Less than favourable experience - V Australia Business class.

[anat0l]

And since you did not bother to read the post this time around this is not an isolated incident on QF. So we will be discussing it again sometime in the near future.

Looks like we will. Perhaps a thread split might be appropriate at some point, mods?

FWIW I plead not guilty to not reading your post. Replying back with comprehension is probably absent, but FWIW in all the international flying with QF I've had in Y not once have I not been able to have a choice of meals, whether it be chicken/beef, hot breakfast/cold breakfast etc.... in Y I have always been able to have a choice.

I don't see milehighclub's experiences should be doubted, so perhaps you're just getting the short straw run, notwithstanding the horrid experience you had in Y+ which another topic has the full gory details of. You seem to purport most of the time that Murphy has it in for you (remember the year of sitting in front rows next to NBs?), so perhaps that's what's happening.

This mayn't be an isolated incident, but I'm willing to bet that it is far from frequent, let alone - God forbid - SOP. And mind you, I'm not defending QF when what you suggested does happen because we both do not want this to happen.

 

[JohnK]

John I'm sorry but that one of the most sweeping generalizations I've seen on here for a long time... I don't think that is fair.

Perhaps you are right and I am being a little harsh. I have edited the post from "Most Qantas cabin crew" to "Some Qantas cabin crew".

Perhaps I am totally wrong. To me anyway it would appear that some Qantas cabin crew want the meal service (domestic and international) over and done with very quickly so they can socialise. Now may the wrath of God be upon you if you interrupt them during their socialising time.

Not trying to generalise but this has been my experience on a lot of flights and while I may not travel as often as some people on AFF I do travel quite a lot. And I am not saying these things to stir the hornets either as some people may think.

 

[milehighclub]

The breakfast service started at the back of the only economy section on the aircraft. We were seated in the second row of premium economy and as I have posted previously that flight was a disaster and not good PR for Qantas.

By the way this is not the first time I have been told that they have run out of the hot breakfast option on QF and would I like cereal or some fruit? Yeah right!

The crew only managed to get the first or second row of economy served. Can you believe that they started bringing out individual trays to each person from the trolleys now safely stowed in the galley during the turbulence? I was in the third row of economy and could see the crew go back and forth delivering meals. Eventually they were able to resume the meal service. I could not imagine Qantas cabin crew providing that level of service....

Sorry to hear you had such a disastrous flight. I've not read the original thread but naturally it's disappointing to hear. As for the breakfast, I guess I needed to be there to understand.

In regards to the turbulence on SQ, your probably right, you wouldn't get that on Qantas, but one of the things I highly regard at Qantas is that if the seatbelt sign is good enough for the passengers, it's good enough for the crew, so you wouldn't be served, as I'll be strapped up too.

Depends where you’re flying from, and to. It could be completely the other way around for certain flights.

True, but I think it is fair to say nobody knows the catering ratio's better than me, hence my surprise that somebody (actually so many people ) has missed out on a hot breakfast on the QF11

 

[JohnK]

In regards to the turbulence on SQ, your probably right, you wouldn't get that on Qantas, but one of the things I highly regard at Qantas is that if the seatbelt sign is good enough for the passengers, it's good enough for the crew, so you wouldn't be served, as I'll be strapped up too.

I agree with you that safety is more important but the crew were still carrying out the meal service.

I am not saying that this is right and they were probably under order from above although my mother's flight recently was a contrast to my experience. She said that there was turbulence over most of Australia on a SYD-SIN flight and did not get served until really late into the flight as they were getting close to SIN and she was hungry.

So I guess it is not a hard and fast rule on SQ and probably varies for each CSM/crew.

 

[dajop]

I don't see how it's safer to deliver meal trays individually to the pax during turbulence vs trolley service. Either way the cabin crew are not seated with their seatbelts fastened.

Probably a heavy inanimate trolley has potential to do more damage than a crew member. But in my experience on SQ there are definitely two phases of suspension due to "turbulent weather" as they call it, firstly passengers must be seated and hot beverages service suspended. Second, for more severe turbulence is that "all cabin crew must be seated", and service suspended period. I am sure I have seen this on other airlines as well. From what I have observed over the last 5-6 years of flying SQ they seem to take safety seriously (certainly superficially things like pre-landing cabin checks, enforcement of seat belt signs are stricter than some other airlines I fly - TG for one) and have learnt from the TPE incident, but I still have concerns (as with many Asian airlines) that more junior crew would not challenge more senior crew members when a mistake has been made.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

From what I have observed over the last 5-6 years of flying SQ they seem to take safety seriously (certainly superficially things like pre-landing cabin checks, enforcement of seat belt signs are stricter than some other airlines I fly - TG for one) and have learnt from the TPE incident, but I still have concerns (as with many Asian airlines) that more junior crew would not challenge more senior crew members when a mistake has been made.

Then you have the case in some countries if the F/O has had more time in the Air Force than the Captain, crew on that flight would deem the F/O as being more senior in the pecking order which could be a disaster in the making.

Meanwhile back at the ranch.....or back to the VA dodgy brekkie posts.

 

[Flashback]

Kinda the same here. *raspberry* to all of those who think it is presumptuous to get up and walk to the galley to ask the FAs for a favour. Personally with all the sitting down during a flight I relish at the opportunity to get off my butt and stretch the legs.

Ditto. On my recent SIN-FRA the whole cabin was asleep when I woke up, so went into the galley and ended up supping champers for 2 hours and talking to the FA's :mrgreen:

 

[PineappleSkip]

it would appear that some Qantas cabin crew want the meal service (domestic and international) over and done with very quickly so they can socialise.

I thought that was the National culture. Get the job done quick so we can get onto smoko!

On PX the meal service is usually some variant of a courteous shambles, some flights more shambolic than others, and its not unusual to have meal tray still in front of you for an hour or more. I'd rather the efficient social club.

And as for choice, on PX003 in Y on thursday the choices were plain omelette and pork sausage, or scrambled eggs and bacon, both with a little bowl of fruit. Temptiing to speculate that the lacto-ovo option would have been just the eggs and fruit, and the vegan just the fruit!

Cheers skip

 

[Baysider]

I'm keen to know what others on here think.
Is this something you find acceptable for international business class????

Totally unacceptable and inexcusable. I've contemplated V Australia business a couple of times, will cross them off the list now !!

 

[lovestotravel]

Totally unacceptable and inexcusable. I've contemplated V Australia business a couple of times, will cross them off the list now !!

One grumpy flight attendant with a bad atttidue

I'd say you would have a much higher chance of getting a "grumpy" flight attendant on Qantas given their current state of long-term employment prospects!

The VA J cabin and seat is far superior to the A380 J seat

Service is always an issue depending how hung-over, tired or "mature" the crew is

 

[Baysider]

One grumpy flight attendant with a bad atttidue

With the price you pay for J this flight attendant should never have been there. Still a FAIL.

 

[notzac]

The VA J cabin and seat is far superior to the A380 J seat

I know this is all personal opinion, but I can't say that I agree. The QF SkyBed Mk. II is IMHO more comfortable than VA's J seat .. SkyBed Mk. I is worse though. Cabin - excluding the bar - again, not sure I agree. Including the bar, VA is definitely better (though for some the bar may make things worse).

 

[markis10]

Please keep in mind this report was over a year ago, the airline is now twice as old as it was then, and its parent company has shown to be good at learning from mistakes!

 

[wilco]

KSML Kosher meals These meals are prepared according to Jewish dietary laws. VA purchases these meals from reputable manufacturers in each port.

Regardless of what airline and request you put in, BLML seems to be the end result

Kosher meals are indeed purchased, and from what I hear, at astronomical cost (in the order of $60 PER meal).

and yes, BLML seems to be what everyone ends up with!! lol

To the OP, I dont think it would have killed the FA to get you a bowl of weetabix irrespective of wether or not breakfast was finished.