On AI international, what i have seen is that the quality of the service a lot is directly proportional to the personality of the IFS: inflight supervisor. usually a male on AI (though IC intl has some women doing this role), the IFS determines what happens and where and when (i think).

Generally a good IFS results in good service: properly spaced out etc. if you see a fat, balding Anglo-Indian fellow onboard as IFS, a lousy service of the kind described above should be expected. the aunties are usually good at this sort of thing.

That said, i dont think they have a plated from cart in J: never seen it. That seems to have been in F only. Most of my travel has been on A310's on regional only. My only time on 747 i remember was similar to 310 service: larger portions than Y and individual courses in tray.

>> Do AI still hand out packaged wafers as hors d'oeuvres?
last flight with them, 777 to NRT, we were served some strange warm toast with onion/tomato salad on top. dunno what that is called, it was ok but it seemed to have been dipped in olive oil or something.