Menus and meals 2022-2023
May 10, 2023, 9:48 pm
#181
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ*E, QF-G, EK-P
Posts: 605
It is impossible to believe the feedback isn't getting through. Two separate cabin managers have told me in the last 2 months - one TT and one to LAX that there are constant complaints, and every trip report they have submitted for months has said the same thing - negative passenger feedback, poor quality ingredients, difficult to prepare and serve.
So it is fair to say at this point NZ are making choices to supply bad food.
So it is fair to say at this point NZ are making choices to supply bad food.
May 10, 2023, 10:17 pm
#182
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: NZ *E
Posts: 346
Given we'll likely be flying those J seats for the remainder of the decade, they have to up the soft product to compensate -- bad sadly they've missed the mark with food (also see that other thread about the cheapish new amenity kits)
May 11, 2023, 1:15 am
#183
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: New Zealand
Programs: Air NZ *E
Posts: 146
Yup - food in J ex AKL, amenities, call centre waits for Elites, all equals a significant need for their game to be lifted now decent money is being made again post-COVID.
May 11, 2023, 4:24 pm
#184
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,120
I flew NZ81 to HKG yesterday and have to say it was one of the best flights I've had in years.
Superb crew and superb food. After all the recent photos and stories on here incl from Thai Kiwi I had very low expectations especially after that YVR menu that I wouldn't have eaten anything from. I'll post some photos of food and menus later on.
Superb crew and superb food. After all the recent photos and stories on here incl from Thai Kiwi I had very low expectations especially after that YVR menu that I wouldn't have eaten anything from. I'll post some photos of food and menus later on.
May 11, 2023, 8:24 pm
#185
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: DL Plat, NZ Elite, QF Plat
Posts: 1,776
IAH-AKL a week later than AKL-LAX and almost the exact same menu. Different soup. Lamb instead of beef. Slightly different egg dish for breakfast.
Last edited by NZ_Flyer; May 11, 2023 at 8:33 pm
May 19, 2023, 8:46 pm
#186
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 646
Here's a beef fillet from Qantas. Perhaps something for NZ to aspire to.
QF Prawn entrees were very nice and works much better than the whatever entree, I got from NZ in the last 5+ years.
Medium to medium rare beef fillet
QF Prawn entrees were very nice and works much better than the whatever entree, I got from NZ in the last 5+ years.
Medium to medium rare beef fillet
May 19, 2023, 9:21 pm
#187
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ*E, QF-G, EK-P
Posts: 605
Dinner on my recent EK flight. EK F for $1000 cheaper than NZ or SQ J options on the day.
food was fantastic. Apologies for the poor photo quality.
I think we develop a Stockholm syndrome with AirNZ sometimes. If people are prepared to pay a premium for a rubbish product they will get a rubbish product!!
There is no excuse for NZs current J product and them saying how amazing it will be at the end of 2024 on a couple of aircraft only (to begin with) is insulting at best.
May 19, 2023, 10:06 pm
#188
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: NZ *E
Posts: 346
I actually think if they got rid of the new mains (or at least had a beef / chicken / fish option that was customizable instead of just one "full sized" main choice) it would be an overall improvement with the soup option, etc
Credit where credits due, the breakfast is still fairly strong -- at a lot of airlines is a single tray casserole dish affair so it's nice they put effort into it with plating etc
Credit where credits due, the breakfast is still fairly strong -- at a lot of airlines is a single tray casserole dish affair so it's nice they put effort into it with plating etc
May 19, 2023, 10:52 pm
#189
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,120
NZ80 last night
I decided to try the beef just because I'd eaten Asian food for 8 days.. It was pretty chewy and overdone.
Garlic bread and toast for breakfast was also on the cold side and hard (but this is more of a crew training and presentation issue than the food as such)
The plastic cup of Dulcet was just a prank (ISM was a good friend of another ISM I knew so I had to drink it before I could get more LP!)
I decided to try the beef just because I'd eaten Asian food for 8 days.. It was pretty chewy and overdone.
Garlic bread and toast for breakfast was also on the cold side and hard (but this is more of a crew training and presentation issue than the food as such)
The plastic cup of Dulcet was just a prank (ISM was a good friend of another ISM I knew so I had to drink it before I could get more LP!)
Last edited by sbiddle; May 19, 2023 at 11:48 pm
May 19, 2023, 10:56 pm
#190
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,120
And not a NZ meal but does anybody remember when economy food here used to look like this rather than the slops you get now? This was CX from BKK-HKG yesterday.
The meal was delicious and the only fault was the ice cream which was no doubt kept at minus 1000 degrees with the dry ice and took close to 15 mins at room temperature and holding onto it before it was actually possible to eat it. I saw other people nearby actually give up.
The meal was delicious and the only fault was the ice cream which was no doubt kept at minus 1000 degrees with the dry ice and took close to 15 mins at room temperature and holding onto it before it was actually possible to eat it. I saw other people nearby actually give up.
May 19, 2023, 11:02 pm
#191
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,120
NZ81 to HKG 9 days ago
Food was all superb especially considering how many bad comments there have been above about catering ex AKL. There was no ice cream for desert so there was a mousse (pictured) that was delicious. I ended up having the same mousse again for desert after dinner.
Food was all superb especially considering how many bad comments there have been above about catering ex AKL. There was no ice cream for desert so there was a mousse (pictured) that was delicious. I ended up having the same mousse again for desert after dinner.
May 19, 2023, 11:21 pm
#192
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ*GE / EK*GOLD
Posts: 2,512
Looks decent Steve.
May 19, 2023, 11:23 pm
#193
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: air new zealand
Posts: 25
sbiddle, re the breakfast menu. Is it a choice of fruit bowl OR cereal OR bircher yoghurt OR an omelette etc? Or is fruit/cereal served plus the hot item?
May 19, 2023, 11:29 pm
#194
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,120
IMHO this is quite annoying as I really enjoy fresh fruit and yoghurt for breakfast and pre Covid would always get fruit + yoghurt and then the main hot option. Somebody in front of me asked about the fruit after they had eaten their main and was told they would check if there was any fruit left (their was so they got one as well) and FA explained this was actually one of the meal options now. The fruit bowl was actually pretty substantial and looked nice.
May 19, 2023, 11:34 pm
#195
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: air new zealand
Posts: 25
Well that is seriously economising the Business Class experience. Thanks for confirming sbiddle.