Start of another round of cost-cutting?

[tth_ben]

3/4 size. My bad.
Soba quantity has changed
I use pepper and occasionally salt on my inflight meals, and I have seen a fair number of passengers using it.

Did you try to ask for salt and pepper? It’s probably available but not included with every tray since not everyone needs heavy taste.

Soba looks like there is still three separate loops, albeit squeezed into a small bowl.

[icn.sg]

Did you try to ask for salt and pepper? It’s probably available but not included with every tray since not everyone needs heavy taste.

Soba looks like there is still three separate loops, albeit squeezed into a small bowl.

Yup. Crew weren't aware that salt/pepper/sugar are no longer provided on the tray, and had to get them from the galley. They were in the midst of the meal service so I didn't insist. To be fair to them, that was during the transition period where trays ex-SIN stopped providing them, while overseas stations still had them. I've not flown SQ for the last couple of months, not sure if they now carry extra S/P/S on the meal cart.

You seem to be very sure the soba quantity hasn't changed. So i'll give you the benefit of doubt.

[ycp81]

Yup. Crew weren't aware that salt/pepper/sugar are no longer provided on the tray, and had to get them from the galley. They were in the midst of the meal service so I didn't insist. To be fair to them, that was during the transition period where trays ex-SIN stopped providing them, while overseas stations still had them. I've not flown SQ for the last couple of months, not sure if they now carry extra S/P/S on the meal cart.
.

Sugar sachets are gone too but they are available on the meal cart. However crew are not proactively offering during coffee/tea service and it is upon getting the hot drinks that u will realise the sugar is missing.

[SQ228]

I'm one of many who have been effectively wasting those embedded sugar packets for years, but I was of the understanding that I got given them as standard issue because a sugar packet costs much less than the labour cost of individually checking and distributing to select passengers.

I guess though, if you have a set number of flight crew, who will be paid the same, regardless of demand for beverage sweetener, then that is a fixed cost already accounted for. If you give out less sugar, that will cost less in terms of variable expenditure. The saving is financed by an increase in inefficiency during meal service, slowing it down marginally and increasing staff workload.

[tth_ben]

On a somewhat less relevant note, doesn't hurt to reduce the plastic wastage, seeing as they wrap all the salt pepper in plastic packs and assuming half the passengers don't touch theirs, the amount of plastic used in just a month across all flights... Cliché but unfortunately a real problem.

[PPSFlyer]

On the SIN-KUL vv flights, sugar sachets are still served together with the coffee/tea. I personally don't take sugar, but to prevent wastage, I bring it back with me and pass them to my family members who drink their hot drinks with sugar.

[SQ025]

The full sized Y tray has disappeared, replaced by half sized trays on all flights.

The smaller size trays are already in use for more than a year.

[Crosscheck]

Just did a return flight in PE to London. Was somewhat taken aback that you now have to ask for the socks and toothbrush set which was previously given out to everyone at the start of the flight.

I always use the socks and toothbrush, and while it's no big deal to ask for them, it felt like a slight cheapening of an already underwhelming PE experience.

I assume the kits are also on demand in Y now?

[Jumbojet Lover]

Just did a return flight in PE to London. Was somewhat taken aback that you now have to ask for the socks and toothbrush set which was previously given out to everyone at the start of the flight.

I always use the socks and toothbrush, and while it's no big deal to ask for them, it felt like a slight cheapening of an already underwhelming PE experience.

I assume the kits are also on demand in Y now?

I had to request for the amenity kit flying a late night SIN-LHR flight a few weeks ago in Y

Thought it was a cost-cutting move as well.

[sbs2716g]

I had to request for the amenity kit flying a late night SIN-LHR flight a few weeks ago in Y

Thought it was a cost-cutting move as well.

Maybe can see it as more environmental friendly instead? Even though SQ is saving money as well. Not everyone need it.

[SQ_326]

Just did a return flight in PE to London. Was somewhat taken aback that you now have to ask for the socks and toothbrush set which was previously given out to everyone at the start of the flight.

I always use the socks and toothbrush, and while it's no big deal to ask for them, it felt like a slight cheapening of an already underwhelming PE experience.

I assume the kits are also on demand in Y now?

Isn't toothbrush plentiful in the toilet?

[lingua101]

Sugar sachets are gone too but they are available on the meal cart. However crew are not proactively offering during coffee/tea service and it is upon getting the hot drinks that u will realise the sugar is missing.

Looks rather in consistent. On my last flight on Monday night, when I asked for Tea, the crew asked me, "sugar and milk?", which I decline.

[SQ002]

Pretty annoyed by the recent absence of milk/sugar/amenity kit in toilet. Must reach out to a crew to inquire these items. I can tell that the crews didn't like it either (more work for them), and also sets up barriers to passengers who don't speak English.

Looks like SQ is putting much of its freebies in "secret menu" now.

[pokfur]

Onboard SQ318 now and it seems that SQ has stopped providing hot towels in Jcl after meal service (the crew confirmed it). Also the pre-departure hot towels seemed to be smaller sized (similar to those in the lav) as well.

Was also confirmed by the IFM on friday on SQ919 MNL-SIN that now for JCL it's only 1 per meal service. Meaning on shorter flights it's just the one they give you prior to departure.

On longer flights with 2 meal service, you get one prior to departure, then one more before the second meal service.

So basically they have halved the number of hot towels in JCL.

No changes in F or Y.

After I expressed my surprise (and maybe displeasure??) the IFM went to YCL to find some and proceeded to hand them out to the entire J cabin before landing

Apparently, 'trials' were carried out before implementing the change. I don't see how any trial could have been meaningful. Say SQ only carries out the trial on certain flights, and a frequent flier only encounters this 'trial flight' in a series of 5 flights, he's likely to write it off as a one-off forgetful crew. Besides, most people won't bother writing in after a flight. A lack of response or negative feedback doesn't mean people don't notice.

Yet, it is not possible for crew to go around after the plane has landed and ask each pax "hi did you notice that we didn't give you a towel?" because certainly people will know what SQ is up to and give the theoretically correct answer which is 'yes we did notice'.

[ycp81]

Was also confirmed by the IFM on friday on SQ919 MNL-SIN that now for JCL it's only 1 per meal service. Meaning on shorter flights it's just the one they give you prior to departure.

On longer flights with 2 meal service, you get one prior to departure, then one more before the second meal service.

So basically they have halved the number of hot towels in JCL.

Yet on Qatar on a 6-7hrs flight, I had 4-5 hot towels (lost count) given on the flight. Before departure, before meal service, after meal service, before landing etc... crazy...