AFF - are we our own self-moderating enemy?

[p--and--t]

Oh, that’s disappointing. I have had many ‘perfect’ flights. Some of those have been on Qantas. But the problem with qantas, more so than any other airline, is the inconsistency of their crew.

I should clarify - I have definitely had "perfect" sectors and well up to expectation trips on a number of airlines including QF.

I was alluding to the summation of experiences with an airline on many trips over many years. All of them have slipped up somewhere along the line - some of them with much greater consistency .

 

[dajop]

Qantas provided Lunch (being a meal under foil on a small white tray with a sort of garlicy roll on top, followed by an ice confection) and a "refreshment" before landing (in May it was three dim sum in a cardboard box).

Similar experience with SQ and QF this year. QF SIN-MEL departing ~ midnight, SQ MEL-SIN departing ~ midnight. Both served hour appropriate pides after departure, which I declined. Both served hot breakfast pre landing. On QF that small white tray which was filled only half its height. And that was about it. On SQ the meal came on a tray, and the hot meal was accompanied by a bread roll/jam, yoghurt and some fruit. The other minor niggle was having to set up the ipad for IFE on QF. Not deal breakers, and the QF flight was perfectly fine.

QF's biggest foible IMHO, is that it's marketing is way too good - lots of smoke, mirrors and spin, and product doesn't have a hope of living up to the spin. SQ wasn't perfect, and my main complaint with that specific flight, as always is it was too damn full. If only they could be a little emptier so there would be a chance of empty seat beside you. The main reason I enjoyed QF flight more was that I had four seats to myself. What could be a better economy flight, irrespective of meal, seat pitch, IFE or inflight service?

 

[drron]

Some airlines do sucking up generally to all passengers better than others and one particular asian airline comes to mind (even though on observation it often comes across as quite insincere in my eyes).

So aren't you doing to Asian airlines what you complain of others doing to QF.
The only Asian airlines I have status on are JAL and CX but only because I am BA gold.
I have never spent a cent on ANA or Asiana yet still have had good service-on ANA it was great service and personal.
The last time I spent any money on SQ was in 1986.My flights are all courtesy of Amex yet still get fantastic service.Yes I am travelling on F awards but I have had several awards and upgrades to F on QF and I am sorry but they don't come up to the soft product standards of the Asian airlines.
I have never had the impression that the service was insincere.But I do engage the FAs in conversation-much easier to do of course in F.

I am really looking forward to my SQ flight in 2 weeks but more so my JAL flight in 7 weeks.

 

[Forg]

Similar experience with SQ and QF this year. QF SIN-MEL departing ~ midnight, SQ MEL-SIN departing ~ midnight. Both served hour appropriate pides after departure, which I declined. Both served hot breakfast pre landing. On QF that small white tray which was filled only half its height. And that was about it.

While I do understand the gripe about airline food being bad, I kinda don’t understand how people can care so much about the difference. You’re paying, what, let’s say $800 for a fare both ways, and Y food varies from a 0/10 and a 1/10 ... the best stuff you’d be annoyed if you paid more than about $5 for in a Sydney railway station shop. The best J food, for a fare you’ve paid maybe $1500 for, you’d be most annoyed if you paid more than ~$50 for in a cafe ... F food you might stretch to being the equivalent of maybe an $80 meal for the absolute best of it, and that’s against a fare where you’re probably paying >$3k each way.

Given that’s the norm, I’m sorta surprised when I see complain about it on AFF, especially frequent flyers, because it’s really the expectation. It’s a different matter if it’s so greasy it effectively poisons you, or you do actually get food poisoning ... but airline food at it’s best is just so bad c/f what you pay, that I don’t really get why it’s an issue that anyone really considers when comparing airlines.
It’s like .... a “best s**t sandwich award”, even the winner ain’t gonna be great!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

...and Y food varies from a 0/10 and a 1/10 ... the best stuff you’d be annoyed if you paid more than about $5 for in a Sydney railway station shop.

maybe this is what Aussies are used to... but it doesn't have to be. One of the best omelettes I've ever had was in economy on CX on a flight between Hong Kong and Shanghai. Coupled with fresh fruit and a flakey croissant with butter and jam it was delicious! The Korean airlines serve a nice bibimbab - you get a bowl with a selection of cold ingredients and they give you a piping hot container of rice to go with it so you can mix your own meal. Couple that with a fresh salad and spicy Korean sauce. Also delicious. On short flights Swiss Air used to serve crusty baguettes with your choice of prosciutto or swiss cheese. Coupled with a drink from the bar or a cup of coffee and a Swiss chocolate and again a delicious snack. Compare that to an apple or packet of chips on a QF flight of the same length.

There's plenty of room for innovation. There's no need to be limited to chopped off-cuts of chicken or beef in some sauce coupled with mashed potatoes and peas.

 

[dajop]

While I do understand the gripe about airline food being bad, I kinda don’t understand how people can care so much about the difference. You’re paying, what, let’s say $800 for a fare both ways, and Y food varies from a 0/10 and a 1/10 ... the best stuff you’d be annoyed if you paid more than about $5 for in a Sydney railway station shop.

Usually most of my gripes these days aren't about the food being bad, more about it being insufficient quantity vs expectations for the length of flight. . I'd rather an airline that provides a microscopic quantity of food just to eliminate "free" food altogether and charge for it. It's part of the product promise for "full service" carriers, something that differentiates them from others.

 

[Forg]

maybe this is what Aussies are used to... but it doesn't have to be. One of the best omelettes I've ever had was in economy on CX on a flight between Hong Kong and Shanghai. Coupled with fresh fruit and a flakey croissant with butter and jam it was delicious! The Korean airlines serve a nice bibimbab - you get a bowl with a selection of cold ingredients and they give you a piping hot container of rice to go with it so you can mix your own meal. Couple that with a fresh salad and spicy Korean sauce. Also delicious. On short flights Swiss Air used to serve crusty baguettes with your choice of prosciutto or swiss cheese. Coupled with a drink from the bar or a cup of coffee and a Swiss chocolate and again a delicious snack. Compare that to an apple or packet of chips on a QF flight of the same length.

My food experiences aren’t going to be as extensive as yours; limited to Lufthansa, Korean, China Airlines, Emirates, Qantas, KLM, Cathay, Singapore & British Airways. F only on EY, J only on QF & KLM & CI, Y+ on BA & CX, Y on QF & the others.
All of it was something between bad & very average sub-J, and just average above.
The concept of the food excites me ... at first I was disappointed, now I just don’t expect much & am at best satisfied.

I agree with dajop that feeding us a piece of cough as a “full service airline” is probably more offensive than needing to pay on a cheapo airline. I used to enjoy my VA can of vodka+lemonade and a big bag of jubes on the arvo flight up to BNE while reading a magazine (fewer mid-arvo domestic Recliners 10yrs ago) much more than the same-price (despite “full service”) QF flight with the bag of stale crackers & rubbery cheddar cheese. If you’re going to present yourself as offering service at a certain level, offer the service at that level ... notsomuch just in terms of food, everything.
I do like the QF bag-drop machines, avoiding checkin queues, that have been popping-up in various foreign airports, I think that’s a service that has value!

 

[juddles]

.....One of the best omelettes I've ever had was in economy on CX on a flight........The Korean airlines serve a nice bibimbab - you get ...... a piping hot container of rice......On short flights Swiss Air used to serve crusty baguettes.....

The "best omelette" you described could have been perceived as dry, or wet, by another. On the Korean flight the pax may have absolutely hated rice and anything involving it. And pity the poor gluten-intolerant person that sufferred the crusty baguettes on Swiss....

So much of this stuff is subjective. Personal. I am coming to the conclusion that the less-subjective areas, such as service recovery, etc, are actually almost identical throughout the various airlines. As they would be, as given the competition, none of them have the cash to pander to these other services.

 

[Matt_01]

@juddles as posted somewhere up thread you ability to create banter is keeping me amused for yet another week and another week spent away from the family.

 

[juddles]

@juddles as posted somewhere up thread you ability to create banter is keeping me amused for yet another week and another week spent away from the family.

If you keep these sort of comments coming, then maybe I should send a bill for "services" to admin?

 

[juddles]

I am just biding my time, waiting for the moment when someone starts a thread such as "Let us know your most outrageous thoughts on any topic about flying". That is when my fingers will start an actual fire on this keyboard....

 

[I love to travel]

I am just biding my time, waiting for the moment when someone starts a thread such as "Let us know your most outrageous thoughts on any topic about flying". That is when my fingers will start an actual fire on this keyboard....

I groaned when I read this. Then thought about starting it.

 

[Matt_01]

I am just biding my time, waiting for the moment when someone starts a thread such as "Let us know your most outrageous thoughts on any topic about flying". That is when my fingers will start an actual fire on this keyboard....

So would you like me to start that now or will I just leave it to you.

 

[juddles]

So would you like me to start that now or will I just leave it to you.

Obviously I cannot start it, as I would then be held doubly responsible for whatever ensued...

 

[JohnK]

Oh, that’s disappointing. I have had many ‘perfect’ flights. Some of those have been on Qantas. But the problem with qantas, more so than any other airline, is the inconsistency of their crew.

Every airline has an issue with consistency.

If I recall correctly SQ offered me a choice between 2 curries in economy on a long haul flight. Poor planning assuming that everyone likes curries.

The best econony meal by far was a pork dish on a Qantas flight ex-MNL. Delicious.

I like the friendliness of the QF crew. EK, CX, RJ, UL, SQ can be too serious.

 

[dajop]

And of course it does depend on the nature of the trip. For 8 years I regularly flew MEL-BNE in Y on QF 737's , 857 miles. For the last 10 years I've regularly flown SIN-BKK in Y, 875 miles on SQ or TG (on 330s, 747s, 777s, 787s and 350s). No surprises which I would prefer for legroom, IFE and service Although not horses for courses, but pricing and distance very similar.