US-CDG Double Catering all March
Mar 11, 2007, 6:11 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oradell
Programs: AA PLT 3.6...MM-gonna take LONGER to hit 4MM for those VIPs soon!
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US-CDG Double Catering all March
Took 42 ORD-CDG last Tuesday and we were double catered in proactive response to wildcat catering strikes in Paris. Because there is insuffiecient storage space for 2 full transatlantic services, certain items get cut.
Only thing I could see cut in J was the hot breakfast entree option and Duty Free was dropped for all (thank God-I don't want buy Calvin Klein fragrance for $7 off US retail anyway!)
Fortunately AA knows J passengers will revolt if the DVD player are not boarde-this time they handed them to passengers on the jetbridge as we boarded and stuck them in an overhead bin after collection.
Y got a small cardboard box snack-breakfast. Not sure if that is a downgrade from a small tray presentation.
Will be interesting to see what gets cut flying back to the US at the end of the month. They seem to have fine tuned the cuts to keep the service fairly normal. The cuts are more minimal each time I encouter a double catered flight.
If you're flying to CDG this month and are disappointed you can't buy an AA passport holder in flight, be thankful for what you are not missing, like spring water on the Y meal tray or the alternate dessert in J!
Only thing I could see cut in J was the hot breakfast entree option and Duty Free was dropped for all (thank God-I don't want buy Calvin Klein fragrance for $7 off US retail anyway!)
Fortunately AA knows J passengers will revolt if the DVD player are not boarde-this time they handed them to passengers on the jetbridge as we boarded and stuck them in an overhead bin after collection.
Y got a small cardboard box snack-breakfast. Not sure if that is a downgrade from a small tray presentation.
Will be interesting to see what gets cut flying back to the US at the end of the month. They seem to have fine tuned the cuts to keep the service fairly normal. The cuts are more minimal each time I encouter a double catered flight.
If you're flying to CDG this month and are disappointed you can't buy an AA passport holder in flight, be thankful for what you are not missing, like spring water on the Y meal tray or the alternate dessert in J!
Mar 11, 2007, 6:19 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: MSP (and will only fly NWA in re-routes if I HAVE to)
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I wonder how much was cut out of that service .. typically when they double cater a plane may overnight (JFK-BDA-JFK) so the return catering is 'stable' for standing overnight without refrigeration. Like the milk for the cereal is Pamalot boxed milk and room (cabin) temp. No fresh fruit . no butter and no biscuits (bagels only).
Since AA tends to serve refrigerated entrees (at least in premium cabins) vs frozen and then heated foods I wonder what they serve CDG-ORD. Is there refrigeration on the planes for the catered food beyond dry ice (that is the mode on MD80s).
Mar 11, 2007, 7:17 am
#3
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Happened to me in December, JFK-CDG and back. Flying in Y. No duty free (^ ) As for food, the meal was pretty much the same as always (beef v. chicken but no pasta option), prepackaged cookie for dessert, parmalat milk for coffee, reduced choice of beverages and a snack box before arrival. We didn't run out of anything - but then again Y was about 1/2 empty.
Mar 11, 2007, 8:10 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: AA Explat / UA Silver
Posts: 600
I'd much rather have AA be proactive and double cater instead of not having any food at all.
Matt
Matt
Mar 11, 2007, 7:48 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AA Plat, 2MM
Posts: 103
Darn! 
That's really too bad- the catering from France is usually SO much better. I guess we may need to bring a picnic along from CDG for our trip in a couple of weeks.
I agree, though, that we can live without the duty-free without any problem.
That's really too bad- the catering from France is usually SO much better. I guess we may need to bring a picnic along from CDG for our trip in a couple of weeks.
I agree, though, that we can live without the duty-free without any problem.
Mar 12, 2007, 8:29 am
#7
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Mar 12, 2007, 8:38 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2004
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No duty free allows the FAs to focus more on their actual tasks... like snickering about the pax in the galley...
Mar 12, 2007, 9:11 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Oceanside, CA
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Posts: 539
Would be VERY interested in someone's experience on the back half of that double catering CDG-ORD.
I wonder how much was cut out of that service .. typically when they double cater a plane may overnight (JFK-BDA-JFK) so the return catering is 'stable' for standing overnight without refrigeration. Like the milk for the cereal is Pamalot boxed milk and room (cabin) temp. No fresh fruit . no butter and no biscuits (bagels only).
Since AA tends to serve refrigerated entrees (at least in premium cabins) vs frozen and then heated foods I wonder what they serve CDG-ORD. Is there refrigeration on the planes for the catered food beyond dry ice (that is the mode on MD80s).
I wonder how much was cut out of that service .. typically when they double cater a plane may overnight (JFK-BDA-JFK) so the return catering is 'stable' for standing overnight without refrigeration. Like the milk for the cereal is Pamalot boxed milk and room (cabin) temp. No fresh fruit . no butter and no biscuits (bagels only).
Since AA tends to serve refrigerated entrees (at least in premium cabins) vs frozen and then heated foods I wonder what they serve CDG-ORD. Is there refrigeration on the planes for the catered food beyond dry ice (that is the mode on MD80s).
I guess we were thankful that they were thinking ahead. CDG-DFW would be a long way to go with nothing to eat or drink.
Mar 12, 2007, 9:37 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,296
Because on my last flight from NRT the FA spent 2 times 20 mins walzing up and down the aisles yelling "DUTY FREE.... DUTY FREE"... waking everybody up. It was obnoxious to say the least....
No duty free allows the FAs to focus more on their actual tasks... like snickering about the pax in the galley...
No duty free allows the FAs to focus more on their actual tasks... like snickering about the pax in the galley...
Mar 12, 2007, 10:06 am
#11
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On a GRU-MIA flight last week (the one leaving at 12:30am), the F/A's passed through Y with signs printed on thick cardstock with an AA logo that said "Duty Free." Nothing was spoken. In J, they simply asked passengers if they wanted to purchase anything at the time the meal order was taken.
Mar 12, 2007, 10:37 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SAT
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That would be the civilized way to do it. My crew would have put any Auschwitz guard to shame. I almost felt like needing to ask permission to use the restroom
Mar 12, 2007, 11:14 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oradell
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Posts: 761
Would be VERY interested in someone's experience on the back half of that double catering CDG-ORD.
I wonder how much was cut out of that service .. typically when they double cater a plane may overnight (JFK-BDA-JFK) so the return catering is 'stable' for standing overnight without refrigeration. Like the milk for the cereal is Pamalot boxed milk and room (cabin) temp. No fresh fruit . no butter and no biscuits (bagels only).
Since AA tends to serve refrigerated entrees (at least in premium cabins) vs frozen and then heated foods I wonder what they serve CDG-ORD. Is there refrigeration on the planes for the catered food beyond dry ice (that is the mode on MD80s).
I wonder how much was cut out of that service .. typically when they double cater a plane may overnight (JFK-BDA-JFK) so the return catering is 'stable' for standing overnight without refrigeration. Like the milk for the cereal is Pamalot boxed milk and room (cabin) temp. No fresh fruit . no butter and no biscuits (bagels only).
Since AA tends to serve refrigerated entrees (at least in premium cabins) vs frozen and then heated foods I wonder what they serve CDG-ORD. Is there refrigeration on the planes for the catered food beyond dry ice (that is the mode on MD80s).
I fly back the 22nd and will post what I encounter.
Last time I flew a double catered return, the seafood first course was omitted. Salad was offered with chilled slices of Chateaubriand as an optional addition. I think the alternate fruit based dessert was also omitted.
Mar 24, 2007, 5:27 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oradell
Programs: AA PLT 3.6...MM-gonna take LONGER to hit 4MM for those VIPs soon!
Posts: 761
The Service is pretty Normal
Flew 41 CDG ORD Thursday the 22nd and the service is the normal one in J except no duty free. They even had the menus which were missing on the double catered flight over. AA has really perfected double catering intercontinental flights from how they were doing it in 2003.
Had a really great IOR crew as well.
Had a really great IOR crew as well.