I realize this might seem a very trivial issue to some people, but I think it's worth putting to A-netters. For those who read yesterday's thread about CX879's turbulence over Japan, you may have noticed I was triggered on this issue by another member who commented that it seemed early to have the meals out (which was evident by the fact they were photographed strewn all over the cabin after that turbulence!)
I have been a loyal CX flier for almost 10 years (the last 6 at M.P. Gold or above) and the majority of my miles are earned on
long hauls with dual meal services. About a year ago I noticed that the second meal service seemed to be getting served quite a bit earlier than normal. It had always been previously served about 2 hours to arrival, and the type of meal (brunch, dinner, etc.) being based on the time of the destination (as opposed to the first meal which reflects the time of origin). On very long hauls (10+ hours) CX has always been very good about having plenty of snacks and drinks out in the galleries for pax to help themselves to in between.
The first few times I noticed it last year I assumed it was just me being out of it - I often take a sleeping pill to knock myself out, and awaken when the cabin lights are turned on for the second meal service. But I started to find that even though I was up and alert as much as 3-4 hours prior to arrival I would eventually learn I'd missed the second meal while asleep. Then last week I confirmed my suspicions when I flew ORD-HKG on CX807, which arrived on time at 19:30 HK time. As always I set my watch to HK time before the plane pushed back. The first meal service
was as normal - about 90 mins. after takeoff and a lunch service to reflect Chicago time. I need went to sleep a short while later and was awakened when the lights went up and the meal cart was coming through. My watch showed exactly 12:00 PM HK time - 7+ hours prior to arrival - and the moving map confirmed were somewhere over the Arctic. This time I asked the attendant why they were serving so early, esp. as it was in fact only lunchtime in HK and we were just halfway through the flight.
His response was something to the tune of "yes, we serve earlier now....because pax get hungry and now it's dinner time in Chicago." Still groggy from my pill, I showed my displeasure at this notion on my face and then went back to sleep. Later prior to arrival another attendant was kind enough to bring me a ham sandwich, knowing that I hadn't eaten earlier.

Can anyone else speak on this experience? Do you know if CX has changed a policy on the second meal service? I'm wondering if this change is at the behest of the cabin crews, who perhaps might prefer if they can do all their work in the first half of a flight and then put their feet up for the remainder. That's not me having a go at the crew, either: on this all but one of my crew call signals were ignored and when I finally got up to fill my water bottle (I was engrossed in my movie, OK?) I noticed that the middle gallery was pitch black and there wasn't an attendant around that I could see. Sure, probably was in the back gallery, but I got the impression it may have just been one and more than usual were taking breaks together.

I doubt it would be any self-serving request from the cabin crew to ask the arrival service be served earlier: It cuts down on the mid-flight time for crew rest breaks. On carriers I'm familiar with, on long-haul flights, the time between the finish of the first meal service, and the beginning of the last meal service is divided equally into two or three (depending on crew complement and number of rest bunks/seats) segments for rest breaks. If a mid-flight snack requires more crew, it would be scheduled between rest breaks, but often 2/3 of the crew is sufficient for a snack in a dark cabin, even if they don't stagger the snack time between the classes of service.

Having a meal service starting by Hokkaido would be about four to five hours before landing, no? That seems an awkward time for both crew (wanting a longer break) and passengers (also wanting a longer sleep time).

This past weekend I flew CX from JNB - HKG and the (economy) breakfast was served around two hours before landing, which is much the same as it has been for the past 15 years that I've flown this route with CX.

In the business and first cabins the meal has usually been served somewhat later -- around 60-90 minutes before landing.

In all cabins, special meals are handed out a fair while before the standard meals are served.

I haven't flown on CX, but the long haul flights I have flown, one was a 3x7hour route on EK, and a 12hour segment plus a 8hour segment on VS. On the EK flights, we had two meal services per segment, one meal every 4hours or so on a 24hour journey. On the VS flight, we also had two meal services per segment, but on the long flight, that meant a gap of 7-8 hours, this was far too long in my opinion. I was almost ready to east my own arm by the time they served the second meal, although small snacks where served in between. I can understand the logic of letting business flyers sleep and crew rest, but I think I would prefer the second meal about 7-8hours into the flight. Even on the 8 hour flight, the gap between meals was too large, all IMHO of course.

Yes, I had the same experience in J on CX884 (HKG-LAX) last year. Lunch/dinner was served after takeoff and breakfast was served as we crossed the International Date Line. It was far from ideal.

It's being discussed on FT right now too. Apparently it has something to do with crewing and it's 'easier' for staff to do it this way and also to cut down on having to carry so many snacks (cost cutting) for those hungry between the two meals... But that's not how it should be, especially for the overnight flights.

I flew CX long haul (SFO to HKG as CX873) in November last year and HKG to SFO (CX872) in early December. They served meals at "normal" time for both flights. This is the first time I heard about the second meal time shift.

I would prefer the second meal served a bit earlier, maybe 3 hours before landing, instead of 1.5 to 2 hours before. But definitely not 6 or 7 hours before landing.

Quoting CXGabriel (Reply 5):

I think the meals all depend on the departure and arrival times, it is not the same for every flight.

I read a trip report a few months back reporting the same issue. As I recall, the poster also flew ORD-HKG, and the second meal was served about 6 hours out of HKG.

Just a thought here. But perhaps the second round was served earlier due to forecast turbulence during the time that they would normally serve the second meal? If it had not been done earlier, perhaps it wasn't going to get done at all?

Tomas SJC

I'm scheduled to fly CX J LAX-HKG on the 1am departure this summer. What should I expect as far as meal service, considering the local time at take off is in the middle of the night?

Quoting timaay419 (Reply 9): I'm scheduled to fly CX J LAX-HKG on the 1am departure this summer. What should I expect as far as meal service, considering the local time at take off is in the middle of the night?

A meal (dinner/supper) after takeoff and then the second meal (breakfast) somewhere over Japan/Taiwan, not far out from HKG.

Quoting NZ107 (Reply 10): and then the second meal (breakfast) somewhere over Japan/Taiwan

That's a huge difference, if I were them I would feel annoyed if they served breakfast over Japan already (4 hours before landing) but Taiwan (90 minutes) is fine.

In Nov 12, I flew J on CX831 JFK-HKG. The flight left about lunchtime, so the first meal on board was lunch/dinner, and that was served as expected after 60-90 minutes. The flight is 16 hours long, so I thought snacks during the flight, and then a meal 1 or 2 hours out of HKG. We were served the second meal about 8 hours into the flight, and then nothing prior to landing. It was weird.
I have also flown SYD-HKG-LHR and meals were the "standard" of after take off and prior to landing.

Other than that, the flights were great, and I love the new CX J seat.

I had the same experience last week on a nonstop from JFK to HKG in economy. I also complained to the crew that serving the second meal mid flight was way too early and their response is that passengers like it this way. NOT TRUE!!! I suspect that this is a cost cutting measure aimed at reducing the amount of cup noodle and mid flight snacks because they figure that pax will eat upon arrival. Well, if anyone from CX reads this, you have unhappy, less rested, and hungry passengers awakening them mid flight by switching on all the lights and doing a disruptive meal service when it should be a snack for those who are up and hungry and a full meal before landing like it used to. BTW, I noticed that J class had their breakfast an hour and a half before landing. Attention CX!!! This Diamond member is not happy with this sneaky, stingy move and I suspect you will have more unhappy passengers because of this.

Quoting wunala (Reply 12):

It really helps being a day flight. You can stay up all day. It's a heck of a lot different going eastbound though, when you get your sleep interrupted by a meal. I suppose at least in J, you also have the option of the decent snacks available, shown on the menu.

Quoting hugo (Reply 13): I had the same experience last week on a nonstop from JFK to HKG in economy. I also complained to the crew that serving the second meal mid flight was way too early and their response is that passengers like it this way. NOT TRUE!!!

This must be unique to the North American flights. I did a few sectors, all in business, on CX last year with the longest being HKG-LHR. All of the meal times were fine with the HKG-LHR meals being served about 90 minutes out of HKG and then as we were over Germany for the breakfast.

KE does the same crap on its USA to Seoul flights, for daytime flights at least. Second meal comes way too early, so by the time we land ICN, we starve. And meal size is way smaller than any other airlines. Ideal case is to have the second meal right before landing, and have a snack in the middle. Because we don't have a chance to eat something for at least an hour after we land (immigration, etc).

I am going to fly CX 879 next week. I will check what they do and report back.

Quoting HeeseokKoo (Reply 16):

Urghh I know... KE meal size has progressively reduced now I can fit everything in half a tray.
Taste has gone down quite a bit too.

I would also like to point out dreadful HKG-ICN flight on A380 where they inisit on serving breakfast. It's already very short flight with not much chance to sleep - we don't need anymore interruption by the meal!

Hello all! This is my first post. I flew CX256 from LHR to HKG last week for half term. The first meal service commenced 2 hours and a bit more after a delayed take off, due to strong winds and severe turbulence surrounding the above airspace. The second meal service started 90 minutes before descent, when we were directly above Chongqing

I just flew CX882 yesterday, HKG-LAX in Business Class: the breakfast (2nd service) started about 2 hours out of LAX, which arrived a tad early at 12:45. My outbound was CX 873 SFO-HKG, 01FEB, and the breakfast was also served beginning 2 hours out of HKG. I would have been happier if it had been a bit later (zzzz), and would not want it any earlier.

My outbound from LAX to HKG on CX885 the second meal was served exactly 4.5hrs after first meal service, and was reminded throughout the boarding process, during meal time and again after first meal service. Can someone shred some light on this arrangement? Is it maybe because of the time difference or is it a new policy?

It seems that early 2nd meal happens for lunch-time departure out of USA. 5 hours after the first meal is dinner time when passengers get hungry. Then, regardless of arrival time, CX and KE serve meal anyway.

However, late-night departures seem to serve traditional meal timings - one right after departure, one right before arrival. Please correct me if you ever experienced something else.

I fly quite often on HKG-YVR, usually the CX838. It takes off at 430pm and arrives at 1130am YVR time. Normally the 2nd meal of the 11 hour flight is served 2 hrs before arrival. I last took this flight in July 2013, and was very surprised (and annoyed) when the 2nd meal was served 4-5 hours before arrival. I was in deep sleep and woken up by the light and noise of the service. Not wishing to skip the meal I had to wake myself up, and try to catch the tail-end of the service. it was midnight-1am HKG time.

In disbelief and disoriented, I asked the crew. They replied that this change was in response to "passenger feedback", who said that they preferred to take breakfast close to the time for breakfast at the destination. This meant that the 2nd meal was served 4-5 hours after finishing the 1st meal. I cannot understand the logic of this decision. It means that passengers do not have the chance to get any decent sleep.

Perhaps CX in-flight service can give the reasons for this change and confirm whether this is what most passengers prefer.

Quoting CX711 (Reply 23): I fly quite often on HKG-YVR, usually the CX838. It takes off at 430pm and arrives at 1130am YVR time. Normally the 2nd meal of the 11 hour flight is served 2 hrs before arrival. I last took this flight in July 2013, and was very surprised (and annoyed) when the 2nd meal was served 4-5 hours before arrival.

So my theory is wrong already. I guess more and more CX long-haul flights will do the same in the end.

Quoting pasu129 (Reply 21): Is it maybe because of the time difference or is it a new policy?

Just the time differance/time of departure/arrival, 885 leaves LAX around noon, 881/883 leave late evening. The LAX-HKG flights are actually have a 3 meal service plan, 881/883 they have supper and breakfast with a snack between. 885 is lunch and dinner with a snack. The meal service tends to take 2-3 hours in my experience from drinks to pralines.

I looked back a few years, it seems to still be the same plan. If you do not like it, ask the crew for a passenger feedback card, nothing will change unless passengers tell them.

Hey all - thanks for the responses and input. Sounds like there is definitely something to this, at least on certain flights and maybe only in the Prem. Econ. and Econ. classes. After I started this topic I wrote to CX's MP Club on this and will see if a response of any use comes back. If so, will share accordingly. In the meantime, if you are a CX premium pax and like me are annoyed about this issue I recommend you provide them feedback. In my experience CX is an airline that is known to serious consider their customers concerns (as they evidently did here by changing the second meal service time.)

For me, it has always been around 2 hours before landing, like clockwork. There has only been one real exception to that in all my flying with CX. It would be a [email protected] though if it were four hours before landing. I have a friend who is an FA, I can ask her next time I see her.

Ok I admit the cabin was not that full.. But here I've shown a picture of the J cabin 'waking up' for the horribly timed breakfast. You can see one head above the partitions. Everyone else (apart from me and that guy) is sleeping.


View Large View Medium

Photo © Nicholas Young

last year I flew YVR - HKG on the afternoon flight, first meal was served right after took off and the second meal was serviced around 10pm - 11 pm YVR time, which is about 7 hours into the flight.

Hey all....again. Here's the response I got from the M.P. Club on this matter:
"Dear Mr ____
Our Marco Polo Club Service Centre has forwarded us your e-mail in regards to the service inflight including on CX807 from Chicago to Hong Kong.
I am very sorry to learn that you felt disappointed about the meal serving time on our long haul flights. I have just spoken with our Inflight Services Department and it is my understanding that this is a new concept where they design to match the hours of the departing city as the passengers body clock have not tuned to the arrival city. This is still on trial and I know they are collecting feedbacks of which I have forwarded a copy of your e-mail for their consideration.
Once again, we apologise for the poor impression that has been gained.
We look forward to welcome you onboard again soon.
Kind regards"

Will be interesting to see if this trial sticks or not. Personally, I think it's a flawed concept because an airline should subtly encourage the pax to be mentally preparing for their destination, not clinging to their origin. I have always stood by the notion that jet lag is partly psychologically induced (note I said partly, not entirely) and can be minimized by proactive steps taken by the pax in advance and during the flight. Anyways, good discussion and until next time!

Three weeks back I flew HKG-JFK vv. (Lucky enough to have completed my trip right between the two Polar Vortex storms that hit the East Coast haha)

CX846 HKG 19:45 JFK 22:25
1st Meal was a usual dinner setting, commenced 1.5 hours into flight, about 9:30pm origin time.
2nd Meal was a brunch, served around 10.5 hours into flight, about 6:30am origin time (5:30pm destination time) 5 hours from arrival.

By the logic that they are serving a breakfast rather than a dinner meal, apparently they are practicing the meal arrangements according to the origin time frame. Although some people may disagree by saying the 2nd meal be served 'too early', in some people's eyes they are the 'appropriate meal time interval'. Just simple math, the two meals are 9 hours apart. Despite snacks, fruits and refreshment are served by FA or self-served at the gallery throughout the flight, some people just dont go for it but instead wait for the 2nd meal. So if it is really the case that the 2nd meal be served 2 hours from arrival, that would mean a lordy 12 hours interval between the meals, which some pax may complain about. So I do see the reason why they run this trial, which is justifiable.


CX841 JFK 09:00 HKG 14:15+1
1st Meal, a brunch, commenced just 45 mins into flight, about 9:45am origin time.
2nd Meal, a dinner, served around 10 hours into flight, about 7:00pm origin time (6:00am destination time), 6 hour remains.

A lot of people did order cup noodles around 2 to 3 hours before landing.

We flew with Air Canada between HKG and YVR.

HKG to YVR
No Beverage
1st meal - Dinner started after take off - re 40 mins away from HKG
Snack - 5 hours away from HKG.
2nd meal - 1 1/2 hours before landing

YVR to HKG
Beverage - 1 hour from YVR
1st meal - Lunch started - 1 1/2 from YVR
2nd meal - 5 hours before landing. 7 hrs from YVR. We were halfway between HKG and YVR. We were at the Russia airspace.
Snack - 1 1/2hr before landing

Looks like both CX and AC have same time for the second meals services across the Pacific Ocean.

[Edited 2014-02-21 03:16:19]

Personally I find this thread very amusing! People talking about how hungry they are when the plane lands etc etc...! Just out of curiosity has nobody noticed that there are ample shops in most airports selling a range of snacks and other food items? I always have a few on hand for a long haul flight! There is absolutely no need to "starve" on a long haul flight. I know these are full service carriers and as passengers we expect to be fed etc etc...but there is absolutely no need to go hungry!! Who cares when the meals are served!

Just my opinion...

Best

BY  

I found this practise bizzare as well!

I travelled SYD-HKG in J on the 08:30 flight from Sydney.

A full breakfast service was served after take off....lasted about 1.5, lights out.

People were watching films or sleeping.............then about three hours later the lights were turned on and I woke up thinking 'wow that flight went quick' and looked at the moving map to see we still had over four hours to go! The second service was completed and then it was lights out again. Around 40mins before landing still or sparkling water was offered.

I've never experienced that kind of meal service before on any other airline.

Quoting britannia25 (Reply 33): Personally I find this thread very amusing! People talking about how hungry they are when the plane lands etc etc...! Just out of curiosity has nobody noticed that there are ample shops in most airports selling a range of snacks and other food items? I always have a few on hand for a long haul flight! There is absolutely no need to "starve" on a long haul flight. I know these are full service carriers and as passengers we expect to be fed etc etc...but there is absolutely no need to go hungry!! Who cares when the meals are served!

Well, if you're flying UA on transpacific route, you may have a different experience. I personally have not flown UA on flight more than 8 hours (such as transpacific route between Asian and U.S. mainland), but I know people who had and they all told me they were starving on UA flights.

Back in December 2009 I was flying on CX888 and CX889 from HKG-YVR and back and experienced the same thing: on an 11 hour flight, first meal was served about 90 minutes after departure, but second meal service was served four hours after that. It was a red-eye flight both ways - CX888 left HKG at 0105 and arriving sometime around 2030 (if memory serves) and CX889 departed YVR at 0200 and arrived in HKG at about 0730.

It's something that baffles me too, and from my experience it appears to be limited to trans-pacific flights. Since 2009 I've flown PER-HKG-PER twice times and each time the second meal service was served about 90-120 minutes prior to landing.

Quoting flythere (Reply 31): So if it is really the case that the 2nd meal be served 2 hours from arrival, that would mean a lordy 12 hours interval between the meals, which some pax may complain about. So I do see the reason why they run this trial, which is justifiable.

If I worked a 9-to-5 job, it would not be unusual to have dinner at 630pm or so. Would most people not go until 630am or 700am the next morning to have their next full meal? Do most people get up at 130am to fix a hot meal and go back to bed because they can't go 12 hours without eating? Apparently I've got a lot to learn about "normal" people's lifestyles.

Quoting CXGabriel (Reply 35): Well, if you're flying UA on transpacific route, you may have a different experience. I personally have not flown UA on flight more than 8 hours (such as transpacific route between Asian and U.S. mainland), but I know people who had and they all told me they were starving on UA flights.

I used to fly ORD- East Asia a lot on UA but not as much recently but even last year ORD-HKG was 2 meals and a snack. What I find intolerable is the lack of meals to HNL!. I have never had a problem with UA not serving sufficient meals during a long flight. Just the quality occasionally was so bad you may not want to eat it though its usually a case of one of the food types on the tray was quite decent and the rest was not worth touching.

Quoting CXGabriel (Reply 35): I know people who had and they all told me they were starving on UA flights.

Quoting trex8 (Reply 38): I have never had a problem with UA not serving sufficient meals during a long flight.

I thought the same. Those who are hungry in UA flights are ones who doesn't like UA food (so didn't eat much) or who didn't wake up for the mid-flight snack. Mid-flight snack is usually served in the dark, so easily can be missed.

Quoting CXGabriel (Reply 35): Well, if you're flying UA on transpacific route, you may have a different experience. I personally have not flown UA on flight more than 8 hours (such as transpacific route between Asian and U.S. mainland), but I know people who had and they all told me they were starving on UA flights.

C'mon now, really? I've flown them a ton to Asia and Europe and never once was I starving, and I am a 'hungry American' like they call us abroad. Like others have pointed out, user error on your friends.

Quoting quiet1 (Reply 37): If I worked a 9-to-5 job, it would not be unusual to have dinner at 630pm or so. Would most people not go until 630am or 700am the next morning to have their next full meal? Do most people get up at 130am to fix a hot meal and go back to bed because they can't go 12 hours without eating?

I personally used to work 10-6, which was the closest I ever got to 9-5. With my commute taken into account, I'd usually eat at around 7:30. But even then, I'd get hungry before going to bed and would either have dessert or some kind of "midnight snack" at around 11 or 12. Most people I know wouldn't go 12 hours without anything to eat unless they had a really big dinner (which airlines usually don't give you). People who work that schedule also often eat just a very light breakfast, so they're used to eating small amounts more frequently. (This is supposedly a healthier way to eat anyway.)

I've actually had this issue on airplanes, where I've woken up very, very hungry on long haul flights. When I fly economy I always bring both something to drink and some sort of snack just in case. In business class it's not really an issue because you can always just ask for something at any time, and on ANA (the only airline I have really flown international business class on recently), they make their second meal available on demand for just this reason. But in economy, their second meal is *very* late. They're usually only cleaning up as they're descending into NRT.

That actually drives me nuts for another reason, which is that my in-laws in Japan always want to take me out to eat shortly after landing. I think this is actually a pretty common problem on long haul flights that get in shortly before a common meal time. On the one hand, I don't want to wait until landing to have anything to eat, but I don't want to eat in Japan literally *right after* having my second meal on the airplane either, no matter how small or unsatisfying it is. So the way the meals end up spaced out is a meal an hour after takeoff, then waiting 10 hours for the next meal, then a meal right before landing which is at like 3PM local time. That makes no sense to me. I think it would make more sense to have the second meal 6-7 hours after the first, which would allow for a regular dinner. The second meal is always a light meal anyway.

Quoting spacecadet (Reply 41): I personally used to work 10-6, which was the closest I ever got to 9-5. With my commute taken into account, I'd usually eat at around 7:30. But even then, I'd get hungry before going to bed and would either have dessert or some kind of "midnight snack" at around 11 or 12. Most people I know wouldn't go 12 hours without anything to eat unless they had a really big dinner (which airlines usually don't give you).

Which is undoubtedly why a mid-flight snack served quietly to let sleeping pax sleep has worked for decades. There shouldn't be a need to serve a full hot meal four to five hours before landing in HKG on a LAX-HKG flight.

It was mentioned above that it may be CX's way of cutting costs by not needing the mid-flight snack supplies. Only two full meals at different times than rather than those same two meals at sleep-friendly times with a mid-flight snack between.

Quoting trex8 (Reply 38): I used to fly ORD- East Asia a lot on UA but not as much recently but even last year ORD-HKG was 2 meals and a snack. What I find intolerable is the lack of meals to HNL!. I have never had a problem with UA not serving sufficient meals during a long flight. Just the quality occasionally was so bad you may not want to eat it though its usually a case of one of the food types on the tray was quite decent and the rest was not worth touching.

Well, they were flying in economy class, and it is highly possible that had to do with the quality of food on UA. However, they all are experience flyers, especially between HKG and US Mainland.

I agree with you on flying to HNL from U.S. Mainland. Just flew them between west coast and Hawaii, no food service whatsoever. One of the flights was a red eye back to LAX from Maui, and that's probably okay without meal (since I just slept through the whole flight). But still...

I took SFO-HKG on CX in January 2013 and that was my last trans pacific on CX for the time being, and it still served breakfast 1.5 to 2 hours before arrival and this was the flight that left at midnight from SFO.

I guess between then and now it changed, and I would be annoyed too. I even get a little annoyed when they take long time to serve meal on returns such as NRT-USA, and its almost close to 1/2 way. cause the flight is shorter and Id like my 1st meal sooner so I can get as much sleep, but so far have been served 2nd meal on those flights 1 to 1.5 hours before arrival still. Cannot imagine what CX is doing even on HKG-USA either, annoying

Quoting CXGabriel (Reply 43):

Quoting CXGabriel (Reply 43): I agree with you on flying to HNL from U.S. Mainland. Just flew them between west coast and Hawaii, no food service whatsoever. One of the flights was a red eye back to LAX from Maui, and that's probably okay without meal (since I just slept through the whole flight). But still...

They do have BOB items available, I once flew HNL-IAH red-eye and bought the Asian Noodle Box, needed something quick before sleeping.

Kinda interesting when I looked at HNL-GUM (7 hours) the amenities show lunch is served in economy. so that domestic flight gets a free meal still?