Free meals in Coach?
Feb 16, 2017, 11:34 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 406
Free meals in Coach?
Feb 16, 2017, 12:06 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,371
Feb 16, 2017, 12:08 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Seattle, WA (US)
Programs: Oneworld (Emerald)
Posts: 127
Feb 16, 2017, 12:35 pm
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Feb 16, 2017, 1:45 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,955
On those longer routes, AS doesn't have free meals, but does have hot items for purchase - which I've often enjoyed in the past. I'm not sure that the listed DL options are all cold or not, but they could be. I'm irrelevant because the only place where I'd have competing AS/DL to choose from is on BOS-SEA, but I'd probably still decide based on schedule and then price.
I suppose this doesn't change anything for me in selection, only because I would have rather flown AS or DL as my top choices anyhow. A free meal isn't more important to me than schedule or price, but it does signal to me that DL is committed to a better experience than the other legacies - and it was already better to begin with.
I hope it goes without saying, but I would not add a connection solely based on a free sandwich in coach.
I suppose this doesn't change anything for me in selection, only because I would have rather flown AS or DL as my top choices anyhow. A free meal isn't more important to me than schedule or price, but it does signal to me that DL is committed to a better experience than the other legacies - and it was already better to begin with.
I hope it goes without saying, but I would not add a connection solely based on a free sandwich in coach.
Feb 16, 2017, 3:07 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 205
I actually prefer that coach meals be for purchase. Whenever I get free coach meals(I'm thinking of United international coach here) I find them inedible but I usually like the meals that I purchase. It seems like a little capitalism improves the quality. Meals for purchase have to compete with what's available at the gate. I usually find the AS hot meals and/or cheese plate an ok choice for the money and I wouldn't want to see them replaced with those awful tv dinner kind of things that I have seen.
Feb 16, 2017, 3:14 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
AS is pretty protective of their fruit and cheese platter so I can't see them giving that away for free on any flight....even first class passengers "officially" have to pay for it 
Feb 16, 2017, 7:50 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2001
Programs: Alaska Tanzanite 100K
Posts: 3,858
the free "meal" on Hawaiian is very hit or miss. But what happened at Hawaiian was the pay-for-meals were eventually removed entirely, so now its their super tiny free "meal" and then the pau hana snack bar (which is all fee-based).
What I am surprised Alaska doesn't do is what Delta and American did in the early 2000s and late 1990s - was offered a grab bag in a cooler on the jetway. have a small sandwich with a munchie, and keep offering BoB services.
unfortunately a google search doesn't show any pictures or reminders of it.
What I am surprised Alaska doesn't do is what Delta and American did in the early 2000s and late 1990s - was offered a grab bag in a cooler on the jetway. have a small sandwich with a munchie, and keep offering BoB services.
unfortunately a google search doesn't show any pictures or reminders of it.
Feb 16, 2017, 8:56 pm
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
the free "meal" on Hawaiian is very hit or miss. But what happened at Hawaiian was the pay-for-meals were eventually removed entirely, so now its their super tiny free "meal" and then the pau hana snack bar (which is all fee-based).
What I am surprised Alaska doesn't do is what Delta and American did in the early 2000s and late 1990s - was offered a grab bag in a cooler on the jetway. have a small sandwich with a munchie, and keep offering BoB services.
unfortunately a google search doesn't show any pictures or reminders of it.
What I am surprised Alaska doesn't do is what Delta and American did in the early 2000s and late 1990s - was offered a grab bag in a cooler on the jetway. have a small sandwich with a munchie, and keep offering BoB services.
unfortunately a google search doesn't show any pictures or reminders of it.
Feb 16, 2017, 8:59 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: HNL
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 236
My fear is that this turns into a marketing checkbox. We offer a free meal, we're great! Never mind that it's tiny and terrible. I'd rather pay separately for decent food than have the cost of poor food built into my fare. Hawaiian's free meals are often horrible and I fear that will be the benchmark.
Feb 16, 2017, 9:03 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Seattle, Wa
Programs: AS 75K & BR Member- HHonors Diamond - Hertz PC - Marriott Titanium - IHG Ambassador
Posts: 2,379
My fear is that this turns into a marketing checkbox. We offer a free meal, we're great! Never mind that it's tiny and terrible. I'd rather pay separately for decent food than have the cost of poor food built into my fare. Hawaiian's free meals are often horrible and I fear that will be the benchmark.
Feb 16, 2017, 9:11 pm
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: PDX
Programs: AS DL
Posts: 9,038
I flew Delta twice solely because of AVOD but their selection is getting worse so no more use of that as a tie breaker.
Meals are convenient if you're too busy to bring food. Otherwise, I usually bring food or eat in the airport before departure.
Meals are convenient if you're too busy to bring food. Otherwise, I usually bring food or eat in the airport before departure.