EC meals in UC to JFK last week

I was one of the Sandy people trying to get back to NYC last week, and made it on VS9 on the Weds (31st). Grateful as I was for the on time flight, the meal in UC was very poor: just an Economy main course, with not even an EC starter or desert. I have a picture of it sitting on my pod tray, and its kind of hilarious.

I'm sorry to carp, but it was a $4000+ ticket, and for the life of me I can't understand why a hurricane in NYC meant no UC food could be loaded in London? They said it had something to do with being unable to unload dirty crockery in NYC. So bring it back with you! There's not that many UC seats, so it can't be a huge amount. I agree flying back from NYC immediately post hurricane to UK will make problems, but this was the other direction.

ok rant over. But its disappointing when you pay a lot for a quality journey and get not even EC levels of food.

Sandy was (obviously) an extreme event beyond the control of any airline. I don't know to what extent this compromised VS's ability to cater for UC, but I can certainly believe that it might have had an impact. Given the circumstances, I think that all you can reasonably seek is a little compensation from the airline and an apology. (Since you paid a lot for your ticket, I think you are entitled to something.)

I was stranded thanks to the hurricane (I would dearly loved to have flown back on 31st but my flight was cancelled) and so maybe my views are biased, but given the astonishing extent of the disruption and destruction that it caused, I wonder just how sympathetically your complaint would be received in some parts of the US right now.

Yes very true, and as I did say, I was grateful to get back. I simply don't get the justification for how a flight from London could not have its normal food aboard, other than a wish not to return with 50 dirty plates in the hold.

Yes my ticket was expensive, and a special treat to myself, and that's what I remind myself at the times when I realise I sound like Little Lord Fauntloroy!

Strange how my plane was flying on 31st and yours cancelled. I was told everything was flying that day, but I guess that wasn't so.

Does seem odd.

I know a family that flew BA to JFK last week 31st, and there was full normal meal service in F and J apparently.

Bean counters utilising the situation......
I'd not put it past them...

I appreciate the situation was unusual, but the airline elected to fly to NYC and if they never even loaded the food, surely the ticket price (not miles compensation) should be discounted to reflect the decision to significantly downgrade the UC menu as advertised.

If I order my groceries but they can't deliver all the items, they don't charge me for the food I didn't receive.

I'm sorry if my reply sounded a bit snotty; I didn't mean it to - I agree that it does on the face of it seem pretty odd that they couldn't cater for UC ex-LHR. Perhaps there were issues with the supplier - maybe they thought the flight would be cancelled and were then caught out. Or some such issue.

I was actually planning to fly back on BA that day so yes you are quite right, all of the VS flights operated, but the majority of BA ones didn't (interestingly). Serves me right for disloyalty!

I agree with what Jacki has said about refunding some of the cost - this is what I actually meant in my earlier post, not miles compensation.

[Darren Wheeler]

I'm sorry if my reply sounded a bit snotty; I didn't mean it to - I agree that it does on the face of it seem pretty odd that they couldn't cater for UC ex-LHR. Perhaps there were issues with the supplier - maybe they thought the flight would be cancelled and were then caught out. Or some such issue.

That sounds like the most logical reason. The caterers were initially told it was cancelled, then JFK opened earlier than expected leaving them caught out. A simple announcement would have helped though.