Downgraded Meal Service
 

I guess EK really is looking at all areas to generate new revenue or (in this case) cut existing costs.

As another example, flying back from JNB - DXB on EK 768 (the 0925 departure).

For the last 2 years the service (in Y) has always been light breakfast after takeoff (croissant, small salad, fruit etc), and then a main meal 2 hours prior to landing in DXB.

This has been "enhanced" and you now get Lunch served straight after takeoff (at 1030!!!) which is the main meal and a small sandwich + brownie 3 hours out of DXB.

You'd probably be up quite early to catch this flight and have breakfast in the lounge/airport. This makes lunch as soon as you takeoff unwelcome as it is not really a time you want to eat so soon after breakfast or leaving you the rest of the flight with next to nothing if you don't eat it.

A bad move all round

Are you sure about that? JNB flights have never had two meals as far as I can remember, they've always been just under the cut-off for two mains and received main + snack. I've done the 9am flight several times, but don't recall the exact meal service, but am pretty certain it's always been a snack for the 2nd "meal".

An enhancement has taken place on the CPT route over the past year, which used to just qualify for two full meals but now only gets 1 + a snack

Not quite so for all flights.
For instance 771 (the 16h30 departure from CPT) still gets dinner as well as breakfast

J: https://cdn.ek.aero/downloads/ek/pdf...d5057d11c57f80
Y: https://cdn.ek.aero/downloads/ek/pdf...d5057d11c57f80

(no F on tomorrow's flight which I used to get the above.. :( )

Interesting, the 13h25 last week (and the last 2 or 3 times I've flown it in the past months) is definitely just lunch and a snack (turkey roll on menu which turned out to be chicken). Perhaps they differentiate for daytime and night-time flights, but I'm not a fan of the turkey/chicken roll. Curried egg roll on the menu for my return on the 17th (772) which I'm quite looking forward to trying

I agree, the 13:25 has had only a snack plus a single meal for some time now (also in J). Not sure about the 20:00 departure, I have never taken that (does not give decent connections to my final destinations).

Took it in August, but really can't remember, I want to say it was meal+snack but really can't be sure now, I don't pay that much attention, as I usually don't enjoy the snack and often skip the 2nd meal if there is one on those flights in preference of sleep

Quite sure. I Fly DXB-JNB and back once a month and always take the early morning flight (back from JNB). I just raised it with the Senior crew member and she told me apparently it was due to customer demand (ie wanting a main meal first) but that she would note my complaint. She also agreed that lunch at 1030 was not good and had some other people on the flight complaining about it (and Business class still get continental breakfast first and then main meal later). A month ago we had continental breaky then lunch with 2 hours to go (in Y) so this change is within the last few weeks.

Hm interesting. On another note, is the flight still as empty in Y as when it launched? I once had 50/310 Y seats occupied, ridiculous amounts of space, making it my favourite ex Jnb flight

Yes, one of the reasons I take the early flight (apart from it being a day flight with good arrival time in to DXB) is that it is empty 80% of the time. I usually sit down the back as this almost guarantees I will have the whole set of 3 to myself.

Mind you, both out and back this time we had EBx aircraft so cr*p old IFE

Not sure about Y , but i know EK771 in J only get dinner then " light bites " as the second meal :confused: . EK779 gets full dinner then breakfast before landing.

Im sorry to disagree (again). The link in my post above is for 771. And it clearly shows dinner and breakfast. No 'light bites'. I took this flight in April in F, but I was originally booked in J (upgrade with miles) and I know the J menu showed dinner and breakfast then as well.

773 (the early departure) gets lunch and light bites. 779 (the last departure) gets dinner and breakfast (as per your post)

Ah my mistake , i am nearly sure 771 used to be dinner then light bites - like 773. They must of changed it as when i last flew in June on 771 it was dinner then light bites in J, I'm pretty sure on that.

Most Y passengers do not have lounge access. A 1030 departure time could mean an early breakfast at home before heading out to the airport.