Community
Wiki Posts
Search

No meal choice left (LHR-DFW J)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 22, 2018, 12:55 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 443
No meal choice left (LHR-DFW J)

Flew LHR to DFW in J, front row.
4 choices of main on menu.
However only one choice available when they reached us ( last) seafood boullabaise
Not amused
Never had this problem before on any airline in J
anniegray is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 1:04 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Bay Area
Programs: WN A-List, AA good-riddance, Safeway Club Card Extraordinaire
Posts: 3,851
Originally Posted by anniegray
Flew LHR to DFW in J, front row.
4 choices of main on menu.
However only one choice available when they reached us ( last) seafood boullabaise
Not amused
Never had this problem before on any airline in J
As you've learned, meal orders are generally taken from back to front on westbound flights (and the opposite for eastbound flights). If you're last to order, naturally some options may be unavailable. In the future, I'd suggest pre-ordering your meal on AA.com (between 30 days and 24 hours before departure), or sitting in the part of the cabin that orders first.
Science Goy is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 1:46 pm
  #3  
Moderator: American AAdvantage
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Originally Posted by anniegray
Flew LHR to DFW in J, front row.
4 choices of main on menu.
However only one choice available when they reached us ( last) seafood boullabaise
Not amused
Never had this problem before on any airline in J
1) One can Pre-Order meals online 30 days to 24 hours before flight. Pretty sure to get what you want.

2) Meal orders are taken, as indicated in this thread:

Current meal order system based on flight cardinal direction & time zone change

New meal order / service order as of 1 Sep 2014; "FEBO" RIP

Effective 1 September 2014 a new system for taking meal preferences was put into place depending on flight cardinal direction combined with whether any time zones are crossed.

When an aircraft flight involves a change of time zones, take meal preferences:

. . . • Eastbound: from forward / front to aft /back
. . . • Westbound: from aft to forward

If the flight does not involve a change of any time zones, take meal preferences:

. . . • Southbound: from forward to aft
. . . • Northbound: from aft to forward

(c/o (sluggoaafa)
"FEBO" was discontinued 1 September 2014

FEBO ("Front Even Back Odd") is the acronym developed to explain the taking of meal preferences / orders (not serving meals) on AA flights. Orders for meals on even-numbered flights are taken from the front of the cabin, whilst on odd-numbered flights meal order taking began at the back of the cabin.
enviroian likes this.
JDiver is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 1:49 pm
  #4  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 29,993
Originally Posted by JDiver
1) One can Pre-Order meals online 30 days to 24 hours before flight. A pretty sure to get what you want.
This is all that needs to be said.
IADCAflyer and halls120 like this.
enviroian is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 2:22 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,086
Originally Posted by Science Goy
As you've learned, meal orders are generally taken from back to front on westbound flights (and the opposite for eastbound flights). If you're last to order, naturally some options may be unavailable. In the future, I'd suggest pre-ordering your meal on AA.com (between 30 days and 24 hours before departure), or sitting in the part of the cabin that orders first.
Sometimes ones UG to J clears at the gate, and you get what is left over (meals, seats)..
teemuflyer is online now  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 2:38 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,118
They FA should proactively offer a PE or Y meal with a sincere apology.
erik123 is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 3:19 pm
  #7  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,573
My pre-ordered meal hasn’t always occurred for domestic flights.
gaobest is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 4:47 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: DL DM, AA EXP, various hotel
Posts: 2,227
Originally Posted by Science Goy
As you've learned, meal orders are generally taken from back to front on westbound flights (and the opposite for eastbound flights). If you're last to order, naturally some options may be unavailable. In the future, I'd suggest pre-ordering your meal on AA.com (between 30 days and 24 hours before departure), or sitting in the part of the cabin that orders first.
Of course "some options" may not be available. I think it's reasonable for 1 choice to be sold out, but for 3 of 4 to be sold out suggests a catering program for international J that is wildly uncompetitive.
NYC Flyer, SK, jordyn and 10 others like this.
SamOF is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 5:22 pm
  #9  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
Programs: AA EXP | Marriott Bonvoy Titanium| Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 11,235
Originally Posted by SamOF
Of course "some options" may not be available. I think it's reasonable for 1 choice to be sold out, but for 3 of 4 to be sold out suggests a catering program for international J that is wildly uncompetitive.
I've never seen this ever on an intl flight. Seems like a mis cater or something.

as a vegetarian on intl J, theres a pasta dish that is always available in my experience, even for the last person ordering. For that to be out as well seems odd.
fotographer likes this.
Antarius is online now  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 5:59 pm
  #10  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,227
Originally Posted by SamOF
Of course "some options" may not be available. I think it's reasonable for 1 choice to be sold out, but for 3 of 4 to be sold out suggests a catering program for international J that is wildly uncompetitive.
Generally I agree, but even if they were appropriately over-catered, they could have still gotten to the last couple of pax and had, say, 8 bouillabaisse left because an unusually low number of people selected it.
ijgordon is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 6:42 pm
  #11  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,571
Originally Posted by enviroian
This is all that needs to be said.
not really - when the catering gets to a level of
crew "will you be joining us for dinner?"
pasenger "What are the choices?"
crew Yes or No!"

there is a problem with catering - I am not aware of people generally expecting to have to book a meal in advance in order to get a choice
NYC Flyer, jordyn, SJOGuy and 3 others like this.
Dave Noble is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 7:22 pm
  #12  
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,159
Originally Posted by ijgordon

Generally I agree, but even if they were appropriately over-catered, they could have still gotten to the last couple of pax and had, say, 8 bouillabaisse left because an unusually low number of people selected it.
Even if no one else selected the bouillabaisse, at most they overcatered by 33%, given that the cabin consumed >75% of the loaded meals.
FlyingEgghead is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 7:29 pm
  #13  
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
Originally Posted by SamOF
Of course "some options" may not be available. I think it's reasonable for 1 choice to be sold out, but for 3 of 4 to be sold out suggests a catering program for international J that is wildly uncompetitive.
Exactly, one, "choice," doesn't sound right at all.

I was upgraded about 13 hours before a PVG-LAX flight a month ago, so it was way too late to pre-order. I have no idea what order they did (seemed from front to back). When they came to me (I was toward the back of biz), there was one option that wasn't available (something I wouldn't have gotten anyway), and there were still 3 others to select from.

While I'm not necessarily a fan nor a critic of airline food, this, "seafood boullabaise," sounds rather revolting.
aztimm is offline  
Old Dec 22, 2018, 8:45 pm
  #14  
Hilton Contributor BadgeMarriott Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
Originally Posted by SamOF
Of course "some options" may not be available. I think it's reasonable for 1 choice to be sold out, but for 3 of 4 to be sold out suggests a catering program for international J that is wildly uncompetitive.
It's the kind of thing one expects on BA. The fact that their regulars have grown accustomed to potentially not receiving their choice of main course in 4-cabin First is horrifying. It's a level of non-service I hope we never reach on this side of the pond.
Beltway2A is offline  
Old Dec 23, 2018, 2:30 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: BAGold; AA3MMPlat; UA1MMGold; FBGold; MarriottAmb; AccorPlat; HHGold; ICPlatAmb; HyattDiscoverist
Posts: 4,378
Originally Posted by Beltway2A
It's the kind of thing one expects on BA. The fact that their regulars have grown accustomed to potentially not receiving their choice of main course in 4-cabin First is horrifying. It's a level of non-service I hope we never reach on this side of the pond.
BA’s 787 catering in F is particularly ghastly—on my next-to-last trip, I was in the 2d row in a half-empty cabin and my 1st (and really only) choice was gone by the time they took my order. On my last trip, I ordered in advance, but that did not prevent them from running out of my 1st choice for breakfast. Given how bad the food was, I’m not certain it would have made much difference, but it’s another hallmark of BA’s unwillingness to offer a FIRST CLASS experience.
royng likes this.
rfrost is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.