Now Boarding ... Chicken or Beef?

[Flashback]

It also explains why on a lot of airlines these days you just see the mini spirits bottles being used when flying J (and even F).

 

[JessicaTam]

What happens to alcohol that isn't finished after a flight (domestic or international)? Is it thrown away due to licensing, duty or some other reason, or can it be kept for a finite period until it's expended?

I recently tried a very small sip of wine in a largely empty international J cabin and wondered if the rest of the bottle went to waste. Sorry if this has been covered before...

Not sure about this forum but there was some discussion over on one of the Singapore airlines threads... it seems that on international flights - those subject to customs/duty control - partially used bottles of wines are discarded unless the flight is an immediate turn-around (bar carts not off-loaded). Partially used spirits can be locked in the tagged bar cart (with customs seal) and are used again on another flight.

For domestic there should be no reason why partially used bottles can't be reused - subject to the quality not deteriorating too much. Customs and duty will have been paid.

Unfortunately the opened bottles are disposed of. Occasionally I have been able to help with the disposing in my hand luggage.

 

[kermatu]

Unfortunately the opened bottles are disposed of.

Presumably only at the end of the day? I always see already opened and half-drunk bottles wheeled out during day flights. (I'm talking wine).

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Presumably only at the end of the day? I always see already opened and half-drunk bottles wheeled out during day flights. (I'm talking wine).

Yes this policy was introduced a while back now, in my mind an actual policy from QF that makes sense. Previous to that wine was generally (always?) dumped after each leg.

 

[kermatu]

I'm always happier seeing an open red.

 

[JessicaTam]

Yes this policy was introduced a while back now, in my mind an actual policy from QF that makes sense. Previous to that wine was generally (always?) dumped after each leg.

Ahh, thanks. I was referring to the previous policy of disposing of them between flights. I am glad they have 'seen the light'.

 

[kileskus]

A coupla questions:

1. Is there a legal drinking age on board domestic flights? I was offered (and the offers were gladly accepted!) alcohol most of the times I flew underage and unaccompanied.
2. What about on international flights? If there are limits, which country's applies? For example, on an Aus -> US flight, would someone 18-20 be served it?
3. Would FAs appreciate passengers offering to help with clean-up at the end of a flight? There were times when I'd had a good flight experience and had given chocolates etc., and would've also liked to help pick up garbage with them but was uncertain if they'd be annoyed having to interact with a passenger when everyone else had disembarked.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A coupla questions:

1. Is there a legal drinking age on board domestic flights? I was offered (and the offers were gladly accepted!) alcohol most of the times I flew underage and unaccompanied.
2. What about on international flights? If there are limits, which country's applies? For example, on an Aus -> US flight, would someone 18-20 be served it?
3. Would FAs appreciate passengers offering to help with clean-up at the end of a flight? There were times when I'd had a good flight experience and had given chocolates etc., and would've also liked to help pick up garbage with them but was uncertain if they'd be annoyed having to interact with a passenger when everyone else had disembarked.

The legal age for drinking on domestic flights is the same as national laws. So in Australia that is 18. In the USA it’s 21. For international flights, the law of the country to which the airline is registered usually applies... so if you are on a Qantas or British Airways flight to or from the USA you can drink at 18, if you are on a US carrier you will be allowed alcohol if 21. (Not that I’ve seen too many crew checking this.)

I can’t answer, as a member of crew, the last point you raise. But I’d say almost 100% ‘no’. They would not appreciate it, and there are too many legal issues anyway. Not least, other passengers would probably feel somewhat uncomfortable. The best you can do is to have your unrequited service items ready for collection by the crew as they do their final checks. And have yourself and seat prepared for landing.

 

[kileskus]

The legal age for drinking on domestic flights is the same as national laws. So in Australia that is 18. In the USA it’s 21. For international flights, the law of the country to which the airline is registered usually applies... so if you are on a Qantas or British Airways flight to or from the USA you can drink at 18, if you are on a US carrier you will be allowed alcohol if 21. (Not that I’ve seen too many crew checking this.)

I can’t answer, as a member of crew, the last point you raise. But I’d say almost 100% ‘no’. They would not appreciate it, and there are too many legal issues anyway. Not least, other passengers would probably feel somewhat uncomfortable. The best you can do is to have your unrequited service items ready for collection by the crew as they do their final checks. And have yourself and seat prepared for landing.

Thanks for the answer.

For the last part, I was referring to after the plane had landed and most passengers had gotten off. I don't know if Qantas/Virgin do it, but on some of my flights overseas the FAs would start going through the rows and cleaning up. Usually it was one attendant for a whole aisle, and it seemed like a thankless job especially given that not all passengers can be described as tidy, so I would've liked to lend a hand. Would they welcome that or would they be sick of passengers by then and just want me off?

 

[AviatorInsight]

Thanks for the answer.

For the last part, I was referring to after the plane had landed and most passengers had gotten off. I don't know if Qantas/Virgin do it, but on some of my flights overseas the FAs would start going through the rows and cleaning up. Usually it was one attendant for a whole aisle, and it seemed like a thankless job especially given that not all passengers can be described as tidy, so I would've liked to lend a hand. Would they welcome that or would they be sick of passengers by then and just want me off?

On international flights the crew don’t clean the aircraft anyway. There are actual cleaners that come on board after the flight, so more than likely while I’m sure they’ll appreciate the gesture they’ll need to get you off the aircraft with the other passengers.

Domestically, again they’ll most certainly appreciate it, however the turnarounds are so quick these days they just get in the zone and do what they have to do to turn it around. Only when the aircraft is terminating, the cabin crew do not need to clean it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There are all sorts of complications, even if talking ‘after arrival’. Part of the cleaning process is to do a quick security sweep for items that may have been left behind. Alternatively, what if a passenger claims they left their phone behind but airline has to admit they allowed a passenger to help clean rows? (and the item is missing)

BA is now testing ‘no cleaning’ during short-haul turn arounds... no trash cleaned up and seat belts not crossed. They claim this will assist with on time departures, or prevent already existing delays from escalating even further.

 

[Melburnian1]

...Domestically, again they’ll most certainly appreciate it, however the turnarounds are so quick these days they just get in the zone and do what they have to do to turn it around. Only when the aircraft is terminating, the cabin crew do not need to clean it.

Not disagreeing, but as discussed previously with your 'coffee breaks' some QF and VA aircraft can have an hour to two hours in the middle of most days sitting at a gate because passenger demand is lower, particularly Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, the leats busy day, there tend if I am not mistaken to be fewer aircraft in service on the mainline routes so gaps at 'stations' in the middle of the day may not be as great, while Sunday starts to get busy from 1200 'high noon' or 1300 hours onwards.

The weekday midday lull is when I'd like to see cleaners specifically engaged to wipe down tray tables, get the vac out for those hard to reach areas under seats, look for crumbs and anything else in the small gaps between seats and so on.

Metro Trains Melbourne and Sydney Trains (one a private franchisee, the other government) have cleaners who quickly come through at terminii, or sometimes at (say) Flinders Street for Metro, and granted, the carriage designs are easier on cleaners with it being much easier to use a broom, no carpet (only hard vinyl, other similar material or Pirelli rubber floors) and less bending required (unlike in Y on airlines where seats can be close together, and are much higher to boot) so why can't QF and VA with their multi billion dollar revenues pay more attention to cleanliness during the day?

With food (and drinks) distributed to passengers, crumbs on carpet are inevitable, and marks on tray tables fairly common. It's grotty when passengers are paying a minimum fare of $90, and probably a median Y fare of $140 or more for a 1.5 hour trip to board and find crumbs or slight traces of liquid on the tray table, and it's now 1500 hours so the aircraft hasn't received much cleaning attention since prior to 0600 hours.

It's very good that some airline cabin crew 'clean', but they clearly cannot or do not clean every surface.

 

[Flashback]

Not disagreeing, but as discussed previously with your 'coffee breaks' some aircraft can have an hour to two hours in the middle of most days sitting at a gate because passenger demand is lower, particularly Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, the leats busy day, there tend if I am not mistaken to be fewer aircraft in service on the mainline routes so gaps at 'stations' in the middle of the day may not be as great, while Sunday starts to get busy from 1200 'high noon' or 1300 hours onwards.

The weekday midday lull is when I'd like to see cleaners specifically engaged to wipe down tray tables, get the vac out for those hard to reach areas under seats, look for crumbs and anything else in the small gaps between seats and so on.

Metro Trains Melbourne and Sydney Trains (one a private franchisee, the other government) have cleaners who quickly come through at terminii, or sometimes at (say) Flinders Street for Metro, and granted, the designs are easier with less bending required (unlike in Y on airlines where seats can be close together, and are much higher to boot) so why can't QF and VA with their multi billion dollar revenues pay more attention to cleanliness during the day?

With food (and drinks) being distributed to passengers, crumbs on the carpet are inevitable, and marks on the tray tables fairly common. It's grotty when passengers are paying a minimum fare of $90, and probably a median one of $140 or more for a 1.5 hour trip to board and find crumbs or slight traces of liquid on the tray table, and it's now 1500 hours so the aircraft hasn't received much cleaning attention since prior to 0600 hours.

Simple. Profitability.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It's very good that some airline cabin crew 'clean', but they clearly cannot or do not clean every surface.

I think the OP may have been referring to flights in the USA (and apparently BA as well!) 'clean' the aircraft by removing any remaining service items and crossing seat belts. Not out there with the spray and wipe

 

[AviatorInsight]

Not disagreeing, but as discussed previously with your 'coffee breaks' some QF and VA aircraft can have an hour to two hours in the middle of most days sitting at a gate because passenger demand is lower, particularly Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, the leats busy day, there tend if I am not mistaken to be fewer aircraft in service on the mainline routes so gaps at 'stations' in the middle of the day may not be as great, while Sunday starts to get busy from 1200 'high noon' or 1300 hours onwards.

The weekday midday lull is when I'd like to see cleaners specifically engaged to wipe down tray tables, get the vac out for those hard to reach areas under seats, look for crumbs and anything else in the small gaps between seats and so on.

Metro Trains Melbourne and Sydney Trains (one a private franchisee, the other government) have cleaners who quickly come through at terminii, or sometimes at (say) Flinders Street for Metro, and granted, the carriage designs are easier on cleaners with it being much easier to use a broom, no carpet (only hard vinyl, other similar material or Pirelli rubber floors) and less bending required (unlike in Y on airlines where seats can be close together, and are much higher to boot) so why can't QF and VA with their multi billion dollar revenues pay more attention to cleanliness during the day?

With food (and drinks) distributed to passengers, crumbs on carpet are inevitable, and marks on tray tables fairly common. It's grotty when passengers are paying a minimum fare of $90, and probably a median Y fare of $140 or more for a 1.5 hour trip to board and find crumbs or slight traces of liquid on the tray table, and it's now 1500 hours so the aircraft hasn't received much cleaning attention since prior to 0600 hours.

It's very good that some airline cabin crew 'clean', but they clearly cannot or do not clean every surface.

Not disagreeing with that either, but it also comes down to time. There is just not enough time allocated during a turn around to spray n wipe all the tray tables, the vacuums on board are a constant issue, and as Flashback mentioned, profits, for those aircraft sitting around during the middle of the day.

It does frustrate me when I get onto an aircraft that’s filthy, the same goes for the flight deck. I like a clean flight deck and do my best to make sure it’s neat and tidy for the next crew.

 

[AisleSeat]

I remember reading that flights in and around China often have life jackets souvenired.

My best friend and I are 100% guilty. It was 1994, we were 13 and flying HKG-KWL. It was a China Southern aircraft but the lifejackets had Air Canada printed on them.

 

[Berlin]

BA is now testing ‘no cleaning’ during short-haul turn arounds... no trash cleaned up and seat belts not crossed. They claim this will assist with on time departures, or prevent already existing delays from escalating even further.

Haha, they are now "testing" it? I'd say BA has plenty of year-long experience with NOT cleaning their cabins, given how often you find half of the last traveler's breakfast all over your seat on this airline. To fly, no service.

 

[flyingfan]

As per mentions in the below thread, why the big rush to collect breakfast cards before or soon after takeoff when it's so far away? If we can be enlightened, even if we don't like the answer maybe we can understand it a bit better.

Inconsistent/Poor QF Business Class Treatment out of Bangkok

Id like to hear from others how their experience on Q Business class has been. I fly J 5-6 times a year primarily from BKK-SYD and unfortunately do not have a great impression of the overall experience. A few points, positive and negative * Boarding is fine, greeting is OK but hit and miss...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Quickstatus]

9) Involuntary downgrades are compensated by a full refund of the sector and the passenger flies the sector for free. Multisector tickets are refunded on the basis of proportion of miles of the ticket subjected to the downgrade