Pre-Departure Beverages Gone the Way of the Dodo?

[kangarooflyer88]

Unsure if this was discussed elsewhere but thought I'd share my experience today flying QF483 in J from SYD down to MEL. The flight was full as there were a couple of flights down to MEL that were cancelled earlier in the day and there was an announcement in the lounge that due to airport delays we need to be at our gates earlier than usual.

In any event, I was somewhat taken aback by the lack of PDB service on the flight - not even a bottle of water which I know QF used to serve as a PDB in J a couple of months ago. Perhaps this is a one off occurrence, but would be interested in hearing if this is now standard operating procedure for domestic (and heaven forbid international) flights?

-RooFlyer88

 

[Matt_01]

When I saw the thread title I thought it was about an airport closure, after reading the post I am now assuming PDB is Pre Departure Beverage and not the Airport in Alaska Back on topic, on my recent travels with QF it is just hit and miss.

 

[Princess Fiona]

PDB has never been a regular feature in recent times even pre Covid in QF Domestic J. The only exception being trans con and TT which is effectively a domestic service onboard.
I don’t regard handing out bottles of water either pre departure or having them at your seat on boarding as a PDB

I don’t think your experience today @kangarooflyer88 is anything new or different

 

[p--and--t]

ADL-BNE on QF662 Nov 5th, fairly certain pre departure drinks were offered (water and juice), but it was my third flight of the 24hrs, I was jet-lagged and memory may be faulty.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

PDB has never been a regular feature in recent times even pre Covid in QF Domestic J. The only exception being trans con and TT which is effectively a domestic service onboard.

I don’t think your experience today @kangarooflyer88 is anything new or different

Interesting! I thought the reduced service was "due to COVID" much like the other excuses airlines, hotels and hospitality companies have given for providing reduced service at higher costs (or is that now "inflation"?). Regardless, as someone who lived most of their life in North America I do find it a bit surprising to not be offered PDB on a domestic flight. Heck I flew United BusinessFirst from Washington Dulles to Detroit a flight of comparable length on a CRJ and was offered PDB. In addition, on the couple of Virgin Australia Business flights I flew late last year PDB was offered and I must say I was surprised by the selection of beverages on offer, not just wine and tea but lattes and all sorts of stuff. I'll be flying them in December down to ADL from OOL in J, so we'll see how that goes!

All that said, what I do find reassuring at least for QF even during the pandemic was they provided meals in Y. Meanwhile I can fly Air Canada or United in Economy to Honolulu from Toronto or Chicago (about a 10 hour flight) and no meals are offered for free, just refreshments. Wild!

I don’t regard handing out bottles of water either pre departure or having them at your seat on boarding as a PDB

Clearly you haven't flown EgyptAir business class

ADL-BNE on QF662 Nov 5th, fairly certain pre departure drinks were offered (water and juice), but it was my third flight of the 24hrs, I was jet-lagged and memory may be faulty.

It seems like QF is consistently inconsistent when it comes to offering PDB, although water or juice seems like a weird combo for PDB if you ask me (looks like we're back again to EgyptAir business!)

-RooFlyer88

 

[p--and--t]

t seems like QF is consistently inconsistent when it comes to offering PDB, although water or juice seems like a weird combo for PDB if you ask me (looks like we're back again to EgyptAir business!)

They may have offered other options like champers but I don't drink it so only take note of what may be of interest to me like a juice (or a nice bourbon )

 

[justinbrett]

I always found it strange I can get a G&T as a PDB on AA and you’re lucky to get a glass of water on QF.

It‘s such a simple offering which doesn’t cost the airline much, but IMO really does add value.

To be fair, AA is also very inconsistent with PDBs. While mostly you can order what you like, sometimes it’s just a tray of juice and water, or just water, or other times it’s nothing.

 

[SJF211]

Very hit and miss and I think is down to the crew. Only time I’ve had a proper PDB this year was QF9 with either water or sparkling. A few QF843 (Red-eyes) have had bottles handed out before take off which is probably because a lot of J try and go to sleep right away.

 

[Mattg]

Didn't Qantas at least used to offer still or sparkling water in a glass on domestic flights pre-covid?

I've been offered a pre-departure sparkling wine once in QF domestic J this year out of dozens of flights. That was on a SYD-CBR flight on a 717. I think the flight attendant was just being nice as this doesn't seem to be standard practice at the moment.

 

[Ansett]

Pre Covid there was always the offer of either water or Juice on Domestic J.

 

[RichardMEL]

As others have noted.. pre covid for years it was water or some sort of juice. I used to get excited when it was "just juice" guava lol. Then they changed to water - still or sparkling... and well since covid......

I reckon 1 in 10 flights I have been on over the past year or so have had *something* (most usually one of the small bottles handed out).

it definitely seems to be a crew by crew thing rather than a policy - it definitely used to be VERY consistent (yes!! consistently consistent! lol) but that's going back probably 5+ years.

now pretty unlikely on domestic.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I would be curious if aircraft type has any impact on your chances of getting PDB. For instance are you more likely to receive PDB in J on an A330 domestically versus a 737 or 717? Would it be any different on the A350 (when QF launches those) or the A321-XLR or the Bombardier C-Series?

Will be interesting to find out!

-RooFlyer88

 

[Princess Fiona]

Didn't Qantas at least used to offer still or sparkling water in a glass on domestic flights pre-covid?

I've been offered a pre-departure sparkling wine once in QF domestic J this year out of dozens of flights. That was on a SYD-CBR flight on a 717. I think the flight attendant was just being nice as this doesn't seem to be standard practice at the moment.

No not at all.
PDB has never been a thing on QF Domestic J.
TT and TP exceptions


This thread is way off the mark in framing this as some recent down grade in service.
It never was a regular feature of domestic J

 

[Princess Fiona]

I would be curious if aircraft type has any impact on your chances of getting PDB. For instance are you more likely to receive PDB in J on an A330 domestically versus a 737 or 717? Would it be any different on the A350 (when QF launches those) or the A321-XLR or the Bombardier C-Series?

Will be interesting to find out!

-RooFlyer88

No because PDB isn’t a thing on QF J Domestic.
Trans con yes regardless of aircraft type.
TT yes

But QF doesn’t have PDB on any other domestic routes.
This thread isn’t adding anything to what we already know about Domestic J

 

[justinbrett]

Pre Covid there was always the offer of either water or Juice on Domestic J.

Pre-pre covid it was.

It was replaced with still/sparkling water a couple of years before covid.

I've been offered a pre-departure sparkling wine once in QF domestic J this year out of dozens of flights.

You got very lucky. An alcoholic PDB hasn't been a thing on QF in living memory.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

From memory, and very roughly as recollection of these details fades with time, most (all?) QF domestic was:

7 to 10 years ago: two of water, juice, Australian sparkling wine
3 to 7 years ago: two of water, juice, Maggie Beer sparkling non-alcoholic
~3 (4?) years ago: still and sparkling water
Current: occasionally still and sparkling water, sometimes a bottle of water, sometimes nothing

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

I assume from context that PDB stands for Pre Departure Benefits? If so, I miss the hot towelettes you used to get in Business class after boarding.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I assume from context that PDB stands for Pre Departure Benefits? If so, I miss the hot towelettes you used to get in Business class after boarding.

pre departure beverage

 

[BAM1748]

During Covid sure, they didn't do it. Last month flew twice QF and both times there was a drink offered if I wanted, I have three flights this week will take note.

 

[dk4]

PDB has never been a thing on QF Domestic J.

Your statement doesn't fit my experience, where pre-departure drinks we routinely offered in the QF domestic J cabins in which I flew.

My recollections fits with RichardMEL & GoldCanyon340. Various declining standards over the years, from; sparkling wine, juice, non-alcohol sparkling wine, water, water (still or sparkling) and finally water (bottle), before it disappeared completely.

As an aside PDB is a service standard at Virgin - at the moment, for PM departures, it is water or sparkling (alcohol) wine.