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?

 

[JohnK]

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

Not everyone interpreted the same way.

I never understand why they don't load meals based on popularity in all cabins including economy not just premium cabins.

You can't tell me that soup is the most popular domestic dinnertime option or some tofu monstrosity on international. In fact tofu monstrosities should not be generally available but only available via preselection.

And I'd be stunned if the preferred option on international economy was 20% hot option and 80% muesli option. The hot option runs out after the first few rows. Surely that feedback is passed on?

Luckily I'm not afraid to whinge. I've been offered business class or crew meals once or twice where the only economy option on a long flight was awful.

 

[drron]

Coming back from AKL last month neither of us got our first choice in J with meals.We were both told our choices had run out.fellow across the aisle from me asked for the same meal as I had-and got it.
As for crew not eating Pax meals-well it does happen.at least twice flying QF have been told choice is not available only to find when passing the galley later that crew members are eating that meal.

 

[milehighclub]

I never understand why they don't load meals based on popularity in all cabins including economy not just premium cabins.

And I'd be stunned if the preferred option on international economy was 20% hot option and 80% muesli option. The hot option runs out after the first few rows. Surely that feedback is passed on?

They do load meals based on demand (although the first few weeks of a menu change is the hardest while they wait for the data). Because managers have iPads, they get a daily update of what is and isn't popular. Adjustments are faster than they ever have been before and load scales change much more often as well. I've even seen a dish removed due to feedback, something the company never would have done in the past. Unfortunately every flight is just so different. One day X dish will be popular but 2 days later Z dish sells out like hotcakes.

Believe it or not the cold breakfast option is actually quite popular internationally. It usually runs out first, certainly in my experience.

 

[kermatu]

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.

Even more bizarre is inability to choose a meal in F. Talk about an easy way to ensure every pax has the opportunity to be guaranteed their first choice.

 

[comforttravel]

What is going on with 'Meal Select'. As a WP, I'm travelling in J on QF49 (MEL-SFO) in a couple of days. In Manage My Booking' there is no option to do Meal Select (should be able to if flying in <7days). I've tried on my lap-top and app on phone, to no avail. Phoned premium line 3 times, (over 100 minutes in total) once put through to duty manager. No body can find how to select meals on that flight. One person looked at other booking for that flight - of the 3 he looked at, no-one had the option to pre-select meals. As I'm travelling with 2 children I want to see what (suitable) adult meals are offered before taking pot-luck with children's meals without knowing what's offered. Last year when I traveled international in J (QF35/QF1), it also occurred. Surely it's time that Qantas IT was given a DCM (don't come monday)!

 

[Mike65]

What is going on with 'Meal Select'. As a WP, I'm travelling in J on QF49 (MEL-SFO) in a couple of days. In Manage My Booking' there is no option to do Meal Select (should be able to if flying in <7days). I've tried on my lap-top and app on phone, to no avail. Phoned premium line 3 times, (over 100 minutes in total) once put through to duty manager. No body can find how to select meals on that flight. One person looked at other booking for that flight - of the 3 he looked at, no-one had the option to pre-select meals. As I'm travelling with 2 children I want to see what (suitable) adult meals are offered before taking pot-luck with children's meals without knowing what's offered. Last year when I traveled international in J (QF35/QF1), it also occurred. Surely it's time that Qantas IT was given a DCM (don't come monday)!

Over the last year or two I've noticed the Meal Select option being less consistently offered and even less consistently supplied. Lost count of the number of times my pre-selection hasn't been recognized. Also, I haven't seen a "pre-selection only" menu option for a long time. Not sure if it is cost cutting or laziness, or maybe "enhanced" service levels!

 

[dajop]

What is going on with 'Meal Select'. As a WP, I'm travelling in J on QF49 (MEL-SFO) in a couple of days. In Manage My Booking' there is no option to do Meal Select (should be able to if flying in <7days).

QF49 leaves at around 10pm. Obviously it's so late at night you won't be getting a meal.

 

[Hvr]

Coming back from AKL last month neither of us got our first choice in J with meals.

When I returned from AKL last week an FA was asking pax their meal choices. She had a list and was obviously seeing each pax in order of status etc. I was the second person to have their order taken and was served my choice.

I was in row five and she started at the front. I was also the second person to get a greeting from the CSM which confirmed my initial thought that meal choice was based on status.

 

[comforttravel]

QF49 leaves at around 10pm. Obviously it's so late at night you won't be getting a meal.

Departure from MEL is about 10pm, arrival in SFO is 6:15pm same day. That's 14h 20m flying. My itinerary for QF49 is showing supper/breakfast/lunch. There are 2 meals served on QF49.

 

[dajop]

Departure from MEL is about 10pm, arrival in SFO is 6:15pm same day. That's 14h 20m flying. My itinerary for QF49 is showing supper/breakfast/lunch. There are 2 meals served on QF49.

Don’t worry, I was only joking.

Although I am sure some would argue that the quantity of food you get during each meal service does not actually constitute a “meal”, but that’s an entirely different discussion.

 

[Anna]

Not about meal choices but about meal quantity. I flew on QF 9 last week from MEL to LHR. Out of MEL dinner was served. Out of PER we took off about 11pm by my body clock. Another dinner was served. I don't know about you but my digestion does not like me eating big meals at midnight but I forced down some bread and some ice cream because the crew told me that next proper meal would be breakfast served about 2.5 hours out of LHR ie in about 12-13 hours time.

There were snacks available, true. But when I woke up after 5-6 hours sleep the only hot choice that I didn't absolutely hate the sound of was 'beef kofta balls'. Who wants to eat beef kofta when they've just woken up? Certainly not me. Neither of the other choices was any better for early morning. I had some fruit (got told off for trying to take a fruit salad in a bowl that was on a tray next to the snacks because apparently the fruit salad bowls were 'for breakfast' so why they were out of the fridge on the shelf I do not know). And there were biscuits and lamingtons and other sweet stuff that was kind of ok for what was feeling like breakfast time to me. About 3 hours out of LHR and really quite hungry by now for some proper food with, you know, protein in it, I asked when breakfast would be served as they were clearly preparing trays etc. I was told 'in about 20 minutes' in a tone that suggested it would not be welcome if I asked for a hot snack at that point. Fine, I went and sat down to wait. Breakfast finally arrived nearly 2 hours later about 1 hour 20 minutes before scheduled landing. I was absolutely starving by then and it felt like we had to gobble it all down fast so that the cabin could be cleared for landing.

All in all I wasn't really impressed with the J food availability on the PER LHR leg of QF 9 and it's typical of QF to serve meals straight after take off and right before landing regardless of local timings. I strongly suspect this is for crew convenience not for pax digestive systems.

 

[love_the_life]

On the last flight we did in PE from SYD - SCL we were in the second row in the cabin - meals were done by order and we received our first choices. For the second meal (breakfast) the FA started at the back of the cabin as they had missed out on their dinner choices. By the time it got to us there was one hot mea onlyl left (and it was yuck). The FA. got me a fruit salad from economy and the people in front of us had a slice of toast each (from J). Apparently not enough meals for the cabin had been loaded in SYD.

 

[Rangalad]

Over the last year or two I've noticed the Meal Select option being less consistently offered and even less consistently supplied. Lost count of the number of times my pre-selection hasn't been recognized. Also, I haven't seen a "pre-selection only" menu option for a long time. Not sure if it is cost cutting or laziness, or maybe "enhanced" service levels!

I’ve had my pre selected meal offer to another passenger twice. FWIW, I have a foreign, difficult to pronounce surname, yet on one of the flights the gentleman sitting behind me was offered my meal by name and he took it! (Mr Ranglad here is your pre selected meal) When I asked about my meal, was told it was not loaded. After the meal service I spoke to the CSM and explained what happened. Got stink eye from the galley operator for the rest of the flight.