Qantas Trans-Tasman Business Class

[njba]

Yes, as do I. I had never thought that anyone would object! I mean they get thrown into the trash anyway by the cleaners at the end of the flight anyway.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

So it seems they have switched to the proper trans-con or international J style serving then. That is good and long overdue.

 

[puppysparkes]

 

[kermatu]

Here's the menu from the AKL-MEL flight on Thursday. No photos sorry. I had the prawns (got 4 of them) - very nice; and the soy chicken (good, but nothing spectacular). I actually liked the look of all the main plates. Though a fellow pax ordered the beef and left most of it untouched.



As an aside, then had "dinner" on the MEL-CBR flight which was a prawn salad. Small plate of two prawns and some OK vegetables. Very disappointing.

 

[blackcat20]

I've often taken the menu with me too, they only end up as rubbish otherwise.

 

[Mattg]

Come to think of it, I've only once been asked to return the menu at the end of a flight, on UL. The FA was apologetic and said it was usually fine to keep them, but that they would need the menu for the return flight as they didn't have enough on board.

 

[njba]

Nice! A wonderful improvement.

Now all they need is actual dessert and not just ice cream!

 

[kermatu]

Nice! A wonderful improvement.

Now all they need is actual dessert and not just ice cream!

The kapiti ice cream is good...

But you can get it in the lounge. I tend to have cheese on the way over, ice cream on the way back!

Will be interested to see if the overnight MEL-AKL flight menu is also revamped. I had it on Sunday and it was actually pretty good. Had eaten well in the F lounge beforehand but still managed some soup and a very nice fish dish (snapper I think). Very quick service and then a chance to rest. No breakfast (or any type of wake-up offering) though.

 

[puppysparkes]

Here's new menu for AKL-BNE. Ann did an excellent job on her own in the galley. She did get some assistance towards the later half of the service.

The verdict: The salad was wilted. I do an excellent wilted salad at home when I've not used my weekly shop. They could probably try a Greek salad as an option. The beef was clearly an exceptional cut, but overdone. Nevertheless it was easy to slice, not chewy and the 'jus' saved the day. 11/10 for the triple choc ice-cream.

 

[TomVexille]

The verdict: The salad was wilted. I do an excellent wilted salad at home when I've not used my weekly shop. They could probably try a Greek salad as an option. The beef was clearly an exceptional cut, but overdone. Nevertheless it was easy to slice, not chewy and the 'jus' saved the day. 11/10 for the triple choc ice-cream.

Ooooh. The triple choc ice cream is excellent

 

[puppysparkes]

Ooooh. The triple choc ice cream is excellent

I forgot to mention I got extra Whittaker's chocolate .

 

[TomVexille]

I forgot to mention I got extra Whittaker's chocolate .

Yum.

 

[kermatu]

I forgot to mention I got extra Whittaker's chocolate .

I'd eaten (and drunk) so much -- including in the EK lounge beforehand -- that I had to decline the chocolate.

Interesting it's the exact same menu as my AKL-MEL flight. Makes sense I suppose. At least there's a greater variety of mains to choose from.

 

[puppysparkes]

I'd eaten (and drunk) so much -- including in the EK lounge beforehand -- that I had to decline the chocolate.

Interesting it's the exact same menu as my AKL-MEL flight. Makes sense I suppose. At least there's a greater variety of mains to choose from.

I wanted to head to the EK lounge but it in the past it has been busy purely because of pax numbers with the A380. I think it is undisputed that EK offer better lounge food. However I did like the chicken and mushroom gratin in the QF lounge yesterday. I'm sorry vegetarians but nothing beats the beef fillet in the EK lounge.

 

[blackcat20]

At least there's a greater variety of mains to choose from.

Unless you're vegetarian, in which case you can have the same soup (minus chorizo) for entree and main...

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Unless you're vegetarian, in which case you can have the same soup (minus chorizo) for entree and main...

You can order a vegetarian meal still.

 

[kermatu]

You can order a vegetarian meal still.

and there's always the cheese... (as much as I hate this being listed as a main plate!).

I was surprised there wasn't a fish dish, but all up I like the new menu and approach. Will have a few more flights in coming weeks to test out if service gets any quicker. One other downside though is that serving sizes (judging from my experience and other photos posted here) do seem smaller.

 

[kermatu]

I wanted to head to the EK lounge but it in the past it has been busy purely because of pax numbers with the A380. I think it is undisputed that EK offer better lounge food. However I did like the chicken and mushroom gratin in the QF lounge yesterday. I'm sorry vegetarians but nothing beats the beef fillet in the EK lounge.

I think the food in the QF lounges has definitely improved and I enjoy time in the QF lounge. The variety of options and the service from the EK lounge is certainly better but I wouldn't have been devastated had the EK lounge not been closed (as I had expected, actually) before my flight.

I've been fortunate to never been turned away from EK, though once was 'warned' that if it got crowded I may be asked to return to the QF lounge. As it happened there were 10 people in the lounge when I left to board that QF flight to Brisbane. Now the EK staff know me so I would hope not to have an issue in the future.

 

[puppysparkes]

This is the menu from yesterday's flight. BNE-AKL

The mains came out cold. I didn't bother asking whether that was the intention or not. I have a predisposition to despise anything with fennel. This dish had fennel. It was excellent and I am now converted.

Having flown with EK in J, I said I'd never fly trans Tasman with QF again. Subsequently I did due to the double sc promotion and I'm glad I did. Put simply, the QF service is far more attentive. Especially when you have row 1 covered.

I also scored a bottle of this drop for helping out with some broken glass

 

[puppysparkes]

I really think they need to add some bacon or parmesan cheese to the pathetic salad dish.