BTC - the experience and the do's and don'ts

[UMD]

Having flown SQ J all these times, I have never ordered BTC. However, It will soon change as I have decided to try it for the first time this coming Sunday on SQ 220 leaving SYD and then SQ 638 leaving SIN for NRT. Now the questions are:

1. Can I order book the cook for 2nd meal served on SQ 220 which is a light meal?

2. What would happen if I find the menu on-board more appealing than the pre-ordered BTC. Can I cancel it on board? What would be the best way to do it?

3. SQ 638 leaves before midnight and I believe light supper will be served. Can I order BTC to replace the light supper as well?

4. What would be the best BTC choice out of NRT on SQ 637?

5. On my flight back to SYD on SQ 221 last December, a gentlemen sitting next to me had a Japanese BTC meal which I believe was Hanagoyami and looked simply stunning (surely beat the choices on the SQ 221 menu which I had experienced 4 times within 2 months). I thought Japanese BTC was only available ex-NRT. How could this gentlemen order this Japanese bento set? Any idea how I can place an order for this Japanese meal out of SIN as well?

6. Can I order BTC for CGK - SIN or BKK - SIN (out of SIN menu) although both CGK and BKK are not BTC stations? I would think it would be OK for CGK since SQ double load all the food in SIN anyway.

[jhm]

To answer most of your questions, start with the BTC section of the excellent SQ FAQ on TOF written by our very own jjpb3.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?&p=4321848

What would happen if I find the menu on-board more appealing than the pre-ordered BTC. Can I cancel it on board? What would be the best way to do it?

Yes - subject to availability of the item you want. Just tell the one of the crew. In fact, you can BTC for one meal and then ask the crew to save the BTC for the meal which you can't BTC.

Try also this thread on the old SQT where I asked some BTC questions:

http://sqtalk.suddenlaunch3.com/inde...num=1154947003

[UMD]

Thanks, JHM. I didn't realize there is an entire thread on BTC on the other site. Let me review it first and come back here if I have any more question.

Thank you also for the link to the old SQT site. From reading the posting in this link, it doesn't look like I can BTC for SQ 220 at all since it serves only B'fast (which we can't BTC for J) and light meal (refreshment) but let me find out more from the other site.

[SQTalker]

I always head that once you had your Book The Cook in J Class, there are almost 0% chances to get you operational upgrade since the J Class meals are quite expensive, they will upgrade other non-BTC J Class passengers but not you...! I had personally seen some Elite Silver / Elite Gold travel on J but without BTC got upgrade to F, but PPS & Solatarie PPS with BTC had to stick with J...!

[jhm]

As I understand it, the chances of an opup - even if a Solitaire - are so very slim that it's not worth worrying about when ordering a BTC!

[CGK]

The reason for this is it's prepared on a J plate - they don't want to mess around transferring it onto an F plate.

I am sure someone can clarify this.
AFAIK, the BTC meal is in lieu of the main course. Thus, it will be heated. And I thought it is packed in that aluminium foil container. Thus not in the china plate yet. Again, I had not been in the galley confirming this.

[MovieMan]

I am sure someone can clarify this.
AFAIK, the BTC meal is in lieu of the main course. Thus, it will be heated. And I thought it is packed in that aluminium foil container. Thus not in the china plate yet. Again, I had not been in the galley confirming this.

Yup, IME the BTC meal (like most or all other J/F meals, I think) is not loaded on the plane in the china plate, but rather in a different container. So serving it in either a J or F china plate should not be a problem, IMO.

[jhm]

The BTC portion sizes are different though, e.g. I have a recollection that the F steak is larger (and maybe juicier ) than that in J.

[MovieMan]

The BTC portion sizes are different though, e.g. I have a recollection that the F steak is larger (and maybe juicier ) than that in J.

Yup, that is certainly the case. More noticeable with the lobster thermidor, IME.

[CGK]

... (and maybe juicier ) than that in J.

I am not too sure about this.

... e.g. I have a recollection that the F steak is larger ... than that in J.

Well, from the catering budget, the weight of the steak served in F is higher than in J. And you can try this. When flying F, pick the meals from the J menu. I think the FA, will put almost two J meals in one F plate.

[CGK]

Yup, that is certainly the case. More noticeable with the lobster thermidor, IME.

The kind of lobster for LT in F is different than the one in J, which is slipper lobster (???).

[UMD]

The kind of lobster for LT in F is different than the one in J, which is slipper lobster (???).

Slipper lobster is not as good as the real lobster. I never fancy lobster anyway. The only type of lobster I like is the Maine Lobster from the Atlantic ocean.

[UMD]

By the way, is it true that you can only order Japanese meal (not the one from BTC menu) ex-Singapore if you are traveling F? Japanese meal is not an option for the J class passenger. I still don't know how the man sitting next to me last month had a Japanese bento meal pre-ordered on SQ 221. Anyone had any idea?

[9V-JKL]

By the way, is it true that you can only order Japanese meal (not the one from BTC menu) ex-Singapore if you are traveling F? Japanese meal is not an option for the J class passenger. I still don't know how the man sitting next to me last month had a Japanese bento meal pre-ordered on SQ 221. Anyone had any idea?

It was probably the Gyu-don which is part of the J BTC ex-SIN

[CGK]

6. Can I order BTC for CGK - SIN or BKK - SIN (out of SIN menu) although both CGK and BKK are not BTC stations? I would think it would be OK for CGK since SQ double load all the food in SIN anyway.

No BTC for CGK-SIN.
No BTC for BKK-SIN, unless you are in F, then you can request Japanese Meals.