Champagne not replenished on Asia turn-around to Canada
Feb 15, 2012, 9:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: UA 1K MM, AC 50K MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 278
Champagne not replenished on Asia turn-around to Canada
Granted this is not an earth-shattering issue. But when you're paying thousands of dollars for a J class ticket, you would expect certain standards of service.
There is a reoccuring problem with champagne not being replenished on Asian flights returning to Canada I recently flew from Korea (ICN --> YVR) and had one glass of champagne. Strangely enough there were no offers to refill my glass once empty. So when I requested, the FA returned with a bottle of Kenwood sparking wine (yuk).
The explanation was that during the outbound flight from Canada, more champagne was consumed than usual, therefore only 1 bottle was left for the return flight to Vancouver.
1) Since when did they stop warehousing catering supplies in remote stations? Surely they don't carry the full stock of wine for the return flight, on the outbound flight.
2) Even if they did carry champagne stock for both directions, they should reserve 3 bottles for outbound and 3 bottles for return. You don't dip into the return stock prematurely!
The in-charge FA was apologetic to say the least. And he confirmed this has been a regular occurance lately. How unprofessional is this practice. Has anybody else experienced the same problem?
There is a reoccuring problem with champagne not being replenished on Asian flights returning to Canada I recently flew from Korea (ICN --> YVR) and had one glass of champagne. Strangely enough there were no offers to refill my glass once empty. So when I requested, the FA returned with a bottle of Kenwood sparking wine (yuk).
The explanation was that during the outbound flight from Canada, more champagne was consumed than usual, therefore only 1 bottle was left for the return flight to Vancouver.
1) Since when did they stop warehousing catering supplies in remote stations? Surely they don't carry the full stock of wine for the return flight, on the outbound flight.
2) Even if they did carry champagne stock for both directions, they should reserve 3 bottles for outbound and 3 bottles for return. You don't dip into the return stock prematurely!
The in-charge FA was apologetic to say the least. And he confirmed this has been a regular occurance lately. How unprofessional is this practice. Has anybody else experienced the same problem?
Feb 15, 2012, 9:57 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Titanium, National Executive
Posts: 1,586
Originally Posted by YVR guy:18024406
Granted this is not an earth-shattering issue. But when you're paying thousands of dollars for a J class ticket, you would expect certain standards of service.
There is a reoccuring problem with champagne not being replenished on Asian flights returning to Canada I recently flew from Korea (ICN --> YVR) and had one glass of champagne. Strangely enough there were no offers to refill my glass once empty. So when I requested, the FA returned with a bottle of Kenwood sparking wine (yuk).
The explanation was that during the outbound flight from Canada, more champagne was consumed than usual, therefore only 1 bottle was left for the return flight to Vancouver.
1) Since when did they stop warehousing catering supplies in remote stations? Surely they don't carry the full stock of wine for the return flight, on the outbound flight.
2) Even if they did carry champagne stock for both directions, they should reserve 3 bottles for outbound and 3 bottles for return. You don't dip into the return stock prematurely!
The in-charge FA was apologetic to say the least. And he confirmed this has been a regular occurance lately. How unprofessional is this practice. Has anybody else experienced the same problem?
There is a reoccuring problem with champagne not being replenished on Asian flights returning to Canada I recently flew from Korea (ICN --> YVR) and had one glass of champagne. Strangely enough there were no offers to refill my glass once empty. So when I requested, the FA returned with a bottle of Kenwood sparking wine (yuk).
The explanation was that during the outbound flight from Canada, more champagne was consumed than usual, therefore only 1 bottle was left for the return flight to Vancouver.
1) Since when did they stop warehousing catering supplies in remote stations? Surely they don't carry the full stock of wine for the return flight, on the outbound flight.
2) Even if they did carry champagne stock for both directions, they should reserve 3 bottles for outbound and 3 bottles for return. You don't dip into the return stock prematurely!
The in-charge FA was apologetic to say the least. And he confirmed this has been a regular occurance lately. How unprofessional is this practice. Has anybody else experienced the same problem?
That's your complaint about AC service?
Feb 15, 2012, 10:01 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Granted this is not an earth-shattering issue. But when you're paying thousands of dollars for a J class ticket, you would expect certain standards of service.
There is a reoccuring problem with champagne not being replenished on Asian flights returning to Canada I recently flew from Korea (ICN --> YVR) and had one glass of champagne. Strangely enough there were no offers to refill my glass once empty. So when I requested, the FA returned with a bottle of Kenwood sparking wine (yuk).
The explanation was that during the outbound flight from Canada, more champagne was consumed than usual, therefore only 1 bottle was left for the return flight to Vancouver.
1) Since when did they stop warehousing catering supplies in remote stations? Surely they don't carry the full stock of wine for the return flight, on the outbound flight.
2) Even if they did carry champagne stock for both directions, they should reserve 3 bottles for outbound and 3 bottles for return. You don't dip into the return stock prematurely!
The in-charge FA was apologetic to say the least. And he confirmed this has been a regular occurance lately. How unprofessional is this practice. Has anybody else experienced the same problem?
There is a reoccuring problem with champagne not being replenished on Asian flights returning to Canada I recently flew from Korea (ICN --> YVR) and had one glass of champagne. Strangely enough there were no offers to refill my glass once empty. So when I requested, the FA returned with a bottle of Kenwood sparking wine (yuk).
The explanation was that during the outbound flight from Canada, more champagne was consumed than usual, therefore only 1 bottle was left for the return flight to Vancouver.
1) Since when did they stop warehousing catering supplies in remote stations? Surely they don't carry the full stock of wine for the return flight, on the outbound flight.
2) Even if they did carry champagne stock for both directions, they should reserve 3 bottles for outbound and 3 bottles for return. You don't dip into the return stock prematurely!
The in-charge FA was apologetic to say the least. And he confirmed this has been a regular occurance lately. How unprofessional is this practice. Has anybody else experienced the same problem?
So at most it would cost me 300 or so of my own money (my boss pays for the lowest fare on the airline of my choice) to sit in J.
I have also flown on AA and even with their bankruptcy getting champagne in F/J isn't an issue to me.
(Though I like Glenlivet!)
Feb 15, 2012, 10:26 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,934
Congratulations.
Those that do pay for J are disappointed when the advertised product is not delivered.
Those that do pay for J are disappointed when the advertised product is not delivered.
Feb 16, 2012, 5:14 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: トロント
Programs: IHG Gold
Posts: 4,818
Feb 16, 2012, 7:21 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC*E50
Posts: 594
Score one for First World problems!
Feb 16, 2012, 7:40 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
The drink you get at take-off is not champagne. It's sparkling wine and there is a big difference. A related issue is en route when they try to finish off the rest of the sparkling instead of cracking out the good stuff as advertised.
Score one for First World problems!
Score one for First World problems!
Feb 16, 2012, 8:41 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,791
But I can see that if the severely restrict the number of bottles loaded, FAs would try make the limited supply last.
Cost cutting, again. Unnecessary levels of mid-management trying to justify their existence by optimizing their budget with no concern for the big picture. Corporate culture strikibg again? Once government, goverrnment forever?
Seems like no one has ever thought about the big savings that would ensue from cutting off these extra mid-managers instead of letting them loose on customers?
Feb 16, 2012, 9:05 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: PHL, NYC, DC
Posts: 9,708
I have experienced that too. When you then specifically ask for the champagne, they do go get it.
But I can see that if the severely restrict the number of bottles loaded, FAs would try make the limited supply last.
Cost cutting, again. Unnecessary levels of mid-management trying to justify their existence by optimizing their budget with no concern for the big picture. Corporate culture strikibg again? Once government, goverrnment forever?
Seems like no one has ever thought about the big savings that would ensue from cutting off these extra mid-managers instead of letting them loose on customers?
But I can see that if the severely restrict the number of bottles loaded, FAs would try make the limited supply last.
Cost cutting, again. Unnecessary levels of mid-management trying to justify their existence by optimizing their budget with no concern for the big picture. Corporate culture strikibg again? Once government, goverrnment forever?
Seems like no one has ever thought about the big savings that would ensue from cutting off these extra mid-managers instead of letting them loose on customers?
Feb 16, 2012, 9:23 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
wine selections are generally so poor that the only thing worth drinking IMO is champange and i do not drink shwill when it comes to wine so the least AC could do for me in J is have drappier and not run out. load extra cline syrah or what ever crap red they are serving these days.
Feb 16, 2012, 11:02 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: AC 75K, SPG P, CX SL
Posts: 548
I presume they're not paying duty on it (hence being opened only after take off), so a bottle of Drappier shouldn't be more than $20-25 to AC, this really does seem silly.
PS - if it was an ICN-YVR flight last month, the YVR-ICN culprits were me and a friend. Sorry about that.
PS - if it was an ICN-YVR flight last month, the YVR-ICN culprits were me and a friend. Sorry about that.
