Guy Betsy

I have had the opportunity to take a few AY long haul flights with their recent economy fare promos over winter/spring from various European points to Asia.

What I've observed is that while their European short haul flights have been ok with their Purchase-on-board meal service (BTW, what's with blueberry juice?) .. the services that stands out are the long haul asian routes.

One of the first flights was in Jan this year when I flew HEL-BKK. Half the cabin were staffed by Thais, with the Cabin Service Manager and the rest of the crew being Finns. The service was ok, food quite mediocre, but the seats quite comfy (I got the emergency exit seat)... The flight back from HKG last month, I realised were staffed almost entirely by Hong Kong cabin crew except that the Cabin Service Manager was a Finn. Food was the same.. ie not that great, but the service was clearly better.

But the best flight I had was yesterdays...

It was the most pleasant flight experience today from HEL - HKG on AY 69, on 15th April. Despite the flight being an hour delayed due to a mechanical problem, the flight went smoothly. I was seated at row 41L and started chatting with flight attendant Ms C. Y.Y. from Singapore. I learned that she was the only Singaporean crew member amongst the other HK flight attendants. What stood out is her poise and professionalism. There was always a smile on her when she greeted the passengers, and when she served food or drink. She was most approachable and professional. Maybe it was because she once worked for Singapore Airlines and old habits filtered onto the new. The other FA on the other hand, I felt, didn't care for their job. One just plonked down my breakfast in front of me. When I enquired if it was a special meal, she just took it away and brought me the special meal without saying a single word or acknowledgement. A simple 'sorry' or ' is it gluten free' would be appreciated. Maybe this FA didn't get her rest, but that certainly didn't show in the case of Ms C.. She was up zipping about refreshing passengers' coffee cups. Perhaps the HK crew was ex-CX?

What I've learned from chatting with Ms C is that there was a company 'change' and many of her colleagues have been let go and new ones hired. She has only been with AY for 4 months. She says that as far as the Singapore based crew are concerned, most are from various airlines. Some are from SQ, Jetstar Asia, CX even... she has no idea about the HK based crew but she also knows that they are outsourced and hired through a HK based company. They, like the Singapore based crew, are paid per flying hour, and have a fixed overseas allowance which are much lower than the Finns' equivalent.

But with service like what I've experienced on these flights, I will look forward to many more AY flights. From what I know, China do not have outsourced crew. But this YouTube video confuses me when the FA says she has been flying for 10 years, Shanghai based...so maybe she's hired directly with AY.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mlfooxrqdi0

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/finna...ing-staff.html

Andaman

Thank you for your post, interesting to hear how the (totally) outsourced cabin service was on the HKG route, SIN has a similar new arrangement, so no Finnish speaking crew at all? Changing the agency from Adecco to OSM Aviation was a part of the arrengement, I wonder if that ment pay cuts for the crew.

Their Asia flights have 2-3 outsourced cabin crew members typically, probably she was too.

WilcoRoger

USP - Unique Selling Point

Blueberry is a very Finnish thing and I think AY uses it to differentiat from the coffee/tea/water line of everyone else.

Passmethesickbag

But there is almost no blueberry in there, and in a pretty pathetic attempt to hide this, they've added copious amounts of sugar instead.

mebe

This is the blueberry juice they serve onboard: http://fromfinland.fi/en/premium-blu...-juice-1l.html

(Annoyingly not listed on the manufacturer's website)

lkrt

As a Finn, when I think of blueberry juice, I instantly think of mustikkakeitto, "blueberry soup", which would be much better and more nutritious for sure! I wonder if it'd be much more expensive?

Passmethesickbag

That is hilarious!

Bonne Premium Blueberry Juice drink is made ​​with premium wild blueberries and natural spring water. That is why it has a genuine, great blueberry flavor.

No additives, no preservatives, no added sugar.

Imagine that! PREMIUM blueberries! No added sugar! Then, as you read on:

Ingredients (by manufacturer)
spring water, sugar, blueberry concentrate and natural flavoring. Whole juice concentration 15%.

Passmethesickbag

As a Swede, I call it "blĺbärssoppa". But it really *is* a soup, thickened with starch, and served hot.

Guy Betsy

So after one drinks this great Blueberry juice, you might actually fork out a few euros and buy a proper juice / mineral water to wash down this gark..

intuition

My bolding, to explain how to read marketing language. With the current health-trend and the almighty church of functional food, marketeers are trying hard to promote things that sits well with the congregation.

'No added sugar' usually means they didn't add sugar to the product. It doesn't mean the final product is void of sugar. Nordic blueberries contains approx 7,5 weight-% sugar as is.

Passmethesickbag

That could have been true, if it hadn't been a lie. Look at the ingredient list that follows, which confirms that that juice contains more *added* sugar than blueberries, as anybody who has tasted it will know without checking.

intuition

Yup, one of the statements is clearly false. I haven't tasted it (it isn't offered in J !) so I'll trust your taste buds.

esledo

"Isn't offered" doesn't mean it wouldn't be available if requested.

WilcoRoger

Luckily, we can say that it's the juice producer's marketing BS, not AY's

intuition

True! I'm quite nordic though, so I take what is offered and complain on internet later

^