Downgraded food and service in business class

Old Aug 14, 2009, 10:54 am
  #46  
 
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Originally Posted by pueywei
Food quality ranks high on my list as well. A good meal is something to look forward to and it can make or break a flight.
I would rather have a great seat than a great meal. I can take a snack onto the plane but they get really upset when I try to take my bed from home and set it up on the plane.
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Old Aug 14, 2009, 10:06 pm
  #47  
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Originally Posted by mcgahat
I would rather have a great seat than a great meal. I can take a snack onto the plane but they get really upset when I try to take my bed from home and set it up on the plane.
I'm with you. I've got about 200 great restaurants within a 30 min. drive. I don't want airplane food to be bad, of course, but I don't look to airlines for exquisite dining experiences. I'm just trying to lessen the pain of being in a big aluminum tube for many hours.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 3:27 pm
  #48  
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I think it's a case of priorities for different people - some expect a certain quality of food and will fly with a particular carrier to get it.
For me, it is a balance of food and the cabin.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 8:34 pm
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ANA Gripes

I can deal with downgrades in service, but the thing that bugs me is that I pay for business class on ANA because of its perceived quality both in amenities and in service.

The fact that they become more and more like UA bothers me and makes me not want to spend my $$$ on the tickets.
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Old Sep 1, 2009, 5:45 am
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I flew NH in J FRA-NRT r/t a couple of weeks ago and had reset (i.e. lowered) my expectations after reading this thread. However, it wasn't so bad. While they no longer serve a second meal, they've also added 2 light meals (one Western and one Japanese) to the list of anytime snack menu. The light meals are not much lighter than the eliminated second meals. Plus you can ask for anything on the snack menu anytime. I witnessed my seat mate (a Japanese salaryman), a couple of hours after the main meal, ordered ramen, then pizza, then one of those light meals in succession. Before landing, he had a couple more items.

I am not a huge fan of NH catering in general, but the food quality is pretty good. One data point for those who like AVML (Indian veggie) - they are somewhat spicy ex-NRT and wreaked havoc with my taste buds, starting with the amuse bouche. After those 2 dainty bites, I was no longer able to drink any wine or champagne for most of the flight - they all tasted sour and acidic. I had to switch to sake. I hear beer goes better with Indian food, but I don't drink beer. Actually, I don't drink much anyway, so essentially I just had water mainly.
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Old Sep 19, 2009, 4:35 am
  #51  
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Originally Posted by pueywei
Be aware that the chicken in Y bibimbap out of NRT is actually ground, and there's not much of it. I'll probably try the noodles next time; someone across the aisle had it and it looked pretty good with actual pieces of meat.
Quite disappointing to hear of all of these downgrades in service. Im about to do NRT-LAX in Business and was hoping for the carrier's legendary experience. It sounds like I shouldnt expect anything special.

Is bibimbap offered in Business Class? I thought this was a Korean dish...didnt realize it was something served in Japan too (until today when I enjoyed a delicious helping of it in downtown Osaka)!
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Old Sep 19, 2009, 9:32 am
  #52  
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Originally Posted by SkyTeam777
Quite disappointing to hear of all of these downgrades in service. Im about to do NRT-LAX in Business and was hoping for the carrier's legendary experience. It sounds like I shouldnt expect anything special.

Is bibimbap offered in Business Class? I thought this was a Korean dish...didnt realize it was something served in Japan too (until today when I enjoyed a delicious helping of it in downtown Osaka)!
Not available in C class, but I'm sure they would get one for you from Y if you ask.
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Old Sep 19, 2009, 9:52 am
  #53  
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Originally Posted by SkyTeam777
Is bibimbap offered in Business Class?
Originally Posted by Flyingfox
Not available in C class, but I'm sure they would get one for you from Y if you ask.
Not on NRT-LAX in September.

Business Class menu
Economy Class menu
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Old Sep 19, 2009, 9:35 pm
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Originally Posted by Flyingfox
Not available in C class, but I'm sure they would get one for you from Y if you ask.

I wouldn't bother, it was just ok. Take OZ F next time if you want some korean style food.
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Old Sep 25, 2009, 9:09 pm
  #55  
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Originally Posted by RTW4
IMHO I agree that I will also take JL from now on.. The first class food on NH 5 last week was inedbible... Since I consider the food was the cornerstone of the NH first class experience I DO think the NH service has become "variable". . too bad for such a great airline....
That plan works...as long as JL keeps flying.

http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...?xid=rss-world

Japan Airlines Needs GM-Style Bailout
By Coco Masters / Tokyo

When Japan Airlines (JAL) switched from glass wine bottles to plastic ones in coach class earlier this year, passengers took it as just another sign of the humbling of the country's once-proud flagship carrier. But far greater humiliations were in store for Asia's largest airline by revenue. Beset by a steady erosion of its customer base, high cost structures and a $15.4 billion debt load, JAL lost about $1 billion last quarter and projects a loss of about $700 million for this fiscal year. With nowhere else to turn, JAL CEO Haruka Nishimatsu this week met with Transport Minister Seiji Maehara to discuss a government bailout, inviting unflattering comparisons between the Japanese airline and American carmaker GM.

* * *
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Old Oct 21, 2009, 12:47 am
  #56  
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Business snacks for sale in Economy

A menu is now available on the ANA website but only in Japanese.

https://www.ana.co.jp/int/service/co...ack/index.html

Onigiri & miso soup is 800 yen, everything else is 700 yen. An interesting selection.
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Old Oct 21, 2009, 1:18 am
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Originally Posted by Flyingfox
I think it's a case of priorities for different people - some expect a certain quality of food and will fly with a particular carrier to get it.
For me, it is a balance of food and the cabin.
I totally agree - balance of both food and cabin works for me... the food is genrally OK for me... Is that because I am a lover of Japanese food? Probably not, the quality IMHO is fine. Mind you, I am not expecting a Michelin Star experience, it is an airline...

Cheers,

AG. :-:
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Old Oct 29, 2009, 10:35 am
  #58  
 
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Originally Posted by Guava
You know trouble when you smell it. Now that NH F cabin will be swamped with UA cheapos using MP miles, we can kiss quality service and food on NH F goodbye for a while. No, I don't think it will ever get quite as bad as the prison matron class or UA staff lounge class as in UA Int'l F, still this will not be the same NH F that many of us wrote about in the years past.
Gorsh. And ah wuz lookin' fo'ward to drivin' mah tractor raht upta th' gate on mah upcomin' first class flaht to the OH-ree-ent.

Guava: what were those snarky comments supposed to mean? Over the years my partner and I have flown 2 round-trip JFK-NRT in F on UA miles. We always wear business suits (easier than packing them), keep our feet off the furniture, don't slurp our soup, and don't steal the silverware or break the china.

And as for your downright nasty comment re:UA, I just flew SIN-NRT on UA (in XF, low-class trailer trash that I am) and asked your so-called 'matron' for a bottle of water before takeoff as I had recently gotten over a cold and was still having trouble with my ears. Not only did she get me a huge bottle of water, she kept coming by all through the flight to see how I was feeling, bring me hot tea, and generally fuss over me. If that's 'prison class', then lock me up!
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Old Oct 29, 2009, 11:40 am
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Originally Posted by sfpaul900
Gorsh. And ah wuz lookin' fo'ward to drivin' mah tractor raht upta th' gate on mah upcomin' first class flaht to the OH-ree-ent.
Priceless.
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Old Oct 29, 2009, 9:55 pm
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Originally Posted by sfpaul900
And as for your downright nasty comment re:UA, I just flew SIN-NRT on UA (in XF, low-class trailer trash that I am) and asked your so-called 'matron' for a bottle of water before takeoff as I had recently gotten over a cold and was still having trouble with my ears. Not only did she get me a huge bottle of water, she kept coming by all through the flight to see how I was feeling, bring me hot tea, and generally fuss over me. If that's 'prison class', then lock me up!
Well, that's because you had one of the flights not catered by US cabin crew... SIN-NRT is served by Asian based crews and service attitude is okay. Try the same on any routing that includes a US city...
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