V-Flyer

Happy New Year all! Just returned from New York where we spent Christmas and New Years with the extended family. Having travelled a lot with Virgin over the years and most recently over the Summer to the Caribbean in addition to this Xmas jaunt I've noticed some changes in Economy service which also made me think of this question - what is a perfect economy breakfast.


Noted Service Change - is this the new normal?

- No ammenity kit in Economy even on overnight flights
-JFK-LHR dinn service didn't include the salad pot
- Minimalist breakfast - Warm Croissant, fruit & yoghurt (Summer trip), 'Aussie Bar' and Yoghurt (Winter JFK-LHR)

I remember a few variations on an economy breakfast over the years including omlette & beans and a bacon roll in addition to the above mentioned options. My view on the breakfast offering after a night flight is usually that I don't usually have the stomach for the omlette and the bacon roll was typically soggy/overly salty. The summer offering we experienced of the warm croissant, fruit and yoghurt I thought was pretty good being easy on the stomach and being of decent quality. The latest offering this morning of yoghurt and an 'aussie bar' (basically a Nutri-Grain bar) I think is laughable to be considered as breakfast.

I have heard of similar minimalist breakfasts on BA but wondered what the consensus was on a realistic/preferred economy breakfast?

FLYERZ

On a 6 hour night flight back from New York does anyone really need a full breakfast barely 3 hours after they’ve been served dinner? A snack seems entirely appropriate to me.

In any case a good cooked breakfast involves either grilling or frying, neither of which is possible on a plane. So even if one is offered, it’s usually best avoided.

I suspect it’s only a matter of time before UK airlines get rid of ‘free’ meals on long haul flights. BA are itching to roll out the M&S menu but probably don’t dare take the plunge until the competition starts charging as well.

I will never have a cooked breakfast on board. They are horrid.
Mrs D lives in hope and occasionally orders the cooked breakfast only to leave it and say, ' I don't know why I ordered this.' While I tuck into my fruit salad and continental.
Dick D

The best I have had, ever, was steel cut hot oats with fruit - but that was with Qatar and in J. Other than that, yoghurt and fruit for me.

I think all non upper class breakfast are quite lacking. I remember flying back from LA in premium on VS a few years and the breakfast was exactly the same as the economy one you’ve just listed with the addition of a bowl of fruit. Compared to flying TUI once in premium from Mexico and we were given the option of either English breakfast or waffles for breakfast.

On shorter TATL routes I'm happy with a small cold breakfast. The sight of wilted soggy spinach turns my stomach.

Though I am sure I've had a hot waffle with berry compote on the DXB overnight recently. That was very nice.

The breakfast coming back from SFO a few days ago was pretty poor in Upper, although the Maple Danish was amazing, the rest of it was very lack luster.

Last year there was pancakes on the menu for Breakky on the ex West Coasts, no such luck this year!

I tend to agree full breakfast is generally not pallatable after a long night flight/not executable to the degree you would get on the ground. Personally I think I would prefer something like a pan au chocolat/danish pastry, fruit or granola and yoghurt. I would think these are generally pax friendly and easy to serve quickly in the last 90mins of a flight.

I too have had the luxury of pancakes and berry compote (on QR I think) in Economy no less. Probably the best plane breakfast I have had, although I imagine unlikelyfor VS Economy.

My berry compote was in PE I believe. I'll find out next month if they serve it in Y!

Generally give it a miss if in anything less than upper...

To be honest, I normally flag breakfast when flying into the UK on an overnight flight from the East Coast USA as I usually have something to eat in the airport before boarding and may have the evening meal after departure if I'm still awake. Given the short flight time (and even shorter if you have a tailwind), it's not surprising that most people aren't hungry when the meals come round 90mins before landing.

I agree with Dick D in that my experience of onboard breakfasts aren't great. I'd rather wait until I'm on the ground because by the time I've left the airport I'm then hungry and can get a better quality breakfast and a decent cup of coffee. With the exception of the bacon baguettes you can get on some LCC's, I also go for a breakfast in the airport before a morning flight despite begrudging the markups at airport eateries.