Economy Flexible fare food

[concorde71]

Here is my idea for a Flexi menu, simple and easy, allowing for choice and variety:

Guests may choose one item from the 'Light Meal' section of the menu and/or one item from the 'Snack' section, and one alcoholic beverage of their choice. All non-alcoholic beverages e.g. soft drinks, juices and coffee are complimentary.

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So, what you are saying essentially, is that PE options for meals?

 

[concorde71]

In all honesty, we all only eat what is given to us because it is there. for the average BE-SYD,CBR,MEL, most of us would probably not be to bothered by it if it wasn't handed to us. Most of us have a nibble and a few drinks in the lounge, and couldn't really care about some random inflight offering. (Shhhh If I like something in the lounge, it becomes an inflight offering in my seat)

 

[Noob]

So, what you are saying essentially, is that PE options for meals?

Not quite,

• Premium Economy guests currently have unlimited food and beverage from the menu, they can have as much food or alcohol as they please.
• 'Flexi' Economy guests would be limited to one choice from each of the 'Snack', 'Light Meal', and 'Wine, Beer and Spirits' menus, with unlimited non-alcoholic beverages. Basically allowing them to construct their own meal according to what they feel like.

I think eventually either all passengers will receive food and beverages (Like V Australia), or, flexi economy guests will be seated in their own section ie. Main cabin select - because otherwise the process as highlighted by Justchecking will become very unorganised and messy.

Either way the new menu on Virgin Australia is fantastic, and the food is truly delicious especially the banana bread, beef panini, braised beef and vermicelli noodle salad.

In all honesty, we all only eat what is given to us because it is there. for the average BE-SYD,CBR,MEL, most of us would probably not be to bothered by it if it wasn't handed to us. Most of us have a nibble and a few drinks in the lounge, and couldn't really care about some random inflight offering. (Shhhh If I like something in the lounge, it becomes an inflight offering in my seat)

Sounds like a plan, those cookies are so good....

 

[concorde71]

Dont forget the Pies.... Damn they are good

 

[Mal]

From what I've had so far:

Lunch Flights:
- Wrap of cold meat and salad
- Lindt chocolate block
- Plastic cup of Apple or OJ

Evening Flights:
- Pack of crackers
- Small tub of salsa
- Block of cheese
- Chocolate
- Plastic (small) cup of red or white or a crownie (I'm assuming the latter would be a bottle off the cart)

BNE-SYD and SYD-BNE pretty much mirrored this yesterday/today.

11am Flight ex-BNE:
salted beef w/ vintage cheese and Mesculun in a tortilla wrap.
35g block of Lindt.
Bottle of water (same as QF have)
Offer of a juice, coffee or softdrink (I think). My coffee didn't turn up.

I thought this was a pretty good meal for the time of the day.

5pm flight ex-SYD
red pepper salsa dip
olive oil crackers
20g block of chedder (a Tasmanian brand I haven't seen before)
20g cadbury dary milk.
bottle of water (Same as QF have)
20g (I think) of trail mix.

Offered a beer, wine, softdrink (might have been more). Chose beer and was given a crown.

Pretty strange though that none of the items are on the main menu, and that you are given something (eg crown) that was once on the menu but removed. Someone behind me asked for a beer, and was told "Pure Blonde is the only one available". LOL (True, but not really thought I as I was drinking my crown).

Wasn't that fussed with the 5pm flight feed...

 

[LiamR]

Slightly OT...

One of the things I'd really like to see as a Platinum member (Even as a unwritten official benefit) is a drink of the flexi cart. On an OOL-SYD, all I really want is a cup of Juice in the morning, or water for the rest of the day. Meals are good for flexis and PE pax, but just a small cup of something of the flexi cart would go a long way IMO.

 

[777]

Hmmm. I've flown on a few flexis recently and i have to say i think the catering side of things just isn't working and needs some revision. The main problem being that flexis are totally inflexible. If you want/ need to vary the menu at all you end up being penalised for it. If i had a dollar for every time someone has said "i'll just have a diet coke" (or other soft drink) when offered tea/ coffee/ juice/ wine/ beer and been told politely that they need to pay for it i'd be doing ok.

Personally, I've also had several flexi flights when i've actually wanted or needed some proper food and had to pay full price for it. Surely they can extend the drink selection to soft drink and offer some kind of discount/ credit if you decide that at 7pm you actually need something other than crackers and a chocolate to eat. I'd hope it's an evolving product and they're taking the feedback on board. Not sure i'll bother with the flexis too much from now on though.

 

[Mal]

Hmmm. I've flown on a few flexis recently and i have to say i think the catering side of things just isn't working and needs some revision. The main problem being that flexis are totally inflexible. If you want/ need to vary the menu at all you end up being penalised for it. If i had a dollar for every time someone has said "i'll just have a diet coke" (or other soft drink) when offered tea/ coffee/ juice/ wine/ beer and been told politely that they need to pay for it i'd be doing ok.

Dietary reasons are important too. (and I was probably wrong about being offered Soft drinks ...) Looking around at the (4 or so) others who were on Flex's heading down to SYD, I think 2 left the wrap and nibbled at the rest and the others ate it.

Perhaps $15 or $20 from the menu would be a better plan? Doesn't fit in well with the Capital Connect program though (ie meals between SYD and CBR).

And when you think about it, QF at 5pm (eg my case) would provide less to their FLEXI passengers than what DJ did. Something for DJ to take to their thinktank and try and work out...

 

[LiamR]

Hmmm. I've flown on a few flexis recently and i have to say i think the catering side of things just isn't working and needs some revision. The main problem being that flexis are totally inflexible. If you want/ need to vary the menu at all you end up being penalised for it. If i had a dollar for every time someone has said "i'll just have a diet coke" (or other soft drink) when offered tea/ coffee/ juice/ wine/ beer and been told politely that they need to pay for it i'd be doing ok.

Personally, I've also had several flexi flights when i've actually wanted or needed some proper food and had to pay full price for it. Surely they can extend the drink selection to soft drink and offer some kind of discount/ credit if you decide that at 7pm you actually need something other than crackers and a chocolate to eat. I'd hope it's an evolving product and they're taking the feedback on board. Not sure i'll bother with the flexis too much from now on though.

One of the problems I think they are having, (I'm not defending them, infact the opposite) is a logistical problem. A friend of mine was crewing a flight recently and the manifest read something like this...

MEL-LST
176 PAX
83 Flexi Meals
2 UNMR
5 WCHS

Flightime 55mins

How does anybody serve 83 flexi meals, serve PE guests and do a full PAYG run selling food in one flight?

Not to mention, finding space in a LCC galley for 83 flexi meals, 2 & 1/2 food carts and whatever else they store. They have had to reduce the menu to fix this, what would be nice is if they could remove drinks off the menu and just pour drinks into cups and give them out for free.

That way you can do two runs through the cabin.

1. Flexi meals for those who qualify for them, as well as serving drinks at the same time. That way flexis have choice.
2. The PAYG or cash run, where you can sell all the traditional stuff they tend to sell. By not selling (most) drinks on the menu, you can free up space.

I'm no expert in airlines, so I've got no clue if this will work or not. But it sounds a lot more efficent to me than what is currently going on.

 

[Noob]

Slightly OT...

One of the things I'd really like to see as a Platinum member (Even as a unwritten official benefit) is a drink of the flexi cart. On an OOL-SYD, all I really want is a cup of Juice in the morning, or water for the rest of the day. Meals are good for flexis and PE pax, but just a small cup of something of the flexi cart would go a long way IMO.

Hopefully, everyone will have included food and beverage in the future - But I agree, would be a good benefit, even though I am unlikely to tip into Platinum any time soon - I just don't fly THAT much.

 

[777]

One of the problems I think they are having, (I'm not defending them, infact the opposite) is a logistical problem. A friend of mine was crewing a flight recently and the manifest read something like this... <snip>

That's a fair point re: timing. Still, the frustration probably matters less on short flights that long ones. Perhaps they could offer more flexibility on the longer legs?

 

[N860CR]

I don't think the "flexi-food" is a long term solution for DJ. It seems like a quickly banged together option to keep people a little happier and I believe, to an extent, it has worked. While the food may not be great... the fare options (since the revamp) are a lot better and I feel less ripped off booking a flight the day before and getting a ~$300 flexi (with some food, a drink and some extra SC) than the old days of booking a ~$300 blue-saver and getting the same as the Go Fare pax. It's also made Y+ a little easier to justify. I booked a one way Y+ out of BNE yesterday (again at a days notice) for ~$350 (or $20 more than flexi) when previously they were over $500.

With the changes to the Canberra service, I really think that a full service economy isn't too far away. It wouldn't exactly be hard to beat the QF offerings... (as much as I love the beetroot chips :shock

 

[jsoprano]

I still think the flexible fares are great value for money, but I agree with many of you that DJ needs to straighten up their food & bev policy. I mean this both in regard to what you actually get when on the plane (had a SYD-PER 8 PM flight and was shocked when they presented me the crackers as a meal, while it seems you get the wrap until around 5 PM as a suitable afternoon meal), but also in regard to the following "exemptions":

• Generally, it's paid food for Saver and included for Flexible fares
• except their Capital Connect service
• except their intra-WA flights (got a proper sandwich last week on both PER-PHE late morning as well as PHE-PER evening service)

(OT from the food, but I also haven't worked out what the rule is on live2air. On most flights recently it was free for all, but then I had a MEL-PER morning flight where it was not. Ten days later on the same flight it was free for all again.)

I am not whinging, appreciate all the improvements and DJ is definetly on the right track, but I suggest that more consistency wouldn't hurt.

 

[oz_mark]

I am not whinging, appreciate all the improvements and DJ is definetly on the right track, but I suggest that more consistency wouldn't hurt.

You could say the same about Qantas :shock:

 

[jsoprano]

You could say the same about Qantas :shock:

Completely agree, and it is said a lot about Qantas around here, but not so much about DJ.

I just thought while most here seem to be in their "Honeymoon" phase with DJ, it doesn't hurt to bring some balance into the conversation because none of both airlines are perfect, there is always room for improvement. And DJ is very active here on AFF, so I am pretty sure they appreciate all kinds of qualified feedback, good and bad.

 

[kevrosmith]

Wasn't there another thread talking about DJ's food logistics and offerings recently? (after they reduced their menu). Someone (FA?) told me recently that we should expect to see DJ going full-service by year's end, so I guess all these issues will fade into history. I think it's a good thing, as long as the prices don't jack up too high!

And not that I'm saying this is a justification, but for those comparing getting a wine versus wanting a softdrink on a Flexi-fare: the wine is poured out of a large wine bottle, not an individual-size bottle: similar to QF J vs. QF Y wine offering, so it's not really a case of comparing a $7 bottle of wine to a $3 can of softdrink. It's surprises me to hear that they won't give you a softdrink instead of a wine though.

 

[Jack Melon]

If you have feedback for them, use the feedback option on there website as it definitely gets read and dealt with...