Economy with the Full Monty

[praa]

I recently did a return trip across the Atlantic with Air Canada in economy. I found them to be a very decent and efficient airline. I'd say they were way above average - if only they didn't scrimp on the catering.

No idea why but I have always had a very soft spot for the old ritual of a pre-dinner G&T and a bag of peanuts (or even pretzels, if need be). Even if only in a dinky plastic cup, it still felt like you were being looked after properly.

But Air Canada skips the drinks. It's straight to the "chicken or pasta?" (BTW - whatever happened to "chicken or beef?") And when did I last see a hot towel in economy??

So which airlines out there are still offering the full monty in economy with some semblance of full service instead of snack bar catering?

P.S. I'd love to love you Air Canada but a plasic wrapped muffin is not a breakfast. Whatever happened to the apple slices that used to come with it?

[Hotel Tango]

Excluding some of the Asian carriers, my own observations these past years is that what one gets in Business Class is not that much more than what one used to get in Economy Class back in the 60s thru to the 80s.

[PAXboy]

praa Uummmm, it sounds like you haven't travelled long haul economy for a while? If they go straight to the meal and a drink, that saves one round of free drinks and little packets full of nasty, salty junk () and they offer pasta because it's cheaper than meat - and has become fashonable.

I could go on but you've already found that lower fares mean lower service!! And if you say that you paid full rate, so does that not constitute high fares? The answer is to compare the fare paid for that journey 25 years ago and then adjust for inflation.

[ExXB]

Pasta? That's the Vegetarian option, isn't it?

In the good old days AC competed with CP Air (Canadian Pacific) that used china and silver in Economy. CP is long gone (due to bad management) and eventually merged into AC.

[Dan Winterland]

Most western airlines have seen that the travelling public will accept lower standards and have acted on that. The "low cost" model (not really low cost as unless you get the first few tickets advertised at "from £19" or whatever, you end up paying the same as full service airlines after you've paid the booking fee/credit card fee/check-in fee/baggage fee and any other fee that the airline thinks they can get away with. This service is actualy "low overheads" or Low expectations" and the US and European majors think they can get away with it. If you want more, you have to buy a Premium economy or business ticket to get was what standard in the past.

However, as mentioned, Asian carriers generally still offer the full service. The likes of Thai, Cathay Pacific, Singapore, Malaysian etc still offer a service which is way ahead of the Western standards. On a recent Thai flight, I was treated to an economy meal which was as good as western business meals and the cognac bottle came out after dinner. And this was the relatively short sector between Hong Kong and Bangkok.

[surely not]

I travelled in economy back from Dubai with Virgin Atlantic around 6 months ago and I'm sure that after the meal they offered a complimentary Baileys or Cognac.
I guess the drinks company has a special deal with Virgin to raise awareness of their products?

I think it is fair to say that the western public is getting exactly what it deserves. It's whole mantra is to 'get a bargain'. Price is king over everything else, but then they complain that the product isn't good. Competition has driven prices down to a level where it isn't possible for anything other than a basic service to be provided, and then people still moan.

A lot of people bemoan that there isn't the service available today that there was 20-30 years ago, but as soon as they have to buy a ticket they go for the cheapest option again!!

We are stuck with a low level of service because that is all people will pay for.

[marsie]

I flew from Frankfurt to Denver via Toronto with Air Canada in August, departing mid-morning, and they did serve drinks in economy before lunch. And I must say that entering the US at Toronto was the quickest and friendliest example of that usually fraught procedure I have had in 20 years of travelling across the Pond. I'll go via friendly Canada again.

[Espada III]

Lufthansa seem pretty good on long haul economy. Towels, drinks, food and then a digestif. Flying Monday on Swiss and back on Lufthansa, so will let you know...

[easyflyer83]

praa Uummmm, it sounds like you haven't travelled long haul economy for a while? If they go straight to the meal and a drink, that saves one round of free drinks and little packets full of nasty, salty junk () and they offer pasta because it's cheaper than meat - and has become fashonable.

I could go on but you've already found that lower fares mean lower service!! And if you say that you paid full rate, so does that not constitute high fares? The answer is to compare the fare paid for that journey 25 years ago and then adjust for inflation.

Spot on. People love the G&T before dinner routine etc etc..........they're just not willing to pay for it. I used to work for an airline that, in bucket & spade routes, did the "full monty". Newspaper, comp drinks and snack, hot meal, IFE. However, if the semi low cost competitor was as little as £10 cheaper......many opted for the cheaper option. People loved our onboard service, but they didn't particularly value it in monetary terms.

Most western airlines have seen that the travelling public will accept lower standards and have acted on that. The "low cost" model (not really low cost as unless you get the first few tickets advertised at "from £19" or whatever, you end up paying the same as full service airlines after you've paid the booking fee/credit card fee/check-in fee/baggage fee and any other fee that the airline thinks they can get away with. This service is actualy "low overheads" or Low expectations" and the US and European majors think they can get away with it. If you want more, you have to buy a Premium economy or business ticket to get was what standard in the past.

I agree in part but a little unfair on the LCC's. More often than not, the LCC's are cheaper....fact. Occasionally, the full service carriers can be around the same price or fairly close but it's the LCC sector that has made full service more competitive. You can't argue with that. Even when full service are fairly close in price, like in my example above, many will still go for the fare that is ultimately cheaper.
And not all LCC's are "that" bad when it comes to extra's. I don't agree with high card fee's but the only extra that comes close to necassary with some LCC's (notably EZY) is baggage. And many don't even need that.

[flying lid]

Both Eti had & Emirates have very good service, tasty food and sufficient drink. Choice of THREE main courses on Eti had (Man-Abu Dhabi) - AND all were availiable on all our 4 sectors.

Both have hot towels as well.

Last time I flew BA was Manchester - Frankfurt on a farty little Embraer. Comfortable flight, but I refused to BUY food / drink. Cheeky sods. LH on this route next time.

[L'aviateur]

To be honest, even on the longer 10-14 hr flights I'd prefer they just had snacks and sandwiches available that you could nibble from and a few bottles of water stowed in your seatback.
When travelling in business I rarely eat the meals and go for a sandwich if thy offer as you wish dining, and on a night flight definately go without and just sleep.

I have no real desire for reheated food, regardless of class.

[Businesstraveller]

Economy with Singapore Airlines

Saturday's Guardian travel section showed SQ to be the most popular long haul Y class carrier. I can agree to that as my most recent Y class flight from LHR to SIA included:

1) Pre-dinner hot towel and G&T
2) Choice of 5 main courses
3) Choice of 2 types of cooked breakfast
4) Unlimited hot/cold drinks (incl. alcoholic) throughout the flight. Heck, I even got the FA to get me a glass of champers from the front.
Unlimited snacks
5) Leather travel document wallet for all passengers upon disembarkation due to the IFE failing to work for about 2hrs during the middle of the night. Admitedly I've never used it.
6) Bigger screens & more channels than many business class cabins
7) Wardrobe storage for suits

[ViscountFan]

Code:

 I'd love to love you Air Canada but a plastic wrapped muffin is not a  breakfast. Whatever happened to the apple slices that used to come with  it?

Couldn't agree more about the muffin they called breakfast. The one I had courtesy of Air Canada was so cold it almost hurt to eat it!

[easyflyer83]

What you have to remember is that many AC flights to the UK are relatively short by long haul standards. Having a meal after takeoff in the evening and then a 'breakfast' snack less than 5 hours later isn't that unreasonable in my book.

[Espada III]

I am reporting back on my return Lufthansa flight yesterday afternoon in Economy class.

After take off we had hot towels then a selection of drinks.
Hot meal served with more drinks and a selection of I think three main courses (I eat a special meal but my neighbour seemed pretty happy with the choice).
More drinks were offered and a hot drink and a little later a digestif of either Baileys or cognac.
Finally more drinks near the end of the flight.

New interior of the 747-400 with what appear to be thinner yet more comfortable seats and new IFE which was pretty generic. I barely used it as I was chatting with the passenger next to me for most of the flight.

[obgraham]

It mystifies me why folks think flying somewhere should be some sort of culinary experience.
I prefer to eat before and after the flight. Just something for sustenance if the flight is too long for my plan. And all that drinking just adds to the time I have to spend in the disgusting biffy.
I'd much rather the airlines can the cuisine completely and concentrate on keeping to their schedule.

[Pax Vobiscum]

Just returned from a trip to Cyprus (LHR-LCA) on a BA 767. As I was in Eurotraveller, I was fully expecting meal service to be a Jordans* bar. But no, we got a cooked breakfast followed by a later drinks service outbound and a drinks service followed by a hot meal (beef stroganoff) with wine on the way back. I won't pretend that either was the finest meal I'd ever eaten, but they were more than edible and much appreciated (particularly breakfast after an 0430 start).

Well done BA! (Did he really say that?)

* Other types of squirrel food are available

[easyflyer83]

BA flights around that sort of distance have always maintained that kind of service and, as a full service carrier, on that length of route (4h15) that should really be the case.

[grounded27]

My best experience was an airline gone within the last decade. Varig flight from Sao Paulo to Buenos Aires. Great meal and as much paletable red wine as I desired.