catering changes when ??

[Cool Cat Phil]

BNE > CBR @ 15:00 yesterday and nothing was different. Tiny, tiny little jam-filled biscuit and tea, coffee, juice or water...

You get more flying in Y on legacy carrier in the USA - and let's not forget how mean their Y product offering is.

 

[theoracle30]

Recently got asked to do a survey for VA - it was a very comprehensive look at their catering offerings vs price and other airlines.

 

[Mattg]

Recently got asked to do a survey for VA - it was a very comprehensive look at their catering offerings vs price and other airlines.

Looks like they're still fixated on the idea of selling decent food as an (overpriced) extra, rather than incorporating it into the fare price.

I don't want to pay $8.50 for a pie on VA, but I would pay an extra $20-30 to fly Qantas if a proper meal was included.

 

[Pleb Status]

Looks like they're still fixated on the idea of selling decent food as an (overpriced) extra, rather than incorporating it into the fare price.

I don't want to pay $8.50 for a pie on VA, but I would pay an extra $20-30 to fly Qantas if a proper meal was included.

I am the exact opposite. I would rather pocket the $20-30 and buy something decent before I leave/when I arrive, particularly on shorter flights like BNE-SYD and SYD-MEL etc.

 

[Mattg]

I am the exact opposite. I would rather pocket the $20-30 and buy something decent before I leave/when I arrive, particularly on shorter flights like BNE-SYD and SYD-MEL etc.

Fair enough - each to their own, I guess.

I guess my point is more that I think they should include decent catering as part of the fare, rather than trying to nickel & dime their passengers. It looks very LCC in my view.

 

[oz_mark]

Fair enough - each to their own, I guess.

I guess my point is more that I think they should include decent catering as part of the fare, rather than trying to nickel & dime their passengers. It looks very LCC in my view.

If you get on a Qantas flights where you get a 'refreshment', you don't get a chance to top it up with something more substantial. Swings and roundabouts really...

Having said that, the Qantas 'refreshments' are typically more sizeable than the VA micro-bites.

 

[ap_spd]

while i agree food on a flight this short can be bought I think the discussion is needed because JB said watch out for catering changes..

 

[oz_mark]

while i agree food on a flight this short can be bought I think the discussion is needed because JB said watch out for catering changes..

I just want them to do proper snacks, if they want to do snacks. Not a muesli bar that's been cut into quarters, and packaged individually

 

[OzEire]

they should include decent catering as part of the fare, rather than trying to nickel & dime their passengers. It looks very LCC in my view.

Like PlebStatus, I would rather have a cheaper fare and a menu of options including the option to have nothing and save those $$.

OTOH, when I travel for FedGov clients they pay the "fare" but not onboard extras, so an all inclusive option would work in my favour. Even so, I'd prefer the choice.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

OTOH, when I travel for FedGov clients they pay the "fare" but not onboard extras, so an all inclusive option would work in my favour. Even so, I'd prefer the choice.

I don't get a choice at all. Its - here is your ticket - your flying with XZY - go. So, l'd rather they just put something decent in front of me. Oh, can VA please add more to their inflight entertainment (as a data point, last time l checked, the Ross Greenwood podcast is 6+ months old...)

 

[Pleb Status]

So this is the fundamental problem that VA faces.

Group A, who pays for their own tickets, does not want to pay a large inbuilt and unavoidable amount for food (and other services) that may or may not be worth the additional cost and varies significantly with route and time of day.

Group B, who pays nothing (cost covered by others), does not care about value for their money etc and just wants everything to be provided.

Unfortunately, VA cannot satisfy both Group A and Group B at the same time. As QF leans towards Group B then VA has decided to lean towards Group A.

Earlier this week, I made bookings for four VA transcon flights and saved a total $557.15 over the equivalent QF flights. As a firm member of Group A, I have pocketed this saving and very happy to do so. The only things I will miss out on will be a few slices of pizza in the QF PER Dom J lounge and a possibly larger meal and ice cream on the flights which I have not upgraded to J. Overall, the cost/benefit analysis was not even close.

Not serving complimentary soft drink etc on all flights is a bit cheap IMHO but unless better food can appear magically for free (to VA), the status quo looks like it is going to be the way forward.

The advantage of some competition is I at least have an option if I do not like what is being provided by my current service provider.

 

[CPMaverick]

I don't want to pay $8.50 for a pie on VA, but I would pay an extra $20-30 to fly Qantas if a proper meal was included.

So you would rather pay more overall, with less choice? Or are you saying there is no 'proper meal' for purchase on VA?

If the former, all I can figure is you are spending someone else's money for one and not the other...

 

[ap_spd]

update from VA
-----------------
There are a number of changes occurring across Virgin Australia in regard to catering. These reflect not only an internal review but also a number of customer "focus groups" to provide input.

In September we have improved the quality of the "bite" snacks on short flights, larger improved quality "snacks" in medium flights and new hot food items on longer domestic sectors.

The above was just the start. Early in 2018 we will deliver a further improvement to our complementary offering but also a personalized world class retail offering.

 

[McLarin]

Just got off the plane from LAX-MEL and I had a flight attendant tell me it was the first time they were serving French toast as part of their breakfast choices. Changes could be starting to happen in Y

 

[grubbidok]

I just want them to do proper snacks, if they want to do snacks. Not a muesli bar that's been cut into quarters, and packaged individually

Agree - a pack of cheese and biscuits and a bottle of ginger beer and they'd have my loyalty forever.

 

[tgt01]

This morning flying BNE to MEL there were 2 breakfast choices... Pre-sliced and packaged apple or what appeared to be a decent size granola bar (not the usual bite size Carmens bar).

 

[ap_spd]

Well on SYD BNE we were given both and then was on Alliance Air Flight to GLT and was offered a muffin and yoghurt.. so catering seems to be going in the right direction..

 

[Mattg]

Well I haven't seen any evidence of the new and improved snacks this week. This is what I got on my flight yesterday (2pm departure)...



...and on my flight today (4pm departure):

 

[oz_mark]

Well I haven't seen any evidence of the new and improved snacks this week. This is what I got on my flight yesterday (2pm departure)...

Familiar looking biscuits!

 

[RickyT84]

Like many others, I received and completed the catering survey sent by VA. Some of the options they had were quite interesting (e.g. full range of drinks vs. water/tea/coffee/juice vs. water only, as well as, hot meal vs. salads/sandwiches/roll vs. snack).

Really hope VA listens to their customers and improve their catering.