Where to find detailed information on QF meal services

[simongr]

Hi all

I am perennially confused about what my food options are going to be on QF DOM flights and how I know whethre I am on a city flyer or not.

Is there a link (or a couple of links) on the QF website that explains what food is served when?

I think i have had hot food in whY in the evenings but ISTR flying two DOM whY flights not that far apart but got a useless bag of carp on one flight and some hot curry ting on another.

I have the following flights coming up and am deciding whether to upgrade (if possible) using points and meal options (or lack thereof) are a consideration. I dont upgrade morning flights.

21/2 SYD-ADL 17:25 (sun)
22/2 ADL-SYD 16:40 (mon)
24/2 SYD-BNE 17:05 (wed)
25/2 BNE-SYD 18:10 (thu)
1/3 MEL-SYD 18:00 (mon) - tho no chance of an upgrade at this stage


Cheers for any help

Simon

 

[anat0l]

AFAIK there is no comprehensive source of information about meals on QF - domestic or international. There are no menus in advance - ISTR food cycles change monthly, but I can't be held to that (my aunt works for a catering company that supplies food for QF as well as other airlines; she told me the cycling rate but I can't remember it).

To find out if your flight has a meal or not, unfortunately the only way you can do this is by doing a dummy booking (or bringing up your itinerary using MMB) and viewing the extended details for your flight.

All of your flights are CityFlyer sectors (CityFlyer services operate between all capital cities of Australia except DRW) but the Sunday service will not have complimentary alcohol IIRC (complimentary alcohol in Y only for CityFlyer services after 4pm on weekdays except PER flights which is after 12pm). CityFlyer strictly speaking is only defined for flights between capital cities (except DRW) on weekdays.

All except your BNE-SYD and MEL-SYD flights will be refreshment flights. The BNE-SYD and MEL-SYD flights will be dinner flights, but no telling which meal you will receive then.

In general, read the local departure time, and then:

• up to 0830h: Breakfast
• between 1200h - 1329h: Lunch
• 1330h: Lunch or Refreshment (don't ask, that's what it says)
• between 1800h - 2000h: Dinner
• Any other time is a Refreshment
• Exceptions:
  • All SYD/CBR flights are Refreshments
  • All QantasLink turboprop flights are Refreshments
  • All flights to and from PER (except for ADL/PER) are meals; IIRC all also have cold dessert service (usually a Frosty Fruit) except for red-eye flights from PER. In most cases, you get a choice of two hot meals instead of other sectors where you can only eat what you're given. ADL/PER flights follow the standard schedule, although this seems odd because the flight is over 3h.
  • All flights between ASP and the Eastern seaboard are meals.
  • A very rough rule of thumb is that if a flight is greater than 2.5h, it's a good chance that it's a meal. Check a dummy booking first, however.

This is just from a quick scan of the major centres timetables and from past experience - the precise boundary times may not be accurate so don't hold me to this. It works most of the time, however.

 

[simongr]

Thanks - I wasn't needing the detailed meals - just the general info.

I think the piece I was missing was that hot food was post 18:00.

 

[moa999]

My simple rule is:
Hot food post 1800 on the plane, and post 1700 in the J Lounge.

Actually more benefit in upgrading to J on 1700/1730 departures as you actually get a half decent meal whereas in Y you get a scroll or biscuits. (apart from if you get the Penne with Bolognese)

--

What irks me is the inconsistencies over Daylight Saving.

eg.
BNE-SYD 1715 - 1945 is not clased as a dinner flight (yet generally not home until 8.30/9pm), and no hot food available in the BNE QP either, whereas flights arriving at the same time from MEL (ie 1800+ departure) are dinner flights.

 

[markis10]

Thanks - I wasn't needing the detailed meals - just the general info.

I think the piece I was missing was that hot food was post 18:00.

There was a email a few years ago that mentioned that meals would be served outside of the following hours:

For flight services departing between the hours of 08.30-11.59 and
13.30-18.00, a light refreshment will be served onboard. I also believe after 8PM its a refreshment as well, catches me out all the time when I grab the last flight home!

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...ntas-changes-inflight-meal-services-8519.html

 

[Tooner]

For flight services departing between the hours of 08.30-11.59 and
13.30-18.00, a light refreshment will be served onboard. I also believe after 8PM its a refreshment as well, catches me out all the time when I grab the last flight home!

6pm to 8pm is the time to travel if you want dinner. (Unless of course the corrugations in the road are so bad out of Sydney (to Melbourne) on the 6pm flight that they decide not to serve dinner. Room service it is then!)

Upgrading to J normally provides a reasonable refreshment at any other time. My experience of lunch is extremely limited as I rarely fly at that time, and it used to only be ex PER if at all.

I remember also that the refreshment was a little more substantial in the past, and special meals were done. For me, "refreshments" now means an apple at best on the SYD - MEL bus route.

 

[anat0l]

For me, "refreshments" now means an apple at best on the SYD - MEL bus route.

You're taking the healthy option.

The standard option is typically a cupcake or biscuits. Sometimes it's a sbc (Sydney Biscuit Company) "innovation".

To be honest, I'd rather have these options than BA's Skybites Gold or a bland LH sandwich.

 

[anat0l]

On another note, can anyone confirm the current contents of a J meal (lunch or dinner)?

I have not flown J with a meal service for a long time now (only refreshment services of recent); my impression was that:

• There are always two choices of meals: one standard (warm) choice and one healthy choice (salad).
• The warm choice is served with a small side salad (little bowl of mesculin with a tube of balsamic)
• The salad choice is served with a small cake
• Warm bakery item (piece of bread, a bread roll) served with I-can't-believe-it's-butter

Now here is where it gets complicated. The last time I flew J with a meal, a Payton's chocolate-macadamia was included in the meal. Another time when I managed to "peek" at the J trays from 4C, it was a tiny Tolborone instead (not different to the same item given to Y pax). And then another time, I thought I didn't see a chocolate at all!

So what's the go? Have J meals been enhanced to have no dessert/petit fours (unless you choose the salad option)?

 

[737]

Hello,

Most of the information has been provided by our loyal Frequent Flyers, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents worth from a F/A's perspective.

DISCLAIMER: Long rant from a bored f/a in their hotel room

From our perspective, Flights are classified by their service as either:

- Short (generally flights of <2hrs) eg MEL-SYD, BNE-CBR
- Medium (generally 2hrs-3hrs) eg MEL-BNE, SYD-ADL
- Long (generally 3hrs+) eg MEL-CNS, PER-DRW
- Perth City Flyer (PCF-All flights between PER & CBR/SYD/BNE/MEL/ADL)
- Standalone (services such as CBR-MEL, CBR-SYD and mining flights.

Short and Medium Services

Essentially these are the same services, however on "Medium" flights on what we call Tandem Services (a 'drop' service instead of a tray), there will usually be two choices of refreshment. Short services always one choice.

Economy Class

0500-0830: Breakfast = Tray + Hot Beverages
0831-1159: AM Refreshment = Sweet Refreshment Item + Hot/Cold Drinks
1200-1330: Lunch = Usually a Sandwich of sorts + Hot/Cold Drinks
1331-1559: PM Refreshment = Sweet Refreshment Item + Hot Cold Drinks
1600-1759: PM Ref'ment = Savoury Item + Free or Paid Wine/Beer/Soft Drink
1800-2000: Dinner = Tray w/. Hot Dinner + Free or Paid Wine/Beer/Soft Drink
2001-0459: Supper = Savoury Refreshment or Icecream + Free/Paid Drinks

*Beer and Wine is complimentary on all City Flyer services (service between BNE/CBR/ADL/SYD/MEL) that are scheduled to depart after 4pm on weekdays.

A tray will usually include juice/muffin/yoghurt or cheese/crackers, depending on the service.

Business Class

Meal times are classified the same as Economy class, but are much easier to follow (for crew anyway).

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner - Served a meal with all the trimmings of course (complimentary everything) - Choice of Meal or Cereal/Salad

Refreshments/Supper - Food item usually something lighter (eg Panini) - Choice of lighter option or Salad, again with all the trimmings (hot bev/wine/bakery/salad/etc.)

Long Sectors and Perth City Flyer

These services will always include a Tray service, with choice of two meals in economy class (and three in Business).

Economy Class

0500-0930: Breakfast = Tray with Hot Brekkie or Cereal + extras. Second service is a water/biscuit towards end of the flight.
0931-1400: Lunch = Tray with choice of 2 hot meals + extras. Second service is an icecream/icypole (mostly frosty fruits atm) during the flight.
1401-2159: Dinner = Tray with choice of 2 hot meals + extras. Second service is an icecream/icypole during the flight.
2200-0459: Supper = Tray with choice of two hot meals + extras. Second service is a juice upon waking up into arrival city.

* On all Lunch/Dinner/Supper services EVERYDAY on all Perth CityFlyer services, Beer and Wine is complimentary. $6 during brekkie services.

Business Class

Meal times reflect that of economy class, with enhanced offering of course, with a full meal service on every flights.

Breakfast: Choice of 2 hot/1 cereal. 2nd Service = Hot Bev's/Buscuits
Lunch/Dinner: Choice of 2 hot/1 salad. 2nd Service = Cheese/Fruit/Icecream
Supper: Choice of 2 hot/1 salad. 2nd Service = Juice upon arrival.

*Of course, all alcohol is complimentary, during Lunch/Dinner Desert and Fortified wines are served alongside our premium beers and wines. All services have a hot beverage included with them after the main meal service.

The second service on NON-Perth City Flyer services is an icecream, the cheese/fruit/desert wines are an enhanced product on PCF services.

------------

Perth City Flyers are an enhanced product offering in all classes, with larger trays in economy and more side items, and an enhanced service in Business class, especially the desert and hot beverage service.

Standalone

SYD-CBR-SYD - Usually a choice of refreshment (snack) plus Juice in the morning and Water in the afternoon (drop service)

SYD-MEL-SYD - Similar to a 'Short' service, but lunch is a tray service instead of a drop service. Drinks service may vary and have a limited option.

Mining flights (eg, PER-KTA-PER, BNE-ISA-BNE) - Due to contracts with the mining companies, a tray serivce is provided on all services. For breakfast this will include one option (hot or cold) and a yoghurt/juice/muffin. For all other services, this will include one option (sandwhich or hot meal) and cheese/crackers/chocolate). Whether or not you get a hot meal will depend on what time of the day you fly, and whether you are heading to, or from the main capital city.

------------------------------

I hope that provides some information for anyone who read ALL of that. Lol. I am sitting here in my hotel at 3:47am bored outta my brains not being able to sleep so I decided to write all of this.

This is in no way exhaustive or indicative of the service you will receive on board. For most up to date information, please refer to the Qantas Website and the flight information that displays. Of course, from time to time, services may be modified and may not be what you expected, however we will do our best to provide you with the service we intended to deliver.

Woah, sore fingers from typing, thanks to those that read all of that, if there is mistakes, I apologise, couldnt be bothered proof reading

 

[Flying Fox]

Thanks 737, you're a wealth of information!

 

[simongr]

Thanks 737, you're a wealth of information!

+1 here

This is exactly what I was trying to find out!

 

[anat0l]

DISCLAIMER: Long rant from a bored f/a in their hotel room

...

I hope that provides some information for anyone who read ALL of that. Lol. I am sitting here in my hotel at 3:47am bored outta my brains not being able to sleep so I decided to write all of this.

This is in no way exhaustive or indicative of the service you will receive on board. For most up to date information, please refer to the Qantas Website and the flight information that displays. Of course, from time to time, services may be modified and may not be what you expected, however we will do our best to provide you with the service we intended to deliver.

Woah, sore fingers from typing, thanks to those that read all of that, if there is mistakes, I apologise, couldnt be bothered proof reading

Whoa - loved the info - I'd read it anyway even if it were twice as long (although your hands would be twice as sore )

Thanks so much 737! I trust you were able to finally get some rest.

Can't add to that, although it doesn't quite answer what happens to dessert in J meals (on Short/Medium flights; Long flights it's international standard so no question there).

Also, for completeness on Medium or longer sectors, J class are asked for pre-meal drinks. On Short services, no pre-meal drinks for J.

 

[docjames]

Thanks 737 - great info (and seems to be right in my sample of flights, mostly BNE-MEL-BNE!) but yeah, you must have been mighty bored......

 

[PeteJ]

Hi 737 and thank you. Information greatly appreciated.

Hello,

Most of the information has been provided by our loyal Frequent Flyers, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents worth from a F/A's perspective.

 

[737]

Whoa - loved the info - I'd read it anyway even if it were twice as long (although your hands would be twice as sore)

Thanks so much 737! I trust you were able to finally get some rest.

Can't add to that, although it doesn't quite answer what happens to dessert in J meals (on Short/Medium flights; Long flights it's international standard so no question there).

Also, for completeness on Medium or longer sectors, J class are asked for pre-meal drinks. On Short services, no pre-meal drinks for J.

Haha oops!

Yeah, medium or longers sectors do have a pre-meal bar, thats is correct, I did miss that one out .... however it is of course we are more than happy to prepare one on request for all other services

Dessert? I will clarify that

Short/Medium Sectors

No service offered on these sectors.

Long Sectors (eg, PER-DRW, MEL-BME, MEL-CNS)

The desert option is icecream (Connosiuer/Maxims/Maggie Beer/whatever they give us) usually with Almond Biscotti. One option only usually.

Perth City Flyers

The desert option is enhanced. In addition to the above icecream/biscotti, there is a selection of fruit/cheese. This usually consists of Sliced Fruit, Maggie Beer Quice Paste, Dried Fruit, a selection of cheeses from the Calendar Cheese Company and Crackers. Our popular desert wines and fortified wines are also offered at this time.

Sometimes the fresh fruit/cheese option may vary from port-to-port depending on stock levels.

------------------------

I think thats what you wanted I could go into even more detail haha, or I should just send you our book that tells us how to do the service

I did also forget something. On some Lunch/PM/Dinner/Supper flights in J Class there may be a Soup option instead of a salad. These can be particulary yummy . This however is only on Short/Medium services.

 

[anat0l]

I did also forget something. On some Lunch/PM/Dinner/Supper flights in J Class there may be a Soup option instead of a salad. These can be particulary yummy . This however is only on Short/Medium services.

I can vouch for this Was on the last MEL-BNE flight (refreshment) of the day last May and had a bowl of zucchini and boccocini soup instead of the other choice, which was a pie (had too many of the little kinds in the J Lounge ). Was a little scared about how good the soup would be, but it was very good and wholesome.

Finding a wine match for a soup can be troublesome, however, but the Torbreck red was a nice drop alone.

Great flight, that was, with only 3 people in J. Even better when the lovely CSM let me have the bottle of white.


And no dessert on Short or Medium? Surely they still give you a tiny chocolate, don't they? (Used to be Payton's macadamias - loved those and so does Mum....)


All this talk about J services is interesting seeing as I've got quite a spot of J flying coming up....

 

[737]

And no dessert on Short or Medium? Surely they still give you a tiny chocolate, don't they? (Used to be Payton's macadamias - loved those and so does Mum....)

Ohh, no desert as in an icecream or the like. They took the chocolates off for a while, but now they have been replaced with Mini-Toblerones in J/C.. but I am not sure if they are offered on Short/Medium (sorry!) but I assume so.

However, it is all coming back to me now! Instead of a side salad on short/medium sectors.. all pax might get a mini-cake from 'Manna From Heaven' who is a lovely company that makes absolutely lovely cakes. I have also seen Mini-Chocolate Lindt Cheese Cakes and Choc-Cake type thingo in the little side bowl. I think these are available to all pax on light refreshment flights, or to pax who order the salad/soup option during dinner perhaps?

So sometimes, you might get that, or a side salad, depending on the main meal option.

I am a bit unsure how they offer those little side deserts on short/medium sectors, as I do no operate too many of them

 

[Tooner]

Now here is where it gets complicated. The last time I flew J with a meal, a Payton's chocolate-macadamia was included in the meal. Another time when I managed to "peek" at the J trays from 4C, it was a tiny Tolborone instead (not different to the same item given to Y pax). And then another time, I thought I didn't see a chocolate at all!

So what's the go? Have J meals been enhanced to have no dessert/petit fours (unless you choose the salad option)?

Last time it was the Toblerone. Nice one

Also, thanks 737: very comprehensive!

 

[NowBoardingQF1]

Big fan of the Maggie Beer ice cream... have only come across this on the PER-MEL flights in (J).

 

[markis10]

Last time it was the Toblerone. Nice one

Also, thanks 737: very comprehensive!

Last long haul last week SYD-PER-BNE I got micro Toblerones on my Y tray