[IP] Re: American to end most food service
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Subject: Re: American to end most food service
Author: "b.bum" <bbum@xxxxxxx>
Date: 18th December 2004 9:28:12 pm
On Dec 18, 2004, at 6:53 PM, ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 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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