Premium Economy meal service refresh June 2012

Premium Economy meal to receive a refresh in June 2012.
 
In:
Offered as a 3 couse meal experience.
New food style for Premium Economy that is more ‘restaurant’ than ‘airline’.
New chinaware.
New tray linen and linen napkin.
Wilbur & Orville salt and pepper shakers!!
Larger paper coffee cups.

Out:
Cheese and biscuits.
Fresh fruit service.
China cup.

Discuss.....

1. if the food is better great
2. fruit going -shame
3. is that cr@ppy c heese and onion sarnie staying

isnt it what you serve not how you serve it ?

last couple of flight's appeared that the fresh fruit had gone AWOL so no difference there,as I am a very fussy eater whatever is served I tend to leave it,and a large cup of coffee is better then a small cup,so all in all better for me!and last year no choc ice's in PE not sure if that was a oversight or not!

So that's what happened to Orville and Wilbur!

Considering that PE is a smaller cabin, I guess the 3 course meal service will work better here and be a massive improvement from the tiny plastic trays meals are currently served on.

Sounds like a good development to me.

Was this four years in design?

Is it wrong that I feel completely underwhelmed by that? I'd rather keep cheese and biscuits and not have table linen.

On the VS46 (which was operated by a 747) it took about 2 hours after take off for the lights in PE to be put out, and that was under the current meal service. These changes concern me because it looks like it will take even longer.

Also, are VS seriously saying they've 'enhanced away' the little pre-packed cheese and biscuits that you get on the tray?! That's really poor if so.

I don't believe the word enhanced has been mentioned at all.

What is being said is that by removing certain unpopular bits of the service, they've been able to upgrade the rest of the service with a bigger starter and main, and a much tastier dessert.

[mitchja]

Offered as a 3 couse meal experience

.....until one of the choices runs out after serving the second row of seats which is what usually happens

I wasn't aware you got served hot drinks in paper cups in restaurants?

Sorry but those paper cups need to go, end of story.

Removing all that really doesn't sound like an enhancement to me only yet more bean counting and cost cutting.

Always try to avoid the meal service so I wish VS would stop messing about with what is only a very small part of the journey. As a diabetic I have tried the meal for diabetics and the vegan version, not really worth it so we always take our own food. Will miss the fruit, on our last flight when I asked about an apple was told that 'we don't do that any more'. Just have to remember to leave any leftovers on the plane on the outbound leg, forgot one year and received a severe telling off from the sniffer dog lady while waiting for the bags!

Always try to avoid the meal service so I wish VS would stop messing about with what is only a very small part of the journey. As a diabetic I have tried the meal for diabetics and the vegan version, not really worth it so we always take our own food. Will miss the fruit, on our last flight when I asked about an apple was told that 'we don't do that any more'. Just have to remember to leave any leftovers on the plane on the outbound leg, forgot one year and received a severe telling off from the sniffer dog lady while waiting for the bags!

Yep - we got caught with aroma of a banana. Where is the banana now sir? I ate it. Can you prove that sir?

Yep - we got caught with aroma of a banana. Where is the banana now sir? I ate it. Can you prove that sir?

You gotta love people in uniforms ii) .

I don't want a meal "experience" thank you - just some edible grub.

No matter what it is served in the coffee tastes crap.

Salt shakers? No fresh fruit? Obviously healthy eating not an issue then.

Okay - curmudgeon mode off now.

Let's wait for some TR's.

once again yet another 'innovation' goes down like a lead balloon. for me the fruit was a great alternative to the manky breakfast or nasty sandwich, so now thats gone. never drink the coffee because , as Steve states its crap. but paper cups !!! i presume they are recyclable ???

still at least we get to steal some W&O's

Premium Economy meal to receive a refresh in June 2012.
 
In:
Offered as a 3 couse meal experience.
New food style for Premium Economy that is more ‘restaurant’ than ‘airline’.
New chinaware.
New tray linen and linen napkin.
Wilbur & Orville salt and pepper shakers!!
Larger paper coffee cups.

Out:
Cheese and biscuits.
Fresh fruit service.
China cup.

Discuss.....

Generally I like the sound of this though it will be interesting to see the first TRs for sure. The paper cups stick out like a sore thumb to me - not really in keeping with the experience that VS appear to be creating ?|

That said, I hope the glassware also gets attention those tiny water and wine glasses could be replaced by the UC glassware that is currently used in the PE drinks run - so surely we will say cherrio to those tiny glasses once and for all ?|

Though I also enjoyed the cheese and biscuits, not a huge loss and the fruit more or less the same - though it was good to have this offered mid-flight occasionally. The tiny china cup, not a loss at all though why not use the UC cups/mugs too? ?|

And Wilbur and Orville are back too y)

Look forward to seeing and experiencing the changes.

Jon

[Neil]

It never amazes me how quick people are to be negative at times. Sure it doesn't sound anything to set the world on fire, but what are we expecting and how much can VS really do.

We are talking about an economy based product (yes, an enchanced economy one at that, but still more Y than J), and to me the changes sound better, expect the removal of fruit.

So far, VS have improved both Y and J meal services and in the main we have had positive reviews, so let's at least get some feedback from pax(and experience it ourselves as we all know what one hates another likes) before we start critising VS for a rubbish job.

We are talking about an economy based product (yes, an enchanced economy one at that, but still more Y than J)

I don't agree with this. I think Virgin's PE product is definitely more J minus than Y plus, and has been perceived as such by customers.

I would just want to echo what flabound said at the outset of this thread -- if the food is better, great. That's the main thing. I can certainly live without the little block of cheese in its plastic wrapper!

On the VS46 (which was operated by a 747) it took about 2 hours after take off for the lights in PE to be put out, and that was under the current meal service. These changes concern me because it looks like it will take even longer.

I wonder whether they will make it a two-course meal on the evening East Coast departures, as is the case with the 'Supper' UC meal now?

[buns]

I'm with Neil on this one in let us hear V-Flyers give their unbiased opinion on the actual meal delivery before jumping to conclusions

The only thing I am hopeful for is that the LGW / MAN Fleet gets a decent coffee maker as part of the re-fit ):

buns

Surprising that Wilbur and Orville are back. Flying UC from MAN to MCO on 4 May they appeared instead of the cocktail shakers.

Neil its not necccesarily negativity and in paying twice the Ec fare I would hope for some 'enhancement' over the economy experience. just as I would paying 2xPE for UC. i think its that regular PE flyers are feeling a little down hearted by what appears a reduction in the product. first the bubble issue which is to many very important and now a 'refreshed' food service which doesnt exactly inspire....kinda like the loss of the graze menu

Sounds to me like they're getting rid of anything that's pre-packaged or wrapped which is a good thing for premium presentation. The fruit is a loss however the offer of fruit has, in my experience, been haphazard. Perhaps just having some fruit on request would be good enough,

Overall it sounds pretty positive but let's hold judgement until someone's experienced it for real.

a

Neil its not necccesarily negativity and in paying twice the Ec fare I would hope for some 'enhancement' over the economy experience. just as I would paying 2xPE for UC. i think its that regular PE flyers are feeling a little down hearted by what appears a reduction in the product. first the bubble issue which is to many very important and now a 'refreshed' food service which doesnt exactly inspire....kinda like the loss of the graze menu

You haven't lost graze. It's available on most flights.

It's very easy to moan about losing some plastic wrapped cheese and a banana, however we haven't seen pictures of what they're replacing them with yet, so maybe we should wait till June to comment.

I think Flabound means loss of the 'freedom' dining option rather than 'graze' - which is an addition to the UC service.

Mind on FB Greg says he hasn't heard of any forthcoming changes !