Not getting Meal Preference in Business on International flights

[ovtraveller]

I was curious to note that fellow J travellers also could not get their preferred main meal, notwithstanding their seating in the front J cabin. Who then scores the preferred dish: crew or a platinum card holder in Y?

We flew Melbourne to Auckland in Feb.’ 19 seated in K 4 and K 5 and did not crack it for the preferred main course as it was allegedly “no longer available”. Perhaps next time I may initiate a discussion with the service manager about the state of affairs on the A330-300 leaving Melbourne. Due to fly to LHR and wonder if things might improve?

 

[Forg]

I’ve travelled with my better half in Y when she was platinum, no J meals on offer there.

Supplier shortages maybe?

 

[mrsterryn]

I am a Platinium and never had non economy meals in economy and ditto for premium
Occasionally the csm will come up and introduce themselves but that is about it

 

[kermatu]

I was curious to note that fellow J travellers also could not get their preferred main meal, notwithstanding their seating in the front J cabin. Who then scores the preferred dish: crew or a platinum card holder in Y?

We flew Melbourne to Auckland in Feb.’ 19 seated in K 4 and K 5 and did not crack it for the preferred main course as it was allegedly “no longer available”. Perhaps next time I may initiate a discussion with the service manager about the state of affairs on the A330-300 leaving Melbourne. Due to fly to LHR and wonder if things might improve?

Happens on a lot of airlines even in J and F but yes, Qantas is well known for running out of dishes in J. It's simply cost-saving and a way to avoid waste. I don't think crew or Y pax get the meals though.

By all means raise it politely with the crew. Maybe one day QF will change.

Good news is for the flights to LHR you should be able to choose your meal(s) online up to 7 days before flying. While I prefer to choose onboard if you are a bit further back in the cabin and/or have lower status then choosing in advance should be done to guarantee your meal.

 

[justinbrett]

Just a theory, perhaps people have pre-selected meals, but the caters still distribute meals in the usual proportions (ie, item A is a prawn salad, B is some tofu monstrosity). Out of (say) 48 seats, 23 people pre-order, of that 20x As and 3x Bs. Caterer delivers 24x A and 24x B (still meets online order), but 20 of the As go to the pre-selectors, so only 4 left for ordering. Everyone else gets the tofu.

I have no idea, again, just a theory.

 

[kermatu]

Just a theory, perhaps people have pre-selected meals, but the caters still distribute meals in the usual proportions (ie, item A is a prawn salad, B is some tofu monstrosity). Out of (say) 48 seats, 23 people pre-order, of that 20x As and 3x Bs. Caterer delivers 24x A and 24x B (still meets online order), but 20 of the As go to the pre-selectors, so only 4 left for ordering. Everyone else gets the tofu.

I have no idea, again, just a theory.

Crew have told me it's a little more scientific than this and some attempt is made to predict popularity, but still will almost always have someone miss out.

The OP was on a trans-Tasman flight. Pre-selecting is not an option on these flights.

What irritates me just as much is pax (any airline) who do pre-order a meal then decide to have something else. Usually crew acquiesce, but occasionally I've seen some QF crew say that they'll return to the pax after all orders are taken and see what is left. The right approach IMHO.

 

[justinbrett]

Happens on a lot of airlines even in J and F but yes, Qantas is well known for running out of dishes in J. It's simply cost-saving and a way to avoid waste. I don't think crew or Y pax get the meals though.

It was my understanding, and frequent observation, that flight attendants get business meals once passengers have been served. They’re certainly not eating the Y meals - so they’re either J meals or they are special crew meals that come in the same packaging.

 

[kermatu]

It was my understanding, and frequent observation, that flight attendants get business meals once passengers have been served. They’re certainly not eating the Y meals - so they’re either J meals or they are special crew meals that come in the same packaging.

Sure, but after pax have been served. So not an issue of running out of a preference because of crew. At least I hope not!

In my observation EK and SQ are different and crew absolutely don't eat the pax food. Don't know for a fact but matches my experience and seems in keeping with their being genuine premium airlines.

 

[justinbrett]

In my observation EK and SQ are different and crew absolutely don't eat the pax food. Don't know for a fact but matches my experience and seems in keeping with their being genuine premium airlines.

Or those airlines don’t look after their staff (I’ve heard EK is horrendous to work for).

Makes perfect sense to share the J meals, gives more flexibility for pax as per this thread.

 

[kermatu]

Or those airlines don’t look after their staff (I’ve heard EK is horrendous to work for).

Makes perfect sense to share the J meals, gives more flexibility for pax as per this thread.

Not sure how sharing meals with crew is better for passengers or crew? lucky dip leftovers of a $3 QF J meal for the crew. And an incentive to say "we've run out".

I've struck up plenty of conversations and a couple of friendships with EK FAs and pursers courtesy of staying at a particular hotel in Auckland these past three years. Maybe toeing the party line and I won't claim to know precisely but the only real issue I've heard re meals is that there is a strong discouragement from crew being seen to eat during a flight. Makes sense, as long as it is just observation and not denial of breaks. On the old trans-Tasman no problem as maximum 4 hour flights. Longer haul crew have told me they either bring their own or have food provisioned and no trouble getting proper breaks.

 

[serfty]

I’ve travelled with my better half in Y when she was platinum, no J meals on offer there.

Supplier shortages maybe?

I am a Platinium and never had non economy meals in economy and ditto for premium
Occasionally the csm will come up and introduce themselves but that is about it

Economy has nothing to do with it.

Both PAX were in Business class.

 

[mrsterryn]

Who then scores the preferred dish: crew or a platinum card holder in Y?

Economy has nothing to do with it.
Both PAX were in Business class.

Oops sorry I was commenting on the Y comment , apologies if irrelevant.
I am good at waffling

 

[oz_mark]

Who then scores the preferred dish: crew or a platinum card holder in Y?

Economy has nothing to do with it.

Both PAX were in Business class.

N0, but the question was asked about a platinum card holder in Y.,

 

[serfty]

N0, but the question was asked about a platinum card holder in Y.,

I would suggest the question was rhetorical and as such did not require any response.

 

[serfty]

I have had over 1200 Qantas flights and am aware of the lack of meals provided 8n J.

Pre order if that's available (confirm the Preorder with thw CSM if you can as you board or ASAP ), otherwise sit as far forward as possible if meal selection is important

 

[oz_mark]

I would suggest the question was rhetorical and as such did not require any response.

I would suggest that there's no such thing as a rhetorical question on the internet

 

[TheInsider]

Just another premium 'experience' provided on behalf of Qantas.
Basically it's a cost cutting measure, crew hate it, management don't give a cough (and haven't for years). More money in their pockets at the end of the year.
If there are 3 people in J on a 737, well they will only load 3 meals. You now have a 33% chance of getting your prefered meal if you are somewhere in row 3.
Honestly, people need to stop giving Qantas 9's and 10's in the surveys the spam out. 0's and 1's are more suffice.
High scores don't really mean much to the crew or staff (they just get a pat on the back), the scores help the managers get their bonuses.
People think that these surveys mean nothing. But honestly they really do, especially when they are given consistent low scores and when there are trends happening.

Also, J meals aren't given to Y customers.
Crew rarely have J meals, they get provided with their own.

 

[fifo]

I am a Platinium and never had non economy meals in economy and ditto for premium
Occasionally the csm will come up and introduce themselves but that is about it

platinum since 2012, when in Y, twice offered a glass of wine from J and once a bowl of soup. on QF metal, all three times, from the CSM. two from the same CSM, recognized me on SYD PER return work runs.

 

[RichardMEL]

Given the OP was seated in 4K and 5K that suggests no status (or low) and likely many of the pax seated ahead had status which the crew are supposed to give priority too. It may not seem fair but that's the way it often is on MAN airlines (on UA, for example, even with high status often they have asked for a 2nd choice just in case). Yes, sure, QF also load a mix of meals that are prob a cost issue (eg: all those soups are cheap as!) but there's absolutely a degree of status priority involved.

I can recall being on a T.T. 737 service a year or so back and sitting in row 3.. I had zero interest in food, but CSM did approach me as a P1 offering all choices before anyone else in the cabin....

 

[samh004]

The OP was on a trans-Tasman flight. Pre-selecting is not an option on these flights.

I was surprised when I looked at the list and couldn't find Auckland mentioned, as it doesn't matter the length of the flight, it saves waste.