It might not strictly be cost cutting but they see there is a need for more snacks. So instead of increasing costs by meeting customers needs and increasing snack loading, they try swapping timings around. Which annoys almost everyone, not just the hungry ones.

well there will be no need for more snacks if they revert back to the original timing?

I think all DM's on here should right in in protest of the midflight meal - citing the same reasons given here - which is the desire for undisturbed sleep. Hopefully CX will listen like they did on coffin class and come up with something even better than expected.

Although this is not a transpacific flight, this is an interesting data point for CX110 SYD-HKG: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22639963-post46.html

08:30am Take-off
09:30am Serve Brunch
02:40pm (11:40am HK time) Serve Lunch
06:15pm (03:15pm HK time) Landing

Being a day flight, the service times seem reasonable - however, there are no snacks loaded on day flights ex-Australia, except cookies and chocolates.

I don't think this really is a case of mid-flight service but rather a service that commenced a little early (likely coincidental)

Although never tried on CX, after read through the thread (as well as a similar one on Airliners.net) I actually find that the method that NH is implementing may actually be more customer-friendly. The one is so-called "anything anytime", when one feel hungry at any time you can choose to have your second meal or have some kind of snacks (sushi, ramen, etc). I would say for CX it may be better to use this method, as the flight time is even longer and different customer may have different needs in different timing.

Just my 1c, though.

Cheers
Michael

This is the service that CX offers in First Class.

Fair enough. Thanks. It would still be a nice bonus if they feel okay to offer this kind of service though.

Cheers
Michael

My trip report shows how the menu explained the meal order on my recent LAX-HKG (as well as my initial CX J experience, for anyone that is interested): http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ssage_22714173

Interesting, it seems like you had the 'normal' meal service?

CX 885 LAX-HKG mid day departure on April 18th.

2nd meal mid flight - approx 7 hours before arrival.

:mad:

thanks for sharing

so hopefully these facts finally dispel the controversy 5 pages ago about whether or not ISMs have discretion. This is now the third datapoint for this flight either in this thread or wiki. There's one from Feb that says CX885 serves midflight. One from March that says CX885 serves at regular times. And now CommittedLurker here who presumably flew in April on CX885 had mid-flight service. I don't mean to beleaguer the point, but to anyone who is reading this thread and doesn't fly CX all that often...the ISMs indeed have discretion. There is a chance the daytime flights switch it up.

The only flights I feel confident in saying you will have a certain meal order is midnight departures. In too many to count in the last 6-7 years most on CX midnight longhaul departures...CX883, CX880, CX881, CX873, CX872, CX845, CX889, CX829, CX899...I cannot once remember a mid-flight meal service. With the exception of CX899 (just once), I have flown all of these flights numerous times.

Regarding the comment about "anything, anytime" - this is not really true.

I tried to order the fish dish from the dinner service about 9 hours into the flight from ORD-HKG in F and was told that they could not serve it. They HAD it but she said something about it "not being fresh now because it was from the dinner service". I found that to be very odd, as I'd assumed it was being kept cold and could just be re-heated.:confused:

I think CX regulation states that meals have a 1 hour shelf life. You could've, however, told the crew in advance and they would've happily kept it for you for later

Not to restart the "controversy", but, the "controversy" was settled a while back. (It is not up to the whim or personal discretion of the ISM as suggested a while back.) According to the ISM there has to be a reason and it needs to be documented.

So yes, under certain circumstances, they can deviate from planned meal times. (Post #201 explains the amount of their discretion, according to the ISM.) Also CX ISM said they are still playing with the right times for meals.

Finally, with CX is adding flights to/from the USA I think it is natural that they are making changes, playing with meal times. How else do they know what is the preferred meal times unless they play with them.