Ek First-, business class meals deterioration

[flaphandlemover]

Is it just me, or did anybody else note the deterioration in food quality they are serving nowadays in First and Business? (not talking about our awesome sandwiches out of Dxb and crew meal)

I spoke to a Purser and he told me that EK has reduce the per unit amount. So EK Flight Catering has adjusted the food quality to the new cost......

Sounds like a great plan.... gives us more profit and we get a higher share.....:E:E:E

:ugh::ugh::ugh:

[glofish]

It runs down to the service capabilities. Try to serve the same dishes with a only-tray-no-trolley service to 14/76 instead of 8/42 with basically the same amount of FAs, if you take away the one who constantly cleans the loo and the one who has to continuously serve the drunks at the bar and trying to get them out of the way of the poor girls running from the galley to the most forward C pax.

On my last pax flight in C, i received the wine first, 13min after that the already cold food and the second serving of wine after they passed with the coffee. The poor crew were over their ears in running around for wrong meals, complaints of no more of this or that, et cetera.

Then i got back and listening to FM hear all the wellness dribble about the glorious service on EK flights .....

Basically the food would still be ok, if served warm, on time and with the correct liquid accompanying it.

[The Outlaw]

Actually the quality has been going downhill for years...nothing new here, sometimes the premium passengers will tell you about it.

Times are tough....might only scrape a minimal profit of 5 billion this year...company will have to cut cost somewhere...might have to cut back on pilot shirts.

[Exascot]

We only fly 4 sectors a year ATH-DBX-JNB return. We stopped flying 1st last year when the prices rocketed. We usually choose different dishes so I guess that is a total of about 16 meals a year between us. In 5 years of this we have had very varying standards from terrible in 1st to excellent in business and vice versa. If they want to cut costs why don't they give discount to Skyward members who give their menu choice on line when checking in to save wastage just as you do for dietary requirements? Pointless to write to them to suggest this or with any other comments I know from experience you never get a reply.

So, why do we keep flying with them - delighted but pi..ed off knackered crews, excellent service, great modern, comfortable and well equipped aircraft, pretty well on schedule, nearly the cheapest on our route. However I am glad I decided not to work for them 20 years ago. I would have been beheaded years ago for managementicide. What a bunch of :mad:

[givemewings]

My personal opinion is they should do away with individual plating in J (too many meals and it gets walked down the cabin which takes time) and have everything pre plated. Gets removed from the oven and within 30sec is on your table. None of this crew waiting in line for the food to be assembled on the plate.

Sure it's 'premium' and 'looks nice' but only if the pace can be kept up which it usually can't...

Exascot, that would probably work except for the fact that most people who order meals now turn around and say they changed their mind and they want a 'normal' meal....

As for ULR A380 sectors- please ask why they put on an extra FA and CSA in First but J class is expected to do the same job with the same amount of crew even when half of the cabin operators disappear for the crew rest... madness on US sectors it doesn't stop for the entire flight...

[Exascot]

Exascot, that would probably work except for the fact that most people who order meals now turn around and say they changed their mind and they want a 'normal' meal

OK point taken. Why not follow Air Botswana's example and just serve biltong and peanuts :E

[BLOGGSON]

I love biltong.

[jetjockey696]

there is always... Meal, Ready-to-Eat MRE

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/MRE_20071124.PNG/250px-MRE_20071124.PNG

Beef teriyaki or Meatloaf with gravy... MMMMMM

OR

chicken breast filled with rib meat and dessert
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/MRE_contents.jpg/500px-MRE_contents.jpg


OR VEG...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/MREsingleveggie.gif/170px-MREsingleveggie.gif

[FLEX/MCT]

Meals Rejected by Everyone I believe!

[givemewings]

Haha! I think they're banned on commercial flights anyway, IIRC....

Just do as I now do.... BYO your own food and keep it in the chiller. Come back for a walk and heat it up (oven or if you can filch the right (read: approved) container from F, the microwave) :ok:

[ManaAdaSystem]

Qatar Airways is far superior to EK in business class. Food, drinks, comfort (EK seats are so hard they give you a mattress to sit on). Try to get some rest in the EK business class lounge in DXB where they announce ALL Fxxxing departures in two languages. It goes non stop!
EK can't even do the same service in business class on two different sectors, but seem to think some business class passengers are worth less because they travel on a non European sector.
Now switch to the quiet haven in the Doha business class terminal. Excellent food on board, top wines. Ground services are top notch, unlike EK where they just can't get this part to work properly.
Both Union and Oman Air have a better in flight product.
I really don't understand why people choose EK over any of the other ME carriers.

[crewmeal]

I really don't understand why people choose EK over any of the other ME carriers.

Probably because EK have such a huge route structure and plus the addition more UK regional airports.

[Mr Mac]

Humble SLF, but a regular EK flyer in Business Class (Gold - may own a wing !) for quite a time, and I would agree that the standard has dropped in the last few years, both in service and food,- check out SLF forum for other comments on same issue. Still use them due to good connections from regional UK airport (Man in my case) and good ICE. Have used a couple of other ones, Qatar and the other one up the road. Oman Air is the other carrier I really quite like, but no regional depp from UK, so do not get to use them much. EK issue seems to be the variable levels of service you get on some flights including those sometimes from UK, so not just none European sectors. Will continue to do DXB "shuffle" as that's where I have to go and I do not like LHR or London Airways, also my wife likes the air miles, and the places in the Indian Ocean / Far East these get us to !.


Regards
Mr Mac