Qantas Business Class meals & menus

[PERLHR]

Chicken curry (bit on sweet side but actually ok although I don't get the inclusion of carrot in curry...mild or otherwise ) is served up on BNE-PER this lunch time. Alternative is fettuccine with prawn...looks ok! Attentive CSD and nice looking side of Salmon!! Backs up theory that domestic catering better than short haul international. Beef stroganoff being offered down the back with chicken salad.

 

[milehighclub]

There you go then. No excuse (like "lack of overnight refrigeration") for not properly catering the return sector. But if they are giving crew a four day layover/holiday then that is wildly costly and no wonder they are trying to cut costs wherever else they can.

737 galleys do not have chilled cart storage so the issue is onboard refrigeration

 

[PERLHR]

737 galleys do not have chilled cart storage so the issue is onboard refrigeration

Change it then QF! 737 is their lifeline. Many other 737 operators throughout the world appear not to have this issue.

 

[SJF211]

Chicken curry (bit on sweet side but actually ok although I don't get the inclusion of carrot in curry...mild or otherwise ) is served up on BNE-PER this lunch time. Alternative isView attachment 509419 fettuccine with prawn...looks ok! Attentive CSD and nice looking side of Salmon!! Backs up theory that domestic catering better than short haul international. Beef stroganoff being offered down the back with chicken salad.

I think your curry is actually the soy and ginger glazed chicken and the carrot is daikon pickle as seen below and looking suspiciously similar.

 

[CMA222]

.............................
But yes - agree on the complaint. It's the only way to send the message, even if it goes nowhere.

I thought that "nowhere" was where all feed back is directed for reply. Or alternatively, the standard AI response that says nothing and closes any feedback file.

 

[PERLHR]

I think your curry is actually the soy and ginger glazed chicken and the carrot is daikon pickle as seen below and looking suspiciously similar.
View attachment 509422

That actually is a better description than what the CSD said ...and I think you are right.

 

[shuuy]

Dinner QF76 YVR-SYD - most options quite heavy.
Wish there was a light broth (eg chicken soup + won tons)

 

[shuuy]

The limitation here I believe is a genuine inability to keep meals chilled overnight on the 737 without aircraft power, which prevents them from loading non-shelf stable food for the flight back, be it warm or cold. (How even bread or fresh fruit don't make the cut seems odd but I suspect that's regulated somewhere in their food safety rules.)

So I can certainly accept the limitation; what I don't accept is that there is no alternative. Rather, I suspect it is because the alternatives cost money and logistical time, neither of which QF wants to spend.

It's been pointed out that Apia doesn't have a dedicated airport caterer. Can no offsite third-parties provide meals? Can the airport not provide access to a refrigerator overnight?

Even if the answer to both those questions is no, I highly doubt Qantas could not provide vouchers to airport eateries and - again - simply warn pax in advance so they can prepare, a warning that would cost them precisely nothing.

But yes - agree on the complaint. It's the only way to send the message, even if it goes nowhere.

Do pilots and crew get the same food as J pax flying out of Apia,, and is the union ok with this?

 

[anat0l]

Dinner QF76 YVR-SYD - most options quite heavy.
Wish there was a light broth (eg chicken soup + won tons)
View attachment 509423

The halibut was probably the lightest option out there. Unless you don't eat fish.

 

[anat0l]

Change it then QF! 737 is their lifeline. Many other 737 operators throughout the world appear not to have this issue.

Can't think of too many operators around the world that send 737s with Business to places that have no local catering.

In any case, it'll be interesting what happens as the 737s gradually get replaced with Airbus aircraft (assuming the current plan remains as is).

Of course, APW might just be one of those routes with little to no competition, so no real incentive to do well or go for golden.

 

[ToshiMio]

Dinner QF76 YVR-SYD - most options quite heavy.
Wish there was a light broth (eg chicken soup + won tons)
View attachment 509423

I think the menu looks quite nice, but again would it kill them to offer a starter on a 15 hour flight. I know this has been discussed to death but still!

 

[smckay]

Dialling in from QF1292 HBA-MEL.
Breakfast was frittata or omelette, both with snags.
Took the omelette which has beef sausage compared to the frittata pork.


Omelette was an insult to all chefs, snags were ok, beans had a film over them. Greens long past use by date.
Bonus for a Portuguese tart, let down by one egg yolk less than optimum.


But having not eaten all morning it filled a gap.
Coffee from a packet but sufficed.
Georgie running the cabin did it all with grace and professionalism.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

I think the menu looks quite nice, but again would it kill them to offer a starter on a 15 hour flight. I know this has been discussed to death but still!

I'd somehow missed that they didn't; very poor form indeed. Lots of airlines offer a lighter "express" option or "supper set" for pax who want a faster service on later departures.

Jumping straight from nuts to a main on a 15-hour flight is very cheap and very underwhelming. Even AC manages better, and I say that having put AC at the bottom of my transpacific options after two laughably poor trips a few years ago.

 

[PERLHR]

Dialling in from QF1292 HBA-MEL.
Breakfast was frittata or omelette, both with snags.
Took the omelette which has beef sausage compared to the frittata pork.
View attachment 509603
View attachment 509605
Omelette was an insult to all chefs, snags were ok, beans had a film over them. Greens long past use by date.
Bonus for a Portuguese tart, let down by one egg yolk less than optimum.
View attachment 509604

But having not eaten all morning it filled a gap.
Coffee from a packet but sufficed.
Georgie running the cabin did it all with grace and professionalism.

That's really good though for a short flight....proves the point QF domestic food and probably the shorter the flight the better, is far superior to anything else they serve up on longer and international flights or around 5 hours or so.

 

[smckay]

Reporting live from QF155 MEL-AKL where I risked the beef and noodles.

Lack of flavour and certainly not Mongolian hot. It meets the criteria of not offending the masses.


Now knowing the baking soda trick to tenderise cheap beef I will put it on black this had a tad too much.
The noodles were enjoyable.
The salad was actually quite good and worthy of a larger serve, or a main billing with some chook. The balsamic with olive oil was just right; not too bitter and worked well. Perhaps the work experience kid knocked this one up whilst Neil was occupied.

The lavosh outlasted the cheese or I am too heavy handed on the cheese portion.

Despite Maggie Beer on the menu, she’s not appeared over 40 mins after plates were cleared. EDIT; dry ice had made Maggie a hard cough so it was chilling. With some cheeky backchat two tubs landed on my table



The Peter Lehman $25 Shiraz is going down very well.

The Fake Boags (not brewed in Launnie) was too warm.

The USB ports do not seem to give much power. 2.5 hours in and my iPhone has only gone up 8% albeit with itunes running and some surfing.

 

[eminere]

On this route in particular it is a known issue and to an extent beyond their control. They have to fly in the food for the flight back, so it won't be fresh and it will be pretty simple. So unless food starts getting offered by a third party provider in Apia what would you have them do? Cancel the route?

Yep. Because that's the only solution.

 

[dylarr]

01 June - QF600 MEL-BNE (B738)
Fried eggs with bacon, sautéed mushroom and grilled tomato. Can't remember the other option.
Very tasty, the cooee cookie was also particularly yum.


01 June - QF353 BNE-VLI (E190)
Mediterranean beef with with pearl couscous. Other option was mushroom tortellini.
Beef was very tasty and flavourful and I particularly liked the pearl couscous.


07 June - QF354 VLI-BNE (E190)
Exact same options as way over, Mediterranean beef with pearl couscous or mushroom tortellini
Had the beef again, just as tasty as the previous one. Service on this flight was exceptional with very attentive cabin crew.


07 June - QF557 BNE-SYD (A321XLR)
Lamb pie with potatoes and mushy peas. Can't remember the other option.
Enjoyed the pie - was flavourful and pastry was nice and crispy.


07 Jun - QF499 SYD-MEL (B738)
Sausage roll. Other option was an antipasto platter.
Tasty with crispy pastry, perfectly appropriate for the time of the flight.

 

[PERLHR]

01 June - QF600 MEL-BNE (B738)
Fried eggs with bacon, sautéed mushroom and grilled tomato. Can't remember the other option.
Very tasty, the cooee cookie was also particularly yum.
View attachment 509683

01 June - QF353 BNE-VLI (E190)
Mediterranean beef with with pearl couscous. Other option was mushroom tortellini.
Beef was very tasty and flavourful and I particularly liked the pearl couscous.
View attachment 509688

07 June - QF354 VLI-BNE (E190)
Exact same options as way over, Mediterranean beef with pearl couscous or mushroom tortellini
Had the beef again, just as tasty as the previous one. Service on this flight was exceptional with very attentive cabin crew.
View attachment 509705

07 June - QF557 BNE-SYD (A321XLR)
Lamb pie with potatoes and mushy peas. Can't remember the other option.
Enjoyed the pie - was flavourful and pastry was nice and crispy.
View attachment 509706

07 Jun - QF499 SYD-MEL (B738)
Sausage roll. Other option was an antipasto platter.
Tasty with crispy pastry, perfectly appropriate for the time of the flight.
View attachment 509707

The Vanuatu selection of choice on Emb 190 looks good (compared to Samoa on 737). I like Vanuatu....

 

[anat0l]

The lavosh outlasted the cheese or I am too heavy handed on the cheese portion.

Nope, I had a similar service on MEL-DRW a little while ago, also reported here. One of the rare times where the cracker/starch outlasts the cheese.

The USB ports do not seem to give much power. 2.5 hours in and my iPhone has only gone up 8% albeit with itunes running and some surfing.

If I fathom a guess, those USB ports probably output at best 10 W (5V @ 2A). Most smartphones likely draw much more power than that when working at optimal mode; most chargers that one would get for a modern phone probably start at 15 W and most prefer higher for faster charging.

I'd say you were lucky to get any charge at all - depending on use and your battery / power settings, you'd more likely look at trickle charge or very much slowed discharge.