All Nippon Airways Mileage Club - ANA to sell C meal in Y cabin

ANA has reportedly announced a plan to balance the budget.

It includes;

sell C meal in Y cabin
no more newspaper in Y
sell one-time pass for the lounges

A Japanese language article by Asahi
http://www.asahi.com/business/update/0731/TKY200907310453.html

PDF in Japanese by ANA
http://www.ana.co.jp/ir/tekiji/pdf/09_07_31.pdf

I wonder how they sell the C meal to Y pax.

How much?

Interesting concept.

It said no free newspaper in economy section.
Does it mean they will charge for the paper or they will not distribute them at all?

ANA becomes more and more low budget US type airlines.
If you want something, you have to pay for it.

I hope ANA can cut cost without cutting the number of fequent customers who love ANA.

They were already selling C snacks (sandwiches/soup) to Y pax last month.

I am surprised to hear that an Asian carrier would cut service. As for selling C meals in Y cabins, how would that work? Selling the "extra" meals after C pax placed their orders? Or would they actually take preorders prior to departure? Wouldn't it be extra work for the C FAs to serve the Y pax or would the Y FAs bear the added burden?

LAX

That would be hard, as a C meal has several courses.

ANA has to carry extra C class meals for Y passenger for sale.
If Y passeners do not buy them, it might waste the meals.
If ANA prepare small number of extra meals, Y passengers may complain if not available.
Anyway, it seems more cost and trouble, less profit.

That would be hard, as a C meal has several courses.

Many intra asia flights already using one tray service for C, they can use the same concept for long haul.

ANA has to carry extra C class meals for Y passenger for sale.
If Y passeners do not buy them, it might waste the meals.
If ANA prepare small number of extra meals, Y passengers may complain if not available.
Anyway, it seems more cost and trouble, less profit.

I think they will just sell it a la carte, rather than a full meal. And I don't think they are going to load a whole lot of sale items. Y pax complain or not is irrevalant, as they are going to get the standard Y meals anyway.

Any airlines that have item for sale inflight never load enough for each pax, it is always first come first serve. I don't really see many of pax complain either. They know it if they want to buy something, they would try to sit more to the front. Even when they are giving meals, if you sit all the way back always end up with no choice.

According to the PDF document from ANA it looks like they are going to sell light meals and snacks (noodle, onigiri, pizza) they serve after the main meal in C rather than the main meal itself. Called "Pay for Value" this service will start in October and extends the sale of "onigiri and miso soup" already on offer in international Y and also covers the sale of drinks from C.

In addition to ending free newspapers in Y, ANA will also withdraw toll-free phone numbers for reservation.

According to the PDF document from ANA it looks like they are going to sell light meals and snacks (noodle, onigiri, pizza) they serve after the main meal in C rather than the main meal itself. Called "Pay for Value" this service will start in October and extends the sale of "onigiri and miso soup" already on offer in international Y and also covers the sale of drinks from C.

Thanks for the comment NewbieRunnner. Oh you can read Japanese.

As a native Japanese speaker, I don't read that they limit the sales to light meals and snacks. Check the underlined portions.

第一弾として、２００９年１０月より、国内線一般席および国際線エコノミークラスでお食事の有料販売サービ スを拡充致します。既に国内線一般席で販売中の、「空の上でも朝ごはん、“おにぎりセット”」や国際線エコ ノミークラスでの「あったか鮭おにぎりとお味噌汁」などに引き続き、機内でお買い求めいただけるお食事メニ ューの充実を図ってまいります。


〔２００９年１０月以降今年度中に導入する新有料サービスの例〕
・ 国際線 ：ビジネスクラスお食事・ドリンクメニューをエコノミークラスで販売

As a native Japanese speaker,
So am I... ;)

I don't read that they limit the sales to light meals and snacks. Check the underlined portions.
It's true that the document doesn't say only snacks and light meals will be sold but it doesn't say main meals will be sold either. From the document and from joejones's report (and also the ANA website - see below) it looks as if certain snack items from C are already sold in Y. They are going to extend the range of menu items sold in Y which could be more snacks or main meals. But I share other posters' views that it would be logistically difficult to sell main meals or dishes from the main meals from C to pax in Y. Meal services in C are already slow as pointed out elsewhere in this forum. I cannot imagine how FAs are going to serve Y pax sitting in various parts of the cabin with main meals of their choice from C. Will it be confined to the appetizer, main dish and dessert? Or will they also serve fresh fruit and cheese which are also on the menu? I'm not even sure whether a plate, condiment, cutlery, etc. will fit on the seat back tray table in Y.

"お食事" does not necessarily have to mean "main meals" but could be snacks and light meals. However all this is speculation. It would be interesting to see how this develops.

According to this page (https://www.ana.co.jp/int/service/concept/meal/y_j.html) "warm salmon onigiri and miso soup" is already sold for 800 yen in Economy and Premium Economy and "pizza or katsu-sando and soup" for 1,000 yen.

Here is the complete "Light meals anytime" menu in C from a recent FRA-NRT flight.

*****

We invite you to enjoy the following assorted menu of light meals and snacks whenever you wish. Please feel free to ask your cabin attendant to serve you.

Light dishes and snacks
Bowl of hot Japanese udon noodles
ANA's original ramen (cup of instant Chinese Lamian noodles)
Warm rice ball with salmon stuffing and miso soup
Beef pastrami and Cheddar light sandwich
Classic pizza
Cup of hot consommé soup

Dessert
Premium ice cream

Petite Japanese set
Chilled buckwheat noodles with plum pickles and smooth yam
Petits inari-zushi and delicacies
Dessert

Petite International set
Green asparagus and broccoli potage
Bread roll
Dessert

If you prefer an early meal, we are pleased to offer hot udon noodles or another hot snack. The menu shown above is served following the first scheduled meal and is available until 1 hour 30 minutes before arrival. Please accept our apology if your menu choice is not available.

Frankly, the CAs seemed to have a lot of trouble serving the ordinary Y meals on my last JFK-NRT flight, so I have no clue how they will deal with this additional workload.

I didn't see anyone order the C snacks, despite the fact that we all got little cards on our meal tray to advertise them.

So am I... ;)
......
Light dishes and snacks
Bowl of hot Japanese udon noodles
ANA's original ramen (cup of instant Chinese Lamian noodles)
Warm rice ball with salmon stuffing and miso soup
Beef pastrami and Cheddar light sandwich
Classic pizza
Cup of hot consommé soup......

I am sure it's of higher quality than what is served on UA, but I can't believe NH is charging for ramen and pizza! I supposed most (if not all) airlines only care about the premium cabin pax.

LAX

I am sure it's of higher quality than what is served on UA, but I can't believe NH is charging for ramen and pizza! I supposed most (if not all) airlines only care about the premium cabin pax.

LAX

When it is pour water in instant cup noodle, there is no difference about high or low quality, it is all the same. Unless they are going to serve in china, but I doubt they would do that.

I wonder what an ANA cabin attendant would do if you brought your own cup'o'noodles on the plane and helped yourself to hot water from the galley. I imagine there would be a lot of pants-pooping since that isn't in their manual.

When it is pour water in instant cup noodle, there is no difference about high or low quality, it is all the same. Unless they are going to serve in china, but I doubt they would do that.

FYI, there are better quality instant cup noodles than what's served on UA and widely available in the US, especially the ones made in Japan. While they may all be "just instant cup noodles" to some, but there is a difference amongst them.

LAX

I wonder what an ANA cabin attendant would do if you brought your own cup'o'noodles on the plane and helped yourself to hot water from the galley. I imagine there would be a lot of pants-pooping since that isn't in their manual.

Is pouring water into a regular cup in that manual?? Perhaps one can pour hot water into a regular cup first (visible to FAs, assuming it's allowed), then pour that water into the cup noodle afterward (out of sight from FAs).:p

LAX

FYI, there are better quality instant cup noodles than what's served on UA and widely available in the US, especially the ones made in Japan. While they may all be "just instant cup noodles" to some, but there is a difference amongst them.

LAX

Had tried the NH ones, not much difference than UA.

On a side note, those made in Japan are better than those made in the US, but it also mean more cost. The ones from Hong Kong actually taste the same as in Japan, but less the cost. (e.g. the one from CX Y for midflight snack)

I wonder what an ANA cabin attendant would do if you brought your own cup'o'noodles on the plane and helped yourself to hot water from the galley. I imagine there would be a lot of pants-pooping since that isn't in their manual.

This is allowed, at least on ANA and JAL - I've done this on numerous occasions when I knew I wasn't flying in C.

I've never seen anyone helping themselves to hot water in the galley per se, but if you ask any CA, they will kindly do so and are pretty open about it.

Its not suprising to sell of extra "snack meals" that would otherwise have to be tossed upon arrival. Some I bet would also be popular, like the infamous "Super Cheeseburger." Would it be that bad to buy a cheeseburger in the air, which many would argue is also better than many Y-class meals aready.

Separately, how many people in Y (or C for that matter) truly read the newspaper. Some read a bit of it, others just take one because its offered. Some might read it for 5-10 min than be done with it. In the world where, in the terminal alone, they sell papers, you can go on the internet on your computer and read news, and there's CNN international on the TV's, all of which could have been done until boarding the plane, why do you need the newspaper anyways, which many in these modern times consider "old news." Especially when in Y at least, there's no room to spread the paper open to read it in the first place.

Why would you want to eat cup noodles anyway? Full of MSG and chemicals! Besides the low quality of such food, do you really want that yucky soup splashing all over you while you slurp it up?!

I'd pay extra for the C meal (up to $15 or so extra for the meal).

Why would you want to eat cup noodles anyway? Full of MSG and chemicals! Besides the low quality of such food, do you really want that yucky soup splashing all over you while you slurp it up?!

This is an asian thing. I bet you are either from US or Europe.

Many Japanese meals are expensive in Japan, in order to save money, consider the high cost of living especially in Japan, people eat cup noodles as lunch or dinner. And if you pay attention, Japan has lots of different kinds of instant noodles, if they are not popular, different manufacturers would not be making so many different kinds, some are as tasty as real bowl of ramen noodles, and they are filling too, as some actually contain large chunks or dried meat.

Outside of Japan, instant noodles are also very popular and has a huge market in especially Taiwan and Hong Kong. CX do gives full cup of Nissin instant noodles for long haul mid flight snack in Y, so do many other asian carriers. OZ actually use spicy hot instant ramen noodles in F for midflight snack too.

This is an asian thing. I bet you are either from US or Europe.

Many Japanese meals are expensive in Japan, in order to save money, consider the high cost of living especially in Japan, people eat cup noodles as lunch or dinner.

The same reason that American college kids eat them. I think this is less a racial question than it is a "how much money do you want to spend on eating real food" question.

I'd pay extra for the C meal (up to $15 or so extra for the meal).
I very much doubt if you'd get a complete C meal for $15 extra. They are selling "warm salmon onigiri and miso soup" for 800 yen in Economy and Premium Economy and "pizza or katsu-sando and soup" for 1,000 yen.

The same reason that American college kids eat them. I think this is less a racial question than it is a "how much money do you want to spend on eating real food" question.

Generally asian just like them no matter save money or not. Some of those which contains meat are actually quite expensive. In a matter of fact, UA actually want to do away the midflight instant noodle service in Y on TPAC flights, it is the asian pax complain and got it save. Many want those noodles instead of sandwhiches.

I don't see any Americans would eat it once in a while and actually consider as unhealthy food full of MSG.