I can't work out VAs on-board F&B

[Deleted member 29185]

I haven't tried too hard, but given I'm a fairly frequent VA pax, I have to ask why is their on-board F&B so hard to work out?

Recently, I've been doing a number of BNE-ROK and vv sectors. Twice I've asked for a wine with the snack (wallet out prepared to pay) and twice been told "sorry sir, ROK is a regional flight and we don't load alcoholic drinks". I was well aware that the ATR didn't have grog, but previously, I was always able to buy a drink on the 737s and E-jets so I assumed the introduction of the included snack must have meant the enhancement of the beer and wines. So be it, annoying but I can live without a drink for 45 minutes! Along comes my ROK-BNE flt last night and the snack is served (the Mainland cheese and Jatz pack) and the lovely lady asked what I would like to drink with it. Being a smart alec I replied "I'd like a wine but I'm probably not likely to get that" and she she "oh no, you can have a wine"!! Well, blow me down, this was the exact same flight, the exact same aircraft (E-jet) that a few weeks ago, all I got was the choice of water or juice with no grog even for purchase, now I got it complementary!

Please don't take me as ungrateful, but why the differences? Are others finding the same challenges?

 

[Intra]

I gave up trying to figure out what I got when I was doing commutes SYD-OOL on a weekly basis afew months ago (Back when my budget could afford such trips); Sometimes I get the free snack and drink, sometimes they would want me to pay for the drink (Then they did me a "favour" and gave me the drink for free), sometimes I got nothing... I gave up trying, I just ate and drank more @ The Lounge beforehand and take a cup of water while enjoying TV shows on my iPad....

Now they are serving the free snack to everyone... apparently, I haven't done the route since (Budget make things hard <_<)

 

[Plutonus]

Yes, on all the announcements they say complimentary snack to/from OOL lately.

I gave up trying to figure out what I got when I was doing commutes SYD-OOL on a weekly basis afew months ago (Back when my budget could afford such trips); Sometimes I get the free snack and drink, sometimes they would want me to pay for the drink (Then they did me a "favour" and gave me the drink for free), sometimes I got nothing... I gave up trying, I just ate and drank more @ The Lounge beforehand and take a cup of water while enjoying TV shows on my iPad....

Now they are serving the free snack to everyone... apparently, I haven't done the route since (Budget make things hard <_<)

 

[JohnK]

We got a couple of raisins and some seeds I couldn't recognise with half a cup of orange juice on the 7:05pm OOL-SYD dinner flight last night.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

I do OOL-SYD fairly frequently and definitely do not get too excited by the prospect of a snack. Early morning flights you get a museli bar and evening flights e.g. 410pm - 6.10pm you get dried fruit and almonds. I have not done a non-peak flight so am unsure what you get during lunch or in the evenings. I have contemplated bringing a very large zip-lock bag and stealing all the popcorn from the lounge for the flight back.

swanning_it just out of curiosity what time was your ROK-BNE flight? Maybe all ports get happy hour 5-7pm.

 

[Justchecking]

I think BNE-ROK is a regional flight so you get tea and coffee juice in the morning and alcohol in the arvo only. ATRs do have alcohol but only on the afternoon flights, I use to have a wine in my evening flights on the ATR.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

swanning_it just out of curiosity what time was your ROK-BNE flight? Maybe all ports get happy hour 5-7pm.

19:30 depart ROK.

I think BNE-ROK is a regional flight so you get tea and coffee juice in the morning and alcohol in the arvo only. ATRs do have alcohol but only on the afternoon flights, I use to have a wine in my evening flights on the ATR.

I can't comment on recent afternoon ATR flights except to say I've done only one (one too many) afternoon (or maybe early evening) ATR sectors (when they were first foist upon the unsuspecting public) and no alcohol was available. About 4 weeks ago I was on a ROK-BNE 19:30 flt and told no grog as it's a regional. About a week ago I was on a 15:05 BNE-ROK and was told no grog as it was a regional flight, then on Friday on a 19:30 ROK-BNE I was offered a wine as complementary . The two ROK-BNE were E-Jets and the one BNE-ROK was a 737. I'm flying again BNE-ROK today on the 15:05 so I'll see what the response is this time..........perhaps the F&B contractors flip a coin before loading........let's face it, the 30 cent muesli bar or the cheese and crackers wouldn't take much to load so surely it's not that they run out of time. There is no J on the ROK flights so it's also not that they need the space for those sumptuous () J meals.

I have no idea either about grog availability on morning or lunch time flights, as I'm not that much of an old soak to desire a drink before work :shock:.

EDIT: I should also say, that the offering I had on Friday evening was fabulous in my book. VA easily met my expectations for the fare paid and status held......isn't that what it's all about? In a nut shell, I had a leisurely 45min flight, where I selected a J seat (as plat), with nice music gate to gate with noise cancelling headphones, a comfortable jet with a relaxing Sav Blanc with cheese and crackers, then to finish off, arrivals access to the BNE lounge for a toastie and coffee before strolling down to the carousel to collect my luggage. Perfect. Well done VA, that was truly restoring the magic in flying! Now can you please do it consistently?

 

[SimonF]

It's about as random as " if your name is bob and you're born in 1980 then you get a free drink and if you're heading to somewhere really remote where there's seriously only one pub then you get a free drink "

 

[Deleted member 29185]

It's about as random as " if your name is bob and you're born in 1980 then you get a free drink and if you're heading to somewhere really remote where there's seriously only one pub then you get a free drink "

Ah, I see you work for VA, writing the T&Cs!

 

[mrpooky]

I could never work out what they were doing on the BNE <-> NTL route, and neither could they.

Same flights, same days of the week, yet sometimes it would be free beer / wine / cider, and sometimes not. On one flight a few months ago it even seemed to depend which FA served you: one was charging, while the other was handing it out for free.

I wonder if they'll ever work it out ... .

mrpooky.

 

[pythonisman]

It's a shame they don't just resolve to doing full food and beverage service properly.

It's clear from watching them work the aisles (or aisle rather) for a 1hr flight that they spend so much time and effort getting flexi meals (or snacks) to the right people, and then sometimes offering a snack, sometimes not, and then going through and doing a 'for sale' service anyway...

They know how many people will be on the plane, just pack some food and drinks for everyone and be done with it! At least then they can carry less variety (and more of each thing), get it out quick smart and quit worrying about it.

Flying QF vs VA MEL/BNE-SYD it's night and day the speed of service, even when QF are doing a full meal service in Y!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

BNE-ROK this afternoon back to the 30c muesli bar and choice of water or juice.....not even tea/coffee.

 

[SimonF]

I do agree in all seriousness they should just go full service carrier then join star alliance. I'm dreaming but I will happily continue to dream.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

I do agree in all seriousness they should just go full service carrier then join star alliance. I'm dreaming but I will happily continue to dream.

I dream of VA joining *A too as there are really only two major global alliances with OW having DOM connections through Qantas. However, I fear this would result in too many adverse consequences i.e. increased prices and adjustments to qualification thresholds for Velocity particularly as we have seen A3 having to making changes most likely forced from *A partners.

I disagree they should become full service as I don't want to pay Qantas prices but I think they should clarify their F&B offerings particularly for regional ports.

 

[SimonF]

I've found virgin to be cheaper quite a bit when looking at Sydney to Melbourne fares. Im looking last minute and general deadstar is cheapest followed by Qantas sometimes. If you include luggage then Qantas is often cheapest.

 

[JohnK]

BNE-ROK this afternoon back to the 30c muesli bar and choice of water or juice.....not even tea/coffee.

Love the inconsistency.

The muesli bars look cheap but something tells me Virgin are paying a lot more than 30c each. Or have I got that wrong?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Love the inconsistency.

The muesli bars look cheap but something tells me Virgin are paying a lot more than 30c each. Or have I got that wrong?

Wild guess on my part. They look like something Aldi sell in boxes of 10 for 3 bucks.........

EDIT: Just checked.....Aldi sells them for 50c a bar. My apologies for a gross exaggeration

 

[JohnK]

EDIT: Just checked.....Aldi sells them for 50c a bar. My apologies for a gross exaggeration

Sometimes it is difficult to guess cost.

The packaging of the snack they served on Friday night looked to cost way more than the ingredients of the packet.

 

[BD1959]

EDIT: Just checked.....Aldi sells them for 50c a bar. My apologies for a gross exaggeration

Well I can't imagine VA pay retail prices, so maybe 30c cost was closer!!

Regards,

BD

 

[eastwest101]

I agree that there often isn't much logic to it at all. I just flew SYD-BNE at 3pm on an E190 Y class service and got quite a nice sandwich and offer of a drink for free (Saver Fare) and then got onto a BNE-TSV service leaving at 5pm on a B738 Y class service and it was only water/coffee or tea for free and everything else available for purchase (Saver fare again).

The weird thing is both of those routes have quite vigorous competition and the longer BNE-TSV flight had BOB catering but the shorter SYD-BNE flight had a reasonable snack for free!

So it seems that fare class, departure time, length of flight, aircraft type, day of the week, departure point or even arrival port all go into a random number generator which spits out a randomly generated yes/no result for free vs paid catering on VA flights?

Personally I'm not too fussy either way but it strange to have such inconsistency, makes for a fun guessing game.....