New In Flight Caterer from LHR today

Currently in the clubhouse (accessed via new staircase, and then a hoarded corridor to the old reception desk. A couple of ponts about today's flight, VS009 LHR - JFK...

1. Jamie Cullum is onboard. I was at drive thru just behind him. I hope he didn't have anything breakable in his luggage.

2. There is a new caterer, and all flights are running about an hour late owing to this.

Full TR (including menu) to follow.

Clubhouse is still on the warm side, with some pretty hefty fans.

BTW, Sailor99, remember to log out of the PCs. I could have had some fun in your name.

[buns]

CS

Thanks for the "insider" tips;):D;)

Can't wait to hear what the new menu might be like

buns

[preiffer]

Please please please please please mean the removal of the Bangers & Pea/Mint Mashed potato...!!![xx(]

Sore subject at the moment. VS9 left just over 2 hours late with nearly all flights out of LHR and LGW picking up delays of 1hr (min)

Press Release from LSG website dated 3rd March:

Virgin Atlantic awards global in-flight management and UK catering business to LSG Sky Chefs
Industry-leading partnership model created


Sky Chefs, the world's leading provider of quality in-flight catering, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Virgin Atlantic to manage the airline's in-flight activities on a global scale and extend its catering services within the UK.

The five-year global contract will see LSG Sky Chefs supplying an extensive range of innovative in-flight and equipment management solutions to the carrier. It will involve the design, development and management of in-flight services as well as the warehousing and distribution, procurement and ownership of Virgin Atlantic's equipment. Those activities will be transferred to LSG Sky Chefs step by step, starting immediately.

The catering contract, which commences on June 1, 2005, extends LSG Sky Chefs' existing partnership with the airline to include Virgin Atlantic's two UK hubs (London-Heathrow and London-Gatwick).

LSG Sky Chefs was selected as Virgin's preferred partner after an extensive evaluation process and careful due diligence.

"We were impressed by LSG Sky Chefs' ability to build tailor-made solutions', said Paul Dickinson, Virgin Atlantic's Director of Customer Services just after signing the contract in London. "We are confident that we have chosen the best partner in the market to support us in fulfilling our promise to the pas-sengers", he continues.

LSG Sky Chefs' Herman Anbeek, Senior Vice President Sales and Services said: "We feel honored by Virgin Atlantic's decision. Our partnership has now grown to an industry-leading level. It enables us to work closely with one of the fastest growing and most innovative airlines".

LSG Sky Chefs; is the world's leading provider of integrated in-flight solutions, including catering, procurement, equipment management and Total In-flight Service Management. LSG Sky Chefs caters 270 airlines from more than 200 customer service centers in 48 countries.

In the United Kingdom LSG Sky Chefs provides an entire range of in-flight services including supplying more than 22.5 meals each year to over 103,000 flights from six locations at London-Heathrow, London-Gatwick, London-Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham and East Midlands.

Virgin Atlantic - Since it was founded in 1984, Virgin Atlantic Airways has become Britain's second largest carrier serving the world's major cities. Now based at both London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports, it operates long haul services to 23 destinations worldwide as far apart as Las Vegas, Shanghai and Sydney

Hooray:D

[preiffer]

From LSG
In the United Kingdom LSG Sky Chefs provides an entire range of in-flight services including supplying more than 22.5 meals each year to over 103,000 flights from six locations at London-Heathrow, London-Gatwick, London-Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham and East Midlands.

22.5 meals on 103,000 flights. Cut-backs have been harsh... :D

It was a total mess yesterday. I do love VS and I work for them too but what the hell is going on with them lately. They cant seem to get anything right. Management is very bad at the moment.

All flights eneded up going over 1 hr 30 mins late. some even longer.

lets hope this means a return to previous standards of UC food.

Some progress at last (well i hope so anyway).

Sorry to day that the menu was the same as I have had all year! Not impressed.

Cabin crew were also complaining about some of the due dlilgence that was done as part of the switch over (e.g. LSG's ability to service the a/c quickly enough due to number of vans).

[preiffer]

Originally posted by csparker
Sorry to day that the menu was the same as I have had all year! Not impressed.

Including the deaded pea & mint mash? [xx(][:(] NOOOoooooo!!!!!

'Fraid that the green goo was still there

[buns]

If you ask me, its time to call in that Ramsey fellow [}:)][}:)](the Winner lad of course being in residency with a competitor airine;))

Perhaps that might spark a bit of pride in delivering something the customer might then have a desire to want to return to[:(!][:(!]

Failing that, set up a Pret Sandwich stall at the gate

buns

[preiffer]

What about one of Mr. Oliver's creations...

"Jamie's Airline Dinners", anyone? ;)

[buns]

What about one of Mr. Oliver's creations...

Isn't he the one that does the school dinners:D[}:)];):D

buns

Originally posted by buns4vs

What about one of Mr. Oliver's creations...

Isn't he the one that does the school dinners:D[}:)];):D

buns

School dinners or the current UC menu?...that one has got me thinking:D;).

[preiffer]

We used to have Pizza & Chips @ school. I'd have that over that nasty green mash & sausages, any day!

I'm sure Mr. Oliver could work similar wonders in the air to those that he managed in schools...

We're onto something here, though VS serve their sticky toffee pudding with ice cream (or something that would turn into ice cream if you could leave it to thaw for half an hour) and not pink custard!

Did anyone else get pink custard with school dinners. or was it just me?

Originally posted by csparker
Did anyone else get pink custard with school dinners. or was it just me?

We got pink custard too - though I think they tried to pass it off as blancmange. No, the time to worry about it is when you get semolina (aka frogspawn) offered as a dessert choice in UC (oh, '70s school dinners, they have a lot to answer for....)

Cheers

Michael

[honey lamb]

Did anyone else get pink custard with school dinners. or was it just me?

Me! I did too. The colour put me off although it tasted OK

[mitchja]

Originally posted by honey lamb

Did anyone else get pink custard with school dinners. or was it just me?

Me! I did too. The colour put me off although it tasted OK

I dont remember pink custard but do remember green custard with chocolate sponge cake [xx(]

Regards

Ok, let's stop talking about bad desserts now, i feel sick[xx(][xx(].

Originally posted by sean modi
Ok, let's stop talking about bad desserts now, i feel sick[xx(][xx(].

This is really going to make you hurl.....

We had pink custard at school but nobody liked it apart from this kid Simon. We gave Simon all our custard (about 6 or 8 on the table) and bet he couldn't eat the lot. Well, as he was scoffing all this pink goo at a rate of 3 bowls a minute, we made him laugh.... this is the cool bit.... he laughed so much that pink custard came out through his nose [xx(] Needless to say, this only added to our hatred of pink custard.

Milliemoo

Response from Customer services:

Many thanks for taking the trouble to e-mail us, regarding your recent flight to New York.

As you are aware the flight was delayed as we changed our Caterers on the 1st of June, and for this please accept our sincere apologies.

Please be reassured that this was not an overnight decision, and was in the planning for about three months. On paper all appeared to be in order, however in practise concerns were raised regarding loading of equipment etc, although a hand over had been prepared in advance to minimise the inconvenience to all concerned. We were not offering compensation at the time, however as a Gold Card and regular customer of ours, I have credited your flying club account with 10,000 miles with our compliments.

A point noted was the quality, and presentation of the food served on
flights, and your comments have been noted. Our In-Flight Services
Department change the on board menu in Upper Class every 3 months, to avoid repetition for those regular travellers and also offer a variety of dishes on board to suit everybody's tastes. We react and respond to the constructive points we receive through passenger feedback, which enables us to monitor the dishes that we offer, and see which is proving more popular than others. We make every effort to cater for everybody's needs, and I am sorry if you are disappointed, and your comments have been passed to the relevant Departmental Manager for their information.

Finally, I do hope that the remainder of your travel plans went according to plan, and that your flights with Virgin Atlantic seamless. Please be reassured that your business is important to us, as is your continuing support of our airline.

Yours sincerely




Ray McCammond
Executive Assistant to Richard Branson