'Full' catering not assured

[juliusg]

Wed 19 Oct, 8pm Melb > Syd, upgraded in lounge with 10,000 points. 'Catering is not assured, but our team WILL look after you', the angel trills. Onboard biz load is 6/8, four pax get either soup or another dish. I am offered chips, nuts, or a sandwich. 'I'll have some cheese and crackers from the E cart thanks'. She very reluctantly goes to get, and comes back empty handed.

I settled for a Chardy, no food, and later observe the flight attendant eating a hot meal in the galley, presumably the one I was denied.

Maybe I have this wrong: are crew entitled to a hot meal at a certain point of their shift, and is it catered for them?

 

[Rigs]

You weren't denied a meal, you just didn't get to eat the crew's dinner. When you upgrade late in the lounge they can't always arrange the additional catering for you.

 

[RooFlyer]

Actually its a good question re catering for the crew. Are they separately catered for (as I would hope and expect) or do they have to rely on the unused meals loaded for pax? Or, say in the case of short east coast ops, are they expected to have meals between flights?

If I upgraded in the lounge or was upgraded at the gate, I wouldn't expect to get a meal that was otherwise allocated to crew, but I would expect to be offered at least whatever was catered for me in the Y cabin.

 

[bam71]

Maybe I have this wrong: are crew entitled to a hot meal at a certain point of their shift, and is it catered for them?

Short Answer - Yes....

 

[moa999]

Actually its a good question re catering for the crew. Are they separately catered for (as I would hope and expect) or do they have to rely on the unused meals loaded for pax?

Catered separately and tech crew I believe must have different meals (so as to avoid potential of both going down sick simultaneously)

but I would expect to be offered at least whatever was catered for me in the Y cabin.

The problem when there is limited catering in the back... to not find some cheese and biscuits however is poor.

 

[Denali]

.....and later observe the flight attendant eating a hot meal in the galley, presumably the one I was denied.

Maybe I have this wrong: are crew entitled to a hot meal at a certain point of their shift, and is it catered for them?

I think to upgrade where they specifically advertise it as, "Catering is not assured" and then eagle eyeing off a FA for having a hot meal, as Im assuming they have been working for hours on their feet/faking being nice to the masses, is bad form.

I would be more upset about being denied Y cheese and crackers than an employee getting their designated meal break or am I wrong in thinking this?

 

[juliusg]

I think to upgrade where they specifically advertise it as, "Catering is not assured" and then eagle eyeing off a FA for having a hot meal, as Im assuming they have been working for hours on their feet/faking being nice to the masses, is bad form.

I would be more upset about being denied Y cheese and crackers than an employee getting their designated meal break or am I wrong in thinking this?

I'm not particularly 'upset', rather I am curious about the status of the last remaining meal. I'm suspecting with a known load of 4 pax, they loaded 5 meals. I was with a colleague, both lounge upgraded, so neither of us were expecting a meal but something more than 'nuts, crisps or a sandwich' would have helped. Then the sound of the oven, and the smell of another meal towards the end led to this post.

 

[vetrade]

I always drink / eat / drink / drink in the lounge before flying if I'm on a short dom. flight even if I'm in J. No matter how plain the offerings are in the lounge at least you get to eyeball them beforehand and they're usually better than what you get on board anyway.

You were entitled to get something in flight but you did miss your opportunity when you were in the lounge! I'm surprised a WP apparently got caught out by that.

 

[Quickstatus]

Crew are human too. They need to eat just like the rest of us. And they generally do it standing up without much privacy.
A well fed well rested cabin/tech crew is important.
I'll Never covet someone else's food.

I'm not particularly 'upset', rather I am curious about the status of the last remaining meal. I'm suspecting with a known load of 4 pax, they loaded 5 meals.

They dont normally Load extra pax and crew meals
If 4 pax then its 4 meals. Same with crew.

 

[clazman]

Air Fiji flight in J, I have been offered the FA meal as they had run out of mains, the meal offered was different to what was on the menu

 

[jb747]

Air Fiji flight in J, I have been offered the FA meal as they had run out of mains, the meal offered was different to what was on the menu

Being offered a crew meal can happen. We occasionally allow it, when someone has indicated that they won't be eating their meal. But, the crew meals are just that. They are not part of the regular catering, and are not available for passengers to take.

 

[Moopere]

Crew are human too. They need to eat just like the rest of us. And they generally do it standing up without much privacy.
A well fed well rested cabin/tech crew is important.
I'll Never covet someone else's food.

Agree here ... of course.

They dont normally Load extra pax and crew meals
If 4 pax then its 4 meals. Same with crew.

Is this right though? I haven't done J in a 738 for ages (and I'm assuming its was a 738), but isn't there still at least the pretense of a meal choice in J? If so, then surely they are loading at least 6 meals for 4 pax in case 1 or 2 of them want the 'other' choice. what about Y? Surely to goodness there would be a leftover vege meal from the Y cabin? In fact, you'd surely think there would be a high chance of there being a spare meat meal given that some PAX at least will choose the alternative and they will always load a couple of extras in Y for mishaps of one type or another.

As RooFlyer says above, where is 'my' meal from Y?

Also ... no cheese left in Y? Super hard to believe. Something definitely fishy about this.

So, no, definitely can't be eyeing off the crew meals, but something is not right. I'd have a whinge. I know what 'catering not assured' means and I would' in good faith, not expect the full J layout, but given normal logistics and normal travelling loads, there is always a margin of error expected and catered for unless something has gone horribly horribly wrong, and if this is the case I reckon its fine to call them on it.

 

[Quickstatus]

Agree here ... of course.



Is this right though? I haven't done J in a 738 for ages (and I'm assuming its was a 738), but isn't there still at least the pretense of a meal choice in J? If so, then surely they are loading at least 6 meals for 4 pax in case 1 or 2 of them want the 'other' choice. what about Y? Surely to goodness there would be a leftover vege meal from the Y cabin? In fact, you'd surely think there would be a high chance of there being a spare meat meal given that some PAX at least will choose the alternative and they will always load a couple of extras in Y for mishaps of one type or another.

Yep correct (usually). They will (usually) only load for the number of pax. If your choice is not available then its too bad.
Ive had upgrades with "FCNA" where they had a meal for everyone including me. More often than not someone does not want their meal so there is normally more than enough to go around.

QF partners with OZharvest.org to divert some of the food that is not eaten onboard. There is a lot of it, even with current practices of loading for expected number of pax.
FCNA is acceptable to me.

 

[Moopere]

Yep correct (usually). They will (usually) only load for the number of pax. If your choice is not available then its too bad.

I'd have to stretch my memory as I don't any longer upgrade to J on 738's, but my fast fading memory is that even on the limited choices 738 J there is indeed a 'choice', so a couple of extra meals must be loaded... surely? Or is it the case that 4 pax=4 meals and there are say 3 meals of the 'expected' first choice loaded with say 1 of the 'alternate' choice and if you are last to be asked then you simply get whats left?

Ive had upgrades with "FCNA" where they had a meal for everyone including me. More often than not someone does not want their meal so there is normally more than enough to go around.

Indeed. I mean, FCNA is ok with me too, I've only done it a few times but I understand what it means. But to have nothing left, anywhere on the plane just seems strange and unusual to me. Out of the hundred or more Y passenger meals there would surely to goodness be at least 1 or 2 leftover 'alternative' meals available?

 

[Quickstatus]

I'd have to stretch my memory as I don't any longer upgrade to J on 738's, but my fast fading memory is that even on the limited choices 738 J there is indeed a 'choice', so a couple of extra meals must be loaded... surely? Or is it the case that 4 pax=4 meals and there are say 3 meals of the 'expected' first choice loaded with say 1 of the 'alternate' choice and if you are last to be asked then you simply get whats left?




Indeed. I mean, FCNA is ok with me too, I've only done it a few times but I understand what it means. But to have nothing left, anywhere on the plane just seems strange and unusual to me. Out of the hundred or more Y passenger meals there would surely to goodness be at least 1 or 2 leftover 'alternative' meals available?

Yep last one gets the crumbs. However, to reiterate, this is often not the case because CL pax up to front with the shadow declines one meal which means you still get the discards but at least it is a proper meal. Ive been a flight when only 2 J pax out of 12 wanted a meal. And sometimes there is full catering

Yes, to have nothing else on the plane even cheese and crackers is a bit sad.

I must say though that its also sad to see so much food go to waste.

 

[Spacetravel]

Actually its a good question re catering for the crew. Are they separately catered for (as I would hope and expect) or do they have to rely on the unused meals loaded for pax? Or, say in the case of short east coast ops, are they expected to have meals between flights?

If I upgraded in the lounge or was upgraded at the gate, I wouldn't expect to get a meal that was otherwise allocated to crew, but I would expect to be offered at least whatever was catered for me in the Y cabin.

I posted about this happening about 8-12 months ago. I upgraded in the lounge was told catering not assured. On board I knew not to expect a meal and was reminded I would not be getting one when I boarded, however when asked if I could have the Y snack (which I would have had if I was in Y) I was declined telling me catering not assured as I upgraded late. I was so confused as the Y seat I was supposed to be in was even empty, so its not like they filled it with another pax.

 

[Moopere]

I posted about this happening about 8-12 months ago. I upgraded in the lounge was told catering not assured. On board I knew not to expect a meal and was reminded I would not be getting one when I boarded, however when asked if I could have the Y snack (which I would have had if I was in Y) I was declined telling me catering not assured as I upgraded late. I was so confused as the Y seat I was supposed to be in was even empty, so its not like they filled it with another pax.

I mean, for goodness sakes. Catering not assured is not -no- catering even if some is available. I'd have a long and loud whinge about that.

 

[juddles]

I understand the concept of upgrades not involving J meal selection, but this appears to be just shiit.

I guess that is what VA do these days.

 

[trooper]

I'm not particularly 'upset', rather I am curious about the status of the last remaining meal. I'm suspecting with a known load of 4 pax, they loaded 5 meals. I was with a colleague, both lounge upgraded, so neither of us were expecting a meal but something more than 'nuts, crisps or a sandwich' would have helped. Then the sound of the oven, and the smell of another meal towards the end led to this post.

Im curious.... you said you werent expecting a meal... but that something more than "nuts, crisps, or a sandwich"..would have helped...

So WHAT were you actually expecting? What is there between a sandwich and a meal?

 

[Guvner]

Im curious.... you said you werent expecting a meal... but that something more than "nuts, crisps, or a sandwich"..would have helped...

So WHAT were you actually expecting? What is there between a sandwich and a meal?

Some cutlery?