Folded blankets, cutlery packs & the logistics of airlines

[katiebell]

I must admit with the price of the tickets, I expect good service and a quality product and sometimes do have to shop around to get it katiebell.

It is really disappointing when I book a flight based on previous great experience only to find that the airline has degraded the product between flights

Another aspect of this is how much national character/pride an airline demonstrates. For example, BA stock British products where ever possible (e.g. Highland Spring bottled water, Fever tree mixers, Molton Brown and now Elemis amenity kits, snacks and now English sparkling wine in F); Swiss make a big deal about Swiss produce etc and Air NZ about a showcase for all things NZ. QF, on the other hand, just have anything (e.g. US water on a flight ex MEL to LHR, foreign amenity kits, bag & contents, NZ wines at time etc etc: not really the spririt of Australia). It is only in teh last year or so that the spa in MEL & SYD Flounges have Australian brands

 

[Sanpan]

I totally agree with what you have said.

I must confess I am very keen on Molton Brown shampoo and conditioner. I love the fact that the Darling in Sydney always make sure there is Molton Brown in my suite when I am staying up there. I don't know what else they use but the staf know that is what I like. ( sshhh don't tell anyone it is not Australian.)

 

[RAM]

It only saves if it does not degrade the product at the point of customer interface: once the pax, especially J & F noctice the product is not as good as in the past there is a risk that they will look at other airlines offering a superior service.

The very old (?apocryphal) story of AA taking 1 olive out of each J salad and saving s few thousand $ will only work if the pax do not notice/do not care.

The downgrading of food, wines and amenity kits has affected my decisions re whom I fly with.

The man who started the forerunner to American Airlines was a curious character who never stopped asking questions. To many he seemed like a nuisance.

For example, early on he asked the Boeing sales rep how much the paint cost on a Pan Am plane that was in the building as he was being shown through.

The answer shocked him. Then he asked how much the paint weighed. This time the rep, obviously wanting to deflect the shock of the cost, went into absolute detail about the various different layers required to get a good bond to the aluminum surface, to then maintain the gloss etc. Finally he mentioned the actual weight.

The answer once again shocked the AA founder.

So he declared HIS planes would be predominantly unpainted (except for the name) which would allow him to buy cheaper planes, operate at a cheaper cost than his competitors, save on maintenance costs (repainting etc) and have more weight available for carrying passengers or freight.

Not sure when the savings on olives happened but suspect it was much later.

 

[katiebell]

I totally agree with what you have said.

I must confess I am very keen on Molton Brown shampoo and conditioner. I love the fact that the Darling in Sydney always make sure there is Molton Brown in my suite when I am staying up there. I don't know what else they use but the staf know that is what I like. ( sshhh don't tell anyone it is not Australian.)

I like Molton Brown too (esp on BA) but also like Jurlique & Aesop (both Australian). The Aurora Spa (Aussie) in the flounge is getting better (ie choosing nicer products) but still not as good as the other Aussie brands. If a business plays on its national connections then it should be true to that spirit.

 

[Sanpan]

Yes, Jurlique is nice. I think the flounge used to have Aussie in the bathrooms when they first opened but now they keep changing.
I do like the one they have had for a while now. I can't remember what it's called. I just find the moisturiser does not adsorb into the skin as well as some and if you try to put makeup on, I find it goes a bit greasy.

 

[mannej]

Where do you draw the line regarding Australian products v products from other countries? Just the other day there was a post on one of the threads moaning about the use of an Australian product ahead of a foreign product in the QF domestic offering!