FAQ: Air Canada New meal offerings for International Business Class Customers
#16
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AC SE100k, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 2,644
#17
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
Apart from the perception of choice the cynic in me thinks this is really a cost saving move spun as an "enhancement" as now they don't have to give everyone all the items for breakfast etc. for example now they stock 20 yogurts, etc instead of the whole cabin. They now serve the snacks that were usually on hand during the flight as the brunch option? As well, with the reduction of flight attendants recently last month their work load will be even greater.... service will be even slower now that they have to spend additional time plating...
The brunch option has nothing to do with snacks, the current 3rd option we've added on YYZ/Asia just so happens to be a stir fry noodles with dim sum (which is a very popular brunch item in Asia) - nothing to do with the mid flight snacks dim sum.
I flew on YYZ-NRT today with the new crew complement, meal service completed within 2.5 hrs as per our specifications. (And no, I didn't help out as I am not allowed to serve customers or work as a FA) On all the trial flights we ran before launch, none of the meal service took longer than 2.5 hours. Of course there will be flights that will take a bit longer as our galley flight attendants get used to doing this - many of them have done this before and some have never done it so that's where the variation will come in at launch.
#18
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
Other stations will be added in 2015. We need a phase in approach for such a big change.
#19
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
I was just on one of these flights (well HND) and it was that same breakfast on arrival. I've never liked it. So I took the breakfast tray and had them cook up the dim sum snacks and the noodle soup with dumplings and used that as the main.
Mind you that's sort of what the descriptions implies they are doing officially now. Hopefully it's a little more substantial!
Mind you that's sort of what the descriptions implies they are doing officially now. Hopefully it's a little more substantial!
#20
Formerly known as tireman77
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 5,382
I would assume by that the the catering for these new services are in YYZ only.
#21
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
Certainly not the intention... all it means is that it's not totally cold.
#23
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
Hey Andrew,
Thanks! Any updates on updating domestic J meals or are there no initiatives for that?
Thanks
Penguin
Thanks! Any updates on updating domestic J meals or are there no initiatives for that?
Thanks
Penguin
#25
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM, Asia Miles, SPG Gold (life), HH Gold, Golden Circle Jade
Posts: 1,068
Will this mean the beef won't be a hockey puck in soup going forward? 4/5 times it is what I receive. The 1/5 times it isn't, it's because I ask them to take it out 5 minutes early and they do. Then it comes out warm, medium-rare, and no soup. I understand the 787 has programmed ovens to cook different dishes to different levels but flight from Haneda last week still presented beef soup. Other airlines don't seem to have this issue, and quite clearly it can even be avoided on Air Canada as long as the timing is done right. It would really make the meal more pleasant. The other dishes also suffer from this sort of issue, but less prominently.
#26
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
Will this mean the beef won't be a hockey puck in soup going forward? 4/5 times it is what I receive. The 1/5 times it isn't, it's because I ask them to take it out 5 minutes early and they do. Then it comes out warm, medium-rare, and no soup. I understand the 787 has programmed ovens to cook different dishes to different levels but flight from Haneda last week still presented beef soup. Other airlines don't seem to have this issue, and quite clearly it can even be avoided on Air Canada as long as the timing is done right. It would really make the meal more pleasant. The other dishes also suffer from this sort of issue, but less prominently.
#27
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
#28
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 1,022
What is the big deal about manual plating? The food won't taste any better. Hygiene can be uneven something the oven managed much better. Now, portions may be uneven as well. Bigger and better for FA favourites. Invisible for me. Where is Tedgrrrr?
#29
Company Representative - Air Canada
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Canada
Posts: 24,215
As for portion size, each dish is one set of kit for the crew to plate. There's no favorites to play.
As for hygiene, and how exactly is this different than a restaurant?
#30
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*SE MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 4,604
787 has steam ovens so it tends to cook the food better. You shouldn't see as much water in the dishes now with galley plating as the flight attendant is manually plating the dish so they are not going to pour the watery sauce onto the dish as well. We're not the only airline with that issue, I've seen similar on my flights on CX, BA in J - believe it has something to do with the ovens and the fact that the beef has to be pre-cooked (hence you see the piece of bread we put under the steak to absorb some of it). Hopefully with steam ovens and galley plating your beef will be better! Keep me posted on your experiences.