'Full' catering not assured

[Quickstatus]

It would be wonderful if passengers can do a takeaway from terminal food outlets just like they offer at MSP.
Of course it requires better outlets than the current.

At MSP you can even order takeaway from your gate and it comes to you while you wait at the gate in a paper bag. Easy to take on.

 

[drron]

So on routes to/from Asia it is my understanding that crew meals are different to pax meals.talking to CSM on last flight.
If that is so on 2 occasions in the last 3 years I have ben denied my choice on 1 flight and denied the small plate entirely on 1 occasion only to find staff(more than one) eating the meal I had preferred/wanted.
so is it the case the crew meals are different?

 

[nowheretogo]

Simple answer is, upgrade earlier!

 

[AviatorInsight]

So on routes to/from Asia it is my understanding that crew meals are different to pax meals.talking to CSM on last flight.
If that is so on 2 occasions in the last 3 years I have ben denied my choice on 1 flight and denied the small plate entirely on 1 occasion only to find staff(more than one) eating the meal I had preferred/wanted.
so is it the case the crew meals are different?

While I'm not sure about Asia, on flights out of Australia to LAX and AUH, the Captain is the only person with a separate meal, ie, a meal that is not available from the business class menu. For the rest of us, we take what's left after all pax have put in their orders. But there are only enough meals loaded for the crew and business class and even then, not all choices are at the same ratio.

 

[Eggsbenedict]

Simple answer is, upgrade earlier!

Its not that simple though as VA don't open up all seats for upgrade until a few hours before the flight and then only via the lounge. I've had waitlists not clear but been able to upgrade at checkin.

 

[Quickstatus]

Can the crew request from a menu given their sectors are known in advance?.
If captain's is different, that suggests there is a specials Captains' menu?

 

[N860CR]

This was one of my old pet VA hates. I'd often arrive at the airport early (on full paid J) and move onto an earlier flight. This always meant that catering wasn't available.

What's the point of a fully flexible business class fare when you end up losing a meal for taking advantage of the ability to "flex" it?

 

[docjames]

This was one of my old pet VA hates. I'd often arrive at the airport early (on full paid J) and move onto an earlier flight. This always meant that catering wasn't available.

What's the point of a fully flexible business class fare when you end up losing a meal for taking advantage of the ability to "flex" it?

Getting to your destination earlier??:shock:

 

[AviatorInsight]

Can the crew request from a menu given their sectors are known in advance?.
If captain's is different, that suggests there is a specials Captains' menu?

Again, I'm not so sure on domestic (there are standard crew meals which are different to the business class menu), but at long haul, no. The Captain does not have a menu. He/she is given a meal (which is much larger than a standard business class meal, so not sure they're trying to tell them!) which usually consists of a protein and veggies from a separate company, while the rest of us take whatever is left.

Also, our rosters can change daily, so putting in a request for meals will be too confusing and time consuming and would just get lost in the system. Nice idea though.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Can the crew request from a menu given their sectors are known in advance?.
If captain's is different, that suggests there is a specials Captains' menu?

No, on domestic we are fed whatever we get. Nil choice. If you don't like it, you don't eat. There are always two different meals so depending on the captain, the FO might get something they like once in a while!

The meals are different to avoid food poisoning of both pilots from one batch of food.

 

[Quickstatus]

follow on Question about food in ask the pilot - thanks

 

[N860CR]

Getting to your destination earlier??:shock:

Yes... obviously.

I'd have expected that on a fare costing 5-10 times as much as an economy one, it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that one could use one of the fares benefits (i.e. It's flexibility) without losing another (i.e. Catering).

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

A few days ago I flew qf j Syd to Melb and asked to be moved to an earlier flight.
Was set to depart at 9.3am but moved to 7.45am. Request was done at 7.10am aprox. Was told that there might not be food for me. On the plane, J was full (12 people) and everyone was served breakfast so they must have had enough food for all? Choose was birch muesli or eggs.

 

[Quickstatus]

Possibilities:

1)Someone was booked into your seat but didn't turn up
2)The airline reckoned that this flight is historically full in J and catered accordingly
3)This flight is flying during a mealtime on a high value route so catered accordingly

I reckon 1)

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I have heard cutlery noises coming from the galleys as well, during my VA and QF flights, so I guess dare say, that crew also do get meals.

 

[Denali]

Again, I'm not so sure on domestic (there are standard crew meals which are different to the business class menu), but at long haul, no. The Captain does not have a menu. He/she is given a meal (which is much larger than a standard business class meal, so not sure they're trying to tell them!) which usually consists of a protein and veggies from a separate company, while the rest of us take whatever is left.

Also, our rosters can change daily, so putting in a request for meals will be too confusing and time consuming and would just get lost in the system. Nice idea though.

Why a separate vendor to supply pilot meals?

cheers,

 

[Rigs]

A few days ago I flew qf j Syd to Melb and asked to be moved to an earlier flight.
Was set to depart at 9.3am but moved to 7.45am. Request was done at 7.10am aprox. Was told that there might not be food for me. On the plane, J was full (12 people) and everyone was served breakfast so they must have had enough food for all? Choose was birch muesli or eggs.

This happens regularly. When you shift to a different flight on short notice, they do try and get you food and the vast majority of times I get to eat. They cover themselves by saying you might not get a meal but when you change bookings they generally make every effort to get you food. Occasionally, it has resulted in not getting my preferred meal. For example, in a cabin of eight they will have eight meals but not necessarily eight of each choice. So if one is really popular it can run out. As the new guy on the plane, you get option two. Its rare to miss out on a meal and totally fair if it happens every now and again when you change flights on little notice.

 

[juliusg]

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?

Cheese and crackers.

 

[AviatorInsight]

Why a separate vendor to supply pilot meals?

cheers,

It prevents cross contamination when preparing the meals.

 

[Denali]

It prevents cross contamination when preparing the meals.

I was thinking this and maybe its either the majority of the cabin get food poisoning but the pilots are ok or the pilots get sick and the pax are asked, "Does anyone know how to fly a plane?"