G-CIVC

Following the DoD trial last year, CX will modify and revamp its JCL service flow.

The new service concept retains most of the meritorious bits of the 2017 trial, but it won't be 'on-demand'. Two key aspects of focus will be 1) wider variety of higher quality, better-looking plated food options (expect them to be very similar to the 2017 trial options), and 2) increased personalization in service delivery (which honestly, felt like a joke to me on the trial, wonder what they will roll out this time.)

Here is the twist. Training is mandatory and will be based on seniority. And...it's now two instead of ten days of training.

The popular mattress which was re-trialled didn't make it.

The timeline of the rollout is subject to change but ORD and LGW will be the launch ports in July and August respectively. IAD will begin with the new service.
By December, they hope to roll it out to FRA, MAN, AMS, CDG, JNB, MAD, BRU, BCN and LHR, subject to changes.

sxc

Good news if done properly. You would think they would do the rollout on regional flights first since people don't mind if a meal service takes a bit longer on a flight they are not likely to sleep on, or does this mean regional flights will not have any changes?

FlyPointyEnd

I wish they have included a new long haul pillow and mattress.

Herostratus

This. Such a missed opportunity. I cant believe it has reached the point where AA actually provide a better experience flying to the US. For 1/2 of the price.

gpia

Never got to experience the trial DoD - still not sure that's a bad thing or not.

Looking forward to whatever the changes to food will be about.For some reason, I am always hungry on planes, no matter how much I ate on the ground. So it's important to me. I wish/hope/pray they abandon the idea that any type food should be served in a casserole. I can't stand those things.

Would have loved to see a proper pillow on long-haul as well, but have decided to follow QRC3288 and bring my own

FlyPointyEnd

Surprised not to see JFK, EWR, YYZ. YVR, LAX and SFO. Or maybe because the flights are all operated by HK based crew expect LHR.

Cambo

I second that, in favour of a "better" meal.

FlyPointyEnd

Most likely....not unless CX adds additional manpower Im not sure how they intend to plate means on regional flights. (I think for MNL and TPE, its next to impossible)

FlyPointyEnd

Do you know if passengers do their own "beds" on AA? I'm just wondering if it was one of the factors as they will not be able to spear some manpower to assist passengers in fixing their "beds".

I did it on my last QR flight, it barely took me more than 2 minutes.

G-CIVC

The short haul flights will feature 'some elements' of the new service, but this will be of a lower priority - I expect the new china and cutlery etc will come through.

Yes, your wish will very well likely be granted.

Except for BKK and SIN base, all other base crew will be rostered for training in due course.

I was thinking it might be dependent on what caterer CX uses, but it seems that some DO&CO ports are in (ORD, LGW, LHR, MAD), some are not (JFK, MXP, LAX), I'm not sure what the rationale is.

'Officially', on AA and CX (in the previous 2 trials) it is a DIY exercise, while on QR, by the book they are supposed to do it for you.

AA only has 4 crew for 52 pax in J, one less than CX. But still, somehow they manage to make their service flow a lot more smoothly than CX. (And no, they're not nasty.)

sxc

Do&Co is already catering these ports for CX? Just goes to show how the catering is up to the airline, and not the provider.

HKGglobaltrotter

That is a welcoming change for J class catering.

I wonder if they will do anything to F catering too? I have done 3 longhaul roundtrips in F so far this year and I seriously cannot recall one flight that has met my expectation. All were very disappointing in terms of choices of offering and quality of the food. It's about time they need to look into F too.

Let's hope they can up their game in J at least as CX is by far the worst airline in the catering dept that I am currently flying these days.

lost_in_translation

This sounds a lot like what BA is (very slowly) rolling out in J currently.

Isochronous

Shame to see the lack of mattress!

oliver_dvs

I just couldn't understand the logic behind CX not offering mattresses. CX has become the minority in OW in this regard, and we're talking about airlines including BA/AA/QF/QR/JL (Excellent mattress AND semi-DoD)/MH, and did I say forget to say BA?