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

[juddles]

....I remember one time on EK leaving some place they only offered Moet as a PDB in F rather than the Dom. I enquired about it and they expressed it was a similar situation to this. I just said OK no worries I'll wait till take off. It seemed a bit silly and penny pinching for a carrier like EK...

Yes, I recall that same thing departing the USA on EK. I cannot remember what reason they told me, but I seriously do not think it was a cost-cutting thing - upon takeoff they were very keen to get as much Dom into me as they could.

 

[marki]

Yes, I recall that same thing departing the USA on EK. I cannot remember what reason they told me, but I seriously do not think it was a cost-cutting thing - upon takeoff they were very keen to get as much Dom into me as they could.

Yep I agree no problems in keeping the Champs topped up. ( QF perspective is a it better especially from Australia)

 

[Pleb Status]

Yes, I recall that same thing departing the USA on EK. I cannot remember what reason they told me, but I seriously do not think it was a cost-cutting thing - upon takeoff they were very keen to get as much Dom into me as they could.

I had this happen on EK in F ex BNE in December 2017 and it was solely a cost cutting exercise. There is no reason not to serve the Dom otherwise....

 

[Kangol]

Not QF First lounge in TBIT, unless a 26oz glass bottle is your thing ...

T4 F/L have small bottles, FWIW

 

[serfty]

T4 F/L have small bottles, FWIW

Hence my specific lounge reference ...

 

[lowan74]

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.

As a point of reference I have flown AA on PEK-ORD-PEK in J several times in the past year and they have happily offered champagne after boarding (with top-ups) in both directions. I did the same route on UA about 18 months ago in J and they offered a full bar service before take off in both directions. It does make it look lika a cost cutting policy..

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I'm not convinced it isn't a cost saving exercise, you only have to look at domestic J meals most of which cost less than a gold coin to make. However having the sparkling water in the sealed bar cart could well just be a process flow problem where nobody at HQ realised that sparkling water would be requested before departure.

 

[BD1959]

However having the sparkling water in the sealed bar cart could well just be a process flow problem where nobody at HQ realised that sparkling water would be requested before departure.

.... although sparkling water is offered alongside still as standard as (cost cutting) pre-departure drinks on Domestic?

Regards,

BD

 

[trippin_the_rift]

FACTS:

1. Airlines don't, and won't ever offer unlimited beverage choices pre-takeoff. Weight is a major issue and the current choice many airlines offer for first class pax is more than sufficient to cover 99.9% of choices, including spirits champagne, juices, water etc.

2. Local regulators prohibit ALL airlines from opening carts prior to departure. This includes ports such as LAX, LHR, SFO, AKL, AMS, DEL and many many more. Australia does not have such laws and carts can be opened subject to airline policies prior to departure. (Note: Regulations are based on where the aircraft is departing from, and not the home country of the airline).

3. Any item located inside the cart (ie: sparkling water, meals, etc) opened prior to departure would result in significant penalties for the airline if local laws prohibit such. In this case - sparkling water is only loaded into drink carts, and thus opening drink cart prior to departure would result in the same as any other alcohol being opened from that cart. Additionally, the FAA has specific guides around the storage and security of meal carts.

 

[marki]

FACTS:

1. Airlines don't, and won't ever offer unlimited beverage choices pre-takeoff. Weight is a major issue and the current choice many airlines offer for first class pax is more than sufficient to cover 99.9% of choices, including spirits champagne, juices, water etc.

2. Local regulators prohibit ALL airlines from opening carts prior to departure. This includes ports such as LAX, LHR, SFO, AKL, AMS, DEL and many many more. Australia does not have such laws and carts can be opened subject to airline policies prior to departure. (Note: Regulations are based on where the aircraft is departing from, and not the home country of the airline).

3. Any item located inside the cart (ie: sparkling water, meals, etc) opened prior to departure would result in significant penalties for the airline if local laws prohibit such. Additionally, the FAA has specific guides around the storage and security of meal carts.

Makes sense

 

[MEL_Traveller]

FACTS:

1. Airlines don't, and won't ever offer unlimited beverage choices pre-takeoff. Weight is a major issue and the current choice many airlines offer for first class pax is more than sufficient to cover 99.9% of choices, including spirits champagne, juices, water etc.

2. Local regulators prohibit ALL airlines from opening carts prior to departure. This includes ports such as LAX, LHR, SFO, AKL, AMS, DEL and many many more. Australia does not have such laws and carts can be opened subject to airline policies prior to departure. (Note: Regulations are based on where the aircraft is departing from, and not the home country of the airline).

3. Any item located inside the cart (ie: sparkling water, meals, etc) opened prior to departure would result in significant penalties for the airline if local laws prohibit such. Additionally, the FAA has specific guides around the storage and security of meal carts.

I'm not sure I follow on '2'. Sure, regulations may apply to sealed carts, but non-sealed carts should include the basics, of which sparkling water is one. Plenty of airlines serve alcohol from the ports you mention prior to departure. Just the duty has been paid on it. (CX serves champagne before departure from LAX. BA serves champagne prior to departure from LHR.)

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I'm not sure I follow on '2'. Sure, regulations may apply to sealed carts, but non-sealed carts should include the basics, of which sparkling water is one. Plenty of airlines serve alcohol from the ports you mention prior to departure. Just the duty has been paid on it. (CX serves champagne before departure from LAX. BA serves champagne prior to departure from LHR.)

There is a separate loading of beverages which are used for pre-flight drinks which are not loaded into carts. Thus, back to point (1), that airlines are never going to offer every drink under the sun prior to departure.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There is a separate loading of beverages which are used for pre-flight drinks which are not loaded into carts. Thus, back to point (1), that airlines are never going to offer every drink under the sun prior to departure.

Happy to stand corrected but doesn't everything come on board in carts? Or how do they get the dozen or so bottles of champagne + water + juice plus all the accompanying glasses and pre-departure snacks on?

 

[cwphoto]

Happy to stand corrected but doesn't everything come on board in carts? Or how do they get the dozen or so bottles of champagne + water + juice plus all the accompanying glasses and pre-departure snacks on?

Different carts - some sealed, some not.

 

[RooFlyer]

FACTS:

1. Airlines don't, and won't ever offer unlimited beverage choices pre-takeoff. Weight is a major issue and the current choice many airlines offer for first class pax is more than sufficient to cover 99.9% of choices, including spirits champagne, juices, water etc.

I'm sure you are correct, but here we are talking about offering sparkling water in First Class. I don't think sparkling water is an unusual, exotic or unreasonable thing for a First Class pax to be served as a PDB.

FACTS:

2. Local regulators prohibit ALL airlines from opening carts prior to departure. This includes ports such as LAX, LHR, SFO, AKL, AMS, DEL and many many more. Australia does not have such laws and carts can be opened subject to airline policies prior to departure. (Note: Regulations are based on where the aircraft is departing from, and not the home country of the airline).

'Opening sealed carts', I'm sure you mean. Else how does anything get served pre departure? Its (sparkling) water, FFS.

FACTS:

3. Any item located inside the cart (ie: sparkling water, meals, etc) opened prior to departure would result in significant penalties for the airline if local laws prohibit such. In this case - sparkling water is only loaded into drink carts, and thus opening drink cart prior to departure would result in the same as any other alcohol being opened from that cart. Additionally, the FAA has specific guides around the storage and security of meal carts.

Solution: Load the sparkling water wherever the still water is stored. OR to hell with the cost, buy the sparkling water AND pay the tax/duty so its accessible. What would it be over 2 or 3 bottles? A dollar? Again, "Its First FFS".

Sorry T-t-R, not aiming FFS at you, but its the whole mindset of a penny pinching airline. Its First. Now, unlimited really good Champagnes I can understand not being on the table (or in the carts). But sparkling water? Pay the freak'n duty on some sparking water, Qantas and act like the classy airline you tell everyone you are.

 

[Comoman]

SQ serves Krug (in fact anything you want) in F before departure in both the USA and LHR. If they can do it surely QF can?

 

[serfty]

It's penny pinching.

The sealed cards are "Duty Free" until they are opened; which if still on the ground means applicable taxes/duties/etc. would need to be paid on the entire contents of the cart.

A simple litre of sparkling water could be made available separate from the sealed carts which may add $5 to the cost of every First Class departure; out of LAX that's $10 a day.

 

[BD1959]

I don't know why everyone is getting so heated about penny pinching.

Australia, land of: Credit Card surcharges; Trolley Charges at Airports; Absurd Airport Car Parking Charges; etc etc

Qantas: Spirit of Australia

Can't say they don't advertise it!!

Regards,

BD

 

[milehighclub]

2. Local regulators prohibit ALL airlines from opening carts prior to departure. This includes ports such as LAX, LHR, SFO, AKL, AMS, DEL and many many more. Australia does not have such laws and carts can be opened subject to airline policies prior to departure. (Note: Regulations are based on where the aircraft is departing from, and not the home country of the airline).

You are only prohibited from opening a bar cart from the the US if you don't pay duty on the entire contents. The duty only applies to the alcohol part only though.

AKL does not have this rule.

"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??

Having reread the first page of posts, this seems like the flight attendant made a mistake. We can, and always can open anything that is available to us. If it's in a sealed bar cart that cannot be opened before take off because or local regulations, then we can't, but this implies that there was a bottle/can of sparkling water outside of a sealed cart, but simply unopened. They could have opened it. There is no duty on non alcoholic beverages.

 

[Kangol]

2. Local regulators prohibit ALL airlines from opening carts prior to departure. This includes ports such as LAX, LHR, SFO, AKL, AMS, DEL and many many more. Australia does not have such laws and carts can be opened subject to airline policies prior to departure. (Note: Regulations are based on where the aircraft is departing from, and not the home country of the airline).

I'm at about 50-50 of being served the F champagne prior to takeoff ex-LAX. This has been roughly on alternate occasions, so it's not indicative of any recent change in internal policy.
Penny pinching is quite clear.