Re: American to end most food service

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

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Subject:        Re: American to end most food service
Author: "b.bum" <bbum () mac com>
Date:           18th December 2004 9:28:12 pm

On Dec 18, 2004, at 6:53 PM, ip () v2 listbox com wrote:
> For most American Airlines' coach passengers, there will no longer be 
> a free lunch-or breakfast or dinner.
>
> The nation's largest air carrier today said it will eliminate 
> complimentary food service for coach customers on domestic flights 
> beginning Feb. 1 in a cost-cutting move that will save the struggling 
> airline $30 million annually. Instead, Dallas-based American will 
> start selling boxed meals and sandwiches priced between $3 to $5 on 
> domestic flights longer than three hours.

I realize now that I must have flown a test flight for this new 
"service".  Twice.

Or, at least, something that sounds an awful lot like this.

Basically, the airline loads up on a slew of pre-made "meals" from 
various random Airport Concourse "restaurants".   They provide a 
limited menu-- 3 to 5 meals, it seems-- and you are allowed to select 
from them.

Well, you are allowed to select if you are in the first N rows.  Beyond 
that, you are pretty much left with whatever meals everyone thought 
might suck the most.

The cabin crew absolutely hated this situation.  They were blamed for 
the lack of variety and lack of quality, though it was clearly not 
their decision.   Likewise, they were left with the rather grueling 
task of making change for a plane load of passengers.  Since meal 
prices were never a round number, that process was an utter pain in the 
ass.   I ended up with a free meal because I would accept whatever the 
hell that had left with no complaint and because I happened to have a 
wallet full of small bills.

Worse, the cabin crew now has to deal with tons of nasty fast food 
trash.   So do the passengers, for that matter -- not just the trash, 
but the smell.

All in all, it sounds like air flight is going to become even less 
'pleasant' than it is now.

b.bum

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