VA catering issues at LAX on 6 Nov. "Limited" catering available for flights to Aus (i.e no hot food)

On collecting my boarding pass (at LAX this evening 6/11) I was given a letter that says:

Follow-up:

Does VA use Gate Gourmet by any chance? If so AA has suspended all catering out of LAX due to a listeria outbreak in the kitchen. Could be the same issue?

The problem is not a VA issue but instead with the catering supplier "Gate Gourmet". Earlier during the week regular food safety inspections at the LAX Gate Gourmet facility found traces of Listeria in food preparation areas.

I flew from LAX on Friday and had all the meals, hot and cold. No problems.

The aircraft is in lax all day, surely the aircraft can hop to sfo or Las Vegas in the afternoon to collect food then back again for passengers and gate gourmet pay for landing fees etc associated

While I applaud VA for making the right decision from a risk point of view, giving a J class pax $24 in exchange for the meal service on a 14 hour flight is absolutely derisory!

I agree, I think most of us understand that these thing can happen, but you expect at least $50 to $100 and a business class passenger to get a substantual meal prior to the flight accross the pacific.

Many years ago in Melbourne Continental DC-10-30 passengers were provided with KFC chicken as a hot dish when the prepared meals failed a test.

If your in VA business get your free feed in the emirates lounge and stock up on some snacks before the flight with your vouchers. Then voice your opinion to the airline - if your platinum then you will most likely get a hefty stack of points or credit even. I’ve had SQ give me a few hundred dollars in David Jones vouchers and credit from VA from voicing my opinions. Don’t take it out on the airline though for trying to protect you from disease! Anyone know if qantas use gate gourmet?

I recall a LH flight from FRA-LAX in J a couple of years ago that had NO catering loaded, zip, zilch, nada and we were not told until the aircraft was boarded.

Well lucky OP getting vouchers!
We left on Nov 7 and weren't told until the plane was locked that "There was limited catering as VA was concerned about the health and well being of its passengers"

After arrival we discovered that Listeria had been found at one (of the 2) caterers at LAX and Amercan Airlines had chosen to pull the pin on them 6 days prior.
Does that mean that VA put its pax at risk for 6 days?

Assembling bits of the story from various crew members the decision was made at midday to fly WITHOUT FOOD on a 15 hour flight. Common sense kicked in and there was a mad scramble to organise some form of catering.

We flew J and decided not to eat in the Emirates lounge as we would eat in about an hour's time.

Boarding was an hour late with no reason given. Crew arrived late apparently after having to eat elsewhere prior to takeoff.

For dinner we were offered chicken one of 4 ways:
Green curry, Teryaki,sweet and sour or butter chicken.
There was also a vegetarian option.
It was served with a small tub of SPC 2 fruits in sugar syrup reminding us of play lunch. The bread roll was full of sugar.
The chicken looked worse than canned food served on a bed of rice..... Impossible to hide and impossible to eat.

Will there be breakfast we asked?
Oh yes! There will be cereal and fruit juice.
There was also a sort of banana bread laden with more sugar than the cereal. Also all too sweet to eat. At least there was coffee.

We survived our first world problems with crisps and nuts.

Some of the American pax lost it big time. Justifiably.

Think of those in Y who were offered a "Tuna Pot" served cold.
There were over 300 people at the gate that should have been given the option to eat (by voucher or otherwise) prior to boarding. Some were at the gate for more than 2 hours.

It was hard not to feel for the crew having to repeat the tale dozens of times because they have a lousy employer.

Flight manger took our details with a promise VA would be in touch. At the landing gate we were handed a PR letter advising us to get in touch with them....... there's talk of compensation.

It wasn't so much the lack of food that angered us but the way we were treated.
Mushrooms.
Even worse, lied to.One had hoped those days were gone :-)

So we are left wondering where we stand in terms of compensation from a legal standpoint.
What (monetary/percentage) value is there in J class dining experience? What compensation is there for being absolutely furious for most of the 15 hours?.... The trip that didn't match the brochures?
What about the lack of options to disembark and transfer to a later flight the next day?
Their behavior was mischievous and misleading.
I just hope its worth more than the 3 x $8 vouchers handed to the OP.

I may yet be off to the lawyers.

I came back on VA2 (LAX to Sydney) yesterday in business. The only hot food option was chicken curry, but having pre-ordered a vegetarian meal, I was completely put of luck as no vege meals were on the plane. Dinner consisted of a packet of pretzels, chocolate bar, chips and other junk food. Very disappointing as the standard of food in business is usually superb and I was very much looking to eating some quality after a week of rubbish meals in the US. I will certainly be putting in an official complaint and seeking recompense.