Traditional Meal Times on AA?
#16
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
Thanks for the meal windows JDiver.
Since AA2081 (10:45 - 1:35) is clearly within the lunch window, it must just be an anomaly. AA has no competition on this route which probably explains everything. They could probably run it as a beverage only flight and not lose too much business and they know it.
Since AA2081 (10:45 - 1:35) is clearly within the lunch window, it must just be an anomaly. AA has no competition on this route which probably explains everything. They could probably run it as a beverage only flight and not lose too much business and they know it.
#17
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: AA Lifetime PLT , BA Silver , BD RIP , HH Gold, SPG / Marriott PLT , EF Subscriber
Posts: 6,700
Traditional meal windows used to be, and may (or may well not, given we are generally served breakfast on AA 1612, Lv SFO 09:30, Arv ORD 15:35) still be:
First Class Domestic Meal Windows:
Breakfast: 4 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Lunch: Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Dinner: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Flights under 2 hrs must depart in or be in air during window.
First Class Domestic Meal Windows:
Breakfast: 4 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Lunch: Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Dinner: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Flights under 2 hrs must depart in or be in air during window.
AA 2440/ 09 Dec LAX-DFW 9.50am -2.55pm most of it is inside the Lunch Window, but AA.com says Breakfast. I'm not a Big Lover of an AA breakfast after I have just enjoyed the FL Breakfast at LAX.
Last edited by dstan; Jul 31, 2009 at 10:46 am Reason: fixed broken quote
#18
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Dublin / Zurich
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 179
Have just realised this a big issue for people on a MR, with multiple flights and lounge visits on the same day it becomes complicated to plan when to eat.
I think the AA definitions are a little vague and it's making it difficult to plan.
This thread could lead to a sticky/wiki article.
An extra data-point:
aa 1374 ORD MIA dep 1415 arr 1820
First Class Meal: Snack or brunch
From reading here it seems "Snack or brunch" could be a proper lunch or a cookie!
I think the AA definitions are a little vague and it's making it difficult to plan.
This thread could lead to a sticky/wiki article.
An extra data-point:
aa 1374 ORD MIA dep 1415 arr 1820
First Class Meal: Snack or brunch
From reading here it seems "Snack or brunch" could be a proper lunch or a cookie!
#19
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
Have just realised this a big issue for people on a MR, with multiple flights and lounge visits on the same day it becomes complicated to plan when to eat.
I think the AA definitions are a little vague and it's making it difficult to plan.
This thread could lead to a sticky/wiki article.
An extra data-point:
aa 1374 ORD MIA dep 1415 arr 1820
First Class Meal: Snack or brunch
From reading here it seems "Snack or brunch" could be a proper lunch or a cookie!
I think the AA definitions are a little vague and it's making it difficult to plan.
This thread could lead to a sticky/wiki article.
An extra data-point:
aa 1374 ORD MIA dep 1415 arr 1820
First Class Meal: Snack or brunch
From reading here it seems "Snack or brunch" could be a proper lunch or a cookie!
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 17,769
I have a 2:05 pm EWR-MIA this week. It's says "Snack/Brunch". So it seems I'll get a proper (but cold) meal?
#22
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
#24
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
Yes, two choices. Haven't seen the chicken strips in awhile, but I'm usually on dinner flights.
#25
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
Here is what I know on the subject. AA divides flight by direction -- North, South, East and West. Not all flights in all direction are created equal. The meal times listed by JDiver (very nice to hear from you again) may still apply but they are not applied to all flights equally. AA has more west bound flights that fly during traditional meal windows than in any other direction. Post 9/11, it was determined that, due to budgetary constraints, it wasn't possible to provide standard breakfast/lunch/dinner meals on all flights. As such, the west bound flights saw the biggest cuts. I have no insight into the determining factors that led to specific flights as being coded for standard meals and which flights were coded for brunch/snack. An educated guess would assume routes that had significant paid F would have been the least likely to be cut.
I learned of this information over a year ago. AA might have made some changes for 2008 to increase the number of flights that are catered with standard meals. I don't know what is in store for 2009, but AA is studying the soft product of their international competitors and does have intentions to expand food & bev. To what extent, I do not know.
Anyway, back to the point of this thread. When booking flights, I don't think one should assume a meal based on traditional meal windows. It is always best to check aa.com at the very least. In my experience, aa.com was incorrect only once. An HNL-LAX flight was coded as lunch, but it in fact was dinner.
I learned of this information over a year ago. AA might have made some changes for 2008 to increase the number of flights that are catered with standard meals. I don't know what is in store for 2009, but AA is studying the soft product of their international competitors and does have intentions to expand food & bev. To what extent, I do not know.
Anyway, back to the point of this thread. When booking flights, I don't think one should assume a meal based on traditional meal windows. It is always best to check aa.com at the very least. In my experience, aa.com was incorrect only once. An HNL-LAX flight was coded as lunch, but it in fact was dinner.
#26
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
No obvious logic in:
AA 1476 DFW Nov 30 03:55 PM DCA Nov 30 07:35 PM M80 First Snack or Brunch
AA 1442 ORD Nov 30 04:25 PM DCA Nov 30 07:10 PM M80 First Dinner
AA 1476 DFW Nov 30 03:55 PM DCA Nov 30 07:35 PM M80 First Snack or Brunch
AA 1442 ORD Nov 30 04:25 PM DCA Nov 30 07:10 PM M80 First Dinner
#27
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP 1.5MM, AC Member, Marriott Platinum, HHonors Diamond, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 513
The wife and I are booked on AA1068 MIA to DCA on Monday, 9:45 am to 12:05 pm. Upgrades confirmed yesterday morning (yay) and meal is described on aa.com as "continental breakfast".
Of course the wife's definition of continental breakfast is to drink the plane's entire supply of champagne, as we did on the MIA-ORD leg of our trip to Europe earlier this year!
Of course the wife's definition of continental breakfast is to drink the plane's entire supply of champagne, as we did on the MIA-ORD leg of our trip to Europe earlier this year!
#28
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Boston, MA (BOS)
Programs: AA PLT Pro 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 5,587
What is the difference between breakfast and continental breakfast? I'm booked on J (w/ EVIP from my EXP father) for 70 DfW-FRA but noticed ORD-FRA is continental breakfast. Is this b/c ORD gets in at 11:10 while DFW gets in at 7:20???
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Breakfast is usually eggs or cereal plus rolls and fruit; continental breaksfast is usually exactly the same as everywhere else: rolls and fruit. No eggs. No cereal.
#30
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
The wife and I are booked on AA1068 MIA to DCA on Monday, 9:45 am to 12:05 pm. Upgrades confirmed yesterday morning (yay) and meal is described on aa.com as "continental breakfast".
Of course the wife's definition of continental breakfast is to drink the plane's entire supply of champagne, as we did on the MIA-ORD leg of our trip to Europe earlier this year!
Of course the wife's definition of continental breakfast is to drink the plane's entire supply of champagne, as we did on the MIA-ORD leg of our trip to Europe earlier this year!