Lack of Food on VA Int flight OOL>DPS

[HS-TQE]

If they're only selling 20 meals they can't be making much profit on that. Hardly seems worth the effort.

I think hot food is hard to find on US airlines in Y, which are probably closest to the model used by VA.

I think it's also the reason QF decided to make alcohol free for all, considering it was the only thing for sale onboard, once they had to stop taking cash it wasn't worth putting in a purchase system for it.

United Domestic/Short Haul International offers a limited range of hot Burgers/Toasties for BoB in Y. However UA only preloads hot meals food on Domestic/Short Haul International for flights over 1190 miles.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/dining/bistro.html

 

[oz_mark]

They don't want to invest in the infrastructure to do it. We use to do it but it's too hard basket.

Knowing the catering company they'd not load meals or something would happen

Jetstar manage to make it work, and.i thought they used the same caterer.

 

[justinbrett]

United Domestic/Short Haul International offers a limited range of hot Burgers/Toasties for BoB in Y. However UA only preloads hot meals food on Domestic/Short Haul International for flights over 1190 miles.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/dining/bistro.html

Yeah AA is the same, and that is what I was referring to.

 

[MooTime]

Jetstar manage to make it work, and.i thought they used the same caterer.

Jetstar have pre purchased meals?

That's the question here.
VA have the toasties as Jetstar do BoB.

 

[Bagpuss]

I either didnt know that or had forgotten Bain has lowered its service level.

I swear forum members are more interested in commenting on "Bain Capital Private Equity" than what "Bain Capital Private Equity" comment on Virgin Australia.

At the time of the transaction they would have been heavily involved. With the IPO on the backburner, Virgin Australia is really operating in line with a standard business model.

"Bain Capital Private Equity" has over 1,100 investments (1 is Virgin Australia), which have over $111 Billion USD in revenue and employees over half a million people.

https://www.baincapitalprivateequity.com/portfolio

 

[elanshin]

Jetstar have pre purchased meals?

That's the question here.
VA have the toasties as Jetstar do BoB.

It's one of the last steps in the ticket purchase steps (and you can add it in later). I just did a dummy SYD > CNS > NRT just to bring up the booking page. From memory the Max bundle includes both int'l meals and for domestic it's a $10 voucher to use on board. Their system isn't the most sophisticated and we had the staff ask us what we wanted to use our domestic voucher for in our international leg (NRT > CNS) then realised they were asking about the domestic flight portion when our food came about later again.

The full menu shows whats "on board" for each specific flight.


SYD > CNS


CNS > NRT

 

[MooTime]

It's one of the last steps in the ticket purchase steps (and you can add it in later). I just did a dummy SYD > CNS > NRT just to bring up the booking page. From memory the Max bundle includes both int'l meals and for domestic it's a $10 voucher to use on board. Their system isn't the most sophisticated and we had the staff ask us what we wanted to use our domestic voucher for in our international leg (NRT > CNS) then realised they were asking about the domestic flight portion when our food came about later again.

The full menu shows whats "on board" for each specific flight.
View attachment 365694

SYD > CNS
View attachment 365695

CNS > NRT
View attachment 365696
View attachment 365697

Ok.
So you can pre purchase meals on Jetstar international.
I actually remembering pre ordering a toastie on mel-cns flight many moons ago.

Seems VA under par by not having this option on its few VAi itineraries.

 

[elanshin]

Ok.
So you can pre purchase meals on Jetstar international.
I actually remembering pre ordering a toastie on mel-cns flight many moons ago.

Seems VA under par by not having this option on its few VAi itineraries.

JQd has it too.

I looked at what happened if I booked a flight for tonight (departing in 2 hours) and it was vouchers only but one departing on Sunday showed this. Funnily while this costs money, the ability to prebook meals is not a thing with QF - you just get what goes around in the carts (or hasn't run out especially in J)

 

[Bagpuss]

Seems VA under par by not having this option on its few VAi itineraries.

I expect this comes in part with some complexities around catering and the required systems.

I'd support the long discussed new crew rostering system over a meal ordering platform.

VA's international operation is nothing in comparison to JQ.

Whilst on a similar note I just dont know why VA doesn't just offer free snacks / small cold meals in addition to the free coffee / tea / water. If you want other drinks then they would be BoB. I tend to feel people more care about inclusive food and coffee / tea / water. It seems a happy medium domestically and internationally.

 

[oz_mark]

Jetstar have pre purchased meals?

That's the question here.
VA have the toasties as Jetstar do BoB.

JQ do (certainly JQi do).

I expect this comes in part with some complexities around catering and the required systems.

I'd support the long discussed new crew rostering system over a meal ordering platform.

VA's international operation is nothing in comparison to JQ.

Whilst on a similar note I just dont know why VA doesn't just offer free snacks / small cold meals in addition to the free coffee / tea / water. If you want other drinks then they would be BoB. I tend to feel people more care about inclusive food and coffee / tea / water. It seems a happy medium domestically and internationally.

The free snacks that used to do, were IMHO, a waste of time. I have no idea how they found such micro-muffins and stuff.

 

[elanshin]

The free snacks that used to do, were IMHO, a waste of time. I have no idea how they found such micro-muffins and stuff.

But if VA want's to position as roughly where Rex is and Rex is offering this, would VA also need to match it.

 

[twinaisle]

Whilst on a similar note I just dont know why VA doesn't just offer free snacks / small cold meals in addition to the free coffee / tea / water. If you want other drinks then they would be BoB. I tend to feel people more care about inclusive food and coffee / tea / water. It seems a happy medium domestically and internationally.

Because that's apparently not what people wanted. They wanted cheaper fares.

That was VA pre covid. It's not the same company as it was.

 

[oz_mark]

But if VA want's to position as roughly where Rex is and Rex is offering this, would VA also need to match it.

Well, if they do it, do it properly. Not give a rice cracker, or a breadstick, or mini muffin.

 

[p--and--t]

On a 2hr flight mel-bne, it’s meah you will be ok with no food (yes I know there are some people might need something medically for their sugar levels)

But not have substantial food options available for all those who want it on a 6-7hr international flight (included or BoB) - definitely substandard service.

As the muricans would say nickel and diming.

 

[elanshin]

On a 2hr flight mel-bne, it’s meah you will be ok with no food (yes I know there are some people might need something medically for their sugar levels)

But not have substantial food options available for all those who want it on a 6-7hr international flight (included or BoB) - definitely substandard service.

As the muricans would say nickel and diming.

Or maybe if they had a reputation already built people can prepare accordingly. Like with JQ for example, i know plenty that either bring their own food or stuff themselves preflight so they won't need to eat until they land.

 

[twinaisle]

Well, if they do it, do it properly. Not give a rice cracker, or a breadstick, or mini muffin.

How many times do we have to say that VA is a Hybrid airline?

They're under Qantas and above Jetstar. That's their airline model.

Rex is obviously doing what va used to do.

 

[p--and--t]

Or maybe if they had a reputation already built people can prepare accordingly. Like with JQ for example, i know plenty that either bring their own food or stuff themselves preflight so they won't need to eat until they land.

But JQ seem to manage to have enough food and a wide variety of options on board to feed everyone who wants hot food (even if your preferred option is sold out).

VA claims its better than JQ

Surely the airline knows its loading factor on an international flight 24-48 hrs before departure and the purchasing habits of its travelling patrons.

 

[Quickstatus]

on QF decided to make alcohol free for all

Perhaps also the BYO duty free competition on that route was too strong?

 

[Quickstatus]

Moving forward
Isn't the BYO a better option?

I've not departed internationally from OOL. Is it possible to BYO Hungry Jacks?

 

[justinbrett]

Perhaps also the BYO duty free competition on that route was too strong?

QF has always had free alcohol on international flights.

I was talking about domestic.