Qantas expands advance meal orders to more Premium Economy routes
By David Flynn, December 2 2013
Qantas is expanding the number of routes on which passengers in premium economy can choose their inflight meals online before they even step on the plane.
From this week the airline's Select on Q-Eat program is available to premium economy travellers on all flights between Australia and Hong Kong and Singapore, along with Boeing 747 flights to and from Tokyo Narita, as well as from Sydney to Santiago and Johannesburg.
It's also being temporarily rolled out to the Sydney-Bangkok service during the summer holiday period.
Qantas' Select on Q-Eat is already offered to premium economy passengers on all flights between Australia and Los Angeles, Dallas, London and Dubai.
Travellers can pre-order their Select on Q-Eat meal between seven days and 12 hours prior to departure via the ‘Manage Your Booking’ option at qantas.com, and will find an additional dish available as an 'online exclusive' for added variety over the standard onboard menu. Qantas aims to further extend Select on Q-Eat to customers travelling internationally in economy class on selected routes from next year. Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 732
I've never seen much appeal (from the customer's point of view) of choosing a meal before I leave the ground -- especially in this case where you're hardly getting any additional options compared to ordering in-flight.
I like the pleasant(ish) surprise of perusing the menu at my leisure in the air and choosing a meal, it's a welcome distraction that occupies at least a minute out of thirteen tedious hours. Small pleasures, I know, but...
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
I suspect this is another cost savings measure i.e. less wastage, disguised as a perk.
You're right about reviewing menus but the PE menu is not much to shout about. Get a good book!
25 Feb 2012
Total posts 77
It's a bit like the self serve checkout lol! What next pick up your meal at check in ! Ha ha ! Ok just having a silly thought ! But ---------
Cathay Pacific - Asia Miles
25 Apr 2013
Total posts 542
Yummy! However without A330 W class I'm sure that BNE won't get the meals. Stick to CX for now, but I'll be listening ;)
Qantas
22 Oct 2012
Total posts 318
It can be good to see the photos of each item on the menu in order to get an idea of what the food is supposed to be like. However, this feature is probably of more benefit in Business, where the menu items are generally more impressive than PE. Intererestingly, pre-ordering is not available in First.
And of course it's a cost-saving for the airline.
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 645
why should there be photos for each Q eat option?? there arent photos on the printed menus on the aircraft in ANY class of travel...and even if they did have pics..it would then lead to pax complaints that their meal 'doesnt look like the pic'!!..and .i'm fairly sure many many restaurants/cafes/eating establishments on the ground dont have pics on their menu and we manage to 'survive'....EXCEPT....the more 'budget' type eating eastablishments!! pics on menus = 'budget'
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 645
...and even 'budget restaurants' dont have a pic of EVERY meal available
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1242
Malaysia Airlines offers a pictorial menu for its pre-order service. I wish Singapore Airlines would follow suit - their descriptions sound so tempting but it'd be handy to have picture references!
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
I think photos of the meals would be nice, along with other information on the ingredients, and these should all be loaded into the IFE and also made available on the Q Streaming system. There's really no reason passengers can't use IFE to select their meal.
19 Apr 2013
Total posts 20
Is it possible to utilise the Select on Q-Eat service if you have booked a Qantas flight via American Airlines?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Oct 2013
Total posts 92
Personally I like the advance meal selection service, even if I don't use it, it's nice to know that it's available for my perusal (yes, even if its cost savings for QF under the illusion of 'convenience').
Then again, I've experienced one too many times really craving that particular dish I've been looking forward to since boarding, and being told "I'm sorry sir, we've run out of that choice. Would you and your rumbling stomach like another glass of champaigne to drown your sorrows?"
EK
07 Jun 2013
Total posts 18
As no airline ever loads 100% catering of each option, I don't think it's a bad idea if you're dead-set about getting your meal choice. It's better than being stuck with something you're unhappy with right?
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