Tea and coffee: your advice
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Tea and coffee: your advice
Some time ago a very interesting thread about tea and coffee was on in Aircrew Notices.
I think it is very interesting/instructive for us F/A to know the opinion of the SLF. What do you like? What do you hate? what would you wish?
Go, it's your time to speak out!
I think it is very interesting/instructive for us F/A to know the opinion of the SLF. What do you like? What do you hate? what would you wish?
Go, it's your time to speak out!
Paxing All Over The World
What excellent service we get here on PPRuNe.
I cannot drink coffee, so no comment there. I am a fairly constant tea drinker, about 4/5 mugs a day.
The reasons that I no longer drink tea on board:
1) Temperature - too cold.
2) I like STRONG tea and the brew has to be made average to suit all tastes.
3) The cups are always too small. I like a large mug of tea!
4) Some carriers use the same vessels for both tea and coffee, after only washing them out. The residual taste of coffee is more than detectable. Sometimes I can smell it as I lift the cup - so then I have to send it back.
Even on long haul, I now avoid the tea although might consider taking my own tea bag and getting some hotwater during a quite moment in the flight. But I would go to the galley when most pax were asleep, so as not to start a stampede of people asking for 'proper' tea!
Thanks again for asking
I cannot drink coffee, so no comment there. I am a fairly constant tea drinker, about 4/5 mugs a day.
The reasons that I no longer drink tea on board:
1) Temperature - too cold.
2) I like STRONG tea and the brew has to be made average to suit all tastes.
3) The cups are always too small. I like a large mug of tea!
4) Some carriers use the same vessels for both tea and coffee, after only washing them out. The residual taste of coffee is more than detectable. Sometimes I can smell it as I lift the cup - so then I have to send it back.
Even on long haul, I now avoid the tea although might consider taking my own tea bag and getting some hotwater during a quite moment in the flight. But I would go to the galley when most pax were asleep, so as not to start a stampede of people asking for 'proper' tea!
Thanks again for asking
Join Date: Sep 2001
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[aka HKGpax]
Thanks for asking (especially if you are in a position to do anything about it!
)
I would very much like the airlines to switch to (fresh brew) decaffeinated coffee as the default, particularly on overnight flights. At the moment a lot of airlines don't have decaf, and those that do have instant sachets. Some of the First classes have brewed decaf which is so much nicer.
This would reduce the load for the crew during the night since more people would be asleep.
I agree with the other points re keeping the jugs separate, though CX where I do most of my flying has them colour coded in economy and has real (and different) pots up the front, so this isn't normally an issue.
CX does a mean cappucino up the front, which is great - you others should take a look.
Real milk makes a big difference vs UHT as well.
And on the tea front, what would be really nice up the front on boarding in hot places would be fresh iced lemon tea (made with real tea and real lemons) on the tray along with the juice and champers.
Thanks for asking (especially if you are in a position to do anything about it!
)I would very much like the airlines to switch to (fresh brew) decaffeinated coffee as the default, particularly on overnight flights. At the moment a lot of airlines don't have decaf, and those that do have instant sachets. Some of the First classes have brewed decaf which is so much nicer.
This would reduce the load for the crew during the night since more people would be asleep.
I agree with the other points re keeping the jugs separate, though CX where I do most of my flying has them colour coded in economy and has real (and different) pots up the front, so this isn't normally an issue.
CX does a mean cappucino up the front, which is great - you others should take a look.
Real milk makes a big difference vs UHT as well.
And on the tea front, what would be really nice up the front on boarding in hot places would be fresh iced lemon tea (made with real tea and real lemons) on the tray along with the juice and champers.
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Hmmmm, coffee normally OK. Tea needs boiling water. And mugs - or at least big plastic cups! Coming into the UK after a transatlantic I knows that would be appreciated.
PAXboy has it spot on.
World Traveller
PAXboy has it spot on.
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It depends who I am flying with, but usually it is Coffee. Full strength with Caffiene
Sorry Christep but I just dont understand Decaff !!
I am quite fussy about my Tea and although I have had some excellant inflight cuppas my drug of choice is usually Coffee.
Thanks for asking
Sorry Christep but I just dont understand Decaff !!
I am quite fussy about my Tea and although I have had some excellant inflight cuppas my drug of choice is usually Coffee.
Thanks for asking
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Surely I'm not the only person who wants to get some sleep on an overnight flight and finds caffeinated coffee makes this even more difficult?
Of course, with the breakfast I would want full strength caffeinated...
Maybe my body is just too sensitive?
Of course, with the breakfast I would want full strength caffeinated...
Maybe my body is just too sensitive?
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Chris
I understand now
Ok then it probably should be an option to have Decaff.
But why not hot Cocoa instead of coffee on overnighters then.
I understand now
Ok then it probably should be an option to have Decaff.
But why not hot Cocoa instead of coffee on overnighters then.
Supercalifragilistic
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Hot tea - it'll never happen
I have bad news to all of you who want hot drinks on flights, no matter how fast we get served it will almost certainly never be as hot as it is, fresh poured, on the ground.
The air pressure in an airliner when cruising is usually equivalent to being at about 5000 feet (As far as I remember - Corrections please!) at which altitude water boils at around 95 degrees centigrade or 203 degrees farenheight.
So you can't "boil" the water as in get ti to 100 degrees C, as demanded by tea purists.
There ends the physics lesson...
The air pressure in an airliner when cruising is usually equivalent to being at about 5000 feet (As far as I remember - Corrections please!) at which altitude water boils at around 95 degrees centigrade or 203 degrees farenheight.
So you can't "boil" the water as in get ti to 100 degrees C, as demanded by tea purists.
There ends the physics lesson...
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Every time I drink Coffee or tea on board an aircraft it leaves a very unpleasant taint/flavour/coating in my mouth, coffee more so than tea and it isn't restricted to any particular airline.
Now i'm going to sound like a real whiner, I don't like fruit juices unless they are watered down 1/2 and 1/2 and water can be on occasion, well, just too watery.
Cocoa sounds like a nice option though, I would suggest cordial based drinks but I like them to be watered down more than most
So when you see a pax who seems to be drinking more than his fair share of beer and spirits this maybe why. (ps I know they don't rehydrate you but they feel like it at the time).
Now i'm going to sound like a real whiner, I don't like fruit juices unless they are watered down 1/2 and 1/2 and water can be on occasion, well, just too watery.
Cocoa sounds like a nice option though, I would suggest cordial based drinks but I like them to be watered down more than most
So when you see a pax who seems to be drinking more than his fair share of beer and spirits this maybe why. (ps I know they don't rehydrate you but they feel like it at the time).
Paxing All Over The World
Dear fellow travellers,
I am overwhelmed that some think I have the correct view of tea at FL350. If I may, one other point and a follow up question.
Tea: On the British based low-cost carrier easyJet, they serve tea in a large, strong plastic cup. You get a real tea bag (Tetleys) and the CC pour hot water into it from a jug on the trolley. You get handed sugar and (yuk) UHT but you can then mix and match, leaving the bag to brew longer in the non-boiling water (as advised by memetic). But it is still a LOT hotter than on other carriers. It costs (last time I travelled, in 2001) One of our Britsh Pounds. That is expensive but it is well worth it.
Also, because they are only serving hot water - there is no mix-up of containers. The coffee heads get a similar cup with coffee that they seem to like. It certainly smeels VERY strongly. So much so that I have to put a paper tissue over my nose to prevent me being nauseated by it.
Now a new question:
So, as I no longer drink tea on long haul - I drink more alcohol. I am happy to have brandy and coke for breakfast or Buck's Fizz. Before you reach for the call bell to warn of potential air rage here, I find that I am LESS affected by alcohol at altitude - rather than more!
I have a small capacity for booze and can get pi$$ed very quickly. But on a long haul, I have NEVER been drunk, even though I consume more than I would in the same amount of time onthe ground.
Anybody else have this result?
I may ask this in the Medical forum too.
I am overwhelmed that some think I have the correct view of tea at FL350. If I may, one other point and a follow up question.
Tea: On the British based low-cost carrier easyJet, they serve tea in a large, strong plastic cup. You get a real tea bag (Tetleys) and the CC pour hot water into it from a jug on the trolley. You get handed sugar and (yuk) UHT but you can then mix and match, leaving the bag to brew longer in the non-boiling water (as advised by memetic). But it is still a LOT hotter than on other carriers. It costs (last time I travelled, in 2001) One of our Britsh Pounds. That is expensive but it is well worth it.
Also, because they are only serving hot water - there is no mix-up of containers. The coffee heads get a similar cup with coffee that they seem to like. It certainly smeels VERY strongly. So much so that I have to put a paper tissue over my nose to prevent me being nauseated by it.
Now a new question:
So, as I no longer drink tea on long haul - I drink more alcohol. I am happy to have brandy and coke for breakfast or Buck's Fizz. Before you reach for the call bell to warn of potential air rage here, I find that I am LESS affected by alcohol at altitude - rather than more!
I have a small capacity for booze and can get pi$$ed very quickly. But on a long haul, I have NEVER been drunk, even though I consume more than I would in the same amount of time onthe ground.
Anybody else have this result?
I may ask this in the Medical forum too.
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PAXboy - might be "Spanish" strength shorts, a little weaker than UK domestic, I'm sure there are many on PPRuNe who'll have the exact figures. I think UK Gordons is around 40%, Spanish Gordons around 35% alcohol.
The passing of Sabena means the end of the last good flying coffee (in cattle class anyway!)
Cheers!
The passing of Sabena means the end of the last good flying coffee (in cattle class anyway!)
Cheers!
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I don't think you can really get water hot enough at 5,000 ft to make 'proper' tea. Although I prefer tea when I can get it, I think I'd rather have a herbal tea - which also means you don't need UHT milk (yuk) - choice of teabags anyone???
