New: Snack and Fruit Basket Now on Transcon Flights (In Addition to Meals)
 

Just flew LAX-BOS-LAX over the weekend. Both the breakfast and dinner flights now include a snack basket and a whole fruit snack basket. The offerings are similar if not identical to the items offered on international flights: Garret's popcorn, lemon cookies, chocolate, nuts, granola bars and some fresh fruit like banana, apple and orange.

Perhaps AA is getting ready for the merger tomorrow ;)

Note that the fruit and snack baskets are in addition to the standard transcon offerings. Cookies and milk are still being served prior to arrival. Breakfast cheese plates before arrival and dinner fruit cups are the only things being eliminated.

Are sundaes still status quo? May seem like a silly question, but that's what I'm most concerned about.

I'm wondering if this is similar to the DL "basket" options offered as snacks on short-haul flights (e.g. peanuts, cape cod chips, bananas, etc)? Perhaps moving towards offering packaged snacks vs. prepared "snacks" for < 2.5 hr flights at certain times?

Hoping not!

And so it begins.

I think this is an inauspicious sign of the coming times.

This is actually a true "enhancement." As I stated in my OP, the snack baskets are in addition to the meals being served, nothing is really being cut. They make the snacks, including fresh fruit, available in the galley after the initial meal service just like they would on international flights. I find it to be a nice addition

I flew LAX-JFK-LAX over the weekend. This is an enhancement, although it was done differently on each flight. LAX-JFK they brought out the cart which had the cookies and milk as well as the fruit basket and snack basket. On the JFK-LAX flight they brought the cookies in milk on the tray as before then came through with the fruit basket and then the snack basket. Either way, it was an addition to the cookies and milk.

I really hate to be cynical, but it's part of my nature. :p

I agree with Bttc that this is more worrisome then not. Yes, nothing is being cut -- yet -- but I have not-so-fond memories of my recent 2-to-3-hour US trips in F where nothing but a snack basket was offered.

If AA keeps the snack basket and the meals permanently, then it's an enhancement. But I think many of us are afraid that Parkerized AA will use the snack basket as an excuse to reduce the frequency of meal service, and this enhancement will become an "enhancement."

Saw this today on JFK-LAX. Unfortunately, saw it from 20A as business was sold out (and ended up very high on the upgrade list for 0 seats).

I think the previous fresh fruit plate was far better than this enhancement.

havent experienced this yet, but i find the fruit/cheese plates to be a classy touch. i will miss them

I frankly like the addition of the whole fruit basket! (But selfishly, I was never much of a cheese and cracker guy. I'd much rather have an orange before I take my nap, then wake up and have a banana before landing. :))

And the quality of the chocolates is pretty impressive, too! Not like the Delta snack basket Halloween candy!

They had a snack basket with the cookies, chips, candies, fresh fruit, etc both ways between LAX and MIA over a month ago. As noted above, it's the same collection of very good stuff they offer on international flights, and was set up in the galley between J and F. We also got the pre-landing fresh-baked cookie.

Ironically, I connected to/from MIA-SCL and SCL-MIA on that trip and they did NOT have the snack basket during those flights.

Also SFO/MIA on the 763 has the snack basket.

If you are flying in a premium cabin, come hungry!:)