VA J Catering Rant... "Cheese Platter"

[haydensydney]

I had flown with VA in Y+ many times so was looking forward to finally getting a SYD-BNE/OOL-SYD in business and testing the waters so to speak.

What startled me though was the 'cheese platter' that VA presented to me on both flights. I recall seeing others moan about this in other threads, but thought this should have its own discussion.

Due to scheduling, my flight to QLD was at 8pm and the flight back was at 2pm. I knew these would be 'snack' flights, but I thought it would be more... substantial. On the outbound, I stayed back at work and went straight to the airport. Was starving. The lounge offering was just woeful and needs improvement. I thought i'd attempt a hot dog with the stale dry buns they had - though it was close to impossible to eat. Not to worry I thought, I'll get something on the plane. Surely.

Cue the meal service on the flight. Out comes a meal tray. One small triangle of cheddar (gross!), a small triangle of brie, five grapes and a cookie. Didn't really seem like much of a platter to me.

I was hopeful the return flight would be better. But it was the same. This time, the cookie was replaced with a dry chocolate muffin thing. Inedible. What is Luke Mangan paid to do exactly?

It was almost like VA wasn't even trying to provide a meal service, just slopping the bare minimum together and hoping for the best. Needs improvement VA!

What do you think of think of the 'cheese platter'?

 

[leemin]

What do you think of think of the 'cheese platter'?

It's cough. I hate cheese and so I pay a lot of money (or use quite a few points) for 5 grapes and a $3-6 drink :!:

The whole catering offer needs work, across the board IMO.

 

[haydensydney]

Oh, I forgot the quince.

Bloody quince.

 

[pauly7]

I've managed to dodge the much maligned cheese platter....! Any pics floating around?

EDIT: Horrified the tuckshop hot dogs are back in the Lounge though thought they had been disappeared.

 

[haydensydney]

Pic as requested... thank god they had vodka...

 

[mella2007]

The sooner Virgin get rid of any association with Luke Mangled the better. The food and snacks were better when he had nothing to do with meal choices. A complete and utter waste of money and I have no plans to ever pay to eat in any of his restaurants as I think he is over rated and a complete jerk.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

The sooner Virgin get rid of any association with Luke Mangled the better. The food and snacks were better when he had nothing to do with meal choices. A complete and utter waste of money and I have no plans to ever pay to eat in any of his restaurants as I think he is over rated and a complete jerk.

haha, he is a jerk as well? do you know him personally?

 

[pauly7]

The sooner Virgin get rid of any association with Luke Mangled the better. The food and snacks were better when he had nothing to do with meal choices. A complete and utter waste of money and I have no plans to ever pay to eat in any of his restaurants as I think he is over rated and a complete jerk.

Why don't you just say what you really think

 

[pauly7]

Pic as requested... thank god they had vodka...

Thank you!

Oh dear.

Hope that bottle of vodka got you through

 

[Must...Fly!]

I'd be pretty annoyed if i paid for that too

Remember flying PER-xSYD-MEL last year during AFL finals time with QF. Went for the points upgrade SYD-MEL for some luxury. Mid-afternoon, cheese platter - far more substantial than that (and it was very good)

Tut tut VA

 

[Deleted member]

The sooner Virgin get rid of any association with Luke Mangled the better. The food and snacks were better when he had nothing to do with meal choices. A complete and utter waste of money and I have no plans to ever pay to eat in any of his restaurants as I think he is over rated and a complete jerk.

I've not met him, is he really that bad?
When did you meet him?
I sometimes do wonder if these celeb chefs begin to believe their own hype?

 

[quark]

Yes the meal "service" on DJ J sucks basically. I love the room and the seats and the wine, and the staff are usually great, but QANTAS kicks butt on the food every time. And the entertainment.

One of my favourite things about flying QF J is the food and wine, and I would really love it to be one of my favourite things about flying DJ. Come on Virgin!

 

[Major]

I must admit the cheese platter is very ordinary. The cheddar is quite tasteless and the whole platter shows a total lack of imagination.

For a J snack it is just not good enough

 

[juliusg]

Sydney - Brisbane in J last Friday (6.30 depart) , some pasta bake thing, 5 out of 10. Bris - Darwin (8.40pm depart) lamb on cos cos 7 out of 10.

Darwin - Sydney on Monday I was alone in J, so Josie offered me both meals - the artichoke, olice and motzarella salad (3 out of 10, two cheese framents, too oily) and the truly hideous meat ball pasta (1 out of 10).

Crew brilliant, one Chardonnay option only on one flight, otherwise just one white wine on the other two.

One new Galaxy IFE, the supplied earpieces are rubbish, using mine the Samsung only just had enough volume and not enough brightness. 8 movies, 8 TV shows and some music videos.

Amenity kit is in a bag.

Overall, worth the upgrade from Flexi but not worth the cash price if you pay.

 

[RWJ777]

I flew VA J SYD-PER a few weeks back in one of their A330s. Could not have been more pleased with the catering. Started with generously flowing sparkling wine -- a little too generous! -- and the food was plentiful and tasty. Not gourmet but certainly very nice. My trip back on a 737 in those funny seats separated by a disco like purple screen was good and plentiful too, but not as good to be honest. I'm sorry, I can't recall exactly what it was but I certainly remember that it was a substantive meal (and some nice wine s'il vous plait!).To be honest, on the way up, I observed to my partner that it was more generous than anything I had got on Qantas domestic J who, once they dispense that second glass of wine and (by now) cold coffee, the crew is in their little cabin unless they are specifically summoned -- or to retrieve their napkin.

 

[haydensydney]

Thats right RWJ777, the transcon Perth flights get a more complex J service, whereas the shorter routes don't get much love.

I've flown with VA in J internationally on the 777 aircraft and the catering was fantastic.

 

[JKjnr]

Have done over a dozen in J this year on VA (Bali, SYD, Mel, Perth, BNE and coughet in J before that) and the east coast food is wanting now. Had the cheese. Poor. I also notice the serving protocol on short flight has issues. Captian served his meal and drink before any passangers in J even got a single drink (8 of us) and then time was running out. Also - when the captain emerges from his terriorist proof coughpit to have a leak - a crew member stands to attention at front of Business like a twerp to stop me launching at him and the coughpit (oh - did i mention she was 48kg and I am 100kg). What nonsense it is all becoming.

 

[tuapekastar]

Another general vote for the 330 J service. I had the absolute most delicious soup ever on one of them.

I've had several J flights on 737 aircraft on DJ and in all honesty have no recollection of what the snack and/or meal was, but the fact I don't remember seems to indicate I was at least reasonably happy about it.

Flying J MEL-ADL-MEL on the weekend (yes, it's satisfying the Plat requal offer - the flights would in reality have requalified me gold, so I consider I'm doing a reasonable amount of VA flying), so I'll note what is served.

Outbound is at 1310 so not sure if lunch or snack. Inbound is at 1410 so should be snack.

PS. In J MEL-OOL recently I was in 1C and was offered water or juice from a tray pre-flight, which I understand is normal for non transcon flights (not sure about transcons on a 737). 1A boarded fairly late, a little old guy. Once he was seated, the FA poked his head out of the galley (no tray) and asked the guy if he would like a pre-flight water or juice. The guy replied 'a white wine please' and the FA did not flinch, just said something in the affirmative and 1A got his pre-flight white.

 

[shane2603]

Just flew per-syd on a330 and food and service was way better than qf j flight on a 330 flown the week before. VA crew were much more proffessional and friendly, particular thanks to Elena and Shannon for a fantastic flight will be flying VA J from now on!

 

[markis10]

A chef's vision and reality are obscured by the catering manager, who I suspect is an accountant!