Virgin Australia J Class Meal Loading - Fly Ahead/ Last Minute Booking

[muppet]

Hi guys

Following on from a recent discussion in the Virgin Aus Business Class Meals thread where there were insufficient meals loaded for J pax who change at the last minute - I thought it would be worthy of its own thread.

The comments made in the meals thread surrounded waste (understandably) and the particular example discussed was for an otherwise empty J cabin.

However, today my +1 was on the 3pm to Syd and moved to 1pm before noon. He was advised that there would be no catering (at least he was advised).
But this is a little bit pathetic in my opinion. I sent him to the airport early after checking available seats on expert flyer which showed at 9am J4 and Y6 for the 1pm flight. By 11am it was J2 and Y2 hense my pressuring him to get to the airport.

Surely a flight that is practically full 4 hours before departure should have a full J class cabin meals loaded?

I get it if the cabin is empty but every flights either side was either full or practically full and a reasonable person would assume that the J cabin would be highly occupied by departure (J0 Y0 by 12:05).

End of the rant - +1 did accept catering not assured and indeed got nothing (nor an offer from Y menu) but I think they should be able to manage it better.

nb - the +1 doesn't care, just wanted the earlier flight, this is me ranting.

thoughts?

 

[KCMil]

You need to report the fact that you weren't offered product from Y class as this is a requirement where J food is not loaded. The feedback needs to go in or they wont change things, please report it for all our sakes

 

[muppet]

You need to report the fact that you weren't offered product from Y class as this is a requirement where J food is not loaded. The feedback needs to go in or they wont change things, please report it for all our sakes

wasn't with the +1 so I'll confirm that he definately wasn't offered before I do... .but if it's for sure, then I promise I will.
He's not like us, he just sort of goes along with it ... unphased.

 

[austgap]

I'm surprised to hear your +1s experience. I used the 'fly ahead' option for a bunch of J travel (4 sectors) last month and always did I receive the full J class meal even with the lounge and check-in ramble about no catering, this included a fly ahead option that meant it was changed with less then 70mins before departure.

 

[leemin]

I'm surprised to hear your +1s experience. I used the 'fly ahead' option for a bunch of J travel (4 sectors) last month and always did I receive the full J class meal even with the lounge and check-in ramble about no catering, this included a fly ahead option that meant it was changed with less then 70mins before departure.

This was my experience last weekend too. My fly ahead was T-1.25 and 10 hours before the flight I was actually booked on.

 

[DeKa]

MrsDeka used fly ahead on a Virgin J flight last Thursday. Was told no catering, and there was none. She was offered either a sandwich or a packet of chips from Y. Is that what you should expect? She was a bit disappointed.

 

[Sprucegoose]

It is fly ahead and not eat ahead!


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[Kefci2000]

I have usually had worst case of Mangun pie!!!

 

[Blue Chameleon]

It is fly ahead and not eat ahead!


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

This.


..........

 

[toowongman]

MrsDeka used fly ahead on a Virgin J flight last Thursday. Was told no catering, and there was none. She was offered either a sandwich or a packet of chips from Y. Is that what you should expect? She was a bit disappointed.

You can have what you like from the Y menu (within reason).

 

[markis10]

Catering not assured is common no matter who you fly with, I would imagine catering for non existent passengers would amount to a significant waste over the entire network otherwise.

 

[Carlous Moochous]

I still think they should load at least 1 spare J meal as if you're paying for J you want both the product and the flexibility. The current situation means you only get 1, the product (a meal) or flexible flight options.

 

[dk4]

I went on an earlier DJ catering not assured flight recently, but still had a choice of breakfasts.

Seems to be that catering is, well, not assured... (That is you might, but then you also might not. YMMV)

 

[DeKa]

Thanks for the information. MrsDeKa wasn't overly concerned - she was happier to be home early than have a meal.

 

[markis10]

I still think they should load at least 1 spare J meal as if you're paying for J you want both the product and the flexibility. The current situation means you only get 1, the product (a meal) or flexible flight options.

I believe they do load extra, but where do you draw the line, at T-24 its J2, then fly ahead makes it J5 for instance?

 

[jaspon]

I was under the impression that there is always 1 x extra meal loaded based on J class loads at -5 hrs, when catering is finalised

 

[brad330]

Say there is a full cabin and two choices for dinner. How many meals would be loaded? 6 of each?

 

[jaspon]

"Say there is a full cabin and two choices for dinner. How many meals would be loaded? 6 of each?"

I reckon there would be maybe 6 meat / 4 veg ???

 

[KCMil]

Loads are finalised at -4 hours. There is 1 extra loaded on mainline business and a 10% extra loading on transcontinental. A full cabin (737) of 8 you would get a total of ten meals usually with a 60/40 split. This is diff again with transcon as there are three meal choices. Some triangle flights at certain times of the day have more than 1 extra meal loaded as they are flight times that get high last minute changes, eg. less than 4 hours.

 

[jad01]

What sucks as a vegetarian is when the non vegetarians pick the vegetarian meal leaving the vege's with nothing :-(
On the J meal issues I have had a mix of experiences.
Changed one flight 12 hrs before and ended up with no meal, on another flight I arrived at the airport early to get on a flight departing in 65 min and there was one....so a bit hit and miss.

JASON