Change to pre-departure champagne in First class?

[MEL_Traveller]

Not sure if this is new but the QF website now states the following under 'dining' (International Inflight Dining | Qantas)

[h=3]Award-winning wines and world class inflight dining[/h]Fly with Qantas and you'll enjoy one of the finest inflight dining experiences found anywhere in the world. This season, the cuisines of the world are the inspiration for a wide range of new dishes made from freshest seasonal ingredients.
And to accompany our delicious dishes, you can now request Charles Heidsick Champagne in Business and First alongside the Strawberry Daiquiri as a pre take-off drink.

(my bolding) this appears to indicate First class champagne will now be Charles Heidsick only for pre-departure?

 

[opusman]

QF F is really just J+ these days.

 

[TomVexille]

Maybe they'll stop running out of the [-]good[/-] better stuff in flight now

 

[BLK343]

I was on QF F from LAX and was offered Duval-Leroy as a pre-departure Champagne. When the flight attendant saw my look, she reassured me this is only as pre-departure. Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004 will be available after take off!

 

[dlam]

Was in F on QF2 dep LHR on Dec 30 and they were serving the Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2004 pre-takeoff. Long may it continue!

 

[Flying mermaid]

QF F is really just J+ these days.

I have been calling it F- for awhile, but it is probably sliding to J+. Our exploratory trip on SQ F was very favourable, not least of it Dom and Krug both pre take off and during the flight. On the flight back from Singapore I was offered Dom as pre flight bubbly, but as soon as I said I preferred Krug they went and opened a bottle for me.

 

[snabbu]

Another in the long list of QF "enhancements". :-|

 

[Flying Fox]

Was in F on QF2 dep LHR on Dec 30 and they were serving the Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2004 pre-takeoff. Long may it continue!

Lucky you. One of my favourites.

I have never had the pleasure on QF.

 

[RichardMEL]

I was on QF F from LAX and was offered Duval-Leroy as a pre-departure Champagne. When the flight attendant saw my look, she reassured me this is only as pre-departure. Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004 will be available after take off!

I thought they'd switched to 2006 now. the 2004 is much nicer IMHO.

Just on the PDB... I could be wrong, but I think some airlines have done this at LAX due to some sort of extra charge/duty imposed for popping the good stuff on the ground.. though QF had always had the good stuff when I flew F out of LAX (and did so back in September on my last sector) so if this is an ongoing thing it seems to be new.

 

[RichardMEL]

I have been calling it F- for awhile, but it is probably sliding to J+. Our exploratory trip on SQ F was very favourable, not least of it Dom and Krug both pre take off and during the flight. On the flight back from Singapore I was offered Dom as pre flight bubbly, but as soon as I said I preferred Krug they went and opened a bottle for me.

Yes, SQ's dual bubbles have always been very nice and their F&B have always been a higher standard.
I have noticed though a decline even on SQ though (eg: my first F flight over 10 years ago they offered a vast selection of premium coffee beans, last year this was much reduced, and even when I asked for the Jamaica Blue Mountain which was on the menu they had to apologise because they didn't even have it loaded.. and it seemed to me it was not real beans as previous but some sort of pod type thing). Even EK has changed to a nespresso system in F - it is definitely lesser quality than it was previously IMHO.

I think we all agree EY is the current standard to which others aspire. SQ and CX are very very good also.

QF F really only works for the hardware which is now out of date, but still beats the skybeds, and the small things like the very very good Champagnes but agree most of the meals are shared with J and can be a bit meh.

And Eat on Q is a poor man's Book the Cook for sure.

Still, I'd much rather have a QF F option than not on longer hauls to LHR, LAX and DFW.. something the 789 will make it even harder for us to experience though the J suite is a very nice product the soft product will still only be at the J level.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Still, I'd much rather have a QF F option than not on longer hauls to LHR, LAX and DFW.. something the 789 will make it even harder for us to experience though the J suite is a very nice product the soft product will still only be at the J level.

It is one of the reasons why I am exploring other carriers - QF's commitment to F is pretty sparse. I don't mind going to the USA via Singapore.... EY is on the list to try - we did fly F with them 2009, but haven't experienced the new generation yet. Our next trip is still likely to be QF/EK though, as EK is pretty much the only decent carrier that flies F to East Africa - I feel that won't last, but hopefully long enough to visit the Gorillas.

 

[RichardMEL]

Of course not everyone has the resources to be able to pick and choose between QF/SQ/EY/EK (or many others) when it comes to flying F

For those of us that can fly any kind of F it's pretty good.. to have a choice, through whatever means, that's really good

 

[Flying mermaid]

Of course not everyone has the resources to be able to pick and choose between QF/SQ/EY/EK (or many others) when it comes to flying F

For those of us that can fly any kind of F it's pretty good.. to have a choice, through whatever means, that's really good

oh absolutely - this level of pickiness is probably only on this board! I am sure any non FF who travelled any kind of F would think it wonderful, no matter what kind of champagne is served pre departure

 

[Canny man]

While I will always be a Krug fan in the air (it has the structure to work at altitude) I certainly don't complain if the palate cleanser is a less prestigious cuvee. I treat it as an opportunity to see whether the prestigious champagne is actually so much better. After all there's plenty time after take off to indulge to your heart's (if not your liver's) content

 

[RichardMEL]

As an aside with the mentions of Krug, I find it rather amusing/interesting that in 2015 QF sent P1's bottles of vintage Krug (2000) - a champagne they've never(that I am aware of, anyway) served on their aircraft or in lounges. At least last year (2016) they sent a bottle of the Taittinger Comtes which they do serve in F.

I've yet to open either (but have had the Taittinger on board)

back to the PDB discussion

 

[Deleted member]

I would have loved to have seen your face

I was on QF F from LAX and was offered Duval-Leroy as a pre-departure Champagne. When the flight attendant saw my look, she reassured me this is only as pre-departure. Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004 will be available after take off!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Not sure if this is new but the QF website now states the following under 'dining' (International Inflight Dining | Qantas)



(my bolding) this appears to indicate First class champagne will now be Charles Heidsick only for pre-departure?

No way IMHO.
As mentioned by others the champagne on the ground at LAX pre-departure is usually Duval or some other second tier stuff, elsewhere it's what's served inflight that's offered as a PDB.

Will be the usual exemplary proof-reading editorial team in action I'd say.

 

[Flying mermaid]

While I will always be a Krug fan in the air (it has the structure to work at altitude) I certainly don't complain if the palate cleanser is a less prestigious cuvee. I treat it as an opportunity to see whether the prestigious champagne is actually so much better. After all there's plenty time after take off to indulge to your heart's (if not your liver's) content

I severely ration the amount I drink, so each glass matters to me. 1 glass before take off and at the most two in flight....

 

[Justinf]

I guess I should be thankful that I can't tell the difference between Krug and Yellowglen?

 

[opusman]

I guess I should be thankful that I can't tell the difference between Krug and Yellowglen?

They do say ignorance is bliss