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A chilly experience: frozen solid Haagen Dazs!

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A chilly experience: frozen solid Haagen Dazs!

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Old Aug 30, 2015, 4:08 pm
  #46  
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Originally Posted by QRC3288

The solution to the ice cream " problem" is easily rectified by CX FAs just delaying your service by a few minutes and letting it thaw when it's pulled from the freezer. For whatever reason, those freezers are just too cold for a good ice cream consistency. It needs to warn up slightly. Or, instructing passengers to let it sit for 5 mins before opening. But my bet is its best to just delay the service so pax dont ever see the hard ice cream. Problem solved.
Yes - but there's an issue with galley space... where are the crew supposed to lay out 50 tubs of ice-cream to sufficiently thaw? 50 rock-solid frozen tubs in close proximity to each other (even on the bench top) probably isn't conducive to thawing.

If a business class passenger can't deal with a solid ice-cream, how to they deal with business negotiations?
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Old Aug 30, 2015, 5:34 pm
  #47  
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Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
Originally Posted by QRC3288

The solution to the ice cream " problem" is easily rectified by CX FAs just delaying your service by a few minutes and letting it thaw when it's pulled from the freezer. For whatever reason, those freezers are just too cold for a good ice cream consistency. It needs to warn up slightly. Or, instructing passengers to let it sit for 5 mins before opening. But my bet is its best to just delay the service so pax dont ever see the hard ice cream. Problem solved.
Yes - but there's an issue with galley space... where are the crew supposed to lay out 50 tubs of ice-cream to sufficiently thaw? 50 rock-solid frozen tubs in close proximity to each other (even on the bench top) probably isn't conducive to thawing.

If a business class passenger can't deal with a solid ice-cream, how to they deal with business negotiations?
Ure indeed correct as a sensibility point of view, but i see it as better service if food is served the way its intended to be eaten.
Serve icecream when its kinda soft...
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Old Aug 31, 2015, 12:52 am
  #48  
 
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I flew HKG-FCO and HKG-NGO in J few weeks ago and didn't really appreciate their J food neither. To me, it was like Y food in a better presentation and larger portion. They were running a French wine promotion but none of the ones I requested was available due to rotation, as they claimed. Breakfast and coffee, though seemed not bad for me.

As for the ice-cream, I noticed that on some flights, the crew will let them thaw before serving. They also had the sense to wipe off the frost on the container before passing them out. So I guess it depends on the crew's routine. But even if they serve them rock hard, you can solve the problem by letting it sit for a couple of minutes. There's no need to make a big fuss out of it.
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Old Aug 31, 2015, 10:16 am
  #49  
 
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Since we're focusing on ice cream, I wonder ...

... do you think CX will do it if I call the DM line ahead of time - say a week or so before my flight - and tell them that I would like - say rum raisin - instead of the usual vanilla or strawberry cheesecake they have onboard? Kinda like book-the-ice cream (instead of book-the-cook).

On QR or AA this is problematic/unreasonable since they serve ice cream 'properly' but CX serves häagen-dazs paper cups so surely it shouldn't be too difficult for CX to do it?
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Old Sep 2, 2015, 3:35 am
  #50  
 
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Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
Yes - but there's an issue with galley space... where are the crew supposed to lay out 50 tubs of ice-cream to sufficiently thaw? 50 rock-solid frozen tubs in close proximity to each other (even on the bench top) probably isn't conducive to thawing.

If a business class passenger can't deal with a solid ice-cream, how to they deal with business negotiations?
I have dealt with a solid Japanese soba in my ex-Nrt flight last month. The soba was basically frozen when served. I wait till finishing the entree but the soba was still like a piece of ice. The ISM apologised and brought me the potato salad from Y which was quite tasteful indeed.
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Old Sep 2, 2015, 3:48 am
  #51  
 
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On one recent flight, probably early July, KA were offering a very nice Hong Kong milk tea flavoured Haagen Dasz icecream, which I have only come across on that one flight. Pity, as it was really good.
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Old Sep 2, 2015, 4:06 am
  #52  
 
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Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
Yes - but there's an issue with galley space... where are the crew supposed to lay out 50 tubs of ice-cream to sufficiently thaw? 50 rock-solid frozen tubs in close proximity to each other (even on the bench top) probably isn't conducive to thawing.

If a business class passenger can't deal with a solid ice-cream, how to they deal with business negotiations?
Ha, to be fair the passenger requested it during snack time mid-flight, so it would've been easy for the FA to defrost it first. I agree during the meal service it's impossible.

His behavior, however, was utterly baffling. Totally normal looking frequent flier...absolutely loses it over ice cream for a brief minute or two. Like I said, not the craziest thing I've seen (on-board brawl on KA years ago takes the cake, and an unfortunate medical emergency another time), but him smashing at, and splintering his ice cream around his seat and then demanding it be microwaved - despite the FA insisting that can't happen due to the risk of fire - was the most inexplicable. Absolute contrast to both how he was dressed and his status (OW Emerald). FA handled it very, very well. Sometimes people really lose sense of "normal" behavior when they get into an airplane. It is strange but definitely a phenomenon, like road rage. Normal people can go whack.
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Old Sep 2, 2015, 4:12 am
  #53  
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Originally Posted by QRC3288
Ha, to be fair the passenger requested it during snack time mid-flight, so it would've been easy for the FA to defrost it first. I agree during the meal service it's impossible.

His behavior, however, was utterly baffling. Totally normal looking frequent flier...absolutely loses it over ice cream for a brief minute or two. Like I said, not the craziest thing I've seen (on-board brawl on KA years ago takes the cake, and an unfortunate medical emergency another time), but him smashing at, and splintering his ice cream around his seat and then demanding it be microwaved - despite the FA insisting that can't happen due to the risk of fire - was the most inexplicable. Absolute contrast to both how he was dressed and his status (OW Emerald). FA handled it very, very well. Sometimes people really lose sense of "normal" behavior when they get into an airplane. It is strange but definitely a phenomenon, like road rage. Normal people can go whack.
By the sounds of the passenger it doesn't seem like the FA could win.

If the FA took a few minutes to defrost it first, I bet you the passenger would have complained it took so long to bring them the ice cream.
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Old Sep 5, 2015, 10:01 am
  #54  
 
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Originally Posted by botfly
As for the ice-cream, I noticed that on some flights, the crew will let them thaw before serving. They also had the sense to wipe off the frost on the container before passing them out. So I guess it depends on the crew's routine. But even if they serve them rock hard, you can solve the problem by letting it sit for a couple of minutes. There's no need to make a big fuss out of it.
Right, it comes down to how much effort the crew is making to deliver the meal service.

Same for the vegetable in the J noodle snack. Sometimes it is yellow and obviously overcooked when served and sometimes it's still green and crunchy...
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Old Sep 5, 2015, 11:26 am
  #55  
 
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Those of you whinging about "too chilly" ice cream need to get a grip. This is the absolute definition of a non problem. Wait ten minutes. Watch a movie. Have a drink. Then eat your ice cream. Be thankful for the small mercies - it's not like you're flying United is it?!
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Old Sep 5, 2015, 1:59 pm
  #56  
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Originally Posted by sebastiansw3
Those of you whinging about "too chilly" ice cream need to get a grip. This is the absolute definition of a non problem. Wait ten minutes. Watch a movie. Have a drink. Then eat your ice cream. Be thankful for the small mercies - it's not like you're flying United is it?!
+1
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Old Sep 5, 2015, 5:19 pm
  #57  
 
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This is really one of those firstworldproblem issues. I just took CX earlier this week and the Haagen Dazs is one of the snack items. Yes the ice cream was hard, but if anyone has ever looked at the packaging, I believe it says on the plastic cover under the lid that it should be thawed for 5-10 minutes before consuming.

From the Haagen Dazs website.
http://www.haagendazs.us/Learn/FAQ/

how should I serve my Häagen-Dazs products?

To deliver the best flavor and texture, allow your Häagen-Dazs products to soften at room temperature for approximately 10 minutes, depending on the actual room temperature and the temperature of your freezer.
SQ serves the same exact Haagen Dazs ice cream in the Silver Kris Lounge in HKG and it is rock hard out of the freezer.

If the hardness of the ice cream is an issue, try getting ice cream on a United transpac in Business First / Global First about 7 hours after the flight has departed.
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Old Sep 5, 2015, 9:01 pm
  #58  
 
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Most issues in F/J classes are non-problems / first-world-problems are they?

Attention to detail is key in premium service. In the past, we expected premium class dining to be more comparable to high-end restaurant dining experience. Perhaps some of us have happily accepted the fast food / assembly line dining concept in CX J nowadays.

Then I suggest CX to skip warming nuts in J - they would still be edible.
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Old Sep 5, 2015, 9:15 pm
  #59  
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Originally Posted by hadsst
Most issues in F/J classes are non-problems / first-world-problems are they?

Attention to detail is key in premium service. In the past, we expected premium class dining to be more comparable to high-end restaurant dining experience. Perhaps some of us have happily accepted the fast food / assembly line dining concept in CX J nowadays.

Then I suggest CX to skip warming nuts in J - they would still be edible.
Sorry, but I don't agree. If the nuts are served cold, they stay cold. If the ice cream is served hard, just wait until it's the way you want it. It's like soup. People like it at different temperatures. Serve it very hot, and everyone gets it at the temperature they want.
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Old Sep 5, 2015, 9:16 pm
  #60  
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Originally Posted by hadsst
Most issues in F/J classes are non-problems / first-world-problems are they?

Attention to detail is key in premium service. In the past, we expected premium class dining to be more comparable to high-end restaurant dining experience. Perhaps some of us have happily accepted the fast food / assembly line dining concept in CX J nowadays.

Then I suggest CX to skip warming nuts in J - they would still be edible.
Except the passenger can't warm the nuts themselves.

The passenger can however, infinitely tailor the softness (or otherwise) of the ice-cream to their exact liking. Some would see that as a service failure, others would see that as giving the passenger a choice.
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