VA J Catering Rant... "Cheese Platter"

[markis10]

Sounds like you have a biased opinion there vantage03! but make sure you let Luke know about your breakfast. I am sure since he has been working with V Australia since 2009 and also Virgin Atlantic and Virgin America, not sure when he started for them, that he should know what works by now.

Actually he has been working with DJ since Aug 2010, and in reality most of the the work is overseen by Narelle Kellahan or Martin Stacey at the Luke Mangan Group I believe, probably the people that would be best suited to such feedback!

 

[dandandan]

and V Australia since 2009.

Actually he has been working with DJ since Aug 2010, and in reality most of the the work is overseen by Narelle Kellahan or Martin Stacey at the Luke Mangan Group I believe, probably the people that would be best suited to such feedback!

 

[anat0l]

Here is actual promo shots of Virgin Meals when they announced Luke Mangan for menu overhaul.

Gallery: Virgin Blue's new inflight meals by Luke Mangan - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

Did that pictured panini ever hit the menus? Looks better than a New Yorker sandwich. Of course, it has been dolled up for the photo shoot (like real life humans, food's gotta look good too )

And although my only experience on VA J with cheese was last October on the older VA 332 PER-SYD in J, the accompaniments to the cheese on that flight was walnuts, dried apricots and wafer crackers. Not muscatels and oatmeal biscuits as in the promo pictorial.

Ah well.

 

[leemin]

most of the the work is overseen by Narelle Kellahan or Martin Stacey at the Luke Mangan Group I believe, probably the people that would be best suited to such feedback!

Maybe so, but it's not their brand and reputation on the line..

 

[markis10]

Maybe so, but it's not their brand and reputation on the line..

No, but its their job and they are probably more accessible!

 

[drewbles]

Pic as requested... thank god they had vodka...

And here's my ever-so-superior QF Cheese Platter I got in J out of BNE a few weeks ago:


I'd hardly call it 'a tragedy' that VA are offering it. Unfortunate yes, but it's not only VA.

I'm trying to be un-biased here. I mentioned to nlagalle once after he jokingly ranted about the 'appalling cheese platter on VA' that QF were not immune to some cheesey-ness on their flights.

 

[mella2007]

I have to say this comment is unfair and isn't constructive at all. I do know Luke personally, and he's a lovely guy. You can dislike his food all you want, but unfounded personal attacks achieve nothing.
..

Well I have met him and I stand by my comments about the food and about him. If you put your name to something, whatever the product or endorsement is, you have to take the good with the bad. And in Luke's case, when it comes to his branding with Virgin's food...fail.
I don't see anyone commenting to others when they say worst things about Alan Joyce or JB

 

[lovestotravel]

It's cough. I hate cheese and so I pay a lot of money (or use quite a few points) for 5 grapes and a $3-6 drink :!:

The whole catering offer needs work, across the board IMO.

/END THREAD

Well I don't hate cheese but there are only so many cheese platters you can have...

While it's nice that you can order other food in J, from the boring/bland/stale/old Y menu, you should not have to

 

[haydensydney]

And here's my ever-so-superior QF Cheese Platter I got in J out of BNE a few weeks ago:

That looks.... disgusting. Looks like something my mum would've put in my lunchbox when I was at primary school. What is that, Colby? At least you could smear quality butter on the crackers :mrgreen:

 

[UP4014]

In saying all of this though, we need to give VA a bit of leeway given they are still finding their feet in the business class offering. This will wear thin over time however. Was the catering a deal breaker with VA that will make me crawl back to QF? The answer is no... I still love VA, but I'm its harshest critic

I think they removed the leeway themselves when the fares started to creep, their choice.

Matt

 

[lovestotravel]

Correct. On both sectors we asked if they had any pies (answer was no) and the only thing they had were the NY sandwiches or wraps. In my experience, both options were awful with hard stale bread and an excessive bread to content ratio. [god i'm a fusspot lol]

In saying all of this though, we need to give VA a bit of leeway given they are still finding their feet in the business class offering. This will wear thin over time however. Was the catering a deal breaker with VA that will make me crawl back to QF? The answer is no... I still love VA, but I'm its harshest critic

How long do you give them to "find their feet" ?

End of the day, regardless of what we think, they are gaining market share and customers so they are doing something right.

Virgin will continue to "enhance" their product/services until they start to lose customers!

I give them no leeway and my flights are now back to 50/50 QF/VA

 

[drewbles]

That looks.... disgusting. Looks like something my mum would've put in my lunchbox when I was at primary school. What is that, Colby? At least you could smear quality butter on the crackers :mrgreen:

The 'superior' was firmly tongue-in-cheek

Fly the new 330 service to PER in J. You'll never want to fly QF DOM J again!

 

[Bundy Bear]

I try to fly during meal times

Virgin BNE-SYD 8am departure breakfast.


Virgin BNE-MEL 5:55pm departure dinner.


I flew a 4:00pm SYD-BNE to get the cheese, I wasn't that impressed as I didn't take a photo
I did take a photo of the plane as it was a BSI aircraft





Sent from a cool Apple product using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[markis10]

I enjoyed the cheese platter back in Jan on the E190 NTL to BNE, but maybe the 5 JW Reds clouded my judgement, PITA being the only one in J!

 

[ash.1111]

when the captain emerges from his terriorist proof coughpit to have a leak - a crew member stands to attention at front of Business like a twerp to stop me launching at him and the coughpit (oh - did i mention she was 48kg and I am 100kg). What nonsense it is all becoming.

Sorry to go slightly off topic, but the crew member was only following common airline SOPs. I think all of your frustrations are absolutately valid, minus the bit about the crew member being a 'twerp'. Might look slightly awkward, but would you rather the door simply left unattended when opened? A crew member, no matter how heavy, would slow down any wannabe intruder.

For the bit about the flight deck being served first, perhaps write in to the airline? The more feedback they receive, the more likely things will change.

 

[straitman]

For the bit about the flight deck being served first, perhaps write in to the airline? The more feedback they receive, the more likely things will change.

Is this really a big issue? You/we don't know the flight deck crew's previous time line and on a short sector if they are not fed first they may not have time to get a snack.

 

[lovestotravel]

I have NO issues with flight crew getting served first! They are in control the plane and my life and deserve to be served before ANY customer !

 

[ash.1111]

Do I think it's an issue? No. But if there are people out there who think it is, then perhaps things should be altered to accommodate everyone.

Some CSs will have R1 come up and prep the meals for them, allowing the CS to take care of business.

Also keep in mind that all airlines have a "sterile flight deck" stage, where no one is able to make contact with the flight deck (unless an emergency) to collect rubbish.

 

[JohnK]

Yes the cheese platter is ordinary.

Just as well I have had op-ups into business class because if I was paying and getting that sort of service I would be extremely disappointed.

 

[lovestotravel]

Do I think it's an issue? No. But if there are people out there who think it is, then perhaps things should be altered to accommodate everyone.

Can't please everyone.