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

[juddles]

I disagree that this is all just a simple thing of "penny pinching". Just does not make sense. But I would agree that cost could be a factor that is one of many - including regulations / onboard logistics / time constraints / etc etc.

At the end of the day though, I think "most" would agree that when you pay for first, you could reasonably expect that you could get a glass of sparkling water. Or a Coke. Or an orange juice, a cup of tea, etc.

 

[milehighclub]

Or a Coke. Or an orange juice, a cup of tea, etc.

Coke - no problem, it's loaded in the economy self service area, and a crew member can easily retrieve it.
Orange juice - no problem, this is actually loaded in a meal cart because it's considered a fresh product, and can't be reused out of Australia unlike the rest of the contents of the bar cart, which continue to cycle through the network.
Tea - Maybe. Sometimes when the potable water is being loaded, the water won't pump through the aircraft.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I've seen a caffe latte and biscotti served as a PDB in EK F.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I would love to know the background on why this was denied.

I don't understand why people are defending this action by QF with the stupid typical Aussie attitude of suck it up princess. The OP has paid (a LOT) for a service and not received it....pretty simple.

 

[RichardMEL]

Just a thought on PDB Champagne. Yes it's alcohol, but it's almost an accepted standard on international F (and J?) flights for most carriers (even UA do this, with their horrible plastic PDB cups) and I wonder if a bottle(or 2) of PDB bubbles are loaded separately to the sealed bar carts for this very purpose? I mean on most QF F flights I have been on they usually ask if you want a pre departure drink and specifically mention champagne, and most of us take them up on it (us bveing pax I see, including myself). It's probably far more rare for people to request a G&T, a glass of red or shot of vodka. I do see a bit of coffee though on some sectors and carriers, but of course that's not going to be in a sealed cart.

Just a thought

 

[MEL_Traveller]

... and I wonder if a bottle(or 2) of PDB bubbles are loaded separately to the sealed bar carts for this very purpose?

Yes. That’s exactly what happens. almost all food and beverage is brought onto the aircraft in carts. Some of those carts are sealed with a customs seal. Most aren’t.

If airlines break the customs seal on the ground they need to pay duty. The open carts they can access (for example food, soft drinks etc). ‘Open’ carts will include champagne for PDB. And on someone like qantas that will be significant with up to 60 business class and 14 F.

 

[milehighclub]

Champagne that has duty paid are not loaded in bar carts.

They are placed by the caterer directly into the chilled stowages (with milk), to keep it nice and cold because nobody wants warm champagne!

 

[RooFlyer]

Memo to Qantas. See those chilled stowages over there? The ones with the milk and Champagne in them? Be a good airline and chuck a couple of $5 bottles of sparking water in them will you, so when I pay $10,000+ for a seat in First, I can have a glass before takeoff; I'm sure some one will have some of it later too, so it won't be wasted.

Ta.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Memo to Qantas. See those chilled stowages over there? The ones with the milk and Champagne in them? Be a good airline and chuck a couple of $5 bottles of sparking water in them will you, so when I pay $10,000+ for a seat in First, I can have a glass before takeoff; I'm sure some one will have some of it later too, so it won't be wasted.

Ta.

What? And provide ‘service’ to F customers? Not the Australian way, mate.

 

[JRR]

As the OP i am genuinely pleased to see that the majority of us still stick up for the customer. Over on other forums the majority always side with the airline over the paying customer in a premium cabin on even the most basic of “entitlements”.

Only a couple of those here !

 

[juddles]

As the OP i am genuinely pleased to see that the majority of us still stick up for the customer. Over on other forums the majority always side with the airline over the paying customer in a premium cabin on even the most basic of “entitlements”.

Only a couple of those here !

JRR, perhaps you could take the opportunity here, given that you had that bad experience AND have some feedback on this forum, to send an email to QF to demand an explanation. It would be very interesting what they respond. (may I suggest keeping the email very dry and unemotive )

In my experience flight staff often "make something up" when put on the spot, maybe because they are embarrassed at the time, or maybe they have instructions to say certain things. Would be great to hear the official line, and it would be very brave of QF (or any airline) to disregard such an email from a First customer.

In any case, I have a couple of F flights on a couple of airlines coming up this year. My next is AA out of MIA. I will make sure I ask for a glass of sparkling water as a PDB on each flight, just for our collective AFF research

 

[trippin_the_rift]

90 years of business and this is the first ever thread where someone is complaining about sparkling water...

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes, because in the 90 years of business, service seems in a continual decline. We've now reached lack of (sparkling) water, which may say something!

 

[serfty]

In any case, I have a couple of F flights on a couple of airlines coming up this year. My next is AA out of MIA. I will make sure I ask for a glass of sparkling water as a PDB on each flight, just for our collective AFF research

The OP was denied on a four class flight service. Unless you can find the same four class on AA it's not relevant ... (I know about AA FA's propensity to not provide PDB to pointy end PAX - but that's more protest action than anything else.)

 

[Pleb Status]

90 years of business and this is the first ever thread where someone is complaining about sparkling water...

Could it therefore be said that the QF service level has dropped to its lowest point in 90 years (in comparison to completing airlines in the same class)...

 

[marki]

Normal business class domestic flights offer pre-flight ( on closing doors) sparkling water also energisers. Cannot be that bad still.

 

[RichardMEL]

Normal business class domestic flights offer pre-flight ( on closing doors) sparkling water also energisers. Cannot be that bad still.

Yes but domestic is a whole other situation not involving duties and all that rubbish... they can crack open whatever they like on the ground it makes no difference.

 

[justinbrett]

Yes but domestic is a whole other situation not involving duties and all that rubbish... they can crack open whatever they like on the ground it makes no difference.

You don’t pay duty on water. Sparkling or otherwise.

 

[oz_mark]

You don’t pay duty on water. Sparkling or otherwise.

Well, for domestic it doesn't matter which cart you pack the bottles in.

 

[get me outta here]

Just catching up here. I know our esteemed AFF newsletter editor and I can guarantee he is not in the gutter. . I haven’t seen the newsletter, but if that is the title, it is factually correct.

I see that the latest AFF newsletter used the caption "Denied water in first class". LOL. Nothing like gutter journalism and using words that appeal to lowest common denominator.