Cost cutting by ridding refreshment?

[singaporu_kooku]

As far as I understand from the posts above, they don't conduct anymore refreshment service for the passengers, so the lights can be turned off ASAP and majority of passengers can have a longer rest.

And SQ still do cater for the 25% of the passengers you were talking about.

[SQ LPP]

IMHO, this seems to be a form of cost cutting - which is not always bad if it prevents wastefulness. However, considering that not all pax want to just board the redeyes and sleep, I think SQ can do better while still not be wasteful. Instead of removing the first meal completely, they could have just cater for 25 percent of the load, for example.

I think it's not cost cutting when you anticipate a waste would happen.

Anyway, look at the menu for Y class below. The breakfast looks good and fulfilling, not just continental breakfast stuff. And again, in the menu it says that if you are hungry, we do have snack. So, they do cater for pax who needs to eat after taking off or in between flight. For six hours flight, with one hour take off and landing time, basically it's 5 hours time to enjoy the snacks and the breakfast. Based on the survey, 80% of pax in average prefer to go sleep, and have big breakfast before landing. Thus the modification of this meal service were introduced couple months ago with a consideration of transit pax and originating pax pattern.





breakfast SINGAPORE TO BEIJING


fruit
Fruit appetiser

wholesome beginnings
Braised satin chicken with selected vegetables and rice

or

Scrambled egg with chicken sausage and macedoinne of vegetables and potatoes

from the bakery
Breakfast roll
Butter - Fruit preserve

hot beverages
Coffee - Tea
Chinese tea



Should you feel like having something to eat before breakfast is served, please approach our cabin crew for a selection of light snacks.


SQ800C SIN - PEK (B) 78-1.1 09 Y

[StarG]

As far as I understand from the posts above, they don't conduct anymore refreshment service for the passengers, so the lights can be turned off ASAP and majority of passengers can have a longer rest.

And SQ still do cater for the 25% of the passengers you were talking about.

Perhaps I was not clear in what I was trying to say.
I think it would be nice for SQ to still offer the refreshment service after take off instead of the cup noodles, biscuit or cookies.
Understood that they don't conduct refreshment service for the passengers to turn off the lights & majority of pax can have a longer rest.
They can get around it by writing on the menu: "Refreshments - available on demand (Please inform your cabin crew if you would like to have this service)" so lights can still be turned off etc.
A proper refreshment service feels different than 'cup noodles, biscuit & cookies' - since SQ is a premium airlines, it would be nice if they can preserve that this way.

I think it's not cost cutting when you anticipate a waste would happen.

I will have to respectfully disagree.
As much as I think we should not always jump at every single opportunity to label SQ's actions as 'cost-cutting', I think this qualifies as a cost-cutting measure. I am sure money is saved by doing this - and as I have posted above, it is not always a bad thing if it eliminates wastefulness. However, the solution that SQ comes up with - by offering just cup noodles, biscuits etc. is not the best one, IMHO.

Again - this is just my humble opinion. I may be right or wrong but this was what crossed my mind.

[●ᴗ●]

A proper refreshment service feels different than 'cup noodles, biscuit & cookies' - since SQ is a premium airlines, it would be nice if they can preserve that this way.

Maybe you could define what you'd expect from a proper refreshment service?

I've experienced 2 types on SQ:

One served with trays from a cart usually with coffee/tea and drinks. More or less a proper meal service. (flights like BNE-SIN)

The other one in point is a choice of Wrap (eg. Chicken Wrap or Cheese Wrap) served from a basket. (past midnight flights like SIN-NGO)

Now with the latter, I rather they let me sleep with lights off.

Cost savings or not, I am glad they've decided to go with the majority and not have an (IMHO) 'inappropriate' service at 0100hrs+ for such a duration of flight time.

Thank you SQ LPP for listing those flights here. Those are indeed very appropriate flights for Snacks On Demand. The menu you posted also shows VERY clearly that there is food to munch on besides Breakfast

[milehighj]

I agree with StarG. Thinking back on the many red-eye flights I have taken (esp. several DEL-SIN and BOM-SIN), about half the time I chose to go straight to sleep, while the other half, I chose to have the full meal and watch a movie.

In such situations, esp. for F or J, I think it is insufficient to offer cup noodles and other packaged snacks simply because the majority of pax choose not to have a full meal. In a premium carrier and in a premium class, more is expected.

[●ᴗ●]

I agree with StarG. Thinking back on the many red-eye flights I have taken (esp. several DEL-SIN and BOM-SIN), about half the time I chose to go straight to sleep, while the other half, I chose to have the full meal and watch a movie.

In such situations, esp. for F or J, I think it is insufficient to offer cup noodles and other packaged snacks simply because the majority of pax choose not to have a full meal. In a premium carrier and in a premium class, more is expected.

I would be furious too if they took away the one meal SUPPER service like DEL-SIN and BOM-SIN.

Thank goodness we are only talking about the 9 flights in Economy listed by SQ LPP .

[ycp81]

I've experienced 2 types on SQ:

One served with trays from a cart usually with coffee/tea and drinks. More or less a proper meal service. (flights like BNE-SIN)

The other one in point is a choice of Wrap (eg. Chicken Wrap or Cheese Wrap) served from a basket. (past midnght flights like SIN-NGO)

Now with the latter, I rather they let me sleep with lights off.

1 more type. Snack basket service on Shanghai and Perth red-eye flights,

[StarG]

Maybe you could define what you'd expect from a proper refreshment service?

I've experienced 2 types on SQ:

One served with trays from a cart usually with coffee/tea and drinks. More or less a proper meal service. (flights like BNE-SIN)

The other one in point is a choice of Wrap (eg. Chicken Wrap or Cheese Wrap) served from a basket. (past midnight flights like SIN-NGO)

Now with the latter, I rather they let me sleep with lights off.

Cost savings or not, I am glad they've decided to go with the majority and not have an (IMHO) 'inappropriate' service at 0100hrs+ for such a duration of flight time.

Thank you SQ LPP for listing those flights here. Those are indeed very appropriate flights for Snacks On Demand. The menu you posted also shows VERY clearly that there is food to munch on besides Breakfast

It looks like you have the services very well memorized. I think SQ would be very happy if you work for them.

Thanks for posting your opinion above.
Whether or not the services are appropriate, I'd let the rest of the pax decide.

[TON_UK]

You paid higher price and get a little food....Not fair......

[scooby5]

I think a simple question during check-in, along the lines of "Would you be requiring dinner onboard, Sir?" would at least prepare for the right level of proper food to be placed on board.

Obviously people change there minds, some will fall asleep and some will smell the food and say "Gimme some of that" although in Y, unlikely

Asking at check-in would give some time to add the right amount of food to the carts, at time of loading onto the plane. If the truck has driven out with too much, take it back and put it on another plane......it's all pretty much frozen/chilled anyway i believe.

[SQ LPP]

I think a simple question during check-in, along the lines of "Would you be requiring dinner onboard, Sir?" would at least prepare for the right level of proper food to be placed on board.

Obviously people change there minds, some will fall asleep and some will smell the food and say "Gimme some of that" although in Y, unlikely

Asking at check-in would give some time to add the right amount of food to the carts, at time of loading onto the plane. If the truck has driven out with too much, take it back and put it on another plane......it's all pretty much frozen/chilled anyway i believe.

During check-in where? Are you assuming everyone is checking in at SIN? Imagine someone flying LHR-SIN-PEK. Then do you think at LHR, the check-in agent has to ask, "Do you need refreshment after taking off from SIN on your flight to PEK? The pax will think the SQ agent is a nut case.

[jjpb3]

I agree with SQ LPP. Using checkin to ascertain demand would be very inefficient.

You paid higher price and get a little food....Not fair......

I assume you meant the premium SQ commands over its competitors in Y? I don't think catering (of a refreshment service vs. snack-on-demand) immediately after a late takeoff is a major reason behind that premium.

[MAN Flyer]

Of course it's cost cutting !!. That's what they do, isn't it ?.

[G_G]

Atleast they still serve free snacks!

if they weren't free it would be a low-cost carrier not a premium one

[LOWJHG]

was on SIN-PEK this year june
they served cheese wraps