Breakfast in PE

Just back from Boston. Good flight out and the food was extremely good in PE. Though the man coughing and sneezing all the way there probably gave his cold to more than just me and my husband !
It's a while since I did an overnight trip in PE (from Boston anyway) but have I missed a thread on here regarding breakfast, or lack of it, nowadays? The choice was tea OR coffee OR orange juice, a piece of cake or a cookie!! When did this become 'the norm' ?
And to top that we had to share the toilets with the economy section! What the hell is happening with PE. Pretty soon the only advantage of travelling PE will be the ability to get off quickly and have your luggage offloaded before economy (and that's not always so).[:(]

quote:Originally posted by SNOMO
Just back from Boston. Good flight out and the food was extremely good in PE. Though the man coughing and sneezing all the way there probably gave his cold to more than just me and my husband !
It's a while since I did an overnight trip in PE (from Boston anyway) but have I missed a thread on here regarding breakfast, or lack of it, nowadays? The choice was tea OR coffee OR orange juice, a piece of cake or a cookie!! When did this become 'the norm' ?
And to top that we had to share the toilets with the economy section! What the hell is happening with PE. Pretty soon the only advantage of travelling PE will be the ability to get off quickly and have your luggage offloaded before economy (and that's not always so).[:(]


The cheapness that is the PE breakfast is oft mentioned and derided. I see no signs of this changing though - but let VS know your views directly.

On the lavs I agree, no point paying premium if the oiks from economy use the bogs, imagine if they got to Upper [:p] - but were you in a 343 on this one or were people just ignoring the signs?

Yes it was a 343 flight on return (I'll watch out for that next time).
I was also one of the chosen few asked to fill in a questionaire on the flight, so made sure 'terrible' was ticked when asked about the breakfast.
Think I may just e-mail off a complaint as well.
Things do seem to be going down hill a bit with Virgin at the moment - sad really. May force me on to Emitrates if this keeps up!

[Neil]

I thought I remember a thread a while ago about VS introducing a warm breakfast on the East Coast routes in PE, or did I just imagine that?

quote:Originally posted by SNOMO
May force me on to Emirates if this keeps up!


Bit of a journey via Dubai to Boston though ... [:w]

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
no point paying premium if the oiks from economy use the bogs, imagine if they got to Upper [:p]


I'm going down into the fallout shelter...CUE NEW ELITISM THREAD IN 3...2...1...

GJ

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
no point paying premium if the oiks from economy use the bogs, imagine if they got to Upper [:p]


During the salmon close season the rottweilers and cattle prods we use to keep the poachers away on my river are hireable at a reasonable fee.

PS I cannot find anything on the VS site that indicates that the UC and PE facilities are dedicated and private to those cabins. TEE HEE. Heaven forfend, do I sense a forthcoming invasion!!

[:X]

Your right there slinky09, long way to Boston via Dubai but a few days stop off at the JB Hotel would be worth it if I could afford it!

quote:Originally posted by Neil
I thought I remember a thread a while ago about VS introducing a warm breakfast on the East Coast routes in PE, or did I just imagine that?


Think you must have dreamt it Neil or perhaps it was just wishful thinking !

quote:Originally posted by HWVlover
quote:Originally posted by slinky09
no point paying premium if the oiks from economy use the bogs, imagine if they got to Upper [:p]



I cannot find anything on the VS site that indicates that the UC and PE facilities are dedicated and private to those cabins. TEE HEE. Heaven forfend, do I sense a forthcoming invasion!!

[:X]
[/quote]

Oh God HWV, now that is really scary !!![:?]

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by SNOMO
quote:Originally posted by Neil
I thought I remember a thread a while ago about VS introducing a warm breakfast on the East Coast routes in PE, or did I just imagine that?


Think you must have dreamt it Neil or perhaps it was just wishful thinking !


Must have done, searched for a thread about it and can't find one, so obviously just dreamt it!!

[HighFlyer]

I thought it was longer ex-US routes (LAX, SFO, etc) that got the hot breakfast. We need Tinks or another crew member to clarify.

Toilets on the A343 ar a contentious issue. As they are right by the curtain it is easy for economy passengers to use them and I have had crew say that the toilets are for PE only and crew say that the toilets are for anyone. I tend to work on the 'for this cabin and higher' rule, purely as on some of the other aircraft there is a sign on the toilets stating that they are not for economy to use.

Thanks,
Sarah

UA usually make an announcement that (due to FAA regulations) pax should stay in their tickted cabins and that includes using the toilets for your cabin.

quote:Originally posted by Neil
quote:Originally posted by SNOMO
quote:Originally posted by Neil
I thought I remember a thread a while ago about VS introducing a warm breakfast on the East Coast routes in PE, or did I just imagine that?


Think you must have dreamt it Neil or perhaps it was just wishful thinking !


Must have done, searched for a thread about it and can't find one, so obviously just dreamt it!!


There was definately a thread about the changes in PE breakfast early this year, but I can't find it either. On the way back from Barbados in May the cereal bar had been replaced by a bacon roll.

Breakfast is the same in Y and PE. Flights are classed as short medium and long.
Short NYC BOS LOS IAD ORD DXB get the muffin or cereal bar. On these flights PE should also habe warm cookies which we bake on board.
Medium MCO MIA NBO Carribean get a hot sandwich (bacon roll or bagel or muffin)
Long LAX LAS SFO get Both the hot sandwich and a muffin or cereal bar.
HKG CPT JNB MRU PVG NRT - get a full hot breakfast tray service.

[buns]

Joey

Thanks for clarifying this for us all[oo]

buns

Thanks Joey, I will remember that for future reference and take something to eat for breakfast with me next time.
Mind you even the Cake or cookie option was better than the still half frozen orange juice and ice cold bit of cake we got on Air Canada in February for breakfast!
daharris - yes the bacon roll was quite good on way back from Barbados.

PE seems more and more useless. somebody at VS needs to put serious thought into what it is they are selling, other than elitism.

a slightly bigger seat with no chance to raise armrest, and no serious recline? same food as Economy! same loos! double the price! - what exactly are we paying for?

I've given up on it, and much prefer empty economy flights with room to stretch out across 2,3,4 seats, than pay double for same /less. Take the savings and have a slap up meal at your destination. heck, have two or three. you'll still save.

I like UC of course, but of thats off the budget, then Economy it is.

I think you could be right there nariken on all counts. Yes of course I love UC but if I'm paying and its on a short haul flight, I really don't consider it worth it, but as you say, at the way things are going now with PE then even that is not worth it on short haul and I really would prefer to spend the money on a few good meals and some good wine.

quote:Originally posted by narikin
PE seems more and more useless. somebody at VS needs to put serious thought into what it is they are selling, other than elitism.

a slightly bigger seat with no chance to raise armrest, and no serious recline? same food as Economy! same loos! double the price! - what exactly are we paying for?

I've given up on it, and much prefer empty economy flights with room to stretch out across 2,3,4 seats, than pay double for same /less. Take the savings and have a slap up meal at your destination. heck, have two or three. you'll still save.

I like UC of course, but of thats off the budget, then Economy it is.




Getting an empty economy flight is luck of the draw, there are no guarantees that you will get that. I still thing PE is worth it, the extra leg room, bigger seat, and a better meal. OK not brekkie but you do deffo get a better main meal and luggage tagged with UC.

It is personal thing, but with this current climate I think we are going to see more and more cut backs across all cabins.

quote:Originally posted by narikin
PE seems more and more useless. somebody at VS needs to put serious thought into what it is they are selling, other than elitism.

a slightly bigger seat with no chance to raise armrest, and no serious recline? same food as Economy! same loos! double the price! - what exactly are we paying for?

I've given up on it, and much prefer empty economy flights with room to stretch out across 2,3,4 seats, than pay double for same /less.


That's a fine strategy that is not available those of us who

- can only take flights within a restricted time frame,
- are perhaps travelling with family,
- like to sit in the bubble on LGW flights (definitely different loos there...)

Paul

Defo about the bubble pjh

yes the bubble adds a certain je ne sais quoi, but its not an option on Airbus - the majority of the fleet.

If you use Expert Flyer to watch loadings, and book accordingly, you can often find a flight with at least one seat next to you free, or more.

lost count of the number of times I've been stretched across 4 seats in Economy on JFK>LHR overnight, while those paying double in PE are trying to sleep in a poorly reclined chair.

If VS would go easier in their upgrade policy, allowing anyone with a PE ticket of whatever class to use miles to upgrade to UC, now THAT would be a huge boost to PE, and make it totally worth it. But they don't!

quote:Originally posted by DMetters-Bone
luggage tagged with UC.
Mine's only ever been tagged as PE. My usual experience is for the Crew/UC to come first, then the belt stops, then 10 minutes later PE and Y come together, albeit PE first.

quote:Originally posted by narikin
yes the bubble adds a certain je ne sais quoi, but its not an option on Airbus - the majority of the fleet.

If you use Expert Flyer to watch loadings, and book accordingly, you can often find a flight with at least one seat next to you free, or more.


I can see planning around loading works for the truly frequent and flexible flyer, but for those of us who long haul one, possibly twice, a year and need to plan well in advance the toss up is between buying and being assured of a little more comfort or risking a less comfortable journey. It's certainly the case that since I made the argument with the family for flying PE rather than Economy we're tended to see the flight as something to be enjoyed rather than endured.

Paul