Maggots in Qantas Trail Mix

[Deleted member]

Sounds a bit dodgy to me

 

[seanpodge]

Lets also not forget -
1) Sealed packed. QF is the middle man here
2) The packed wasn't transparent - staff have NO way of knowing if maggots/diamonds/gold/insects/cocaine......is inside
3) Served at night, lights were off

That's all true, and I think anyone thinking reasonably would take about half a second tops to pin the supplier as the real culprit here. Obviously, "Qantas maggots" is a much more appealing headline than "Obscure supplier that no one has ever heard of maggots", so the media is going to run that line.

In the end though, the customer's interaction is with Qantas, not with the aforementioned obscure supplier. Qantas could of course produce all its food in an in house operation, but presumably outsources it mainly for cost reasons. This may be a legitimate business decision, but it doesn't absolve them of all responsibility for the health and safety of their customers. One of the major problems with outsourcing/privatisation is that companies/governments think that they can just hand contract stuff out and then put their feet up. They tried that in Victoria with public transport and the ALP lost the last election, losing several seats which had the worst performing train line. The public will still pin responsibility to who they think is/should be controlling/running the service and this is something that Qantas, among others need to keep in mind. In the end they are accountable to their customers for the service they provide.

So, while the three points you raise are valid, and Qantas' public response (i.e. public apology and compo) seems pretty reasonable to me, they still need to manage their food contractor relationship to ensure that minimum standards are being met. This would include having a termination agreement with the company over failures in such standards and enforcing such clauses.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I agree entirely seanpodge with your post.
The headline, 'QF Maggots' certainly stands out better than, 'Nut supplier (to QF) stuffs up'.

 

[DC3]

The additional protein in the pack was "pantry moth larvae" in a TV report tonight.

Pantry moths:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianmeal_Moth

 

[oz_mark]

The additional protein in the pack was "pantry moth larvae" in a TV report tonight.

Pantry moths:

Indianmeal Moth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Those little blighters. They get around (and if you've got them at home, they may have come home in your groceries!)

 

[DC3]

Those little blighters. They get around (and if you've got them at home, they may have come home in your groceries!)

Yes. Years ago my mother found a heap of moth larvae in a packet of flour in her kitchen cupboard. It caused a lot of excitement at home at the time!

 

[MatF]

Yep, we had the little buggers in our pantry (oddly enough) a few years ago. Fairly sure they arrived in a bag of corkscrew pasta. They're very difficult to get rid of once established!

 

[Pushka]

I understand the woman's issue. When I was a child I was eating peaches from a can. I noticed a tiny hole, then a very drowned larvae was in the juice. To this day I've never eaten canned fruit again.

As a business owner, if I use a third party provider to service the customer, I am still liable for rectification. Qantas served the product.

 

[dajop]

IAs a business owner, if I use a third party provider to service the customer, I am still liable for rectification. Qantas served the product.

And gave the woman $400 and an apology, and would assume provided other food once it was pointed out to the cabin crew. In the absence of side effects/illness what else should they do? If someone was staying at a motel, opened some the complementary biscuits and found weavels in one of the packets of biscuits would they get $400 in compensation from the motel?

 

[orangehenry]

Whats she complaining about? The maggots would have cost extra on Jetstar!

 

[alieninperth]

I had something similar happen to me on an international flight last year, although in my case it was an insect rather than a maggot.

When I gave feedback to QF I got 6 vouchers for the QP (IMO $ value lower that the $400 offered in this case). I fully understand that the catering is external and that there is a certain amount of risk associated with fresh foods and transport, however what is not acceptable is the reaction of cabin crew when incidents like this happen.

FWIW, QF responded to me fully (after the intervention of Red Roo), and they send me a copy of the report that the incident had already generated. The investigation was started when we landed back in AUS.

 

[Nigelinoz]

Whats she complaining about? The maggots would have cost extra on Jetstar!

Only because the bogan JQ pax collect them to use for fishing bait.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[DC3]

That would be the bogong larvae

 

[juddles]

Initially I was sceptical as to the story. I must admit I didnt see past the ¨maggots¨ headline. I can actuaally believe that some sort of weevil larvae could occur in a dried product - simply part of life. i am still a bit dubious that said weevils survived the packaging and storage process - easier to understand if they were dead. But the thing that made me think was that last month I got a packet of trail mix on a QF J class flight that was a month past use-by. I didnt make a furor, I know these things just happen. But it does show a weakness in QF catering. Perhaps i should have alerted the staff, but I didnt. Perhaps the ¨Gee whiz I could get rich from this¨ thought process is just alien to me.

 

[haydensydney]

I haven't read the entire thread as i'm on holidays and have other things to attend to... BUT I just had to comment - how bloody revolting! How many other passengers had eaten the snacks without realising? Quite disgusting.

I would be seeking a full refund of my entire flight TYVM.

 

[DC3]

It's really only extra protein. The larvae may only be moth or weevil. Harmless and not that uncommon in some foods.

 

[yo yo ma]

It's made the news in the Uk!

Plane passenger finds live MAGGOTS crawling inside packet of nuts | Mail Online

 

[yo yo ma]

I had something similar happen to me on an international flight last year, although in my case it was an insect rather than a maggot.

Me too... My 4yo daughter started to eat an apple that was completely rotten inside and it had a worm in it. I reported it to the CSM in case she got sick from it. I made sure I hid it from other passengers and did not make a big fuss. I specfically told her I was only reporting it for their information and I didn't want anything. The CSM took my BP and gave me a voucher anyway. I bought my girl a model plane with it!

 

[smithy]

to me $400 in compensation against a airfare of $1600 sounds reasonable. Afterall, Qantas got her safely to Melbourne from LA.
If i went to restuarant and consumed a bottle of wine (value $40) and a meal (all up total value $160) and I find a maggot in my dinner, I would expect a refund on the meal but I would expect that I pay for the bottle of wine.

 

[simongr]

If I found a maggot in my food at a $160 restaurant I wouldn't be paying for anything.

@Yo Yo Ma - it made the mail not the news

It does remind me that I should follow up on the hair I found in/on the pie in the J lounge in MEL...