Refused Drink Service on Qantas

[Ansett Nostalgic]

The simple desire for a cup of tea has led to strange interactions on different airlines.

My last QF Y SYD-MEL flight refused me a cup of tea because the 'flight wasn't long enough' even though I requested it when they were coming through with the standard meal / refreshment service.

On an amusing UA Y flight many years ago in the US they came around offering coffee and I asked for tea, and the FA just gave me a weird look and said 'oh do Australians not drink coffee'. LOL

 

[lovestotravel]

SQ are very fast to take your glass away after meal time, even on a day-time flight. Go to the bathroom, drink gone. But on the ground you can get two or even three glasses before takeoff.

FJ bring you nuts with each new drink

QF The +1 said drinks were limited to her as well on PER-LHR in J, very very slow and "forgotten" a few times

 

[fletty]

Have always enjoyed generous services on international J. Recently on SQ I was already double parked with a champagne and singapore sling - and they asked if I wanted a fresh sling! Cabin was very quiet though, and it was Christmas Eve.

Also shared an entire bottle of Dom on Emirates prior to departure (we were gate delayed after boarding), and a 3 hour wine and whiskey tasting in Emirates F with another mate.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The simple desire for a cup of tea has led to strange interactions on different airlines.

My last QF Y SYD-MEL flight refused me a cup of tea because the 'flight wasn't long enough' even though I requested it when they were coming through with the standard meal / refreshment service.

After midday or whatever? Once they have the free beer and wine? Morning flights they have tea and coffee at the ready. Afternoon is the booze. They prolly don’t have time - or demand - to brew those in addition to the meal service.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

After midday or whatever? Once they have the free beer and wine? Morning flights they have tea and coffee at the ready. Afternoon is the booze. They prolly don’t have time - or demand - to brew those in addition to the meal service.

Would have been an afternoon flight.

Wasn't a problem getting tea on afternoon flights with VA or REX though.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Would have been an afternoon flight.

Wasn't a problem getting tea on afternoon flights with VA or REX though.

On VA and Rex that’s ‘cause it’s the only service they offer. Whereas the QF flights replace the tea/coffee with snacks and a bar (or hot snacks at meal times). I guess the demand isn’t there for hot drinks, because it’s probably cheaper to offer those than beer and wine!

Longer QF domestic flights still have the tea and coffee.

 

[GDSman]

Only ever cut off once. 2019, QF Y, on the way to Rugby World Cup. 1 hr out of Narita. DEFINITELY deserved...

 

[Quickstatus]

It made me feel like I’d been labelled an alcoholic

Unfortunately, It can come across like that - hopefully they were discreet about it. , But what is the alternative?.

Also keeping in mind that airline pours don’t reflect RSA units

Yes plus cabin altitude plus they also have to consider travellers might have access to the lounge pre-flight

I think there is an element of "stop bothering me!"

Feed the chooks and turn the lights off.

........

I always refuse the responsible service of alcohol. . No need for alcohol in flight when sparkling water does me just fine.

 

[clifford]

I always refuse the responsible service of alcohol. . No need for alcohol in flight when sparkling water does me just fine.

Ok that's your approach. Others may have a different point of view, which are no less valid in the overall scheme of things.

Just sayin'

 

[Quickstatus]

Others may have a different point of view, which are no less valid in the overall scheme of things.

Of course . Im not suggesting otherwise.
RSA is always going to be a debatable issue - especially when it is always a one way decision rather than a collaborative one

 

[justinbrett]

Unfortunately, It can come across like that - hopefully they were discreet about it. , But what is the alternative?.

In my experience, the best way to handle this is before it becomes a problem. A simple "I'll need you to take a break after this one" when delivering the final drink goes down a lot more smoothly than an abrupt "no more". It's a much classier way to handle it.

There's also the quiet half shot or low tide pour that can go hand in hand with this. If the pax is already at the point where they can't be served anything, and nothing has been said until now, I feel like that was an avoidable situation. Unless of course the pax boarded drunk, but that's a whole other can of worms.

 

[Quickstatus]

the best way to handle this is before it becomes a problem

That is true, though the alcohol is a very dynamic thing. One moment you're Ok from their point of view, and the next you've gone past the limit.

 

[Captain Halliday]

In my experience, the best way to handle this is before it becomes a problem. A simple "I'll need you to take a break after this one" when delivering the final drink goes down a lot more smoothly than an abrupt "no more". It's a much classier way to handle it.

There's also the quiet half shot or low tide pour that can go hand in hand with this. If the pax is already at the point where they can't be served anything, and nothing has been said until now, I feel like that was an avoidable situation. Unless of course the pax boarded drunk, but that's a whole other can of worms.

Yes and…

I’ve also seen offers along the line of…“Perhaps a water or soft drink first just…”

Or the need you to take a break approach + practice glass of water.

 

[jase05]

A very different approach to BA/AA you give you two minis at a time in the hope you stop asking for things.

Yep, 4 of these on an 80 minute BA flight. Didn’t even have time to put the glass down before the staff handed out another 2. Think we had about 40 minutes of service time.

 

[Josh]

Wow, how much Qantas has changed. I remember before they took away WP anytime QP access, I went to the QP with some mates in the early evening of New Years eve in 2007 or 08. Two of us went drink for drink, and the bartender was more than happy to supply us about 15-18 drinks each over about 3 hours.

Contrast this with an experience 2 years ago in the QF F lounge with my wife. We'd had two drinks each and were sitting on the couches, and two lounge attendants came up and sternly told us we've been "cut off" and could no longer have any more drinks, and warned us not to attempt to ask for any more. We weren't being loud at all.

Mind you - all of this experience will never top Boonie's 52 beers on QF from SYD-SIN-LHR in '89

 

[RSD]

Makes a change from the looks I get when I turn down all offers of alcoholic beverages with a "thanks but I don't drink" and request a hot chocolate instead...

If you think you get strange looks then try asking for my favourite - half orange juice half tomato juice - they really look at me like I'm from Jupiter...

 

[SeatBackForward]

"Good evening Sir, due to a lack of luxury yachts amongst the executives, we're now serving much less expensive beveridges. Here's a paper cup of tap water for your enjoyment"

 

[RSD]

Mind you - all of this experience will never top Boonie's 52 beers on QF from SYD-SIN-LHR in '89

LOL - I did think of that effort when reading some of the earlier posts in this thread!

interesting - my 8 sake SIN-LHR on SQ was how I met my wife!

Passenger or crew?

Maybe I should start drinking on flights!

 

[The-Aviator]

Sorry to hear you experienced this.

As others have said, I wouldn’t dwell on it too much. Could be a variety of things; perhaps you were profiled as someone who might cause trouble or be unable to handle much more, or could even be as simple as the FA made a mistake but once cut off they couldn’t take the decision back.

Have never been cut off myself and one particularly fond travel memory is an EK F flight where the Dom just kept flowing, but there have been instances where I wish a fellow passenger had been cut off! One in particular was a SQ SYD-SIN flight in Y where a passenger on his way to Cape Town had way too many wines and towards the end of the flight hit the little cup holder it was sitting in and I ended up with a full cup of red all over my shirt! FAs helped as much as they could but I had to listen to his “New World Order” rants for the remainder of the journey and then continue on looking (and smelling) like a drunk myself all the way to CMB! A complaint was duly made and a reasonably expensive apology hamper arrived at my door a few weeks later.