Qantas stops vegetarian meals on shorter domestic flights

[hb13]

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.

Hahaha. Don't get me started on award ticketing issues with Qantas, I could write a book on that topic.

 

[Peanutbladder]

Even though I am a meat eater, I actually find the vego pasta dishes in J to be far better than any meat dish as they stand re-heating a lot better than steaks for example.

 

[tdimdad]

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.

Pre-pandemic, having something decent (sometimes even good) to eat on those short mealtime flights was a small but noticeable competitive edge over VA in my eyes. Even that's now pretty much gone. Combine that with the Velocity status match and QFF status rollover, the invitation really is to sample and enjoy the competition. Not sure how much it pays off for QF but their strategists and analysts must have been busy optimising the offering for the benefit of the airline...

 

[SYD]

Pre-pandemic, having something decent (sometimes even good) to eat on those short mealtime flights was a small but noticeable competitive edge over VA in my eyes. Even that's now pretty much gone. Combine that with the Velocity status match and QFF status rollover, the invitation really is to sample and enjoy the competition. Not sure how much it pays off for QF but their strategists and analysts must have been busy optimising the offering for the benefit of the airline...

VA doesn’t serve “meals” in whY on short flights. It‘s usually some savoury dibbity bics or some sweet thing (with 25%+ sugar content).

 

[oz_mark]

Pre-pandemic, having something decent (sometimes even good) to eat on those short mealtime flights was a small but noticeable competitive edge over VA in my eyes. Even that's now pretty much gone. Combine that with the Velocity status match and QFF status rollover, the invitation really is to sample and enjoy the competition. Not sure how much it pays off for QF but their strategists and analysts must have been busy optimising the offering for the benefit of the airline...

Well, Qantas do know how sticky their customers are. It will make little difference to who people book with.

 

[doublecatered]

Vegetarian meals are still able to be book on Domestic flights in Business Class, just not in Economy on short flights.
Vegetarian meals can still be ordered on Domestic flights from East Coast to Perth and Darwin in economy!!

 

[RooFlyer]

Vegetarian meals are still able to be book on Domestic flights in Business Class, just not in Economy on short flights.
Vegetarian meals can still be ordered on Domestic flights from East Coast to Perth and Darwin in economy!!

Vegetarian meal as in - an apple or banana?

 

[Pushka]

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”.

Dee said on the radio today he declined to eat in the Club but instead opted to eat on the plane. Big mistake. He doesn’t fly much.

 

[bladeau1981]

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?

They offer an option that caters to vegan/GF etc. as one. A savoury puff with no protein/ meat doesn't suit everyone either. Qantas can't keep every single person happy so they have to go with the numbers.

 

[doublecatered]

Vegetarian meal as in - an apple or banana?

Basically from what I’ve been made aware, a full hot vegetarian along with other “special meals” are only provided in the economy cabin on flights from the east coast to Perth/Darwin. If you’re travelling Business Class, special meals can be requested on any Domestic flight.
Sound reasonable to me.

 

[Ade]

A savoury puff with no protein/ meat doesn't suit everyone either.

Sorry, I should've been clearer. The savory puff served in UL had some veggies and cheese in it. Understand that vegans can't have cheese, so just veggies should do it? Make the savory puff a vegan/veggie option for everyone who opts for a vego meal ... or make a savory & a sweet puff - like the ones we get in 7-11 ? Instead of asking "chicken or fish", the FA's could ask "sweet or savory"

Qantas can't keep every single person happy so they have to go with the numbers.

That's the thing. From what I read/heard/observed, so many pax are now choosing vego options onoboard (for a variety of reasons including health), so my point is, wouldn't it make sense to retain or at least not remove the current vego options?

Post automatically merged: Sep 21, 2022

Vegetarian meal as in - an apple or banana?

Let's not forget the fruit cups

 

[Ade]

a mate who flies QF regularly gets served with the chicken panini or three pies in Y for short hops. Not everyone eats meat… presumably the leftovers go to waste. Would there be less waste if the options were just vegetarian?

Exactly! This ties into what I mentioned earlier re: the chicken paninis - why not replace the chicken with some veggies and serve a veg panini? Instead of 3x mini meat pies - why not do spinach & ricotta or lentils or mixed veg? I mean the options are endless, cost effective & definitely will reduce wastage ...

 

[bladeau1981]

Exactly! This ties into what I mentioned earlier re: the chicken paninis - why not replace the chicken with some veggies and serve a veg panini? Instead of 3x mini meat pies - why not do spinach & ricotta or lentils or mixed veg? I mean the options are endless, cost effective & definitely will reduce wastage ...

So the solution is to force everyone to always eat vegetarian on flights? That really won't go over well.

 

[Ade]

So the solution is to force everyone to always eat vegetarian on flights? That really won't go over well.

Oh no ... absolutely not ... that will not go well. Going with the chicken panini example - I was saying that keep the chicken paninis for those that need meat. For those that want vego keep a veg panini as well ... just replace the chicken in some of the paninis with some vego protein .. or just vegetables, simples

 

[NM]

Vegetarian meal as in - an apple or banana?

Fruitetarian, perhaps?

 

[NM]

So the solution is to force everyone to always eat vegetarian on flights? That really won't go over well.

especially for the vegetarians ... all being eaten by the carnivorous cannibals seated near them

 

[Cognac]

So the solution is to force everyone to always eat vegetarian on flights? That really won't go over well.

Sure, why not. Vegetarians have been only served or offered meat options for long enough, why not reverse the tables for a while?

 

[Daver6]

This change seems to unjustly target non-vegetarians like myself. I think vegetarians should also have to suffer the cough QF try to pass off as food in domestic Y and not be spared the pain

 

[Seat0B]

Basically from what I’ve been made aware, a full hot vegetarian along with other “special meals” are only provided in the economy cabin on flights from the east coast to Perth/Darwin. If you’re travelling Business Class, special meals can be requested on any Domestic flight.
Sound reasonable to me.

It would be reasonable on a low cost carrier. However, as Qantas make a big deal about including meals in their fares, all passengers should be provided with a suitable meal. Including those "only" flying economy on shorter flights like Melbourne to Brisbane or several shorter flights like Canberra to Brisbane to Cairns.

I'm not vegetarian, but I think vegetarians have the right to a meal they can eat, whatever class of travel they are in and wherever they fly. If all pax only get a snack or piece of fruit, fine, but it meat eaters get a proper meal (not sure a chicken pie is a proper meal but ), then all pax should get a proper meal.

I do have a medically diagnosed gluten intolerance though (luckily not a full allergy or coeliac), and have always managed to find something I can eat from the choices offered until recently when the only food offered in business were a pie on the outbound and a toastie on the inbound. I do not regard it as acceptable that my only choice on the pre-ordered is Vegan/GF. Vegan is a VERY restricted diet, and just because I am effectively GF does not mean that I can't have milk, cheese, yoghurt, honey, chicken, bacon, eggs or other foods.

Sure on low cost carrier, pack your own food, but travelling on very expensive fares (both Y and J) on Qantas, who advertise meals, they should provide a meal you can eat. YMMV.

 

[mrmerc500]

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.

Who does this decision benefit? Certainly not customers nor crew and feel this is a major stepback for QF!

One as a Vegan or Vego know that QF was always a great choice if you wanted a Meal & know flights Coast to Coast don’t seem to be affected with pre-ordering but a recent 6pm QF flight BNE - PER had several other customers around me that were requesting vego meals as both choices had meat.

The flight crew had to ask a customer how they feel to have the salad but they’ll remove the chicken slices that were laying on top.