Qantas stops vegetarian meals on shorter domestic flights

[SYD]

TBH, QF stopped serving “meals” on short sectors years ago. For a period it was an ANZAC biscuit and a cup of water. Plus the timing of “meal“ flights shrank eg Dinner was something like flights departing between 19:01 and 19:15

I do recall travelling with a colleague who ordered the special vegetarian/kosher/halal meal which turned out to be an Apple. Another time we all got the vegitarian option. FA walked down the aisle with a bowl of apples!

 

[mrsterryn]

As someone who has a quite unpleasant reaction to real tomato meals I often don't take the chance on meals. I have snacks in my carry on if needed and also check out what is at the front where we can get snacks etc. I am usually reconciled to not having a meal on a flight. My flights are international. I don't place much reliance even on the booked meals except when travelling in the odd occasion in first class (usually to london )

 

[VPS]

Does J ticket let you preorder a special meal?

Nope - last time they gave me another piece of bread in addition to the bread they had already given me and some vegemite.

 

[bladeau1981]

I don’t understand the complexity bit, nor the ‘waste’ bit. Just about everyone can eat vegan, not everyone eats meat. Having a vegetarian meal would surely have less waste?

If you’re going to reduce complexity and waste, did qantas really not take the opportunity to also consider cost?

A vast majority of people eat meat and humans evolved as such. A minority of people won't, the airlines are doing what they should, catering to the most likely scenario which is someone wants a proper meal with meat.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A vast majority of people eat meat and humans evolved as such. A minority of people won't, the airlines are doing what they should, catering to the most likely scenario which is someone wants a proper meal with meat.

Yes, understand. Although I did the analysis on the Qantas chicken pie and it was something like 14% chicken!!

 

[NM]

Easily worked around though. Just bring a sandwich or something similar.

Indeed, never travel without an emergency marmalade sandwich in your handbag.

 

[hb13]

I'm not a vegetarian, but to me this does appear to be a mistake IMO, particularly in the world we live in today; however, I don't see this really hurting QF in any major way. While I think QF may lose more business from this, the lack of competition in Australia will likely mean QF won't suffer any major consequences.

 

[Ade]

Just bring a sandwich or something similar.

Not something I’d expect to be doing when flying a “full service” airline.

With my status I get to eat something “marginally edible” in J lounge in domestic when it comes to vego meals .. worst case I have the soup or bread role with butter or a dessert. Imagine those that don’t have status that will get them into lounges - They’d have pay for vego meals at the airport, which is very expensive. Why should any pax pay $20 for a meal at the airport when they are already pay top $ for their ticket with QF.

Scrapping vego meals in domestic is a very bad decision. Simple as that. Pax should be given a choice when it comes to services. It doesn’t cost much to put a veg sandwich on the menu for those that need vego meals.

 

[tdimdad]

A vast majority of people eat meat and humans evolved as such. A minority of people won't, the airlines are doing what they should, catering to the most likely scenario which is someone wants a proper meal with meat.

Yet, those of us who eat meat rarely or not at all are still kicking around and in good health. Go figure...

 

[Ade]

vegetarian/kosher/halal meal which turned out to be an Apple.

I have had that happen to me. I’m vego for relegious reasons and always special order my meals. In fact, I stopped pre-ordering for international when QF started having at least one vego option in their menu.

For domestic, I have had a lot of apples or a fruit cup and a banana in a box as my special meal .. I mean, honestly, how hard is it to throw a sandwich or something “substantial” for a meal. Now that I think of it, the Arancinni balls QF does on shorter routes was a very good vego option … unsure why that’s getting axed. I did not get the arancinni balls for the past two months ..

 

[Ade]

Indeed, never travel without an emergency marmalade sandwich in your handbag.

Maybe this is something I need to start doing as well … unfortunate that we pay top $ to QF and end up packing our own lunch boxes.

Not that this is the end of the world or not that the contract of carriage stipulates QF to serve a vego meal onboard.

One would assume that common sense dictates that not everyone can eat meat, but most people can somehow eat veggies … I guess we are beyond those comprehensions now !! #QFFail

 

[Ade]

They should never serve fish on a plane. Smell.

QF1528 on 18/09 served Barramundi in J and the whole cabin had the fish smell … you’d the moment the heat the food and open the oven, the smell spreads in the cabin.

Not complaining, just an observation …

Same sentiments for those that toast a tuna sub in Subway

 

[Princess Fiona]

So yet another viral tweet masquerading as news and being syndicated widely.
It’s what keeps the journos in business.
Environmentalist “Jon Dee” obviously doesn’t fly very much as QF hasn’t served any real food in Y for a long time.

I don’t even bother with it.
And Domestic J as I’ve said elsewhere is basically what Y used to be.

Next thing there will be “due to customer feedback we are introducing an enhanced onboard cabin meal service. Full selection of fresh hot snacks and vegan / vegetarian options available. Credit card only accepted”.

 

[Ade]

A vast majority of people eat meat and humans evolved as such. A minority of people won't, the airlines are doing what they should, catering to the most likely scenario which is someone wants a proper meal with meat.

I agree with your point, in principle .. however, it is not right to ignore that minority that also pays $ in a full service airline. Those that pay for a seat (and as QF advertises, baggage, food included) need to get the right meal.

For instance, UL does this - they provide a savoury puff pastry for short hops (say CMB-MAA). This puff pastry caters to almost all majority and minority. QF can do something similar .. perhaps a pastry or a sandwich or a wrap .. QF does this mustard chicken panini for short hops (say MEL-CBR) why not make a panini without chicken for the so called “minority” ..

If an airline thinks that it needs to cater to all pax, they surely can .. this is an example of an airline not wanting to do the right thing rather than cost savings or waste reduction

Re : waste reduction - on more than one occasion, QF has provided the J veg salad to me in Y when I asked specifically for a vego meal and I forgot to pre-order. So there is precedence to this. Why waste it when you an recycle the meal to other flights?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Great to see Uncle Alan improve the catering on domestic flights, something that has been clearly lacking for some time (i.e. the lack of PDB in J). This new streamlined catering policy will reduce confusion in consumers whilst padding Uncle Alan's pockets! Perhaps they should change their slogan from Spirit of Australia to you can have any meal you want so long as it's this one!

-RooFlyer88

 

[JohnK]

I don’t understand the complexity bit, nor the ‘waste’ bit. Just about everyone can eat vegan, not everyone eats meat. Having a vegetarian meal would surely have less waste?

If you’re going to reduce complexity and waste, did qantas really not take the opportunity to also consider cost?

Some people don't eat vegetables so most vegetarian meals would be unsuitable but I do understand your point.

But cost cutting is not something new. Nearly 15 years ago Qantas were loading 80%-90% muesli and 10%-20% eggs for breakfast. Surely the eggs running out after the first few rows is an indication that eggs are more popular? Personally I don't like muesli. I feel hungrier after eating muesli than I do before.

 

[drron]

I very definitely am a meatatarean but I will every now and then have a vegetarian meal. And some of them have been fantastic. I especially remember one in Tasmania that was just titled- a vegetable platter and was one of the best meals I have had.
So this move from QF really stinks. I am so glad that I have given up on QFI .
I certainly know from my medical past that more and more people are ditching meat. Really short sighted.

 

[VHOEJ]

Given how much people are paying for an economy seat even on a short flight, this is another example of devaluing the product you offer. Even since Covid, catering across the board has declined to woeful levels and no doubt it is saving money. They are getting away with it.

I feel sorry for the crew who have to tell passengers there is no vegetarian option on every flight.

 

[ChrisMars]

Feels like every week there is a bad buzz on Qantas that all the media enjoy relaying.
Too bad that the award ticketing issue and cancelation is too technical to make the list.

 

[hb13]

I very definitely am a meatatarean but I will every now and then have a vegetarian meal. And some of them have been fantastic. I especially remember one in Tasmania that was just titled- a vegetable platter and was one of the best meals I have had.
So this move from QF really stinks. I am so glad that I have given up on QFI .
I certainly know from my medical past that more and more people are ditching meat. Really short sighted.

Like you, I definitely enjoy eating meat dishes, but for health reasons I'm trying to eat less meat and more vegetables. And I've had some pretty decent vegetarian meals on QF and other airlines - even BA of all airlines!

For those people who are vegetarians, vegans, or don't eat meat for religious or health reasons (and this part of the global population is increasingly growing), they literally cannot eat a meat dish. For those of us who eat meat, I'm sure we wouldn't mind to occasionally have a non-meat dish. Which is why this move doesn't make a lot of sense to me.....