Qantas Domestic - Reduction In Onboard Crew & Inflight Service

[Fungus]

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone else noticed the recent cost cutting measures Qantas have implemented? Specifically:

1. Reduction in the number of crew on non-meal 738 flights, meaning there is now only one person checking people at the gate which consequently means Priority Boarding disappears? Have had this change confirmed by a senior FA.

2. Smaller meals and no after meal snack such as a bar or ice cream (time of day dependant) on East-West flights?

Thanks.

 

[Standby]

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone else noticed the recent cost cutting measures Qantas have implemented? Specifically:

1. Reduction in the number of crew on non-meal 738 flights, meaning there is now only one person checking people at the gate which consequently means Priority Boarding disappears? Have had this change confirmed by a senior FA.

2. Smaller meals and no after meal snack such as a bar or ice cream (time of day dependant) on East-West flights?

Thanks.

Can't comment on the meals, they appear the same at the times of day/routes I fly
regarding crew compliment ,QF Domestic crew to pax mix has been 1 to 36 in their award for years
with an exception of an extra one on CBR 734s with the 20J. I believe they signed a new EBA in the past year so it may have changed.
VA have a min 1 to 40 ratio and generally the approved ideas standard is 1 to 50.

 

[oz_mark]

I had noticed the shrinking east west meals a few months back.

The reduced crew has been mentioned in another thread. Sounds to me like there is an ongoing program to wind service down.

I guess qantas and virgin will meet in the middle eventually!

 

[Fungus]

I had noticed the shrinking east west meals a few months back.

I'd noticed the meal getting smaller but now the after snacks have completely disappeared. I just thought I'd missed it due to nodding off but I confirmed with a colleague on the same flights that they never arrived.

 

[medhead]

Priority boarding should not disappear because of this change. At least that is the message from Red Roo that has been posted here. I strongly suggest you send in feedback. It should be a simple matter for the one person to process both queues. I'm not sure why this is so hard for crew to get.

Maybe at least mention the details in the priority boarding thread.

 

[Fungus]

Priority boarding should not disappear because of this change. At least that is the message from Red Roo that has been posted here. I strongly suggest you send in feedback. It should be a simple matter for the one person to process both queues. I'm not sure why this is so hard for crew to get.

Maybe at least mention the details in the priority boarding thread.

Good idea, as I've already experienced it once in SYD. At that stage it was before I had spoken with the FA and so I was wondering what was going on, as it certainly is beneficial when it's implemented correctly. Re two queues, one person, it should be a no brainer!

 

[samh004]

It should be a simple matter for the one person to process both queues. I'm not sure why this is so hard for crew to get.

In a way, having 2 there was a training wheels step and now they know how PB works, the real fun can begin.

 

[JohnPhelan]

1. Reduction in the number of crew on non-meal 738 flights, meaning there is now only one person checking people at the gate which consequently means Priority Boarding disappears?

No need at all for priority boarding to disappear. One FA can quite easily process two lines. It just means that boarding process takes a little longer. Of course, a member of ground staff could run a second line as well.

 

[medhead]

No need at all for priority boarding to disappear. One FA can quite easily process two lines. It just means that boarding process takes a little longer. Of course, a member of ground staff could run a second line as well.

And the boarding process is going to take longer with one staff member regardless of the number of queues.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Re: transcon catering, the bread roll was removed some time ago, then brought back. When it was brought back, the ice cream was removed as were cheese & crackers from the tray. The cheese & crackers are served after the meal. Cookies are also usually on offer (certainly on breakfast flights, as cheese is not offered then)

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I thought they were upgrading to international standard catering or is it only business getting that benefit?

 

[Fungus]

Re: transcon catering, the bread roll was removed some time ago, then brought back. When it was brought back, the ice cream was removed as were cheese & crackers from the tray. The cheese & crackers are served after the meal. Cookies are also usually on offer (certainly on breakfast flights, as cheese is not offered then)

In my experience things have now changed for the worse from that scenario - absolutely nothing after the main meal - no cheese or crackers, ice cream, or muesli bar (or similar). You even need to ask for juice in the morning now.

 

[Must...Fly!]

In my experience things have now changed for the worse from that scenario - absolutely nothing after the main meal - no cheese or crackers, ice cream, or muesli bar (or similar). You even need to ask for juice in the morning now.

My next flight isn't for 2 or so months so I can't comment directly if yours was an isolated experience or the cheese & crackers 'dessert' has been removed totally or not.

 

[Fungus]

My next flight isn't for 2 or so months so I can't comment directly if yours was an isolated experience or the cheese & crackers 'dessert' has been removed totally or not.

Unfortunately I think it's the new norm as it's happened to me twice now.

 

[lovestotravel]

Enhancements like this are pathetic

Just increase the ticket price by $2 to cover this, although I notice last week prices have increased by a few $ anyway....

 

[Must...Fly!]

Unfortunately I think it's the new norm as it's happened to me twice now.

I won't say it is a huge loss, I didn't particularly enjoy it anyway.

That said no ice cream AND no cheese & crackers...come on

 

[smit0847]

It should be a simple matter for the one person to process both queues. I'm not sure why this is so hard for crew to get.

Maybe at least mention the details in the priority boarding thread.

VA do it easily.

 

[Fungus]

I won't say it is a huge loss, I didn't particularly enjoy it anyway.

That said no ice cream AND no cheese & crackers...come on

Apart from the ice cream of course, I used to save them for later, as with the time zone difference, especially during daylight saving, it helped to fill the longer than usual gap (when flying west of course) before the next meal when on the run.

 

[samh004]

I thought they were upgrading to international standard catering or is it only business getting that benefit?

That's for transcon only.

 

[codash1099]

I won't say it is a huge loss, I didn't particularly enjoy it anyway.

That said no ice cream AND no cheese & crackers...come on

My last transcon a few days ago had cheese and crackers available in both directions. According to the FA, the ice creams are on their way back.

And absolutely nothing wrong with the service either. Excellent for both legs (with one in J, one in Y - in fact I got a J icecream on that one!)