Qantas Meals on Domestic Economy

[oirets]

Ciao Friends! Long time lurker, first time poster.

Recently switched jobs, old employer uses Virgin for domestic travel, new employer uses Qantas for domestic travel. Based out of MEL, mostly travel MEL-SYD, but also MEL-BNE quite often.

On Virgin, I used to get full meals in Economy, but on my last two Qantas flights, I only got a cookie and a some drinks. Speaking to the other passengers, they tell me Qantas only provides full meals on *some* of their short haul domestic. Does anyone know what's the actual "rule" with this?

I'm happy to eat a full meal at the Qantas Club before boarding, so I'm not complaining, but more of a curiosity.

 

[mannej]

Does your booking supply meal information, as this will provide your answer. If the meal is listed as snack, you will get the cookie/apple etc. if it lists the specific meal type you will get a boxed meal.

 

[serfty]

Welcome to AFF @oirets

On Virgin, I used to get full meals in Economy

Generally only "Coast to Coast" flights between Perth and the East coast are the only VA domestic services with complimentary full meals in economy.

You can purchase food on VA in economy which is not the case with Qantas.

 

[serfty]

if it lists the specific meal type you will get a boxed meal.

"Lunch" a week ago on QF MEL-BNE (1:10pm departure) was a small box containing a Ciabatta bun about 35mm by 50mm with a "fajita" filling. Certainly I would not call it a "meal".

 

[FrankP]

I always try harder to have 1+ hrs in the qantas club before any dom flight. I always have laptop things I can do (or just relax) and I get a decent feed then opt out of the flight food. Even if I’m biz the food is nicer but minimal. I’m often happy with the club for soup and salad, toasted sandwich and sometimes cake. I’ve never seen more than a boxed dry roll of the flight food, but I don’t do longer flights either. Cheers.

 

[oirets]

"Lunch" a week ago on QF MEL-BNE (1:10pm departure) was a small box containing a Ciabatta bun about 35mm by 50mm with a "fajita" filling. Certainly I would not call it a "meal".

Jeez, that doesn't look appealing at all. To be honest, I'd just rather a packed ham and cheese sandwich or something.

I always try harder to have 1+ hrs in the qantas club before any dom flight. I always have laptop things I can do (or just relax) and I get a decent feed then opt out of the flight food. Even if I’m biz the food is nicer but minimal. I’m often happy with the club for soup and salad, toasted sandwich and sometimes cake. I’ve never seen more than a boxed dry roll of the flight food, but I don’t do longer flights either. Cheers.

Yeah, same with me. For my early morning flights, I always try to get 2+ hours in the Club, breakfast is always top notch and it's a good chance to catch up on the news and go through my emails. I hardly ever get upgrades probably because I fly peak times. Also too many plats

 

[tdimdad]

Much of the information you're looking for is summarised on a Qantas page here.
On the QF website, before booking, you'll see if there's a snack or a meal offered. The regular economy meals usually have two options to choose from.

 

[mrmerc500]

Although supporting Virgin is ideal, Qantas have the edge when it comes to ordering any dietary meal on Domestic legs & the Vegan Meals I can vouch for are great.

 

[p--and--t]

From my past experiences (not in last 12 months), in domestic, what you will get seems to depend mainly on three factors

Time of day

• There seem to be three time periods determined as "meal times", Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner
• If your flight is scheduled to depart within one of the windows they will serve a meal, outside the window will be a snack (Bar, Muffin, Biscuit, Fruit or similar)
• There are also specific time periods when they serve free booze - check the website for details
• Your flight will be catered for the scheduled departure. If your flight is delayed into a meal window, you won't get the meal as only snacks will have been loaded.

Length of flight

• The longer the flight, the more substantial the offering and vice versa. Syd-Mel not so much. Mel-Cns more, perhaps a meal and later in the flight a snack as well (maybe an ice cream)

Ticket Type (Bus, Economy)

• In economy you will get one of two boxed meals. While there are sufficient of both types left to select you will be provided the option. If they run out of one option you are down to take it or leave it.
• The meals in business are more substantial and on the longer flights can be multi course.

More recent travellers, feel free to correct for any errors or changes to catering.

BTW: On my last VA flight Mel-Cns a few months back they served me one half of a very small muesli bar. I've never had anything so paltry served on QF for a 3 hour flight.

 

[oirets]

BTW: On my last VA flight Mel-Cns a few months back they served me one half of a very small muesli bar. I've never had anything so paltry served on QF for a 3 hour flight.

Exactly the info I was looking for. Cheers!

With Virgin, you have to pay, but the food you get is pretty decent. I used to always get the chicken and mayo sandwich which was pretty decent. I think it was $10 from memory (though work paid). Personally I prefer to have the option to at least have food even if one has to pay.

Personally I think Qantas is just doing the whole "refreshments" thing to avoid looking like a LCC making passengers pay for food.

 

[p--and--t]

I did forget to mention. Some people pre-order a special dietary meal (select it on your booking no charge)

• They won't run out of a suitable choice for you (eg typical chicken or fish) as your meal loaded just for you
• For some inexplicable reason, often it will be much nicer than the generic offering.

 

[mannej]

"Lunch" a week ago on QF MEL-BNE (1:10pm departure) was a small box containing a Ciabatta bun about 35mm by 50mm with a "fajita" filling. Certainly I would not call it a "meal".

View attachment 207194View attachment 207195

If you add a bit of fruit to that, it isn’t too dissimilar to a normal lunch for me. The other one I didn’t think hit the mark was this hummus and carrot “dinner” snack, way too much hummus for the number of carrot sticks, but that’s life.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

See if your new job has corporate deals for the QP (aka Qantas Club, or as we call it the Qantas pub).
Or if not, you can join via AFF for a good discount.
The QP is not bad, you get a lot of things to eat, each is different, some meals are the same.
Or if you want to save, and not spend money unnecessarily just buy something from the many shops and stores in the terminal you end up flying out of, or just from the vending machines.
You can also save even more by preeating at home, or buying from supermarkets for things that can be brought onto flights.
I have not done it, brought food onto flights, but have brought muchines into the terminal.
If there are QP around, you will have access to the Qantas J lounge, in ADL, (I know you don't fly into or out of this airport), the QP and J lounge are the same.
MEL, SYD and BNE dom have separate QP and J lounges.
I have been into 3 in the past.
Joining the QP via here is about Aud$600 or so, for corporate rate, maybe a bit more, see if your new job has a corporate agreement with QP first, if yes, join it, if not, join via here.
I don't fly a lot these days, with QF but in the past, they were my preferred carrier, now I normally go with VA.
You don't earn any SC by buying the QP annual/2/4 year passes, but you do get free access once you get QF SG after flying QF and gaining 700 SC in the first year, and then if you fly 600 each year and keep it after.
Not hard if you fly/your employer pays for flexY class tix.
Sometimes QF on board meals are very good, sometimes they can be inedible.
QF has outsourced its catering to Dnata too.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

See if your new job has corporate deals for the QP (aka Qantas Club, or as we call it the Qantas pub).
Or if not, you can join via AFF for a good discount.
The QP is not bad, you get a lot of things to eat, each is different, some meals are the same.
Or if you want to save, and not spend money unnecessarily just buy something from the many shops and stores in the terminal you end up flying out of, or just from the vending machines.
You can also save even more by preeating at home, or buying from supermarkets for things that can be brought onto flights.
I have not done it, brought food onto flights, but have brought muchines into the terminal.
If there are QP around, you will have access to the Qantas J lounge, in ADL, (I know you don't fly into or out of this airport), the QP and J lounge are the same.
MEL, SYD and BNE dom have separate QP and J lounges.
I have been into 3 in the past.
Joining the QP via here is about Aud$600 or so, for corporate rate, maybe a bit more, see if your new job has a corporate agreement with QP first, if yes, join it, if not, join via here.
I don't fly a lot these days, with QF but in the past, they were my preferred carrier, now I normally go with VA.
You don't earn any SC by buying the QP annual/2/4 year passes, but you do get free access once you get QF SG after flying QF and gaining 700 SC in the first year, and then if you fly 600 each year and keep it after.
Not hard if you fly/your employer pays for flexY class tix.
Sometimes QF on board meals are very good, sometimes they can be inedible.
QF has outsourced its catering to Dnata too.

OP stated they have entry to the Qantas Club.

 

[Jaded_Elf]

SYD - ADL on a Sunday morning, departing before 0900 so still "breakfast". Haven't flown economy on this route at this time for a while, so was a bit shocked when there was only 1 choice - sultana bran and a packet of craisins.

Last time I flew this sector, there was also a hot choice (3 small quiches, I think). I don't have access to any clubs/ability to pre order meals, so obviously can't complain. But if I had paid full fare for this, I would be a bit confused/dissapointed.

Glad I had some protein balls in my bag still...(flight wasn't full, not sitting at the back, left on time).

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

In Y when its to do with QFd or VAd, in fact with either in international Y either, I don't have any high expectations.
I have got the Hudsons Coffee membership, so now that I fly less J/subclass of J, I do make a point of getting my banana bread and a coffee at Hudsons.
At the least OP has QP, missed that one, apologies.

 

[Spongbob]

For some time now, "meal" on QFd has meant only something to eat.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Qantas have a very limited window on when they serve "full meals" on their short haul domestic flights.
Sometimes, if you can smell something good in in the galley, you might not get that, its the crew warming up their own meals, esp in the evenings.
As mentioned above, if you tap red flight on a booking price check, you will see what comes up.
Breakfast, then refreshments, lunch, then refreshments, then dinner.
Have had chicken pasta, have had chick peas with chicken, have also had just banana bread for early evening flight, its hard to say what will be served as there is no similarity from port to port, or from a straight time of/for dinner.
TransAust flights, of course you will get some thing fuller PER to the east coast.
At least with QF, they usually give you a small 250ml water, than a plastic cup as what VA crew will give out.
If you do/when you build up enough SC earn, you might find the seat next to you as empty, "shadow" we call it.
You will learn to love this "the last cabin door is now closed" and you have on your QFd flight either a row of 3 to yourself, or 2 to yourself!
QF has done a bit better than VA in some regards, but then, VA have also done better in other regards.
700 SC earn in first year, 600 there after, this is what we call QF SG status on here, harder to get than VA, but the benefits are a bit more than VA, esp if you have once in a while fly QFi.
VA lost their liaison with (Air)NZ and hence their footprint internationally on their own planes, is quite narrow.
What I would do, if I were you, is to set up a spreadsheet with SC earn, of course you need to work out how many single QF sectors you will be flying, MEL - SYD is 30 in flexY, 10 in Rede
deal.
I have been with QFF since 1997, and in those years, have seen QFd and QFi gone a bit downhill, still better than VA, but its gone el cheapo for sure.

 

[Mattg]

This article is a little old, but has a list of economy class meal times on QF & VA. I believe the info is still current.

Domestic In-Flight Meals: What to Expect in Economy

Within Australia, both Qantas and Virgin Australia offer complimentary food and drinks on all flights.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[bcworld]

On Virgin, I used to get full meals in Economy

Eh? When did VA serve 'full meals' in economy on MEL-SYD?

I flew VA MEL-SYD at 1930 on Friday...our 'full meal' was a SIX GRAM bag of cheesy popcorn!