Qantas Business Class meals & menus

[MEL_Traveller]

I noticed that QR is also pouring Duval-Leroy as it’s non-rosé option on its Asian/Australian routes at the moment, so I tried it today on CGK-DOH.

Despite being poured from an identical looking bottle to the one I saw in the Qantas galley (though to be fair I didn’t see it being poured - so there’s a chance that what they served pre-departure on the ground was something else, though the crew said otherwise), this tastes completely different and vastly superior.

Was it a bad bottle on QF or did someone do a cheeky bait and switch for the PDB?

Likely a bad bottle

QF don’t swap the champagnes/sparkling wines for cost reasons in business class.

 

[SYD]

Likely a bad bottle

QF don’t swap the champagnes/sparkling wines for cost reasons in business class.

Yep, probably corked.

Years ago, flying UA SYD to USA, the PDB bubbles were corked. I mentioned it to the FA who seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.

 

[RooFlyer]

Freshly squeezed off site somewhere.

Freshly squeezed from the carton.

... and the other comments; it tasted like 'real' orange juice, not like you get from a carton or in a hotel. I was very surprised and asked for a refill.

 

[Kangol]

I noticed that QR is also pouring Duval-Leroy as it’s non-rosé option on its Asian/Australian routes at the moment, so I tried it today on CGK-DOH.

Despite being poured from an identical looking bottle to the one I saw in the Qantas galley (though to be fair I didn’t see it being poured - so there’s a chance that what they served pre-departure on the ground was something else, though the crew said otherwise), this tastes completely different and vastly superior.

Was it a bad bottle on QF or did someone do a cheeky bait and switch for the PDB?

Brut reserve or another of their vintage varieties?
QF have served Femme de Champagne in F before.
Huge difference compared to their NV.
There's a possibility QR is serving a prestige cuvee (ie. the FdC as mentioned), so it's not an apples to apples comparison.

 

[VPS]

I had this recently on CBR-BNE on QF1950 in J on E190, scheduled for 1315 (ish) departure but left late. I was in 3E - which is actually only 5 seats into business (because row 1 only has a single seat) and the meal was lamb pie and peas. They had run out by the time they reached me so I was offered an economy meal “if there are any spare” or a cheese plate. I said to FA that I thought this was pretty poor for a lunch time flight to run out with still 5 people to serve and she said it was because so many people had received upgrades to J on this flight. I was on a fully paid fare so I was pretty unimpressed.

I submitted a complaint to QF, not expecting much but making the point that the flight was clearly under catered, that it was a lunch time flight so hardly surprising that people would want lunch, and that if it was indeed correct that I had missed a meal because of upgrades I would be upset about it. Further that if this was not the case I had been fobbed off with falsehood I would be upset about it too.

Imagine my surprise to receive a genuine response (not AI, but a real person judging by style and tone and that it did not just parrot back “we know you are upset about *fill in your own exact words from the complaint*) and offering 10,000 points as compensation. Probably worth more than the pie!

I'd be seriously annoyed about that especially as you were not an op up

 

[markis10]

noticed that QR is also pouring Duval-Leroy as it’s non-rosé option on its Asian/Australian routes at the moment, so I tried it today on CGK-DOH.

If you were in 1k then it was I who kept the seat warm on the inbound and tried to ensure the aircraft ran dry of the good stuff, I failed

 

[Dmac59]

QF703 CNS-MEL 12:35 departure Seats 1D/2F
Excellent service by CSM Fiona and Kathy

Wines on offer
- The Other Wine Co. Pinot Gris
- St Hallet Faith Shiraz 2024
2 meal choices
Mediterranean chicken salad
Mediterranean braised beef

 

[markis10]

Braised beef looks a bit like spot the protein, for me chicken salad looks better

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Braised beef looks a bit like spot the protein, for me chicken salad looks better

Looks like dog food, not appealing. I've had that dish before and IMO it's not enjoyable

 

[Ade]

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

Personally, not a fan of the Big Bowl of Soup ... doesn't matter how big the bowl is - it. is. soup. not. a. main. meal ....

 

[sudoer]

Personally, not a fan of the Big Bowl of Soup ... doesn't matter how big the bowl is - it. is. soup. not. a. main. meal ....

 

[RooFlyer]

Mediterranean braised beef

Looking at that



I can't help but think of the first few seconds of this (and later, except replacing good beef chunks for the thinner gruel like consistancy)

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7650779978757311746

 

[mad_atta]

Likely a bad bottle

QF don’t swap the champagnes/sparkling wines for cost reasons in business class.

Agree it must have been a bad bottle.

I wasn't sure what you meant by "QF don’t swap the champagnes/sparkling wines for cost reasons in business class" though?

Yep, probably corked.

Years ago, flying UA SYD to USA, the PDB bubbles were corked. I mentioned it to the FA who seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.

For some illogical reason I don't think of champagne as getting corked like regular wine with corks can. I've drunk plenty of champagne and plenty of conventionally corked wine in my life, and have had plenty of examples of corked still wine but have never previously been aware of champagne or sparkling being affected in that way.

I guess I thought the high pressure and super tight closure would have prevented it? But having thought about it some more I realise that's illogical, given it's a compound in the cork itself that causes the problem.

In this case it wasn't as dramatic as some corked still wines I've had, but it definitely didn't taste like it should - we all noticed it.

Brut reserve or another of their vintage varieties?
QF have served Femme de Champagne in F before.
Huge difference compared to their NV.
There's a possibility QR is serving a prestige cuvee (ie. the FdC as mentioned), so it's not an apples to apples comparison.

It was Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve in both cases. On QF I saw an open bottle in the galley (might not have been our specific one) and on QR the FA poured it in front of me from the bottle (very theatrically too - tilting the champagne flute nearly horizontal at the start of the pour and as the liquid rose, gradually tilting the glass upright while keeping the bottle neck close to the rim and the liquid level impressively close to overflowing).

QR is generally serving less premium wines and champagnes in Business than they used to, so no true prestige cuvees to be seen, but I do like that they offer a choice of rose or regular brut. I did enjoy the Billecart-Salmon rose they're pouring as their rose option on their Europe routes at the moment (Taittinger rose on the Asia/Australia routes).

If you were in 1k then it was I who kept the seat warm on the inbound and tried to ensure the aircraft ran dry of the good stuff, I failed

Lol, yes I was indeed in 1K. Eagle eyes!

Sadly I couldn't detect anything of what I would describe as "good stuff" on board but I struggled through

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I wasn't sure what you meant by "QF don’t swap the champagnes/sparkling wines for cost reasons in business class" though?

Some airlines serve a cheaper non-vintage champagne, or even a sparkling wine on ground, swapping to pricier bottles once in the air.

They do this to avoid or reduce the sales duty when opened on the ground.

Qantas doesn’t do that, they serve the same champagne on the ground as they do in the air.

 

[SYD]

For some illogical reason I don't think of champagne as getting corked like regular wine with corks can. I've drunk plenty of champagne and plenty of conventionally corked wine in my life, and have had plenty of examples of corked still wine but have never previously been aware of champagne or sparkling being affected in that way.

I guess I thought the high pressure and super tight closure would have prevented it? But having thought about it some more I realise that's illogical, given it's a compound in the cork itself that causes the problem.

In this case it wasn't as dramatic as some corked still wines I've had, but it definitely didn't taste like it should - we all noticed it.

In my example, it smelt like mouldy socks from the get go and tasted similarly.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So I just googled it. Corking/tainting of champagne can be expected in 1-3% of bottles.

Apparently the milder cases are easy to miss given it’s served cold, and our attention is drawn away by the bubbles.

So not uncommon to get a sub optimal bottle.

 

[ecole16]

Does anyone know what current meals windows are for domestic services?