The wine and coke ran out two weeks ago on Virgin Airlines, not to be replaced anytime soon.
Now the snacks are running out. Virgin cabin crew leaked a memo from management stating Business Class were to receive one snack per passenger and economy passengers only if they request one.
Worse, cabin crew are being forced to hand out two minute noodles as the Business Class snack.
A return Sydney-Adelaide flight in Business Class costs around $1400 - to put that into perspective.
Business Class passengers are so peeved, The Australian reports crew are now taking sick days rather than be rostered on in Business and take the flack.
All the while, Bain, the new owners of Virgin, are attempting to renegotiate staff contracts; wanting to reduce flight attendants' base salary from $61,000 to $49,000 and take away the $120 overnight allowance. Flight attendants also say they are being asked to work 15 hour work days.
Also simmering away in the background, is Richard Branson's play for 10% of the restructured airline and a board seat. The sale to Bain is expected to be finalised at the end of this month. Details to be nutted out include ownership levels of various investors (Queensland government is expected to 2-3% equity in the airline in return for $200 million) whilst Bain wants to limit Branson to 5%.
Richard Branson's Virgin Group is still the owner of the Virgin Airlines brand and receives $15 million a year for its use by the airline. If a deal can't be reached with Branson, the original founder of the airline, Bain may have to rebrand it.
In the meantime, better BYO until that new catering contract gets signed.....