landingpoint

We do know that airlines do not cater for all possible meal combinations. In larger cabins, it is easier to get away with less over-catering.

In a 4-F cabin, however, it gets interesting.
F meals normally come with 4 main course options. For the sake of discussion, let's ignore the permutation of 2 starters, 2 soups, 2 salads and 2 desserts.

If you as Pax 1 exercise a BTC option, the airline would still have to cater at least one of each main course [potentially even by a factor of n, which I would hazard a guess is = 2]. So that Pax 2, 3 and 4 would have a range of 4 main courses to choose from.

If you as Pax 1 and another Pax 2 both exercise BTC options, the airline would still have to cater at least one of each main course [but now, perhaps by a factor of 1]. So that Pax 3 and 4 would have a range of 4 main courses to choose from. Just that Pax 3 and Pax 4 cannot both choose the same item.

If Pax 1, 2 and 3 all exercise BTC options, the airline would still have to cater at least one of each main course [likely by a factor of 1]. So that Pax 4 would have a range of 4 main courses to choose from.

Any thoughts on the degree of overcatering? When is the amount of food to be catered decided (bearing in mind there could be last minute bookings and upgrades)? how about in a 8-F cabin and 12-suite cabin perhaps?

SMK77

As far as SQ is concerned, BTC doesn't change how many meals are loaded. Keep in mind that the pilots eat F meals as well:

For 4F you need to make 4 pax happy and then feed the cockpit.

Two main courses each x 4 options = 8 meals - 4 pax - 3 cockpit = 1 meal to throw away

For 8F, you need to make 8 pax happy and then feed the cockpit.

Four main courses each x 4 options = 16 meals - 8 pax - 3 cockpit = 5 meal to throw away

Smaller cabin might be more efficient in terms of over catering.

shuigao

Do the flight attendants get to eat the leftover F/J meals?

levistrauss

Yes, they do.

Phaze

Flight crew like to take priority. Then the cabin crew get to have what's left.

shuigao

Hmm my previous suites trip there were 3 cabin crew serving 5 pax. I wonder if it's 3 crew for the suites cabin regardless of pax load?

5 pax @ 2 main courses each = 10 meals loaded.
Pax eat 5, Flight Crew eat 2, Cabin crew eat the other 3, no wastage!

nocturne14

Cabin crew and tech crew have different meals catered. Even though there will be left over in F cabin, they dont short-change the uplift of crew meals.