Cost cutting by ridding refreshment?

[lee_apromise]

Hi fellow SQTalkers

I took SQ602 SIN-ICN in whY on 26th and noticed that SQ got rid of refreshment service right after take-off when they used to serve very nice sandwiches. They are now offering snacks such as instant noodles, muffins and biscuits only if you ask for it.

Is this another clever thought SQ came up with?

[ycp81]

Unfortunately yes. Shanghai, Beijing and Nagoya also had the refreshment service cut to "allow a longer period of rest for pax". Not sure about the other japan destinations.

[jjpb3]

SIN-ICN is a pretty long flight, isn't it? Is there now no meal service (aside from 'you need to ask for it' snacks)?

Haven't had the fortune of flying that route, so I don't know what the full offer is.

[StarG]

I am pretty sure there is at least a proper breakfast service?

[SQOZflyer]

SQ 602 SIN-ICN is a 6 hour flight and serves one meal in Business and First. I have never taken the flight in Y so far. Passengers can choose to have the meal either directly after take-off or before landing in Seoul... usually there are 2 dinner options (Hot sandwich or Asian meal) and 2 breakfast options (Full American or Continental).

[SQflyergirl]

602 is a sleeper service - meal either just after takeoff or before landing. Not a particularly heavy meal though (at least that's what I thought).

[dsim]

argh...

[ycp81]

In Y, it used to be a hot refreshment after takeoff (sandwich, pie etc aka penang flights) and breakfast before landing or a snack basket service after takeoff and breakfast before landing for these regional red-eye flights. Now, it is a round of juices and lights off till breakfast service. Refreshments are offered only if you request from the crew.

[scooby5]

That's bad, for such a long flight. SQ is the most profitable airline certainly but this is too cheap for words.

[aerosmith]

602 is a sleeper service - meal either just after takeoff or before landing. Not a particularly heavy meal though (at least that's what I thought).

At least for the first half of this decade, for the red-eyes from SIN to East Asia, it used to be 2 meals: supper and continental breakfast (for all classes). Now you can only have 1 meal unfortunately, either you have it after takeoff or before landing.

[kikoenaivoice]

I flew SIN-FUK on SQ656 in March. They do still serve breakfast (at like 530am!!) but the supper service was scrapped couple of years ago I believe. Cuz most passenger rather sleep as the flight takes off at 0100. They definately didnt have that in 2007 Feb, cant really remember for 2006 Feb.
When I flew this flight in 2007 Feb, they served those sandwitches which is not filling at all...

This year they still served it in March.. but could have changed it from then on.

[lee_apromise]

That's bad, for such a long flight. SQ is the most profitable airline certainly but this is too cheap for words.

I coudln't agree more with what you have said !!!! SQ running for cost-cutting....

[jjpb3]

That's bad, for such a long flight. SQ is the most profitable airline certainly but this is too cheap for words.

I coudln't agree more with what you have said !!!! SQ running for cost-cutting....

I was party to a discussion about this, and it seems this isn't cost-cutting in the 'usual' sense that we use that term here.

The removal of the refreshment service came about because up to 80% of the Y pax on those flights apparently preferred to rest rather than eat something after takeoff. (As StarG asked, isn't there a proper breakfast service before landing?) Having a full refreshment service meant two not-so-positive outcomes: consistent overcatering, and also more disruption to the majority who just wanted to get on with sleep. I think any airline would be foolish not to re-examine a service that had those results.

Now a purely cost-cutting airline wouldn't really offer any option to the peckish 20%. It would be sufficient to have cut costs. But there is something on offer here: the snacks-on-demand. Apparently, one option is a wrap that can be heated. The cabin crew walk around to accept the requests, and the snack is heated and offered specifically to those pax who want it.

Perhaps there could have been a better way of communicating the change, so the hungry folks don't feel shortchanged. But it seems to me that this is a pretty solid business decision: re-focus your service to cut out unnecessary costs, but see if you can minimize the impact on the customers affected.

(Note: As I said, I can't personally vouch for how the offering works in practice, as I haven't been on the affected flights. Flights affected were medium-haul flights that leave after 2300 local time, and this change was implemented about two months ago.)

[singaporeairlinesboi]

Atleast they still serve free snacks!

[Kiwi]

AFAIK the same applies on the MEL-SIN red-eye. Even in F only 1 meal, you choose if have at start or end of the flight.