A reader recently flew Delta Air Lines business class from London Heathrow, and snapped photos of the wines being offered. I was appalled. The white was actually the same one being served in economy. It was a $5 Hidden Creek 2018 white blend. If the flight were still on the ground in the EU I believe it would legally have to be marketed as ‘table wine’.
They also had Match Book chardonnay, which I’d expect to pay ~ $10 for. Apparently there was only one bottled boarded. These are the kinds of wine I might not be disappointed to be offered in domestic first, but certainly not transatlantic business class.
While my correspondent shared that a flight attendant told him “the wine served these days [in Delta business class] is the biggest complaint they get” Delta tells me it was a miscater,
We apologize to our customers – due to a minor catering supply issue, the crew was not able to serve its normal, full complement of wines.
I’m told Delta should have bene serving Jordan Cabernet and Sterling Heritage Chardonnay, the Jordan being a premium bottle relative to what I’d expect Delta to pay for.
Meanwhile, the reader continued,
They don’t even proactively offer champagne. It’s not on the cart. They keep it hidden in the galley.
In economy, premium-economy and also Delta One pre-departure, the bubbles is a Delta-branded Mionetto off-dry prosecco. Mionetto-labeled prosecco is about $8 a bottle. …Oh yeah, no more dessert cart with cheese, coffee, tea and port.
I’ve written in the past about Delta serving $4 Andre as their predeparture sparkling wine which when called out the airline claimed was a mistake. But they’ve also served Cooks in lounges. Again, they identified it as a supply chain issue.
Delta never seems to mis-cater with better wines than intended. In my view, when the airline fails to deliver, they should be proactively apologizing. A little rebate on that 700,000 mile one way award ticket perhaps?
