No meal choice left (LHR-DFW J)
Dec 24, 2018, 7:06 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,122
<redacted>
FA: "So sorry we don't have your meal choice. Please give it a try it and if you don't like it I will see what I can do." with a smile is all that is needed.
FA: "So sorry we don't have your meal choice. Please give it a try it and if you don't like it I will see what I can do." with a smile is all that is needed.
Last edited by JDiver; Dec 24, 2018 at 8:35 am Reason: Redacted previously deleted post content
Dec 24, 2018, 2:35 pm
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 443
Only if the meals were catered evenly, which probably wasn’t the case.
That said, they probably don’t even over-cater by that much, and not really sure I’d expect them to in J.
It could have been a miscater, or it could have just as easily been that tail probability that very, very few people on board wanted seafood. I’m sure it happens from time to time
they said they overcatered by two
Dec 25, 2018, 2:45 pm
#34
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
I think that's a useful description. I'm sure that I'm not the only one that would have no idea what a boullabaise was. At least with the "seafood" descriptor, I'd have an idea.
Here's another idea: in addition to the meal order taking rules posted above, perhaps additionally they could make a point to take the passriders' orders last.
Here's another idea: in addition to the meal order taking rules posted above, perhaps additionally they could make a point to take the passriders' orders last.
Dec 25, 2018, 4:17 pm
#35
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,631
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.
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.
I got to drown my sorrow in Champagne, which was continuously replenished without my asking.
Dec 25, 2018, 5:13 pm
#36
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: California, USA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Marriott Plat, Hertz Pres, Global Entry
Posts: 103
Firstly this was an AA flight, not sure why BA was mentioned above.
Does it not make sense to offer the entree choice to paying J/F customers first, (ie. those people who paid full or close to full fare $$$ for the seat they are sitting in, then offer to elite pax who have upgraded themselves with an instrument (miles/SWA et al), then offer to the pax who were upgraded at the last minute (not burning any instrument) and then finally offer to the non-rev pax sitting on a free ticket. This would be the fairest system in my opinion, thus optimizing the choice for the former category of traveller. I'm fortunate now to fly non-rev alot on AA worldwide (often in J sometimes in F, we love the A321 Sharklet Service ex LAX/SFO to JFK !). I find I am asked my meal choice later in the process after other pax had chosen theirs, don't mind at all if I get little to no choice ..
IrishBoy
AdvExecPlat
PS. Heading to Buenos Aires for the weekend .. Any tips?
Does it not make sense to offer the entree choice to paying J/F customers first, (ie. those people who paid full or close to full fare $$$ for the seat they are sitting in, then offer to elite pax who have upgraded themselves with an instrument (miles/SWA et al), then offer to the pax who were upgraded at the last minute (not burning any instrument) and then finally offer to the non-rev pax sitting on a free ticket. This would be the fairest system in my opinion, thus optimizing the choice for the former category of traveller. I'm fortunate now to fly non-rev alot on AA worldwide (often in J sometimes in F, we love the A321 Sharklet Service ex LAX/SFO to JFK !). I find I am asked my meal choice later in the process after other pax had chosen theirs, don't mind at all if I get little to no choice ..
IrishBoy
AdvExecPlat
PS. Heading to Buenos Aires for the weekend .. Any tips?
Dec 25, 2018, 5:35 pm
#37
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
Firstly this was an AA flight, not sure why BA was mentioned above.
Does it not make sense to offer the entree choice to paying J/F customers first, (ie. those people who paid full or close to full fare $$$ for the seat they are sitting in, then offer to elite pax who have upgraded themselves with an instrument (miles/SWA et al), then offer to the pax who were upgraded at the last minute (not burning any instrument) and then finally offer to the non-rev pax sitting on a free ticket. This would be the fairest system in my opinion, thus optimizing the choice for the former category of traveller. I'm fortunate now to fly non-rev alot on AA worldwide (often in J sometimes in F, we love the A321 Sharklet Service ex LAX/SFO to JFK !). I find I am asked my meal choice later in the process after other pax had chosen theirs, don't mind at all if I get little to no choice ..
Does it not make sense to offer the entree choice to paying J/F customers first, (ie. those people who paid full or close to full fare $$$ for the seat they are sitting in, then offer to elite pax who have upgraded themselves with an instrument (miles/SWA et al), then offer to the pax who were upgraded at the last minute (not burning any instrument) and then finally offer to the non-rev pax sitting on a free ticket. This would be the fairest system in my opinion, thus optimizing the choice for the former category of traveller. I'm fortunate now to fly non-rev alot on AA worldwide (often in J sometimes in F, we love the A321 Sharklet Service ex LAX/SFO to JFK !). I find I am asked my meal choice later in the process after other pax had chosen theirs, don't mind at all if I get little to no choice ..
Dec 25, 2018, 5:53 pm
#38
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)
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Dec 25, 2018, 5:57 pm
#39
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
My response was a reply to a post suggesting some priority being assigned to passengers and taking orders accordingly - nothing to do with whether there is enough catering to enable all passengers to have their choice of main course
Dec 25, 2018, 6:01 pm
#40
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 163
No, but it would require keeping the pre-order open until the catering is ordered from the local vendor. When upgraded as a gold, there was never the option to pre-order, that closes at T-24, about the same time as the upgrades often clear. Delaying until T-4 would seem more reasonable, and most of the upgrades would have been pre-ordered, reducing the over order required on the route. If you get to 80-90% pre-order, that leaves 4 unknowns in most domestic cabins, obviously more internationally. Is the food actually ordered 24 hours out? If not, depending on the problems of IT actually doing their job and getting the order automated from the pre-orders, it would seem that handing off the order to catering is really the cutoff point.
Dec 25, 2018, 6:25 pm
#41
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)
Posts: 2,379
So passengers are not treated equally based on seat location and pre-order cut off time in regards to meal orders. I can pay for First after T-24, so pre-order is closed, sit in the last row because I don’t like remaining bulkhead seats, and receive no choice of main because pax seating in rows ahead had their order taken first, including the last upgrade into the least desired seat.
Dec 25, 2018, 6:28 pm
#42
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
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Posts: 2,379
Or are you suggesting the Flight Attendants use random number generators to determine the order to take orders?
Dec 25, 2018, 8:02 pm
#43
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
(1) full or close to full fare
(2) then offer to elite pax who have upgraded themselves with an instrument (miles/SWA et al
(3) offer to the non-rev pax sitting on a free ticket
This is something that I disagree with - prioritising customers once on board is not something which I agree with
Dec 25, 2018, 10:36 pm
#44
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No, but it would require keeping the pre-order open until the catering is ordered from the local vendor. When upgraded as a gold, there was never the option to pre-order, that closes at T-24, about the same time as the upgrades often clear. Delaying until T-4 would seem more reasonable, and most of the upgrades would have been pre-ordered, reducing the over order required on the route. If you get to 80-90% pre-order, that leaves 4 unknowns in most domestic cabins, obviously more internationally. Is the food actually ordered 24 hours out? If not, depending on the problems of IT actually doing their job and getting the order automated from the pre-orders, it would seem that handing off the order to catering is really the cutoff point.
