CW - no more orange juice on ground?
Jan 7, 2018, 3:03 pm
#47
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Jan 7, 2018, 4:49 pm
#48
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But I avoid AF A380 service. YMMV, but I also find them a bit tired and I don't get the impression AF is that interested in major refurbishment (this is strictly a supposition based on my experience). The 777 is an excellent flight.
BA would work for me as well, in terms of schedule and route. And in fact I have a pile of Avios that will expire soon. I've held them instead of using them elsewhere because I am hoping for service recovery and the reason I check the BA Forum is to see if it's happening. And frankly, I'm optimistic. The brand itself was starting to seriously erode and I think they've recognized that. So if they get some new hard product, I'll give them a retry.
And now back to OJ.
Did I read the OP correctly? Was "we're in the US" actually given as the reason for not serving oj?
Jan 7, 2018, 4:57 pm
#49
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i can add 8 domestic F legs in 2017 to the 30 of Rosmacd. On what data points are you asserting that it is hit and miss?
Jan 8, 2018, 1:06 am
#50
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Again, I don't understand what anyone's personal experience has anything to do with mine? I have not always got a pre-departure beverage on AA, which includes instances when nothing was offered at all or only water was offered and anything else was refused or when only 2 split bottles of the sparkling wine were loaded for the entire cabin and only a few passengers could get it. That's enough for me to say that it is not done or properly done on all flights. I am sorry I tarnished AA's image, as an airline superior to BA, on the BAEC forum . Of course, AA is better than BA. Anyway, this is not the thread to discuss this - there is a very lengthy thread over the AA forum concerning pre-departure beverages, including lack thereof. Your individual data points will add to the discussion there.
Jan 8, 2018, 1:39 am
#52
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But I have no desire to participate in the discussion of PDB on AA. A question was asked within this thread about PDB AA, which I answered and added that it does not happen all the time. That was it as far as I was concerned, but people took issue with the 'does not happen consistently' qualification.
Jan 8, 2018, 3:47 am
#53
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Singapore
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Oddly, both.
It has been removed from the 'standard offering' to give the crew more time to welcome customers in the cabin rather than pouring juices in the galley (and to prevent wastage as it was the least popular of the three and often didn't get used once prepared), but it is still loaded and crew are encouraged to get it if requested.
It has been removed from the 'standard offering' to give the crew more time to welcome customers in the cabin rather than pouring juices in the galley (and to prevent wastage as it was the least popular of the three and often didn't get used once prepared), but it is still loaded and crew are encouraged to get it if requested.
Jan 8, 2018, 5:24 am
#54
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I did not know that. But one can generally see what is going on in the cabin when there are only 4 other people, and one of the four is one's spouse. I asked if they'd have to open a new bottle just for me.
I know it is part of the service. Still, it is a waste if almost the entire bottle gets poured out at the end of the flight. My opinion - not advocating anyone to behave similarly.
I know it is part of the service. Still, it is a waste if almost the entire bottle gets poured out at the end of the flight. My opinion - not advocating anyone to behave similarly.
Jan 8, 2018, 1:12 pm
#55
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Perhaps the phrase "The discussion about 'eliminating the pre-pouring and pro-active offering of orange juice as a PDB, while it still remains available on request for those in the know, who happen to have an on-the-ball crew' " would be more accurate but it's a bit of a mouthful…
For most people, OJ is no longer offered upon boarding. It has been 'enhanced/eliminated', ostensibly for time/wastage reasons.
For most people, OJ is no longer offered upon boarding. It has been 'enhanced/eliminated', ostensibly for time/wastage reasons.
Jan 8, 2018, 2:15 pm
#56
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But I have no desire to participate in the discussion of PDB on AA. A question was asked within this thread about PDB AA, which I answered and added that it does not happen all the time. That was it as far as I was concerned, but people took issue with the 'does not happen consistently' qualification.
Back on topic and to the vexed question of the orange juice, I remember when you used to be able to have apple juice as a PDB. My first op-up to Club was LAX - LHR many years ago and my boss was fairly scathing about my decision to have apple juice rather than champagne!
Jan 8, 2018, 10:49 pm
#57
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Perhaps the phrase "The discussion about 'eliminating the pre-pouring and pro-active offering of orange juice as a PDB, while it still remains available on request for those in the know, who happen to have an on-the-ball crew' " would be more accurate but it's a bit of a mouthful…
For most people, OJ is no longer offered upon boarding. It has been 'enhanced/eliminated', ostensibly for time/wastage reasons.
I would agree that it does not happen all the time. In fact there's a whole thread on the AA board dedicated to the when, where and why not of PDBs. I have found it to be more consistent on the regional carriers (so Compass etc.) than on mainline services, and then you have the added confusion of whether it's a legacy US Airways crew etc. I have found it is usually all or nothing. In other words it's either a full bar (so a Bloody Mary on the first flight of the day from LAS to LAX if that's your fancy) or you get nothing at all. The only thing consistent about the AA PDB offering is its inconsistency. Now, where have we heard that before?
Last edited by Andriyko; Jan 9, 2018 at 12:14 am
Jan 9, 2018, 12:26 am
#58
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Perhaps the phrase "The discussion about 'eliminating the pre-pouring and pro-active offering of orange juice as a PDB, while it still remains available on request for those in the know, who happen to have an on-the-ball crew' " would be more accurate but it's a bit of a mouthful…
For most people, OJ is no longer offered upon boarding. It has been 'enhanced/eliminated', ostensibly for time/wastage reasons.
In essence, there’s no big surprise here. It’s the sort of classic chronological pattern that you see in many consumer sector businesses (not only in the airline world ..... although BA are of course particularly skilled at it) which are constantly looking to cut costs.
The various stages within the timeline are familiar :
- it begins with the perspective that a particular item (in this case, a preference for orange juice as a PDB) is not popular
- this becomes the justification to stop pro-actively offering it as an option. You continue to stock the item concerned, but make it available ‘on request’ only
- confusion soon develops amongst staff and the ‘on-request’ option is not communicated - whether intentionally or otherwise - to potential consumers (ie those who show hesitation when faced with the newly-reduced choice on the tray)
- this confusion further manifests itself in some such requests being categorically refused - as experienced by the OP & wife ; and for any staff keen to make their own life that little bit little easier, this is a welcome opportunity
- consumers / passengers gradually give up requesting the item
- senior management says there is no demand for the item, and either stops providing it at all OR carries so little of it that the desired cost saving target is soon achieved.
Jan 9, 2018, 1:01 am
#60
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I said absolutely nothing about ‘protest’. What I’m actually saying is that if juice had not been eliminated from the PDB tray offering, then the OP (together with, very possibly, many others in the future) would not have missed out on his drink of choice - a drink that he had become accustomed to enjoying, as a premium cabin passenger, with no fuss, and over so many past flights.