually great, but increasingly often they taste sour or bitter, as though unripe fruit was used to make them
- It's not AirNZ's style, but something like "book the cook" would be excellent to give the option of a more lunch-style meal rather than breakfast - i.e. if someone wants a lunch hot option rather than a breakfast one it would be possible to request this as a special meal
- if you have to offer eggs, is it at all possible to offer poached eggs? Omlettes and scrambled really are unappetising - always semi-tasteless or have a taste like reconstituted, powdered egg (esp ex LAX)
- is it possible to re-offer newspapers with breakfast (if there are any left)

Cheers, Zac

I just experienced the service on an overnight flight from LHR to Hong Kong, and the overall service was excellent. I really enjoyed NZ, and looking forward to my next leg of the trip to AKL.

In regards to the breakfast service, I would recommend that NZ crew asks pax at beginning of service (evening) if they want to be awaken for the breakfast service in the morning.

Overall the choices were good, I like the fact I was given noodles as a choice for breakfast.

-- if you have to offer eggs, is it at all possible to offer poached eggs?

QF offers (offered?) poached eggs on some of its flights. You wouldn't believe it but I had one of the best poached eggs ever on a AKL - SYD flight on QF.

QF offers (offered?) poached eggs on some of its flights. You wouldn't believe it but I had one of the best poached eggs ever on a AKL - SYD flight on QF.

And we had poached eggs on NZ039 last week - the only difference between that and a 10 min boiled egg was the lack of shell. The rest of the breakfast was great though

I fly NZ on LHR-AKL in BP at least once a year, if not twice and breakfast IS important to me, so my few points are:

1. Choice of smoothies. The strawberry ones have been replaced by mango based ones which are still nice, but I know my partner prefers the strawberry ones. It is also very helpful to have top ups of juices/smoothies, simply because I tend to drink more than one glass of juice with breakfast (rather than coffee top ups).
2. Definitely a choice of coffees, I tend to enjoy the hot chocolate as I see it in the menu, but I know it has to be made especially, but would like a choice of a cappucino or flat white. I know this costs more to equip, but it IS meant to be BP.
3. A little more choice for cereal, yoghurt and fruit, as this is the basis for the healthy selection. Make this very good, and then a hot breakfast will be unnecessary for some. Include kiwifruit when seasonal
4. Toast is made on request for passengers, not brought around and offered like bread at dinner time. Ask passengers if they want toast (brown or white or croissants) and then make the batches to take to passengers individually.

In short, there are plenty of BP passengers who don't want toast, and for me I'd prefer toast was brought out for me warm. I would love a bit more selection for spread rather than just one jam or marmalade, such as vegemite (which was available in the old first class), and perhaps cream cheese. I enjoy toast immensely, so this matters.

5. I enjoy the egg selections, but there really is a matter about not overcooking them. This varies enormously, but this detail does matter - between rubbery poached eggs or not. If you like eggs you want them cooked right.

The banana stuffed fresh toast with manuka honey and whipped cream while decadent is sooo unhealthy it's not funny (I do tend to have it though as it is hard to get wrong).

I hope this is useful.

cheers

I have just travelled LHR-AKL and back in BP and found the food to be excellent. Personally speaking I didnt like the smoothies but thats just me.

Apart from the high standard of the food served, the well designed table allows you to eat and read, work or watch the TV.

Not related to the food but I did find the seat operation annoying - especially when the table kept popping out when i moved my legs up!

To follow up, the process of gathering feedback has finished and the new menu changes will take place from 1st July. The overwhelming request was apparently 'fresh and light', and the changes are currently being trialled on selected flights.

Some of the items planned include:

- better cereal selection

- better jam selection

- higher quality yoghurts

- fresher fruit (no more canned peaches!)

- simplified service for PPE

- cold main meal option on flights through North America

- Fast Dine breakfast when breakfast is a second meal – this allows people to have a sleep in.

In other food-related news, the bakery selection has changed to
garlic bread, organic sour dough roll, and sage and onion roll (delicious!)

Excellent!

Excellent ^ - especially the fruit, yoghurt (some is truly disgusting and I couldn't believe that on some flights there is no plain yoghurt option), and fast breakfast/sleep in option.

- simplified service for PPEThanks nz_crew ^ . However this enhancement has me a bit worried!

Sounds great, thanks for the info :)! Especially like the sound of the cold main option through NA.

Cheers, Zac

I know this thread is on BP, but on the specific issue of breakfast for PPE, I've just (two hours ago) got off NZ39 HKG-LHR, and make the following observation:

For passengers flying AKL-HKG-LHR, they've already had breakfast just before they've landed ,and probably don't want another hot 'breakfast' meal. For passengers flying HKG-LHR, they have probably already eaten something (at least I got up at 5.45am and could not possibly survive until 9.45am without breakfast!), so again may not need a big meal.

So, I would say that the hot dish that is breakfast could be gotten rid of without much complaint. I did however like the choice of fruit + cereal + bakery , which is a bit healthier as well. (I'd have rather sacrificed the hot dish than any of the other bits).

All in all though, I thought the service was good (though please no lamb that isn't already cut up, unless we get knives that can cut it!). One other gripe - please can the IFE be loaded with some rugby games that the All Blacks don't win :) (or at least replace the 2004 England game with something where the opposition played something resembling rugby :( ).

Dave