QF to NZ - breakfast at lunchtime?

[mdurrant]

Flew QF55 SYD-AKL today, depart SYD 9:30 AM. The meal is breakfast.

Started serving breakfast at 10:30 AM SYD time and mine was served at 10:50 AM.

I had some breakfast at home, then again in te Qantas Club ... surely, at 12:50 PM AKL time, they ought to be serving lunch?

At 10:50 AM SYD tie, I don't really want corn flakes. At 12:50 PM AKL time, I definitely don't!

 

[mannej]

You can't win can you! Considering there were those on the VA thread condemning VA for serving lunch on a similarly timed flight!

 

[Melburnian1]

This must be a dilemma for airlines. I cannot comment about Oz - NZ as I do not fly it often enough, although as a general observation on a three hour flight that departed at 0930 it would be better to wait until 1130 to serve a very early lunch.

On flights from east coast Oz cities to SE Asian destinations for which one of the favoured departure times is in the 0930 - 1100 range, my experience is that you tend to get a meal 50 minutes to an hour after pushback - which presumably is the time it takes the convection ovens to cook the chilled meals. I am unaware of the shelf life of a cook-chill meal but I assume that a little extra time delay in serving would not result in food poisoning for passengers.

I would far prefer that on these seven to eight hour flights, airlines delayed serving a meal until 1215 or so Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane time as the case may be.

Airlines ought to assume that most of us have breakfasted either at home, at an airport or other cafe or in a FF lounge. Few of us want breakfast at 1030. I doubt that any of us want lunch at that hour.

Perhaps I am a little cynical, but is the serving of meals sometimes based on flight attendants' desire to start a rest period as soon as possible ('let's get the meals all done and dusted, and the trays cleared ASAP') or is it based on how airlines perceive their passengers salivate for an airline meal and could not wait more than an hour after takeoff for it be served?

I never drink beer or wine at 1030 at home, so perhaps it's time that airlines on Oz - NZ and Oz - SE Asian flights took some notice of that.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I can see the merits in serving breakfast on a 0930 international departure. Most will have arrived at the airport between 0630-0800, many of which would not have had the opportunity for any breakfast.

 

[eric2011]

Flew QF55 SYD-AKL today, depart SYD 9:30 AM. The meal is breakfast.

Started serving breakfast at 10:30 AM SYD time and mine was served at 10:50 AM.

I had some breakfast at home, then again in te Qantas Club ... surely, at 12:50 PM AKL time, they ought to be serving lunch?

At 10:50 AM SYD tie, I don't really want corn flakes. At 12:50 PM AKL time, I definitely don't!

If you had breakfast at home, and then had some more breakfast at the QC then why on earth would you want anything more to eat, especially if its only a 3 hour flight.
Oh thats right....I will because I can.

 

[eric2011]

P.S Welcome to AFF

 

[RooFlyer]

I can see the merits in serving breakfast on a 0930 international departure. Most will have arrived at the airport between 0630-0800, many of which would not have had the opportunity for any breakfast.

Given we are all herded into the departure area (or a lounge) 1 to 2 hours before departure, while that may mean an early departure from home for a morning flight, given the (over) abundance of eateries in departure areas, it also means plenty of opportunity for breakfast prior to the flight at the airport at somewhere near breakfast time.

As meals on international departures are timed more for the arrival port than the departure port then, as the OP indicates, if a meal is to be served at 11am departure time, 1pm destination time, it should have been a lunch service rather than breakfast.

On arrival, say 1:30pm local, then allowing at least 30 mins for arrival procedures, stomach is well past lunch time!

 

[markis10]

Always interesting reading complaints on what food is served in terms of suitability of time versus complaints of "food" served in other regions where its not even recognizable what is is.

 

[mannej]

Airlines ought to assume that most of us have breakfasted either at home, at an airport or other cafe or in a FF lounge. Few of us want breakfast at 1030. I doubt that any of us want lunch at that hour.

I don't necessarily agree with this.
Seeing that you mentioned SE Asia, lets use KUL as an example.
By the time you add transport (train excluded) to arriving arriving at the airport for a 9:30 flight, it is a very early morning.
Therefore I think it's a fair assumption that breakfast is appropriate.
Again, you will never win on this one...

 

[spreezy]

sounds like you need to find a gym in auckland, 3 meals before 12pm

 

[Austman]

It's a bit rubbish when in J (so they know you have probably been to the J lounge) and when the flight info says "refreshment", they offer J-class "breakfast" - frittata+bacon or fruit platter. But that is QF 1019 SYD-HBA 09:25-11:20. A morning tea or light lunch (or refreshment!) would be better. Oh well ...

 

[eric2011]

It's a bit rubbish when in J (so they know you have probably been to the J lounge) and when the flight info says "refreshment", they offer J-class "breakfast" - frittata+bacon or fruit platter. But that is QF 1019 SYD-HBA 09:25-11:20. A morning tea or light lunch (or refreshment!) would be better. Oh well ...

The OP was talking a 3 hour flight and this post is talking an 2 hour flight. For goodness sake who is holding you down and force feeding you. If what's on offer doesn't suit you then don't have it. The appropriate words would be " no thanks, I had something in the J lounge and I will have lunch when I arrive".

Really annoys me when all we do is bag any airline just because it isn't suitable to us as an individual.

I am scheduled for QF 27 SYD-SCL which departs at 10.55am and land at approx 9.55am the next day,and shows as receiving a lunch (that will work) and a refreshment. If I was a complainer I would be wanting a dinner and a breakfast if we were to stick with the normal eating patterns and times.

Now I sit back, pour another glass of red and watch all those who don't like my opinions.

 

[Austman]

The OP was talking a 3 hour flight and this post is talking an 2 hour flight. For goodness sake who is holding you down and force feeding you. If what's on offer doesn't suit you then don't have it. The appropriate words would be " no thanks, I had something in the J lounge and I will have lunch when I arrive".

Really annoys me when all we do is bag any airline just because it isn't suitable to us as an individual.

Now I sit back, pour another glass of red and watch all those who don't like my opinions.

Ok. I've done the same NZ flights too. And I've heard many pax complaining and the crew apologising. No-one much thought it was good, especially considering the 2 hour time difference! It was already past noon in NZ when breakfast is served?

As for the SYD-HBA, well that meal is supposed to be Refreshment. That's the Qantas description when you book it. And I did feel like eating something (I had been up since before 5am) but just not breakfast again.

 

[11sjw]

Imagine getting on with a hangover of some degree? Breakfast food would be perfect!