No more Champagne on the A380 ?

[Dyslexic traveler]

Hi all just had dinner with a good friend of mine who has just come back for LA. He and his wife we're flying F and he told me that he was a little disappointed that they did not have champagne on the flight, he was told that Qantas was no longer serving French on the flights and was offered an Australian sparkling wine.

Is this true has any one experienced this recently ?

Wayne
The Dyslexic Traveler

P.S My last F flight with Qantas was in September last year to London and they had Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1999

 

[Princess Fiona]

I would be taking this anecdotal report as an outlier
There is IMHO no way that QF will not be serving Champagne in F!
It will be the beginning of the end if true

 

[jetlagger]

Hi all just had dinner with a good friend of mine who has just come back for LA. He and his wife we're flying F and he told me that he was a little disappointed that they did not have champagne on the flight, he was told that Qantas was no longer serving French on the flights and was offered an Australian sparkling wine.

Is this true has any one experienced this recently ?

Wayne
The Dyslexic Traveler

P.S My last F flight with Qantas was in September last year to London and they had Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1999

My gosh.. I truly find that difficult to fathom.. Unless it was not loaded by catering for some peculiar reason
Certainly interested in others recent experiences with QF F.

 

[Happy Trails]

My gosh.. I truly find that difficult to fathom.. Unless it was not loaded by catering for some peculiar reason
Certainly interested in others recent experiences with QF F.

The Taittinger was still flowing freely on QF128 last Sunday evening.

 

[bossreggie]

I flew AKL-SYD-SIN-LHR earlier this month. My sector AKL-SYD was in J.

When I read the drinks list there was no mention of Champagne. It always used to be either Charles Heidsieck or Billecart Salmon. This time the list specifically stated Sparkling Australia Wine.

From SYD-SIN-LHR it was Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blanc.

 

[dfcatch]

When leaving LA whilst on the ground they offer Charles Heidsieck, once in the air you can have the Taittinger.

Definitely still offering it on QF11

 

[Mal]

Pe was 'enhanced' for a while where Australian sparkling was being offered. Then went back to champagne.

I can't see qf removing it from f. Perhaps a catering stuffup.

But can see them doing it for trans tas in j.

 

[anat0l]

I can't see how QF could possibly not serve Champagne in F. I can accept that perhaps there was no vintage Champagne (poor form, but not disastrous), but to have no Champagne at all is ridiculous. Surely even the most dire backup plan would be to serve the non-vintage Champagne from Business Class (e.g. which is usually Charles Heidsieck or Billecarte Salmon, which is not great stuff by any measure but it's decent, and better than the CX bubble choice of Deutz).

I can somewhat see them running out of Champagne (e.g. catering shortage, or someone getting utterly pickled on board).

I just don't see them having no Champagne. If this experience is true, then I would see it as isolated. If it is a systematic problem then there will be hell to pay on the part of Qantas and/or the associated catering services.

If it's from LA I've heard some odd rumours about ground catering (for various airlines) being a PITA with regards to supply of premium items, like Champagne, and duties. Not sure exactly what's the go. I know there are blizzards and so on in the USA, but that shouldn't affect supply of bubbles (and come on - it's not like they need 200 bottles on board).

 

[RWJ777]

Hi all just had dinner with a good friend of mine who has just come back for LA. He and his wife we're flying F and he told me that he was a little disappointed that they did not have champagne on the flight, he was told that Qantas was no longer serving French on the flights and was offered an Australian sparkling wine.Is this true has any one experienced this recently ? Wayne The Dyslexic Traveler P.S My last F flight with Qantas was in September last year to London and they had Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1999

Gee Wayne, I hope your friend's experience was an isolated one or all my slavish shopping trips to Woolies for points for the mythical F upgrade will have been most misplaced! Had I wanted Australian sparkling, I could have swum in it on trips around the local Canberra wineries -- some of which are very good.As others have said here, let's hope it was a catering glitch -- although your friend's account of what he was told sounds worrying.

 

[Deleted member]

I will be travelling in J BNE-AKL next week so will be very interested to see if champagne is off the menu. Mrs GPH won't drink Oz or NZ wines. Not for any snob value. But they seem to give her headaches. Unlike French and Italian wines

 

[Ewing]

I will be travelling in J BNE-AKL next week so will be very interested to see if champagne is off the menu.

It was not available on my two trans tasman flights (SYD-ZQN and AKL-SYD) at the end of January. "Australian Sparkling" was offered instead.

I didn't take note of what it was going out, but I've certainly had worse. I didn't consume any alcohol coming back as I was going straight to the office upon landing.

 

[SFSC]

Only "Australian Sparkling" on our QF142 AKL-SYD last week.

 

[Deleted member]

It was not available on my two trans tasman flights (SYD-ZQN and AKL-SYD) at the end of January. "Australian Sparkling" was offered instead.

I didn't take note of what it was going out, but I've certainly had worse. I didn't consume any alcohol coming back as I was going straight to the office upon landing.

Well that's a major thumbs down for me
Let's face it. Not a lot more on offer for the trans Tasman hop, he French bubbles added a nice touch. Must see what's on offer in BNE F lounge

 

[Warks]

Could this be the ultimate First World Problem?

 

[Deleted member]

Could this be the ultimate First World Problem?

Maybe first world enhancement !

 

[Major]

Obviously travelling on the wrong A380. The Moet on the EK A380 AKL-SYD is quite refreshing.....so is the Veuve in the lounge

 

[ALH]

If it's Sparkling Wine Trans Tasman, then I'll stop going to Kiwi Land , or is it time for TAA (Try Another Airline)?

 

[bossreggie]

If it's Sparkling Wine Trans Tasman, then I'll stop going to Kiwi Land , or is it time for TAA (Try Another Airline)?

From 1st April. Just book on EK metal with a QF flight number. Sorted.

 

[RB]

I will be travelling in J BNE-AKL next week so will be very interested to see if champagne is off the menu. Mrs GPH won't drink Oz or NZ wines. Not for any snob value. But they seem to give her headaches. Unlike French and Italian wines

OT from the original question but just from Mrs RB's experience perhaps you can get hold of "Penningtons pure wine" at Dans & some other outlets. Comes in a 4ml eyedrop like container & is designed to eliminate the preservatives without impacting the taste. Mrs RB says her friends now also swear by it. One drop per glass or 5 per bottle-bottle job not recommended unless you are going to finish the bottle in 1 session. (contains hydrogen peroxide)

 

[ALH]

Well I'm F on QF1 mid April. Will let you know