BA the only airline not serving a Japanese meal in C/F?
Dec 18, 2014, 3:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,558
BA the only airline not serving a Japanese meal in C/F?
Is British Airways the only airline that won't serve a Japanese meal on flights to and from Tokyo in first and business class? Even American and United do. That is poor show!
They used to in the 1990s, then they stopped at some point.
I wonder why?
They used to in the 1990s, then they stopped at some point.
I wonder why?
Dec 18, 2014, 4:22 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: NYLON - AA EXP 1MM, SPG Gold
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Admittedly it has been a few years since I have flown BA to Tokyo but I do remember a few Japanese elements in F (miso soup etc). Not a full Japanese meal like AA do (though remember you need to book this in advance on AA).
But frankly if you are looking for a good Japanese meal, I would fly JAL. Their catering in F is amazing...
But frankly if you are looking for a good Japanese meal, I would fly JAL. Their catering in F is amazing...
Dec 18, 2014, 4:25 pm
#3
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They normally include some Japanese style bits and pieces in the meal, although quite westernised. It's not a Kaiseki style meal etc, but I do not recall seeing a menu on NRT/HND route on BA in CW or F without at least one Japanese style option despite having flown the route rather many times in the last few years.
Last edited by LTN Phobia; Dec 18, 2014 at 5:05 pm
Dec 18, 2014, 4:25 pm
#4
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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I've only been on the Japan route once (end of 2012) and that was to NRT in F.
There was certainly a few choices then and I am sure someone will be along shortly to clarify things.
There was certainly a few choices then and I am sure someone will be along shortly to clarify things.
Dec 18, 2014, 5:02 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2008
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I've had Japanese meals both to and on the way back from NRT in F. I'll have a dig around, but a few years ago the amuse-bouche was presented in a really attractive Japanese black wooden box, if I remember correctly.
Dec 19, 2014, 4:26 am
#6
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BA the only airline not serving a Japanese meal in C/F?
I had a pretty good eel meal in F on the way to HND only a few months back. I'm surprised to hear the Japanese option has gone.
Dec 19, 2014, 4:31 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 278
I have flown NRT and HND fairly frequently in F & CW, and rarely observe that many Japanese passengers. So perhaps that's why the menu elements are more "Asian fusion" than truly Japanese.
Or it might be the lack of slippers / wc slippers which is the deal-breaker for Japanese premium PAX.
Also, a lot of Japanese don't speak English (or, rather, don't think that they can speak English) and the BA flights tend to have just one or two Japanese speaking crew members serving the premium cabins.
Still, it's all miles better and more culturally appropriate than the J service VS used to operate on that route..
Or it might be the lack of slippers / wc slippers which is the deal-breaker for Japanese premium PAX.
Also, a lot of Japanese don't speak English (or, rather, don't think that they can speak English) and the BA flights tend to have just one or two Japanese speaking crew members serving the premium cabins.
Still, it's all miles better and more culturally appropriate than the J service VS used to operate on that route..
Dec 19, 2014, 5:37 am
#8
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Dec 19, 2014, 5:53 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2000
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I have flown NRT and HND fairly frequently in F & CW, and rarely observe that many Japanese passengers. So perhaps that's why the menu elements are more "Asian fusion" than truly Japanese.
Or it might be the lack of slippers / wc slippers which is the deal-breaker for Japanese premium PAX.
Also, a lot of Japanese don't speak English (or, rather, don't think that they can speak English) and the BA flights tend to have just one or two Japanese speaking crew members serving the premium cabins.
Still, it's all miles better and more culturally appropriate than the J service VS used to operate on that route..
Or it might be the lack of slippers / wc slippers which is the deal-breaker for Japanese premium PAX.
Also, a lot of Japanese don't speak English (or, rather, don't think that they can speak English) and the BA flights tend to have just one or two Japanese speaking crew members serving the premium cabins.
Still, it's all miles better and more culturally appropriate than the J service VS used to operate on that route..
Dec 19, 2014, 6:51 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 278
Originally Posted by BlackBerryAddict
Have they removed the slippers? Last time I flew back in 2012 they were available on request.?
Dec 19, 2014, 7:05 am
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
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I have flown NRT and HND fairly frequently in F & CW, and rarely observe that many Japanese passengers. So perhaps that's why the menu elements are more "Asian fusion" than truly Japanese.
Or it might be the lack of slippers / wc slippers which is the deal-breaker for Japanese premium PAX.
Also, a lot of Japanese don't speak English (or, rather, don't think that they can speak English) and the BA flights tend to have just one or two Japanese speaking crew members serving the premium cabins.
Still, it's all miles better and more culturally appropriate than the J service VS used to operate on that route..
Or it might be the lack of slippers / wc slippers which is the deal-breaker for Japanese premium PAX.
Also, a lot of Japanese don't speak English (or, rather, don't think that they can speak English) and the BA flights tend to have just one or two Japanese speaking crew members serving the premium cabins.
Still, it's all miles better and more culturally appropriate than the J service VS used to operate on that route..
Only Japanese and Flyertalkers travelling on F redemptions choose to eat authentic Japanese food. Long haul flights into GLA don't serve typical Glaswegian food either.
Dec 19, 2014, 8:46 am
#13
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Providing a Japanese meal is extremely expensive. At QR we used to spend somewhere between USD 20 and USD 60 on catering per passenger for a longhaul premium flight, depending on the flight length and demand for F&B.
But on the flights to Japan the catering cost was something like USD 150 per passenger, say an extra USD 100 over other catering options.
Let's do a quick calculation:
i) a 777 offers 14 + 48 = 62 F & CW seats
ii) 65% seat factor = 40 passengers per flight
iii) assume 25% of passengers consume the Japanese meal, plus 2 spares for contingency = 12 Japanese meals per flight
iv) 12 x USD 100 = USD 1,200 per flight
v) 2x flights per day to Japan (1x NRT + 1x HND) = 730 flights per year
Estimated annual cost of providing Japanese meals = 730 x USD 1,200 = USD 876,000
Is it worth it? Evidently BA think not.
But on the flights to Japan the catering cost was something like USD 150 per passenger, say an extra USD 100 over other catering options.
Let's do a quick calculation:
i) a 777 offers 14 + 48 = 62 F & CW seats
ii) 65% seat factor = 40 passengers per flight
iii) assume 25% of passengers consume the Japanese meal, plus 2 spares for contingency = 12 Japanese meals per flight
iv) 12 x USD 100 = USD 1,200 per flight
v) 2x flights per day to Japan (1x NRT + 1x HND) = 730 flights per year
Estimated annual cost of providing Japanese meals = 730 x USD 1,200 = USD 876,000
Is it worth it? Evidently BA think not.
Dec 19, 2014, 10:25 am
#15
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