Mysterious disappearance of catering in BNE Qantas Club and on board

[Platy]

Took the last flight out from Brisbane to Sydney a few days ago and having missed dinner was looking forward to a bread roll, a little cheese, etc in the Brisbane Qantas Club.

Got there a little before 8pm for the 840pm flight to find the food selection to be minimal.

Left the club to search out a sambo etc in case the on board catering was similarly sparse.

Got back to the lounge and watched the staff remove remaining plates of cakes etc around 8.10pm.

There are still, at this time, a reasonable number of people in the lounge with the 840pm SYD flight plus two Jetstar flights after to that to Cairns and somewhere else I can't recall.

The couple sitting near me were also surprised to see the food vanish before they could get a feed.

Now I have seen situations when no new food is put out at T2 Sydney when my flight has been delayed very late and talked to the catering staff and apparently once a food allocation has been eaten up by hungry passengers they are not supposed to put any more out.

This was not the case in Brisbane the other evening - rather packing up with food still on platters being removed with a fair few customers still within the lounge.

This is BAD SERVICE from Qantas, pure and simple. Fortunately, my club lounge memebership is gratis through being Platinum - I would have been majorly pissed off if I had paid the membership fees.

Of course once aboard the BNE-SYD flight the catering was a packet of savoury biscuits - this again is BAD SERVICE from Qantas, which CLAIMS to be a FULL SERVICE airline.

Luckily I had my sandwich to eat!!!

Bit by bit, item by item, day by day, service levels inch down and down...

 

[NM]

Its about that time of the evening when they start to bring out the toasters etc ready for the next morning's breakfast service. Its a shame they don't also bring out some bread and jam at the same time :evil:.

You experience is consistent with what I have seen at the BNE Qantas Club lounge. Knowing this happens, I never plan on finding appetite satisfaction in the lounges after about 7pm.

Of course the exception is at international lounges prior to an evening international departure. But for domestic lounges, I agree that food of some sort (at least cheese and crackers) should be available until the last departure is called.

 

[Platy]

So there is a pattern. Why should we have to adapt our behaviours in preference to Qantas providing the prom ised levels of service???

 

[steven s]

Brisbane Qantas Club is a little slack compared to their counterparts in Sydney and Melbourne.

But I must tell you they are nothing on the Cairns dragons in the QP. There is one there that purposely takes 20 minutes to set the food up at changeover from breakfast to morning tea / lunch and anyone who tries to take anything is abused terribly by her.

Also they never clear plates and cups anywhere often enough from the tables. They are just plain lazy up there in Cairns and they really need to be taught some manners.

 

[NM]

So there is a pattern. Why should we have to adapt our behaviours in preference to Qantas providing the prom ised levels of service???

not by choice, but one of those thing I can control, the other I cannot .

 

[Yada Yada]

Now I have seen situations when no new food is put out at T2 Sydney when my flight has been delayed very late and talked to the catering staff and apparently once a food allocation has been eaten up by hungry passengers they are not supposed to put any more out.

I've seen this in SYD T2 also. At a certain time they stop bringing out new food and just leave what is left to dwindle. This is irrespective of how many people are in the lounge so on a quiet night it is OK but on a busy night, the food is quickly gone and there is nothing left for the last 45 mins aside from some apples. It is wrong. :evil:

And while we're discussing this, the number of passengers with lounge access seems to be outstripping space now. Quite regularly in MEL it is difficult to find a place to sit during mid to late afternoon. I'll start using the DJ lounge instead soon.

 

[Platy]

Just heard from QF that a new catering company is due to start the Brisbane Club Loiunge service from tomorrow - will be interesting to see if there are any changes!!!

Yes, Cairns can have its bad days. One time people queueing for drinks were left waiting for over 5 minutes at the bar with staff chit chatting out back in the kitchen - much to their surprise, I actually walked into the kitchen and told them that they had customers waiting.

Lunchtime, when the Sydney airbus is due to leave can be a nightmare, with nobody seeming to bother clearing up whilst the lounge is over-crowded.

These issues are the tip of the iceberg in terms of what goes on behind the scenes (can't say more).

I have discussed these local matters with local QF management.

 

[Danger]

The Perth domestic lounge is a bit different. Because the last flight doesn't leave until 12.15am, and there are several flights after 7pm, there is still usually a fair amount of food, albeit not a great selection.

 

[coco50]

I've seen this in SYD T2 also. At a certain time they stop bringing out new food and just leave what is left to dwindle. This is irrespective of how many people are in the lounge so on a quiet night it is OK but on a busy night, the food is quickly gone and there is nothing left for the last 45 mins aside from some apples. It is wrong. :evil:

I have used SYD T2 quite often and these comments are pretty spot on. At about 17:30 on weeknights there is a serving of party pies, wedges and chilli sauce or tomato sauce (why no sour cream?). Those in the know keep their radars tuned for this to be served. There is a second serving at about 18:00 and that is about it. I usually fuel up then to save the need to have something to eat at home after arriving into ABX at 20:15, because on QF2217 there will only be cheese, crackers and a dip.

 

[freqbugsmasher]

I agree with all of what has been said so far. Unfortunatly QF is the only game in lounge town (I'm in Perth, as far as lounges go it is the only game in town) .

While they are not surperb and anyone's that's been in CX's HKG lounges (The Peir and I can't recall the other one), they know what level of food and service that can be achived. Having said that hearing what passes for "lounges" in the US makes me quite glad not to travel there often.

QC is a nice place to relax for a while but isn't a world beater. Until some real competition comes along they wont improve too much, as it isn't economically feasible to do so.

 

[Yada Yada]

I agree with all of what has been said so far. Unfortunatly QF is the only game in lounge town (I'm in Perth, as far as lounges go it is the only game in town) .

Mike - I know this doesn't help you much being in PER, but the new Virgin Blue lounges in SYD, MEL and BNE look to be the equal of the QP now. An alternative at last. Hopefully they'll add lounges in ADL and PER soon.

 

[NM]

While they are not surperb and anyone's that's been in CX's HKG lounges (The Peir and I can't recall the other one), they know what level of food and service that can be achived. Having said that hearing what passes for "lounges" in the US makes me quite glad not to travel there often.

As much as I believe the catering at QF domestic lounges can improve, I don't think it is right to compare with the CX lounges at HKG which are catering for a very different environment with many long-haul international flights each day. But The Wing and The Pier remain my favourite lounges on the OneWorld network, mostly because of their catering.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

The Perth domestic lounge is a bit different. Because the last flight doesn't leave until 12.15am, and there are several flights after 7pm, there is still usually a fair amount of food, albeit not a great selection.

I don't recall any food at PER for the redeyes - drink yes but no food. I'll check again next week and report back.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

As much as I believe the catering at QF domestic lounges can improve, I don't think it is right to compare with the CX lounges at HKG which are catering for a very different environment with many long-haul international flights each day. But The Wing and The Pier remain my favourite lounges on the OneWorld network, mostly because of their catering.

The best lounge food I've had would be FRA first class terminal, followed by JFK VS Clubhouse. Both have proper dining area, great selection of food made to order and nice drinks to match. Not only is it a long way better than anything served in the air but it also helps to sleep sooner on the overnight flights.

 

[freqbugsmasher]

Thanks’ for that Yada Yada. The DJ lounges (if they ever arrive, we do get the rugby 2 hours late) would be nice however the PER terminal is arranged so that it would be rather difficult to get from the DJ lounge to the QF flight (Company policy is OneWorld travel only, don't know who thought that up but I bet they made sure that QF knew it was them )


As for the comparison (thanks for the other name NM) it was to demonstrate that a bit of competition (unsure of how many lounges there are in HKG) wouldn't hurt the quality. As PER ranks so low in terms of departures I don't expect that level of service from QF. It wouldn't be refused however.

 

[Yada Yada]

however the PER terminal is arranged so that it would be rather difficult to get from the DJ lounge to the QF flight

Yes, and T&C's would prohibit this anyway - pax must have an oward flight on DJ that day to access their lounge.

 

[aus_flyer]

The decline in QP food is certainly appauling.

But when I get annoyed, I just think of the AA Admirals Clubs!

 

[Yada Yada]

The decline in QP food is certainly appauling.

But when I get annoyed, I just think of the AA Admirals Clubs!

Yes, where one is better off sitting in Starbucks in the terminal. :-|

 

[Mal]

I don't recall any food at PER for the redeyes - drink yes but no food. I'll check again next week and report back.

A few weeks ago, there was definately some meat-type substance, along with cheese-type substance, a pasta-type salad after 11pm. Apples too. Best of all the bar doesn't shut early

 

[Commuter]

BNE Qantas Club has been missing bread rolls on about the last 4 visits I made there. None of the visits were made near the end of the day, and as I do like a bread roll or two at times, it was rather disappointing.

What is worse, however, is TSV Qantas Club lounge. It's over-crowded on Friday night when all the commuters are trying to get home for the weekend. There's nowhere to sit at times. It's a pity they didn't make it substantially larger. I had to sit at the computer desk to eat It's much quieter (and less crowded) outside the lounge than inside too, which defeats the object somewhat, because I like quiet sitting there and working while I snack on a bit of food.