Richo Rabbit

Have only flown a few sectors so far this month and maybe I missed this but the 'new improved summer menu' of a salad as dinner does not seem to hit the mark for a full service airline. I am a general supporter of Qantas, their service and offer, but if I get off a flight leaving after 6pm (SYD -> BNE or SYD -> MLB) and am looking for dinner having only been given a potato salad not sure this cuts it??? Noticed most people opted out of dinner too.

RichardMEL

Hi Richo,

Funny a person naming themselves "Richo RABBIT" has an issue with a Salad, but I digress

The "marketing" answer would seem to be that "Qantas is offering healthier options for our customers" or some such spin.

Perhaps the real question is - have you been offered these salads after an upgrade or so on, as in one of the last options left? I've flown a number of domestic lunch and dinner flights over the past few months in J and certainly dinner options have been a hot meal (the last one I recall on SYD-MEL was a pretty tasty Fish Pie), along with the Salad and I think the cheese box (which I consider a real downgrade). Lunches usually have the soup option as the hot meal. It obviously cuts costs for QF, And really most hoardes chow at the lounges (though those offerings aren't great either) or honestly for an hour or 1.5 hour flight... you can eat before or after if you're seriously hungry.

Anyway when I've flown in J there's usually been choice of 3 options, sometimes 2. Perhaps status is involved, or being on a (discount) J fare. I'm not sure how they work out who gets priority if it's by status or fares with upgrades last, but either way there should likely have been another option than a salad on a "triangle" route IMHO.

also SYD-MLB would be a pretty interesting flight indeed and warrant more than a salad and a number of stops! (MLB being Melbourne, Florida).

EDIT: I am assuming you are referring to Business Class (J) rather than Economy. I have no idea what QF is giving for "dinner" in Y these days. My apologies if you are referring to Economy Class.

LTN Phobia

The choice was a salad (I think it was potato salad) or soup on MEL-BNE in the evening in J. No other choice was offered. I vaguely recall that the departure was just after 17:00. I assume it was "non-meal time" service.

What time does QF "meal times" run for lunch and dinner?

RichardMEL

Oh meal times are a very interesting and it seems, and forgive the pun, a "moveable feast" at QF.

I *believe* the general idea is between 1200-1400 for lunch, and 1800-2000 for dinner. However a 1355 MEL-ADL does not quality for lunch but a 1730(arriving at 1900 or so local ADL-MEL) qualifies for dinner (recent experience), so it seems to not have much rhyme or reason. Though it seems to err on the side of arrival time when timezones are involved, for example while BNE is 1 hour behind MEL/SYD, BNE-MEL(at least, I am not sure about SYD) 1100 gets lunch but also does 1200 and 1300 (the 1300 departure arrives 1620, which is hardly lunch time). Though going the other way only 1205 and 1305 only qualify for lunch.

Can you tell I have taken note of such details?

(and yes, the soup or salad option definitely seems to be the afternoon "refreshment" option)

serfty

In business, I knew "Lunch" has disappeared on most domestic flights to be replaced with a 'Snack' service.

Generally a choice of a Soup or a 'Salad' or a cheese 'n fruit plate.

I did not know they had dome away with dinner (from 6pm BNE/SYD/MEL) as well.

Richo Rabbit

RichardMel - good point - I must be a carnivourous Rabbit! This was in Economy and SYD - BNE departing 6:05pm and was def dinner rather than a snack and for all pax.

I did make a mistake in the other sector. It was not SYD -> MLB (or MEL - apolgies for getting my 3 letter airport codes wrong) but actually BNE -> MEL departing at 5pm and again was the 'dinner' option rather than a snack. landed after 8:30pm local time (last night). Similar to LTN Phobia's comments.

The FA said it was something about having only 4 FA's and so increasing the service efficiency.

serfty

Aha, the new prepacked sald dinner in economy.

There's a thread on AFF regarding this: QF trials new "no tray" meal service in Economy Class

LTN Phobia

I find it a little difficult to fathom that it is a huge problem to do a proper full service on a 2-hour sector in J though? I had a 3-course meal on other airlines on a 90-min sector. In fact even hot food on 45-min sector, with puddings as well, too.

Blackcloud

I often have the salad option on the TT flights. The various salads are delicious but I agree no the most visually appealing meal.
Of course I got soup, bread and dessert as well and had also a meal in the First Lounge so I cannot say if they would not be sufficiently filling.

og

It must be a widespread problem. I have waited 2 hrs for ANY service in J on a QF HKG-SYD flight. Actually that was my last QF flight HKG-SYD and more recent ones have been on CX where everything is done and packed up in less than 2 hrs.

vbroucek

Didn't you enjoy the privilege of having "Salad by Neil Perry"? After they pay him for that crap "food" they sell under his signature, they do not have money for much more...

SeriouslyLost

I was surprised to find that the SYD-BNE afternoon options at the end of last year were actually inferior to what is offered on AA these days. I mean, if QF is being outdone by AA on...pretty much anything, really....then you know it's doomed. Right now, I'm just trying to figure out how to get rid of my remaining QF points and be done with them for good.

RichardMEL

Interestingly I flew BNE-MEL yesterday in J (1200->1520) marketed as "Lunch" on the timetable, yet the F/A offered to passengers from the "All Day Dining" menu ... which did indeed suggest the snack.


I flew SYD-MEL a few weeks back at dinner time and got a proper dinner (again in J) - well "proper" in so much as the current domestic J service mirrors Y of 10-15 years back, but I digress.

Am doing MEL-SYD-MEL both 7pm flights next week in J, and they are listed as dinner. Will be interesting to see what they "enhance"

fly747first

serfty

I have come across reliable reports and anecdotes that the NP's relationship with QF does not include economy catering.

Then again the business class 'salad NP', these days generally being a few green leaves of stuff, is rather crap as well.