QF Understocking the Champers?

[Deleted member]

I'm happy to confirm that it's in fact the opposite. We've recently increased the number of bottles loaded in First and Business across the network. Cheers!

On QF 2 last week the Winston Churchill ran out had to raid the J cabin for more French.
And of course J BNE to AKL has been sans French for a while ( unless that has changed recently)
Just not a fan of sparkling. Will go with a good red otherwise.

 

[Flying mermaid]

your blood ran cold? because the thought of not enough bubble? and it's stressing you out.

Must be real hard.

Oh dear - I knew I should have put some winks - tongue in cheek is not always evident on these sorts of boards.....

 

[sloth]

I'm happy to confirm that it's in fact the opposite. We've recently increased the number of bottles loaded in First and Business across the network. Cheers!

oh thank god.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm happy to confirm that it's in fact the opposite. We've recently increased the number of bottles loaded in First and Business across the network. Cheers!

although this has got me thinking 'why'? Would there be a need for extra bottles unless there was a reported shortage?

 

[vetrade]

Given the prices pax have to pay to fly in F (excluding the politicians QF sucks up to with free upgrades, of course) there should never, ever, be a shortage of appropriate refreshments. Given the small number of F passengers it is just not that hard to stock the galley adequately. If they ever run out of champagne it is only because they are intentionally rationing what they provide for their supposedly "premium" passengers. I can picture some QF bean counter in Sydney (probably wearing a cardigan and with no real concept of what the expectations of first class passengers are) using an abacus to trim a few $$$ off their running costs when the cost of alienating just one F passenger and losing their business (even for just one flight) would cost them many multiples of what their penny pinching saved.

If it's not first class service, it's cr^p!

Disclaimer: I'm personally not affected because I've never flown F and I rarely drink champagne.

 

[infinity]

Last week, flew QF93 in F to LAX with a colleague.

had a very nice glass of Tatt pre-take-off. Then, 2 hours into a 13 hour flight I was joined by my colleague and we requested a second glass for myself and a (first) glass for him.

no luck. 2 hours into a 13 hour flight and its all gone. FA didn't suggest that some unforeseen loading issue caused this... Just that they'd run out. We were offered J class bubbles. No thanks, had the red instead.

talking to a FA in J on the following QF flight from LAX to JFK, she told me that QF has drastically cut the amount of champagne they are loading... And to 'please complain... Because we are tired of having to tell pax that we have run out'. I don't know how true this is, but if it is, it's pretty bloody appalling.

I'll be letting QF know about this today, but just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

I flew QF 93 on 12/12/12 and once boarded, the plane was delayed for 1.5 hours with a door seal issue. Only 3 bottle of Comp were loaded and 7 F pax. I said to FA we will run out by the time the plane leaves so maybe he'd better get some more. He concurred and said they often did run dry which I agreed had happened with about 4 F class flights I had already done in 2012. ( I specifically recall a QF63 and QF64 experience in 4/12 with same issue- whn they had F on that service)

Thought it particulalry bad that F class had to drop down to non vintage Heidseck, if it hadn't been for my overt recommendation to the CSM on the QF63.

Did QF12 on 4/3/13 as well in F and similar problem,(running dry in the cabin for Comp) but most didnt make an issue of it and just went to sleep.

Last week I did QF127 to HKG and back on QF128 in F and was hoping for a change in champs to the Sir Winston that I have heard so much about, but alas, even though listed on the drinks menu, had it listed of course, there was none to be seen!

Will PM Red Roo

But me thinks I am a bit over the reliabilty of the F service offering now on QF.

Will be off to CDG on Tuesday picking up the F A380 on MH from KUL and coming back on TG F A380 to BKK then switch to their 744 back to SYD

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm happy to confirm that it's in fact the opposite. We've recently increased the number of bottles loaded in First and Business across the network. Cheers!

happy to confirm? but when is it actually starting? my flight ran out of champagne. 'under stocked' I was told. and only one of two choices uplifted. so I have no idea when this problem will be resolved. and it is a penny pinching problem (number of pax boarded matched the seat map exactly, and seat map didn't change in 48 hours, so there was no excuse of 'last minute pax' in this case).

(for the record my flight was several days after the QF rep's assurance)

 

[freepyjamas]

Well, a couple of weeks after supplying QF this feedback, I'd like to report that a representative of the airline got back to me with an explanation and some form of apology.

I'd like to, but it hasn't happened.

Pity. It shouldn't be hard to respond to these kinds of things.

they don't care? They have so much feedback that it takes many weeks to respond to a failure of offering in their most premium cabin? Some other reason?

i didn't make a huge fuss, just used their email feedback. I know you get better results by calling, but why should you have to when QF specifically asks for feedback via email?

 

[Red Roo]

Well, a couple of weeks after supplying QF this feedback, I'd like to report that a representative of the airline got back to me with an explanation and some form of apology.

I'd like to, but it hasn't happened.

Pity. It shouldn't be hard to respond to these kinds of things.

they don't care? They have so much feedback that it takes many weeks to respond to a failure of offering in their most premium cabin? Some other reason?

i didn't make a huge fuss, just used their email feedback. I know you get better results by calling, but why should you have to when QF specifically asks for feedback via email?

I share your disappointment and will follow up asap as it seems unusual that you've not yet received a response.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I share your disappointment and will follow up asap as it seems unusual that you've not yet received a response.

can you also find out what the scoop is on the continued under-stocking of champagne in First?

 

[Flying mermaid]

can you also find out what the scoop is on the continued under-stocking of champagne in First?

I am wondering if it isn't the WP perk that is causing the problem? The first thing a new WP seems to do is ask on this board what sort of things they can ask for if flying international Y. If you had say 20 WPs all asking for a glass of bubbly, that would throw things out. Maybe QF needs to separate into 2 sets of bubbly - one lot for F and the rest for WP perks - that way they could allocate costs properly as well. - x bottles against F revenue and y against the FF program. Can be the same bubbly so WPs are not being discriminated against, but F are not losing out. It is not a huge issue, I guess, as if I want a nice champagne I will go and buy it. On the other hand F is not cheap and it seems crazy that the bubbly keeps running out.....(or at least so it is reported).

 

[Chucksta]

What sort of champagne is QF serving in F?

I flew F from LAX-SYD many years ago and they had Dom. Could have been 5 years ago now.

 

[vitagen]

They have the 2000 Taittinger Comtes and the 2002 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill.

I believe WP in Y will usually get the J champs if asked?

 

[Sprucegoose]

First ain't first without champers.....

 

[Flying mermaid]

They have the 2000 Taittinger Comtes and the 2002 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill.

I believe WP in Y will usually get the J champs if asked?

no idea - same reasoning applies though - if 20 plats in J ask for a glass of f bubbly, could throw estimates out. This is probably a storm in a teacup, as things often are. Maybe we need a "F champagne, what's the story" thread, where people log their experiences. Purely in the interests of research, I will increase my normal consumption to 3 glasses and ask for one late in the flight, to see how supplies are going

 

[MelUser]

What about serving f champagne in j, j champagne in premium (as was done when premium was first invented) and aldi champagne in y!

 

[serfty]

... and aldi champagne in y!

I'll drink to that! Aldi pushes posh plonk | mXnet

A BOTTLE of cheap champagne from Aldi has been judged superior to its expensive rivals in a blind taste test.
...

A bottle of bubbly ... sells for $24.99 has been judged in a blind taste test at a leading food and wine event as better than others costing 10 times as much.

A version of the French tipple, Champagne Veuve Monsigny, was judged ``classy and complex'' and awarded a silver medal at the prestigious International Wine Challenge.

 

[whughes3]

I'll drink to that! Aldi pushes posh plonk | mXnet

Indeed...that is what often happens when you judge on actual taste, rather than just on labels or price tags!

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I am wondering if it isn't the WP perk that is causing the problem? The first thing a new WP seems to do is ask on this board what sort of things they can ask for if flying international Y. If you had say 20 WPs all asking for a glass of bubbly, that would throw things out. Maybe QF needs to separate into 2 sets of bubbly - one lot for F and the rest for WP perks - that way they could allocate costs properly as well. - x bottles against F revenue and y against the FF program. Can be the same bubbly so WPs are not being discriminated against, but F are not losing out. It is not a huge issue, I guess, as if I want a nice champagne I will go and buy it. On the other hand F is not cheap and it seems crazy that the bubbly keeps running out.....(or at least so it is reported).

no... the WP getting champagne in Y is not being served vintage from F. They would be getting the standard J champagne. So this is not relevant.

 

[MelUser]

On the 2 occasions when I have unfortunately been downstairs on the a380 and not in rows 1 to 5, the csm upon noticing my discomfort has brought f champagne.