Qantas Business Class meals & menus

[jase05]

BNE - SYD Friday 30 April.
Catering fail and late departure (after 5pm).
I should have known this flight was doomed. My 15.10pm flight was cancelled two days before, and was changed to the 17:10. Looked and there was a 16:40 flight available as well, so called and got put on that. No other flights in between.
Arrived at the airport to discover that the 16:10 had been re-instated, but no time to change.
The supposed 16:40 then has a gate change (in actual fact, the scheduled aircraft has been repurposed to fly to ADL instead, and we have to wait for a late arriving plane to be used for the SYD service.
Eventual push back about 17:15.
After take-off, then find out that due to the substituted plane, and late departure, there has been no J catering loaded! So this was the J catering for a 17:15 departure.
View attachment 247139

Gee, that’s approaching Fantastic 2 minute noodles level

 

[sudoer]

The below courtesy of Mrs sudoer and her colleague on QF1571 CFS-SYD (QFLink 717) this evening.

Beef pie


Crackers with edamame dip, economy snack pack? (a few biscuits apparently)


No bakery item (why bother with the plate) or sauce/condiment offered with the pie. Lacklustre.

 

[sudoer]

this was the J catering for a 17:15 departure

If you are so inclined, I believe QFF will give 3-5k points compensation for no J catering.

 

[SJF211]

QF402 MEL-SYD
Omlette with spinach and mushrooms served with a cooked tomato and onion relish. Was acceptable but breakfast isn't really my thing, other option was muesli. The custard tart was very tasty.

 

[Economy_Gold]

The meal service started and got to the two and then it stopped while they chatted about “things” for 5-10 minutes with the Purser while the rest of us waited!

Not a good look!

MEL-SYD dinner flight with some lamb dish that turned out to be mostly eggplant parmigiana with small amounts of lamp. Tasty and overall good.

Beside some nasty weather-related delays, my issue with the flight were the four Qantas staff in uniform taking all seats in row 2 of the 737. We were in row 1 and were served first. The purser then spent quite some time chatting with them and serving them - I felt very poor for the customers in row 3 that got served after the Qantas staff and quite late into the short flight. I really struggle to understand how Qantas accepts that staff members travelling are treated better than paying customers. In my business it would be the other way around for sure!

 

[Berlin]

MEL-SYD dinner flight with some lamb dish that turned out to be mostly eggplant parmigiana with small amounts of lamp. Tasty and overall good.

Yikes- is this huge pile of greens parsley???

As much as I like Qantas' effort of putting some fresh greens on top of the meal to make it look a bit pre-made, parsley (very much like celary) is garnish in my book and should be used as that. A bit too much, like on this picture, and the whole dish will taste like Tabouli. Which is one of the very few dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine that I loath because- well, parsley, way too much of it.

 

[Berlin]

SYD-AKL “dinner flight” on A330-300:

Airport in Sydney deserted at first and Flounge only opening from 3pm onwards. After a bit of Duty Free shopping, the Lounge opened and we enjoyed it to the fullest. Got half way busy only shortly before boarding so very personalised service. Menu short but excellent food and ample Pommery thought we’ve been told that this will only be offered while stock lasts and then it will only be an “excellent Aussie sparkling wine” (yikes!).



Boarding fast and efficient- like on the outbound, J class chockers but Economy virtually empty. Best crew on this trip, chit chatty but professional and all happy to be back at work “You can’t imagine how happy I am to pour this for you!” One of the lovely Qantas lady said while filling up my champagne for the dozenths or so time.

Food unfortunately still disappointing and essentially domestic. I had the chicken which turned out to be exactly the same meal as on the flight out which was a bit sad (you can find the image up thread- no need to take another one as they were essentially identical meaks). I had a glass of excellent Aussie Riesling with it which half way made up for the dish. My partner selected the “minted lamb pie” and regretted it badly as it consisted, in his words, of “more fat than meat” so it wasn’t very good.

We must have both looked pretty hungry still so we were given plenty of additional Lindt balls by one of the lovely crew. I went back to the champers and probably emptied about two bottles of the Duval Le-Rois just myself so about a 5th of my flight ticket got “refunded” on alcohol, especially if counting all the Pommery and food in the lounge. The crew was lovely and engaged throughout and several members came to thank everyone for their custom after such a long break. I told them that I am more
ready to spend half of discretionary income on flight tickets again going forward so let’s all hope that we get this Covid nightmare behind us all rather sooner than later.

Formalities on arrival in NZ much easier than in Australia, even the e-gates were in operation. As was the crew on board, everyone else at the airport also seemed to be happy to see passengers back. Even the usually grouchy customs officers soared a smile or two which is usually unheard of. All in all a great experience and we’re glad to have made it just before the new Covid case in Sydney. Hoping that this will be sorted soon as I am already looking forward to my two flights AKL-OOL coming up in June and July.

 

[RichardMEL]

Couple of refreshment flights yesterday. I forget which was which as I was quite tired. Did not partake - options included thedeluxe sausage roll"(or whatever it was) with onion relish - as documented earlier or some kind of salad.. and other flight was "Pork Sausages with sourkraut or a thai green curry. The guy next to me muttered "What horrible food options" (!) and just drank wine. lol.

 

[Berlin]

Couple of refreshment flights yesterday. I forget which was which as I was quite tired. Did not partake - options included thedeluxe sausage roll"(or whatever it was) with onion relish - as documented earlier or some kind of salad.. and other flight was "Pork Sausages with sourkraut or a thai green curry. The guy next to me muttered "What horrible food options" (!) and just drank wine. lol.

Well, "Pork sausages with Sauerkraut"- can't get much better than that if you ask me Wish I was ever so lucky!

 

[sudoer]

QLink must be propping up the pie industry

SYD-CBR QF1905 2:35pm departure
Beef & stilton pie, no other options

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

Last week's flight updates on the SYD-MEL corridor

QF479: reluctantly on the A330 but great service. Choice was beef below or quinoa salad



QF597: OOL-SYD - choice of chicken curry or bangers and mash. Had the rather good tempranillo


QF: 4pm MEL-SYD - pork sausage roll or salad


QF471: 5pm SYD-MEL choice or minted lamb pie or who knows. Very good tempranillo otherwise were Shaw and Smith sav blanc

 

[Berlin]

QF479: reluctantly on the A330 but great service. Choice was beef below or quinoa salad

What are you saying- that you PREFER the small and tight 737???

 

[BD1959]

QF418 MEL-SYD 8-MAY-21 Spicy Mexican Sausages, alternative was Muesli. There's also a yoghurt lurking behind the dried fruit (neither of which I touched). The patties were dry but the sausages were nice and spicy.

QF594 SYD-OOL 8-May-21 Quinoa Salad, alternative was the Beef Pie. Quite a nice salad and the dressing was superb.


Regards,

BD

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

What are you saying- that you PREFER the small and tight 737???

Look I did, but my 330 flight last night changed that controversial opinion. I prefer to think of it more as intimate .

It does depend a lot on how far forward you're sitting in the cabin on these short haul sectors.

 

[Berlin]

Look I did, but my 330 flight last night changed that controversial opinion. I prefer to think of it more as intimate .

It does depend a lot on how far forward you're sitting in the cabin on these short haul sectors.

Yea- everyone has their own preferences, I was just curious as it is a somewhat unusual choice. I must admit though that one some of my many trans-Tasmans last year, prior to Covid, some of the most attentive and personalized service I had received in row one on the smaller 737s. I'd personally still prefer the much more spacious seat on the A330 but I do get your sentiment too.

 

[kermatu]

Yea- everyone has their own preferences, I was just curious as it is a somewhat unusual choice. I must admit though that one some of my many trans-Tasmans last year, prior to Covid, some of the most attentive and personalized service I had received in row one on the smaller 737s. I'd personally still prefer the much more spacious seat on the A330 but I do get your sentiment too.

I'd agree. The JetConnect crews on the 737s trans-Tasman were almost always superior in service (generosity with food, drink, pre-departure service and conversation). I never minded too much flying over on the 737s. Longer return flights (especially to Brisbane) definitely preferred the A330s.

 

[QF WP]

QF668 ADL/BNE Mon 10/5 7:15pm



Braised beef with red cabbage IIRC and potatoes. The chef must have forgotten to braise it but it was tender and fell apart - a little on the fatty side but I’m being picky.

served with an eminently drinkable Pinot Noir, had to stop at 2 as I was driving.

 

[Berlin]

Braised beef with red cabbage IIRC and potatoes. The chef must have forgotten to braise it but it was tender and fell apart - a little on the fatty side but I’m being picky.

served with an eminently drinkable Pinot Noir, had to stop at 2 as I was driving.

It was beef, yes? Funny as I had the otherwise exactly identical meal but with pork a week or so ago. Looked exactly like it too which makes me wonder whether a cheap cut of beef happened to be cheaper than a cheap cut of pork this week and they've just swapped it (I had posted the pork one upthread).

Shame about the Pinot. I so much love my wines that I usually try and book all trips so that I don't have to drive afterwards. Which most likely puts me fair and square into the "alcoholic" basket

 

[QF WP]

You got spring onions - I'd have preferred versus the parsley I got, which did nothing.

The CSM announced it as beef, as I listened through him saying it to all in row 1 before he got to me in 2A. Let me rephrase, it was meat, but didn't taste like pork. Cheap cut, I'll definitely agree with. Broiled or stewed but not braised - there were no braise markings on the meat.

I drive when it's a day trip, as two rideshare trips are far more expensive than a days parking in long term at BNE ($39). I'm HLO, so I'm out of the Terminal and in my car driving home, before the car has even made it to the airport. I love my red wine, but also would rather keep my licence and money.

 

[Berlin]

The CSM announced it as beef,

I drive when it's a day trip, as two rideshare trips are far more expensive than a days parking in long term at BNE ($39). I'm HLO, so I'm out of the Terminal and in my car driving home, before the car has even made it to the airport. I love my red wine, but also would rather keep my licence and money.

Couldn't agree more on the spring onions- definitely a better choice than parsley!

I'm also with you in terms of licence over my love of red wine! Depends on everyone's individual situation I guess- I'm never too far away from the airport (actually, in Sydney I could almost walk if I wanted) so Uber or Didi is my preferred option. If that was way more expensive than parking (not in Sydney either, it won't be!), then I'd also consider driving and forgoing the third or fourth glass of wine