mhtaipei

Based on a few inner-Asian flights in early falI, I have recently noted (read *****ed about) a declining quality in food service on this forum. Well, after the TPE-HKG-FRA-HKG-TPE trip we have just completed over X-mas (J), I do stand corrected. Food was excellent on every single leg. Suckling Pig with Beer Sauce and Cranberry Confit, Chicken Breast on Madeira Sauce, Gnocchi with Truffles were definitely the highlights. In the wine department, we were surprised by a fruity Framingham Sauvignon Blanc 2002 from the land of Mordor (or is it Middle Earth? they will rename it soon I fear). I reckon it will be a bit dry and dull on the ground, but up in the pressurised tin can it was splendid.

Chiangi

I still agree with your critical comment about food on Japan-HKG flights, though.

I am taking my first CX flight of the year today and it's HKG-NRT.

mhtaipei

happy new year and happy cx flying, chiangi. I have a TPE-KIX coming up as well as a NRT-HKG. Could it be a Japanese thing only, cutting down on the Nippon routes? I am looking forward to my flights and will update my post.

Wasabi Tofu

Oh, I also took the flight from HKG to NRT (CX508) today (05JAN).
However, this is 2nd CX flight in 2004.

Furthermore, this is 3rd flight for 25% bonus for Diamond members between 29DEC2003 thru 31MAR2004.

zhaobao

You lucky. J meals on transpacific flights are at an all-time low. They are replacing dinners with suppers as much as possible if the flight leaves late so that they can do away with the full-blown meal service. HKG-SFO, which took 12 hours, began with a supper that consisted of a romaine lettuce salad as appetizer (Unheard of pre-SARS). Main course was choice of roast goose on rice or grilled steak (two red meats, weird selection), all pre-plated to Y-sized tray. You can also opt for the light option which is the noodle soup they serve mid-flight. (SFO-HKG was worse. The two choices of main were a meat dish and get this, a PASTA.) Pre-plated cheese, fruit and cheesecake followed. Breakfast/brunch had a very small fruit plate, followed by choice of omelette, noodles with dim sum and rice porridge. Normally, rice porridge on CX had some "stuff" in it, but the porridge on my flight was PLAIN. And no more recipes by Yung Kee to say the least. I don't drink much on planes, so the selection of alcohol was irrelevant to me.

The food in J on KA from HKG to PVG (2-hour flight) was excellent compared to CX. If you get a breakfast flight, you would have a choice of three hot dishes or the continental service. Lunch/dinner flights have three hot choices, two of them with a restaurant chain behind the recipe. Real appetizers too (I had the crab and celery salad on my flight.)

When AC is improving their cuisine across the pacific (and I'm sure other airlines that fly transpacific too), CX is making the wrong move. Of course, their IFE is excellent if you get NBC. The flight attendants are always helpful and go out of their way to make your journey more pleasant (well, everything but the catering). Plus Platinum challenge on AA. I wouldn't fly CX for the food though.

[This message has been edited by zhaobao (edited Jan 05, 2004).]

jkc22

I came back on 872 HKG-SFO just yesterday (in a 74B, BTW), I can attest that the meal service in J nowadays is rather substandard, which was why I skipped it entirely. FWIW, I skipped the 873 meal service on my outbound flight too (in a 744, however).

Having flown the late-morning/mid-day flights to/from SIN and KUL within the same period, I can even say the lunch service on these 3+ hour flights are better than the main meal on the trans-Pac flights (at least both 872/873).

On my flight 720 KUL-HKG on 1/4, the meal service was as follows:

Chicken Satay/Nuts
Appetizer Balik Salmon
Mixed Greens Salad

Choice of:
Grilled Lamb
Jumbo Prawns
Pasta

Fruits AND Cheese
Dessert
Chocolate Pralines

As opposed to 872 with:

Nuts
Appetizer Terrine
Mixed Greens Salad

Choice of:
Jumbo Prawns
Beef Rice
Pasta

Fruits OR Cheese
Dessert
Chocolate Pralines (not offered, but alternatively since it was the holiday season, a Yule Log was offered in addition to a silver gift-boxed three cookies....)

Frankly, service was good in all flight segments, but I would recommend everyone to skip the inflight meal service due to:

1. Substandard meal service;
2. Better food choices on ground (especially true with Wing/Pier F Lounge food);
3. Unhealthy diet at late evening hours before a long flight where the extra pounds go straight to the waistline....

Wine, however, was another issue entirely, and will be discussed in another thread...

[This message has been edited by jkc22 (edited Jan 05, 2004).]

Carfield

That's why I really want CX to bring back the daytime nonstop flights from LAX.

Supper service at CX has always been rather "light"... unfortunately, unlike the European flights, USA flights do not receive a full breakfast service prior to arrival -- I guess serving more heartier main courses and cereal/yogurt is too expensive.

Just a note... the cheese/fruit/dessert service is definitely an improvement from years ago... when only cheese and fruit is offered.

Thanks for the information!

Carfield

Chiangi

Did they extend the bonus offer? I thought it ended 31DEC.

BTW, did you go to the year-end dinner party hosted by CX Tokyo, Wasabi Tofu-san? I am sure you were invited as well.

RE HKG-NRT, I was initially booked on CX508 that day but I arrived early in HKG and begged for a seat on CX500 at the F class check-in counter. The flight was almost full in J but overbooked in Y. So I was told that I need to go stand by. But the staff went extra miles by calling a seat controller and got me a seat on the spot. There probably were some misconnections for 500. The flight didn't look full at all in J. I could have the next seat empty.

I also took HKG-SFO-HKG earlier this month but on SQ. Should I have been happy with having chosen SQ, given all those negative comments about CX's foods? I don't know. I find SQ's foods on long-hauls such as this much worse. My personal preferences are SQ's Spacebed, wisemen AVOD plus CX foods. I don't like NBC.

For SFO-HKG, CX had upgraded me to F by the time I was at the airport. (It was a NBC equipment so this was not a 'guaranteed' upgrade for Diamond members but a simple operational.) But I reluctantly went for SQ. I needed some PPS miles/sectors.

christep

Is this some special for Diamond members in Japan? I have seen nothing of it... I assume it is different from the 25/50/100% bonus on Y/J/F which finished on 31 December?

Wasabi Tofu

It is differnt bonus from 25/50/100% bonus.
Is is only 25% regardless of classes.
On my personal club member page, this special bonus for diamond members is shown.

Only first 3 flights from 29DEC to 31MAR are eligible.

I don't have any idea about targets of this special bonus.



[This message has been edited by Wasabi Tofu (edited Jan 06, 2004).]

zhaobao

I think the breakfast thing is not flight-specific but has to do with the time of day. For SFO-HKG which lands at 6:30am, the full breakfast is served. But if you get the so-called brunch at 3-6pm which happens if you are flying from HKG to SFO, you are right... there is no cereal/yogurt.