Downgraded Meal Service
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: KSA
Programs: BA LTG, UA Gold, EK Silver, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,242
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
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
#2
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
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
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
#3
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,273
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.. )
#4
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
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.. )
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.. )
#5
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,273
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
#6
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
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
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: KSA
Programs: BA LTG, UA Gold, EK Silver, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,242
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
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
#8
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
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.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: KSA
Programs: BA LTG, UA Gold, EK Silver, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,242
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
Mind you, both out and back this time we had EBx aircraft so cr*p old IFE
#10
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
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.. )
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.. )
#11
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,273
773 (the early departure) gets lunch and light bites. 779 (the last departure) gets dinner and breakfast (as per your post)
#12
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
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)
773 (the early departure) gets lunch and light bites. 779 (the last departure) gets dinner and breakfast (as per your post)
#13
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
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.