Qantas Business Class meals & menus

[GoldCanyon340]

Pre meal drink service called after take off beverage (717 service)

Seemed to be served in order of status, P1 across ailse in 1C (acknowledged that pax as P1) then me 1D, then skipped to row 2 or 3, then back to row 1. Initially when skipped back to rows behind i thought 1A and 1F were staff but they weren't.

I don't consider that to be the best way to serve pre-meal drinks on single aisle aircraft where it's very noticeable. If I was back in row 3 due to a late booking (or worse, upgrade) then I'd be mortified if the FA served me a drink first. Of course I will temper this by saying I usually get a drink first on the 330 or 380 but that's more inconspicuous, especially in F.

 

[danielt25]

I don't consider that to be the best way to serve pre-meal drinks on single aisle aircraft where it's very noticeable. If I was back in row 3 due to a late booking (or worse, upgrade) then I'd be mortified if the FA served me a drink first. Of course I will temper this by saying I usually get a drink first on the 330 or 380 but that's more inconspicuous, especially in F.

Sorry, after take off drink drinks served in row 1 to 3. (Usual order)

Meal itself served in what appears to be status related.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Sorry, after take off drink drinks served in row 1 to 3. (Usual order)

Meal itself served in what appears to be status related.

No problem here about food served in status order

 

[kermatu]

Sorry, after take off drink drinks served in row 1 to 3. (Usual order)

Meal itself served in what appears to be status related.

That's perfectly fine!!

 

[Berlin]

Sorry, after take off drink drinks served in row 1 to 3. (Usual order)
Meal itself served in what appears to be status related.

Maybe I'm an exception but I see this VERY rarely on QF, it almost always appears to be simply front to back when I am on board. Crew members and operational upgrades excepted, they almost always get last choice for the meal once everyone else got served. But jumping back and forth to serve in order of status? I have rarely seen that, if ever. Suspect it would be a pain in the backside for the crew which might be why I am never seeing it.

 

[danielt25]

Could be the CSM unique spin on delivering the service.

But after I was served, the CSM told both 1A and 1F she will be back soon to take their meal orders, to serve some pax(s) in row 2 or 3 their meals.

5 minutes later she was back taking 1A/1F orders. If they were staff in 1A and 1F CSM would have been unable to serve another 8 pax to be back to serve 1A/1F!

 

[kermatu]

Maybe I'm an exception but I see this VERY rarely on QF, it almost always appears to be simply front to back when I am on board. Crew members and operational upgrades excepted, they almost always get last choice for the meal once everyone else got served. But jumping back and forth to serve in order of status? I have rarely seen that, if ever. Suspect it would be a pain in the backside for the crew which might be why I am never seeing it.

It's certainly easier on the A330s where they take the order by status but then meals seem to be served by row via the trolley and galley. On the 737s and 717s I've seen the CSM row-jump reasonably frequently. A sure sign there's limited catering onboard.

 

[kermatu]

Could be the CSM unique spin on delivering the service.

But after I was served, the CSM told both 1A and 1F she will be back soon to take their meal orders, to serve some pax(s) in row 2 or 3 their meals.

5 minutes later she was back taking 1A/1F orders. If they were staff in 1A and 1F CSM would have been unable to serve another 8 pax to be back to serve 1A/1F!

If they were not staff, can only assume they were op-ups or perhaps pax moved from an earlier/later flight??

 

[Berlin]

If they were not staff, can only assume they were op-ups or perhaps pax moved from an earlier/later flight??

That would be my first guess too but I could be wrong. It sounds as if some here see quite a bit of back and forth even on the narrow bodies. Who knows, this might even be standard procedure but many a crew simply don't follow it because it's too much of a hassle?

Imagine having to tell a paying pax in row 1 that the meal choice is not there anymore because a "higher status passenger" in row 3 got served first. A crew that doesn't like to tell off cattle class pax when they use the toilet up front, would certainly also try and avoid the meal discussion at all cost. And that would be approximately 95% of all Qantas crews, from what I can recount

 

[Silvia]

QF457 SYD-MEL on 08/11/18
5 45pm departure - dinner was served
Options were steak or noodle salad - went for the steak. Quite overcooked, but was better looking that the salad.
I was on 2C and was a last minute change to an earlier flight, so the outcome was great.
The best part was the cheesecake. That probably made it up.

 

[kermatu]

Actually what I've seen more frequently is the CSM put down the tray for all pax in row order, but only offer/serve the main dish to certain pax then come back. Other recipients of the tray get the muesli/yoghurt (in the morning) or bread and wine - but not the main. It's a little less obvious that way.

In the several times I've seen it I have never seen any pax query it or be upset. I've either known or assumed therefore that it is staff. But could also be pax upgraded or moved are told (eg, in the lounge) that catering may not be guaranteed (so they are already prepared for different treatment)?

 

[RichardMEL]

Pre meal drink service called after take off beverage (717 service)

Seemed to be served in order of status, P1 across ailse in 1C (acknowledged that pax as P1) then me 1D, then skipped to row 2 or 3, then back to row 1. Initially when skipped back to rows behind i thought 1A and 1F were staff but they weren't.

I was on 1754 the same day (!) so the 717 BNE-CNS before 1756.

Same meal options. I did not partake as I was full, but the beef appeared nice. I was in row 3, CSM did come back to me and asked me specifically as P1 what option I wanted prior to rolling out the drink service (a bit embarassing, but appreciated).

And yeah on the 717 no separate drink service (I'd flown MEL-BNE on a different 717 earlier, and same thing).

As usual I find the QFLink crews generally very good and dilligent.

 

[RichardMEL]

Actually what I've seen more frequently is the CSM put down the tray for all pax in row order, but only offer/serve the main dish to certain pax then come back. Other recipients of the tray get the muesli/yoghurt (in the morning) or bread and wine - but not the main. It's a little less obvious that way.

In the several times I've seen it I have never seen any pax query it or be upset. I've either known or assumed therefore that it is staff. But could also be pax upgraded or moved are told (eg, in the lounge) that catering may not be guaranteed (so they are already prepared for different treatment)?

Almost always staff but sometimes yes CNA last minute upgrades. The other day it was staff who flew LAX-MEL-BNE. I asked her why she didn't just go on BNE-LAX and she informed me there were no seats. Later on, her son and husband were in Y and it was pretty obvious she was on staff travel (not a concern to me).

I think the way QF handles this is right idea, not so great execution - but I see no better way to do it.

After all, it's fair revenue pax, and those with high status and/or have paid for J should get first dibs.

What UA does on some flights is ask a first and second choice and they go away and sort it out in the galley, but that's on longer haul flights where it makes more sense and they do not tend to trundle the cart down the aisle but prep in the galley and serve individually.

 

[RichardMEL]

CNS-SYD on an A330 (nice)

"Chicken in Basil Pesto" ... not totally horrible.

Wine was a Chardonnay which was... so so

the cake was Rhaspberry and Hazelnut which was fairly dry

 

[Berlin]

CNS-SYD on an A330 (nice)
"Chicken in Basil Pesto" ... not totally horrible.

Yumm. That chicken looks gooood if you ask me!

 

[Saltywings]

CNS-SYD on an A330 (nice)

"Chicken in Basil Pesto" ... not totally horrible.

Wine was a Chardonnay which was... so so

the cake was Rhaspberry and Hazelnut which was fairly dry

View attachment 144090

Is that...rice on the side? Could be camera angles but man, those are some large grains.

 

[RichardMEL]

Is that...rice on the side? Could be camera angles but man, those are some large grains.

You're not the first one to express this.. it only seemed like pasta to me in the eating.....

 

[kermatu]

Is that...rice on the side? Could be camera angles but man, those are some large grains.

I think it's a different type of grain or pulse. Can't for the life of me remember the name of it though. I've had it on QF a few times.

 

[Berlin]

Looks like Orzo or Risi to me so a type of pasta rather than grain or legume. But I might be totally wrong, just guessing from the picture!

 

[kermatu]

If it tasted like pasta - probably a good call then!