jmoorfoot

I've got no complaints with the CX soft product. Flew MEL x HKG - SFO in Jan. It was far better than my last QF flt NRT-MEL last year.

bensyd

I last flew CX in October last year, SYD-HKG-LHR return. The crew on the SYD-HKG leg was the worst I've had on CX by a long way and the A330 was really showing its age, creaky and so much visible wear and tear. The bathrooms were also filthy. The HKG-LHR leg was like being on a totally different airline. I agree with gobblercat that the food on CX was never strong and seems to have gone further downhill, with the exception of the dim sum breakfast which hits the spot every time.

dddc

Wow. I flew Feb/Mar 4 sectors (LGW-HKG-BNE/MEL-HKG-LGW) all on the A350, albeit in Y and the food was really tasty. Maybe it's options you went for? I went for mostly the Asian style option unless it was a seafood one and they were all really tasty and filling. The only meal that I was a bit "meh" to was the English breakfast coming into Gatwick. It just was a lot blander than the other scrumptious meals, salads and desserts that had been served on the journeys. (The alternative was a congee that I'm not fussed on) I've flown Cathay a few times now since 2015 to Australia and back and the meals have normally been of a pretty high standard for Y class.

Crews were generally good. Coming out of MEL my other half missed out on his first meal choice (we were towards the back of Y) but they took everyone who'd missed out their first choice for the 2nd meal service and presented by name to them during that meal run.

One of the good things about the A330 (in Y at least!) is the 2-3-2 seating config. It was good either as a solo passenger or a couple.

The food on Cathay and the wider seats in Y (A350 at least) are just some of the reasons stopping me at looking at QF on the 787. The reviews on Seatguru of the narrow seats are really off putting for not just a ultra long haul flight,but any flight.

bensyd

I don't think i've ever seen someone describe an airline meal, and one in Y at that, as "scrumptious".

I've always thought the CX J food was the weak link in their product. QF has pretty decent food, but there is never enough of it. And on some routes where they offer their supper service you really do go hungry if you haven't eaten in the lounge prior.

dddc

Actually, I think airline meals have been tarred with a bad brush. There are some good ones, some great ones and some bad ones along with the mediocre ones - across all classes and and airlines. I used to purposely choose QF on BNE-SIN legs for the meals they used to serve in J and then connect to BA to LHR for the flat beds - the food on BA was so so at the time (c20years ago!), but not as exciting as QF J. Last time I flew QF J to/from Australia via Dubai the meal choices didn't excite and I got caught out with the late London departure and the "supper" option only meant a small bowl of food and desert. I didn't have time to eat in the lounge before hand so I was hungry by breakfast - only to have fruit and sweet roll offered. Not happy Jan! I had a better meal in PY on a previous trip where I experienced wet polenta for the first time and have since made it at home. The ready made stuff is easier, but with making from scratch I can season it the way I want. I was a bit disappointed with my last QF Y experiences to/from the UK with the larger mains, no side and bread roll chucked at you!! My recent Domestic J was fine with a soup being served as a refreshment. I was actually just hoping for sandwich or cheese and crackers, but that was very tasty.

Cathay I'd never flown before until late 2015 - and I found their meals really nice and yes, scrumptious. Have a look at airlnemeals.net for some examples . I'd found JAL's pretty good, although it's been 20 years+ since I've flown them (they dropped BNE some time ago). I've had some tasty meals in AA TATL in Y and J - my few F experiences were fine but more show than substance. Aegean Y had some really tasty meals onboard. I guess it's luck of the draw and how fussy you are.

The real disappointment is airline meals now is Buy On Board. They often have products with a longish shelf life or something that is basically carbs carbs carbs. And the pictures never look like the product you get. The filling is only around the middle, never to the ends of the sandwich, the instant noodle dishes look better than they taste. I've not tried BA's M&S experience yet, but if I'm going for a ready made sandwich, it's my first choice normally (Pret suck big time, vile products, even if they are freshly made).

There are some good meals out there. I just wonder if people are too dismissive of them or worse, take their anger on cramped seating (especially Y on the 787s) on the meals they are served. Meals form an important part of the customer experience as its a talking point to friends and family and can help "sell" an airline.

Has there been a photoblog of what's served MEL-PER-LHR and v.v. in Y yet? I've not come across anything yet.

og