Trans-Tasman J

[kermatu]

See upthread, I had the exact same menu on an AKL-SYD flight in August. Got several menus in July and August and all had the MAR17 date on the bottom. But all were different offerings from my flights in February and May, at least.

 

[bulkhead]

Flew CHC-MEL last night. Found the menu pretty boring (and a bit odd that it was dated as March on the bottom).
Soup was tasty but the pork salad was pretty depressing looking. Flavour was ok but cold pork isnt particulary nice. Wish they'd have a proper dessert too. Went with the cheese and a glass of the Gramps dessert wine. Took an hour for the meal service to start on a flight that was delayed half an hour too.
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Flying trans-Tasman is often very quick going east (to NZ), so I believe the dessert offering is cheese or ice-cream to allow the service to be completed in a timely manner, in case of any strong winds that create a very quick flying time. To keep the service consistent, the same is offered on the return to Australia (cheese and ice cream) even though there is a slightly longer flying time.

This is similar to domestic QF east-west flying, where MEL/ADL-PER see a slightly different offering to SYD/BNE/CBR-PER due to PER-MEL/ADL potentially having very quick flying times (most likely) meaning a full bar service and three course meal may not be able to be achieved due to the flight times. Other airlines may be different due to significantly smaller J class cabins.

With regards to the "March" date on the menu, this is completely normal and you were offered the correct menu. For domestic and trans-Tasman flying, there is a 6 month period, where 6 different menus are rotated around the different ports. The current 6 month period started seomtime in March, so very shortly there will be a new 6 month cycle starting in September and that will be reflected on the menu. Please note that ex-NZ there is 3 menus that rotate between the ports over the same 6 month period.

Medium and Long Haul international, flying have a single menu per each route, changing every 3 months. Most of the time ex-Australia the menu is much the same regardless of destination, with slight differences if there is to be a second full service. Ex-Outports, and flying back into Australia from Medium and Long Haul destinations there will be an individual menu per port.

 

[Simo]

It is a 737 low expectations and you will be fine...

 

[blackcat20]

It is a 737 low expectations and you will be fine...

Oh I know. I'm not expecting anything fabulous, I've done enough of these flights. But 3 hours is plenty of time to serve a dessert.

On the upside the CSM greeted me by preferred name on boarding without even seeing my boarding pass and wished me a hoahy birthday which I was pretty impressed with.

 

[Pleb Status]

Flying trans-Tasman is often very quick going east (to NZ), so I believe the dessert offering is cheese or ice-cream to allow the service to be completed in a timely manner, in case of any strong winds that create a very quick flying time. To keep the service consistent, the same is offered on the return to Australia (cheese and ice cream) even though there is a slightly longer flying time.

This is similar to domestic QF east-west flying, where MEL/ADL-PER see a slightly different offering to SYD/BNE/CBR-PER due to PER-MEL/ADL potentially having very quick flying times (most likely) meaning a full bar service and three course meal may not be able to be achieved due to the flight times. Other airlines may be different due to significantly smaller J class cabins.

The overriding reason QF do not serve (a decent) dessert on these routes is cost cutting. They used to be able do it within the same time frame (on say PER-MEL) but magically now they cannot.

 

[DrJ]

Had a very good experience ZQN-SYD on Sunday - very friendly and attentive staff who kept the champagne topped up the whole flight. French onion soup to open, beef fillet for main ( a little well done but they don't exactly have a char grill up front of a 737) and cheese platter for dessert (ice cream also an option). No complaints at all, I guess it's hit and miss as always...

 

[blackcat20]

Had a very good experience ZQN-SYD on Sunday - very friendly and attentive staff who kept the champagne topped up the whole flight. French onion soup to open, beef fillet for main ( a little well done but they don't exactly have a char grill up front of a 737) and cheese platter for dessert (ice cream also an option). No complaints at all, I guess it's hit and miss as always...

So the same menu we had CHC-MEL.
Found the menu a bit boring but the food was edible so I guess I can't really ask for much more.

 

[bulkhead]

The overriding reason QF do not serve (a decent) dessert on these routes is cost cutting. They used to be able do it within the same time frame (on say PER-MEL) but magically now they cannot.

Within the last year or so on trans-Tasman, and about 4 years ago on domestic east-west services, QF moved to a different style service where the main meals are plated in the galley, as opposed to being in the rectangle dish as you would find on most shorter services. There was also the addition of plated nuts, a service with out the tray, and using a side plate and indidual glasses (instead of already preset). These changes are/were a little bit more work for the crew as opposed to just placing down a tray with everything on it, so some differences in service needed to be made on some of the shorter sectors to ensure the crew had enough time to complete the service and get something to eat themselves, given sometimes they may be operating multiple sectors. The ratio of Crew to pax is slightly different given QF have 8 more pax in J compared to the competitor, and it's not feasible to add an extra crew member to the cabin without making the economy class service difficult to do as well.

 

[blackcat20]

Within the last year or so on trans-Tasman, and about 4 years ago on domestic east-west services, QF moved to a different style service where the main meals are plated in the galley, as opposed to being in the rectangle dish as you would find on most shorter services. There was also the addition of plated nuts, a service with out the tray, and using a side plate and indidual glasses (instead of already preset). These changes are/were a little bit more work for the crew as opposed to just placing down a tray with everything on it, so some differences in service needed to be made on some of the shorter sectors to ensure the crew had enough time to complete the service and get something to eat themselves, given sometimes they may be operating multiple sectors. The ratio of Crew to pax is slightly different given QF have 8 more pax in J compared to the competitor, and it's not feasible to add an extra crew member to the cabin without making the economy class service difficult to do as well.

Don't think I've ever seen the nuts "plated" on QF, I'm always handed the bag....

 

[bulkhead]

Don't think I've ever seen the nuts "plated" on QF, I'm always handed the bag....

Oh, that's my mistake, I know domestic Perth-east coast there is, perhaps Trans-Tasman is different, I'm not travelling on that route often.

 

[cory]

Oh, that's my mistake, I know domestic Perth-east coast there is, perhaps Trans-Tasman is different, I'm not travelling on that route often.

Was out of a bag my last Mel-Perth in J on the 330.

 

[bunkeight]

The overriding reason QF do not serve (a decent) dessert on these routes is cost cutting. They used to be able do it within the same time frame (on say PER-MEL) but magically now they cannot.

Can you please recall a time when Qantas offered a full dessert (beyond cheese and ice cream) on MEL-PER-MEL? I am thinking it was more than 15 years ago, when the main meal service was less involved and there was also two additional crew members on a wide body.

 

[kermatu]

Can you please recall a time when Qantas offered a full dessert (beyond cheese and ice cream) on MEL-PER-MEL? I am thinking it was more than 15 years ago, when the main meal service was less involved and there was also two additional crew members on a wide body.

Sticky date pudding served on SYD-PER last month:

Was fabulous.

Cheese and ice cream also offered.

 

[RichardMEL]

Another sale on for those that care Ends 19SEP17

 

[Berlin]

Had a very good experience ZQN-SYD on Sunday - very friendly and attentive staff who kept the champagne topped up the whole flight. French onion soup to open, beef fillet for main ( a little well done but they don't exactly have a char grill up front of a 737) and cheese platter for dessert (ice cream also an option). No complaints at all, I guess it's hit and miss as always...

Sounds like a perfect flight to me, exactly the kind of food options I'd like

 

[eminere]

Another sale on for those that care Ends 19SEP17

Is that ex-NZ?

 

[RichardMEL]

Is that ex-NZ?

Looks like it's Ex-AU only (in Y/J/F)

 

[eminere]

Looks like it's Ex-AU only (in Y/J/F)

Is AUD599 for J and AUD1089 for F one-way generally as low as it gets on sale?

 

[RichardMEL]

Is AUD599 for J and AUD1089 for F one-way generally as low as it gets on sale?

More or less the "new" normal. It used to be cheaper but the most recent sales over the last 3-6 months have generally been at this level.. and sadly with no ex-NZ sale currently o it's harder to mix and match

There have been slightly cheaper rates when there's been a companion sale on, but for singletons these are pretty good. Maybe $549 forJ, but $600 is not horrendous.

J is the better value IMHO

 

[eminere]

More or less the "new" normal. It used to be cheaper but the most recent sales over the last 3-6 months have generally been at this level.. and sadly with no ex-NZ sale currently o it's harder to mix and match

There have been slightly cheaper rates when there's been a companion sale on, but for singletons these are pretty good. Maybe $549 forJ, but $600 is not horrendous.

J is the better value IMHO

Just did a dummy booking and of course the EK-operated flights are more expensive in J.