A new "high" on QF First [Denied sparkling water before departure from LAX]

[juddles]

Seems accurate so me. OP was denied water in first class. The fact that they were later granted it doesn't magically undo the original denial.

And before you split hairs on (sparkling) water, there are plenty of places (eg in Europe) where sparkling is more commonly served than still - south america also springs to mind, where you will be asked "com ou sem gás?".

Title is slightly clickbaity, but no lie.

No, it is less than half the story. Why not have title to article "pax denied sparkling water until after takeoff"

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Absolutely disgusting. Since having major surgery some years ago it is very difficult for me to swallow still water, it feels like swallowing concrete. So I must have sparkling water. Being denied sparkling water like that is a very poor decision by Qantas and a PR disaster.

Volkswagen Emissions was a PR disaster. BP Deepwater Horizon was a PR disaster. The lack of carbonated water is not.

 

[Kangol]

It was First on QF12. I've had it before no problem departing the US on QF First, and the explanation given was "we can only do that if a bottle is already open". Pretty cheap not to want to pay duty on a bottle of sparkling water??

What day were you flying? I was recently on QF12 in F. They opened the bar cart on the ground. You can have a guess as to why.

 

[Pleb Status]

What day were you flying? I was recently on QF12 in F. They opened the bar cart on the ground. You can have a guess as to why.

Was AJ on board?

 

[marki]

Having flown AA they were breaking the rules and opening the bar to Real Champagne while still on the ground. Looking over the whole case it looks like its blown out of proportion and it's not really a glass of sparkling water being denied but more of a delay until take off. But after the fuss we have caused them ( QF) they will most likely change that policy to having bubbly water available at all stages of the flight.

 

[mannej]

Absolutely disgusting. Since having major surgery some years ago it is very difficult for me to swallow still water, it feels like swallowing concrete. So I must have sparkling water. Being denied sparkling water like that is a very poor decision by Qantas and a PR disaster.

Bit of an overreaction is it not?

 

[marki]

Bit of an overreaction is it not?

Not if your the one with major surgery! Being denied life saving sparkling water.

 

[sapho]

Was AJ on board?

It doesn't surprise me. For an airline that couldn't be bother on my final international flight with QF HKG-SYD a couple of years back., you had to make your own bed and remove the dinner dishes, ie put them on the floor , as there was no staff. Still there when I woke up in the morning.
Letter to QF on return , they couldn't give a stuff.
Why are you flying QF first? All the 747's are going, so on which plane are you hoping to travel in first with them then. Use the points on a proper airline. Stop wasting your points

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just out of interest I checked the 'Flying international First' page on the Qantas website. It used to say something along the lines of 'settle into your seat with a drink of your choice before takeoff'. Those words have gone now.

 

[marki]

Just out of interest I checked the 'Flying international First' page on the Qantas website. It used to say something along the lines of 'settle into your seat with a drink of your choice before takeoff'. Those words have gone now.

So that means that services are being slowly withdrawn........

 

[RooFlyer]

Not that slowly.

 

[davidj]

Time to BYO?

 

[cwd]

It doesn't surprise me. For an airline that couldn't be bother on my final international flight with QF HKG-SYD a couple of years back., you had to make your own bed and remove the dinner dishes, ie put them on the floor , as there was no staff. Still there when I woke up in the morning.
Letter to QF on return , they couldn't give a stuff.

I note from a previous post that you had this same experience on an Emirates flight. It seems remarkable to have experienced this on both Qantas and Emirates. Are you sure this was a Qantas flight?

 

[marki]

Time to BYO?

how would you explain it at security screening? While eying the great big garbage bin where all liquids go to die.

 

[RichardMEL]

Not if your the one with major surgery! Being denied life saving sparkling water.

I'm sorry "life saving" sparkling water? This is a stretch IMHO. If it was really that critical to a pax they would have their own supply with appropriate documentation (like Inulin).

I travel with drugs critical to me (the legal kind thank you ) and I caay them with me at all times, and have more than enough for my projected travel just in case of delays, changes, and the like. my responsibility and I manage it.

You're talking about someone who prefers sparkling water. Yes I say prefer. The poster did not say they can NOT have still water, just that they didn't like it. "Since having major surgery some years ago it is very difficult for me to swallow still water, it feels like swallowing concrete. So I must have sparkling water." - it's "very difficult"(but not impossible) and it "feels like swallowing concerete" - unpleasant for sure, but it's not imppossible. They "must" have sparkling water for their preference because it's much easier to drink for them.. life saving? I'm not so sure about.. specially for the duration of, say, 30 minutes give or take prior to take off.

And sure, I've had the bar open pre dept on various carriers departing the USA. I've also had it not, with the given regulations/reasons cited regarding bar carts. It's up to individual crews etc.

If it's that critical that the pax cannot have their "life saving" sparkling water until post take off, I would wonder if they should be flying....

again, IMHO a stretch in my view.

<flame proof suit engaged>

 

[Chalkie]

I don't like sparkling water or I'd test this on my next QF94 flight in a couple of weeks. I've only ever had still water and/or champagne pre-flight on QF 94 in F, so I cannot comment on whether you used to be able to have whatever you wanted pre-flight on that sector.

Maybe AJ is warming us for the deletion of F entirely!

 

[RichardMEL]

btw I do think it's a reasonable expectation to be provided with something as simple as sparkling water as a PDB on an international F (or J for that matter) sector. Heck you have to work hard to escape it on domestic J these days

I would hope the denial came with an appropriate explanation of why they can't and as soon as possible in the air it would come right away. It all depends on how this was handled by the crew IMHO.

 

[Keshia]

I personally think that a lot of people who fly First Class need to take a step back and be a little less entitled. Yes, it's a lot of money, but rules are in place for a reason and if you're, as one member stated, required to only drink sparkling water etc then it's YOUR responsibility to discuss this with the airline PRIOR to your take off. It's like being a vegetarian but not requesting a vegetarian meal and then being angry at the airline for not having enough for you. If it's something as simple as "well I just prefer sparkling water" then chill out and wait like the rest of us. It doesn't take six hours for the plane to take off.

 

[Chalkie]

I agree 100%, RichardMEL. A pre-flight glass of sparkling water in international F is an absurd request to deny without a very, very good reason.

 

[cwphoto]

Absolutely disgusting. Since having major surgery some years ago it is very difficult for me to swallow still water, it feels like swallowing concrete. So I must have sparkling water. Being denied sparkling water like that is a very poor decision by Qantas and a PR disaster.

Take a cup of cement and...