TG F and Evian

[CGK]

A friend of mine took TG F BKK-LHR-BKK couple weeks ago. She was surprised that TG only gave her one bottle water for the whole flight duration. She asked for more, and was told by the purser and other crew that a new policy had been implemented. One Evian small bottle per F pax. And if the pax needs more water, it will be the regular bottled water.
Also, check with a friend who happens to be a purser on TG, he also confirms what the instructions from the management.
I was in Bangkok, and Evian costs THB39 at 7/11 or about USD1.
Does the decision by TG make sense? Dom Perignon and Grande La Dame are still listed in the champagne list. So why is TG being too cheap for just bottled water?
Cheers,
CGK
on behalf of a friend who was disappointed with her F flights

[Peter11]

I dont understand cost cutting strategies in the F cabin. For the most part the fares are so high that it seems that the carriers should do just about anything to make the experience seem worth the price of admission. The full fare paying F pax is a fickle customer. Clearly your friend wont fly TG in F again over a $1 bottle of water. That's a big loss for TG.

My guess is that some of the "bean counters" don't really understand the F pax and just get obsessed with the numbers. Eventually they will justify cutting other services because so few people are flying in F. I guess its the old chicken and the egg story. I think SQ, for the most part however, has proven that if you provide a realtively consistent quality product that eventually you will fill your cabins with full fare paying pax.

[jhm]

So why is TG being too cheap for just bottled water?

Somebody on TOF explained it much better than I can - along the lines of this being an example of a cost saving of USD 1/pax but over all F pax, the amount saved for TG will be sufficient. TG think that the cost saving won't be noticed by each pax in a material way - HOWEVER, the danger is that over time, such small cost savings will become very obvious and the product will no longer be what it once was, e.g. what I understand BA F has become compared to what it used to be 10 years ago.

SQ does the same, e.g. the cheap bottled water now available in the SKL.

[quik!]

Find this extremely ridiculous, it's F we are talkin about. If I want 10 bottles of Evian, they should provide it, otherwise, why bother with F?

On my recent VS flight on just PE, I asked for bottle of water, and was given Evian bottled water. That is in addition of each pax with 1 bottle of water in their seat pocket. I was actually quite surprised that they provided Evian.

[Lobster]

If they do not want to serve Evian then they really should just stop stocking it all together. I never ask for water by brand and really do not care what brand they serve just as long as there is plenty of it as I get very dehydrated on flights.

[Savage25]

If they do not want to serve Evian then they really should just stop stocking it all together. I never ask for water by brand and really do not care what brand they serve just as long as there is plenty of it as I get very dehydrated on flights.

I agree...and so does my Marketing professor. The world makes too much fuss about bottled water brands.

[jjpb3]

I agree...and so does my Marketing professor. The world makes too much fuss about bottled water brands.

It is amazing what the combination of marketing savvy and status-anxiety can do. I agree with you, your marketing prof, and Lobster that the brand of the water shouldn't be one of the lynchpins of a premium cabin. But in the business of luxury brands, nearly all the trappings matter.

I also agree with Lobster's comment that if a specific brand of mineral water is going to be noticeably limited, it shouldn't be offered at all. Such a constraint makes the restriction even more damaging to the brand.

[MovieMan]

But in the business of luxury brands, nearly all the trappings matter.

Absolutely. And whether it makes sense or not to drink branded mineral water, the fact is that many F pax are expecting to be served that. And telling them that they are limited to one small bottle is going to turn many people off, I am sure. Talk about pinching pennies! I bet it doesn't last very long.

[Lobster]

Next it will be one glass of Dom and then onto sparking wine for the rest of the trip

[StarG]

It is really sad to see cost cutting taking its toll on many airlines' First Class cabins. CX F lost its pre-departure amuse bouche. No more full caviar service on SQ regional F. On SQ J, no more Evian (in SKL SIN and on flights ex-SIN). No more PPS welcome gift. No more appetizers on SQ F and J CGK flights.

Yet, fares are increasing.

Regarding SQ branded bottled water in J: it is not about Evian or not Evian (I don't mind local brands like Aqua/AdeS/etc. I just don't like the use of SQ brand. It feels like the bottled water is of inferior quality (although perhaps it is in fact not the case). Hopefully they don't follow this up with an SQ branded cologne and after shave in the toilets on board.

[MAN Flyer]

They are not restricting water in F, but they are definitely making little cutbacks. They seem to have gone downhill quite a distance in the last 12 months, which is a shame as with the new seats (providing you get them ) they seemed to have closed the gap, initially at least.

I've done LHR-BKK (twice), AKL-BKK and BKK-FRA in F in the last 2 months. They generally come around after first meal service and hand out small bottles of water. They also put a couple of others along with a large bottle on the table in front of the middle seats.

On TG911 LHR-BKK last week we asked for and got a second bottle, then after that they had none left so took my small bottle and refilled it froma large one.

It certainly wasn't Evian last week, but like others on here I'm not bothered what 'make' the water is.

[HansHaeberle]

I've done LHR-BKK (twice), AKL-BKK and BKK-FRA in F in the last 2 months. They generally come around after first meal service and hand out small bottles of water. They also put a couple of others along with a large bottle on the table in front of the middle seats.

How is the food and wine selection on TG nowadays? Do they distribute pyjamas and an amenity bag?