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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 10:01 pm
  #1  
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Drink Sizes

Why do Emirates provide all their softdrinks in those miniature cans (150ml)?

Seems totally ridiculous given their frequency of serving drinks and more-so that if I chose to drink alcohol in the form of beer I would be served a full sized 375ml can.

So basically :

-Emirates appear stingy
-150ml is inadequate
-I still need to satisfy my thirst and need minimum 2-3 cans (no weight saving)
-Increased work for staff as they get called to serve drinks more
-Kind of promotes alcohol consumption

Almost as bad as Singapore Airlines pouring you half a plastic cup full, but at least if you ask for a can they give you a full sized one.
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 10:19 pm
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The amount needed to satisfy thirst would normally be covered by 15cl; I doubt v much that you need 45cl ( nearly half a litre ) of water to sate a thirst except in rare cases

it is better, imo, to give out 15cl cans than to do what some airlines do and pour from a larger can into one of the small plastic cups

As far as frequency of serving goes, it isn't hard to pop to galley and get another , even back in economy
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Old Oct 9, 2012 | 11:05 pm
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Its a simple thing called Portion Control, not being stingy! Alot of people out their wont drink a 375ml can of drink in one hit, as Dave said most are satisfied with the smaller drinks. You dont make money as a business giving out large portions be it food or drink when it is likely to go to waste.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 1:33 am
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I wouldn't say its stingy as these small cans don't cost less than the full size 300ml ones. If anything they cost more in the shop.

Second, have you thought of storage and logistics, maybe its just easier to have the small ones.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 4:46 am
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The answer is two-fold.

One is packaging. 150ml cans can be packed more densely in ATLAS standard drawers (although Emirates uses KSSU equipment, the same holds true) thus allowing a higher amount of content to be packed in a single drawer.

Second, as mentioned above, is portion size. Most people do not require 330ml servings. Due to risk of turbulence, leaving partially-filled cups or open cans sitting around is not advisable. Disposal capacity of liquid waste is limited to galleys only which slows down the clear-out process after services.

The wholesale cost of a 150ml can is about 70% that of a 330ml can, so this is not a direct cost-cutting measure, but rather an efficiency measure.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 6:16 am
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
The answer is two-fold.

One is packaging. 150ml cans can be packed more densely in ATLAS standard drawers (although Emirates uses KSSU equipment, the same holds true) thus allowing a higher amount of content to be packed in a single drawer.

Second, as mentioned above, is portion size. Most people do not require 330ml servings. Due to risk of turbulence, leaving partially-filled cups or open cans sitting around is not advisable. Disposal capacity of liquid waste is limited to galleys only which slows down the clear-out process after services.

The wholesale cost of a 150ml can is about 70% that of a 330ml can, so this is not a direct cost-cutting measure, but rather an efficiency measure.
1. Why would it be more efficient having more cans that have lower volume to store in a drawer. You can store more volume (i.e. (ml") by having less cans. Imagine, you had one big can in a drawer, yes, something like beer tap, you'd be def store more volume.

2. You could indeed claim that it is a cost cutting measure. While the unit price per liter is higher for a small can, the total costs will decrease since it is expected that not all pax will order two can to compensate for having a smaller can (I am one of those who'd order two)
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 6:43 am
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Originally Posted by GigoloArt
1. Why would it be more efficient having more cans that have lower volume to store in a drawer. You can store more volume (i.e. (ml") by having less cans. Imagine, you had one big can in a drawer, yes, something like beer tap, you'd be def store more volume.

2. You could indeed claim that it is a cost cutting measure. While the unit price per liter is higher for a small can, the total costs will decrease since it is expected that not all pax will order two can to compensate for having a smaller can (I am one of those who'd order two)
1. is simple math - the smaller the diameter of each can, the more area of a cross section of the trolley you can cover, because there's less gaps in the so called corners of the cans.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 6:55 am
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How about some more simple math. The majority of soda cans in the middle east is 150ml cans.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 7:10 am
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Not getting the portion control argument - 150ml is pretty much just a gulp and when you consider that for up to 2-3 hours that is the only drink you are given it's not much. And again, the beer is 375ml (or 333ml)

There may be logistics reasons but I don't think a 333ml or 375ml can of soda is too much to ask for in terms of quantity for and average sized male.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 7:42 am
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Originally Posted by ung1
1. is simple math - the smaller the diameter of each can, the more area of a cross section of the trolley you can cover, because there's less gaps in the so called corners of the cans.
No, if the entire drawer that has a volume of 100l would be theoretically a "can" (and this is an extreme example), you will get more liters inside, namely 100l..
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 8:16 am
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Originally Posted by GigoloArt
No, if the entire drawer that has a volume of 100l would be theoretically a "can" (and this is an extreme example), you will get more liters inside, namely 100l..
Not true. Think about fitting a round peg in a square hole as cans are always round and not square - you'll always have gaps at the corners. What ung1 is trying to say, if you have a drawer 10 inches by 10 inches, would you rather have 1 large can of dia 10 inches, or 10 smaller cans of dia 1 inch.. Thats the math of it.

Not sure how it plays out in an actual aircraft trolley - how high are the actual drawers, can you stack two on top of each other etc....
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 8:26 am
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Like the OP, I've always wondered why vast majoryty of airlines, nont only EK, serv small cans of soft drink.

Does storage theory not apply to beers?

I don't drink alcohol (I should start I know) thus I always pay attention to this weird policy.

375 ml bottles ok (heavier and larger than cans), 330 ml beer can ok, sometimes even wine.
Coca Cola? Grounded.
Swallow this fantastic meal with your abundant 150 ml.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 8:30 am
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Agree that for some people 150ml isn't enough. I don't think I could do 150ml every 2-3 hours. Most sources recommend 2L a day and imagine you are awake for 15hrs a day that means you should be taking around 270ml every 2 hours.

Personally this has never been a problem for me though, I ask for 2 and they always oblige. People have valid points about waste and turbulence etc. so it does make sense.. give 150ml to everyone and an extra can to those who feel like they need more.
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Old Oct 10, 2012 | 8:53 am
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Coke is served in cans on Emirates? Whenever I've flown Emirates it's always come in a glass
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Old Oct 12, 2012 | 7:33 am
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I don't know about soft drinks but at least for water I do feel that one glass or one of the small cups isn't enough, and when in Y, I find myself making frequent refill trips to the galley. Having said that, the crew often give me two or three waters just to get rid of me.
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