A Hot Breakfast on a 25 minute Flight
Is the Qantas service from Canberra to Sydney the world's shortest flight that still serves a full hot breakfast? It's only a hot breakfast in business class but I am still impressed that they have maintained it even in these days of cost cutting. It is 147 miles or just 236 kilometres as the bird flies between the two airports:
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In economy a light refreshment is available but in business here is what I was served this month on the QF560 departing at 06.45am:
It's a couple of poached eggs,spinach, tomato with feta and sausages. The juice which on longer sectors would normally be poured by the crew comes in a bottle on the tray, and there is a banana on the side. Perfectly adequate and a good start to the day.
The crew on this Boeing 737-400 flight have to work VERY hard to get this meal out to up to 20 business class passengers in a flight that can be as short as 25 minutes in the air, which leaves about 10-12 minutes to have the meal served, eaten and cleared away before seat belt signs are on for landing. During this time a full tea and coffee service is offered as well!
It's worth mentioning that these Boeing 737-400 services are currently being replaced by the Qantaslink Boeing 717-200 with 12 business class seats. After around 24 years in Australian service the B737-400 is about to be retired next month. It will be interesting to see how they compare with the Qantaslink operated flights at breakfast time. I assume the hot breakfast will remain but the Qantaslink crews may take a bit longer to become as experienced and polished as the fabulous Qantas mainline flight attendants that have been operating this route for many many years.
Farewell to the Boeing 737-400! Hello Boeing 717!
In economy a light refreshment is available but in business here is what I was served this month on the QF560 departing at 06.45am:
It's a couple of poached eggs,spinach, tomato with feta and sausages. The juice which on longer sectors would normally be poured by the crew comes in a bottle on the tray, and there is a banana on the side. Perfectly adequate and a good start to the day.
The crew on this Boeing 737-400 flight have to work VERY hard to get this meal out to up to 20 business class passengers in a flight that can be as short as 25 minutes in the air, which leaves about 10-12 minutes to have the meal served, eaten and cleared away before seat belt signs are on for landing. During this time a full tea and coffee service is offered as well!
It's worth mentioning that these Boeing 737-400 services are currently being replaced by the Qantaslink Boeing 717-200 with 12 business class seats. After around 24 years in Australian service the B737-400 is about to be retired next month. It will be interesting to see how they compare with the Qantaslink operated flights at breakfast time. I assume the hot breakfast will remain but the Qantaslink crews may take a bit longer to become as experienced and polished as the fabulous Qantas mainline flight attendants that have been operating this route for many many years.
Farewell to the Boeing 737-400! Hello Boeing 717!
Beats most US carriers, where you don't get service like that.
ReplyDeleteindeed that would never happen in the USA!
DeleteLove the new look! I had a flight on one of the 717's from CBR to SYD last week and they are quite jazzed up!
ReplyDeleteindeed, they have done a great job. You wouldn't know they are 10 years old
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