Pre Select (UC Meal ordering)

I have just seen on the VS website a paragraph about being able to pre-order your UC meal.

It says it's slowly rolling this out, but does anyone have any more information on the roll out? Is it route by route? When will it be finished?

Link

Pre Select

Already looking forward to flying Upper Class? Now you can get a sneak peek at the menu for your flight!

We try to make sure we have a good selection available so that everyone has their first choice of main meal. To help us get that right, you can choose what you’d like in advance. And if you change your mind you can update your order any time up to 24 hours before the flight.

You’ll also be helping us be more sustainable by saving on food waste. You superstar.

We're rolling this service out gradually, so if your flight is taking early orders, we'll send you an email with a link to make your selection.

See you onboard!

About time. BA and many other airlines have been doing this for ages.

Of course while they sell it as a benefit, it’s really about saving money as the more passengers pre-select, the fewer main courses they need to load.

I was about to post a question on this too. We are flying to Boston for Christmas/New Year in a couple of weeks, I noted the details about being able to pre-order but couldn't see anywhere where you actually could?

I just went into my future booking for Feb and it guides me through the option to choose meals but then just gives broad options like: Childs meal, Asian meal, etc.
No actual menu so I came back out.
I will do my usual and have whatever chicken is on offer.
Dick D

I was about to post a question on this too. We are flying to Boston for Christmas/New Year in a couple of weeks, I noted the details about being able to pre-order but couldn't see anywhere where you actually could?

It says you’ll get an email with a link to book your meal if pre-ordering is available on your flight.

Presumably no email = no pre-ordering.

I just went into my future booking for Feb and it guides me through the option to choose meals but then just gives broad options like: Childs meal, Asian meal, etc.
No actual menu so I came back out.
I will do my usual and have whatever chicken is on offer.
Dick D

That's the standard special meal selection. As this us being rolled out it will be for specific flights, via email.

[mitchja]

If it works like the Delta One food preorder system (which is also now rolling out), you should get an email about 3 days before your flight.

With AA and BA for example advance ordering is only available from 30 days before the flight so February would be too far in advance for them so way to in advance for DL and VS!

They should also do this in premium as a lot of times i see most people don't get their first choice and even their second. Once i saw someone opt for the economy meal instead of the remaining premium one.

How am I supposed to know what I'll want to eat three days in advance!!

Given the number of requests for UC menus on here, many people clearly do Slimpy!

Haha indeed! I jest of course. It's a good idea, I hate seeing food go to waste. Just not sure I'd use it personally

In that case you would still be subject to availability - as you are now.

What happens on BA is that they have a standard formulae of meals of W% of beef, X of chicken, Z of fish and Z of Vegetarian of the expected load. In CW they load 130% of meals based on passenger numbers ( could be 150% but that's not relevant)

If there are 50 seats in CW and 10 pre-order they just adjust the number of unordered meals to reflect the above % based on 40 pax rather than 50. So if you want the beef you still have the same % chance of getting it no matter the number of pre orders.

Pre ordering reduces wastage but also (generally) means pax get their choice.

I'm with slimpy though. I hate choosing what I want to eat days or weeks in advance.

Currently being trialled on flights from Manchester.


London to follow from January

[mitchja]

Thanks, Declan

I'll see if I get an email anytime before my VS109 flight on Dec 29th.

How am I supposed to know what I'll want to eat three days in advance!!

You only have to read certain internet forums where people are planning a Disney holiday - they book ADR (Advance Dining Reservations) for their entire holiday the day they become available! If I get an email before my Feb trip to MCO (from Manchester) I'll pre-select a meal - more often than not only one of the 3 main course choices ticks the box for me, so if it means I get my choice, then great.

I recall hearing maybe just galley gossip, but when they removed the SCCM grade from Upper Class that VS started to only load 110% rather than 130% of on board meals in Upper.

I am all for pre-selection being a 95% Veggie these days I like to know what my options are - I will eat meat - but its as a last resort generally, so knowing that there's a decent Veggie choice, that doesn't include Mushrooms is great!

How many of the extra bite meals do load per passenger?

I have never heard of them running out. I know its more on the West Coast flights as they do Extra Bites on demand, and then afternoon tea as a second meal.

To be honest I am normally propping up the bar and usually get offered first anyway.

A few years back IIRC I was told they loaded 4 mini burgers on the LGW 747s (for 14 seats). But that was when they still served afternoon tea to everyone so the graze menu wasn’t particularly popular. Now it’s replaced the second meal service uptake is probably greater.

[mitchja]

Just received my email here for my upcoming MAN>ATL flight on Sat (so the emails go out ~72hrs before departure):

IMG_0064.png (1.51 MiB) Viewed 5772 times

On clicking the link you are them able to make your main course selection:

IMG_0065.png (1.31 MiB) Viewed 5772 times

You then receive a confirmation email.

You are also able to change you selection up to 24 hours before departure.

[buns]

Really useful James

Hope the flight lives up to this prelude

buns

Hi James - thanks for posting this... hope you have a great flight & it lives up to expectations.

Out of interest, did you book direct with VS (so they had your email at the time of booking) or via a travel agent (then link your booking via Flying Club so VS get your email that way)?

Regards
Kraken

[mitchja]

I booked it direct with VS at the beginning of this year.

The footnote at the bottom of the email says the following:

Virgin Atlantic Pre Select is available to all our Upper Class passengers with a valid email address provided at the time of booking your flight or as per your Flying Club profile and travelling on a confirmed ticket from Manchester to Barbados, Orlando, Atlanta and New York.

[mitchja]

Interesting observation now I've got my boarding pass for tomorrow. Printed on it is the following:

Special Request: Special Meal Requested

As I don't ever request a special meal, hoping this is just something to do with my meal pre-order?