I know alot of you think I do nothing but ***** and moan on here abou HP's F product, but I would like to definitely give credit where due. On my return flight home from Boise last Wednesday the FA in F was one of the most attentive I've yet to see, always polite, making sure we had ample drinks, asked us how we would like our hotpocket http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif, and at the end came by individually and shook our hands, addressed us by last name, and thanked us for flying them today. Kudos to HP on having personnel like that woman on their staff--it shows very well for them.
I'll update again next week when rumor has it we're getting cucumbers next for our leaf salad http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif
steve64
Feb 15, 04, 8:52 am
I've come across many HP Flight Attendants who were excellent (above and beyond the call of duty). I categorize most as very good.
I fly Phoenix to Tampa often and look forward to finally getting "wined and dined" on an HP flight like First Class used to be (ok ... I have a wild imagination by calling a Hot Pocket with lettuce and Apple Crisp "wine and dine" http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif ).
Unfortunately, the only times I've had unacceptable service on HP (I'm talking downright mean and rude, not just inattentive) were the 2 times my Mom traveled with me back from Tampa on the "dinner" flight and I was able to secure a companion upgrade for her. It makes me wonder if HP's cabin personel resent having to work the "long hauls".
Now what really caused me to reply to this post...
A Hot Pocket from BOI to PHX ?? Are they actually starting to serve food in FirstClass for flights under 4 hours ???
For 2004 I've decided to switch to Northwest for all my eastbound flying and one of the major factors was the lack of "wine and dine" on HP.
[This message has been edited by steve64 (edited Feb 20, 2004).]
enviroian
Feb 15, 04, 9:00 am
Correction---no HP (I like that it mimmicks their airline code moniker) on the BOI flight. I took the flight a few days after a dtw-phx flight with the HP, lettuce, and apple cobbler, so I apologize about the confusion.
garyhartaz
Feb 15, 04, 10:36 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by steve64:
A Hot Pocket from BOI to PHX ?? Are they actually strating to serve food in FirstClass for flights under 4 hours ???
For 2004 I've decided to switch to Northwest for all my eastbound flying and one of the major factors was the lack of "wine and dine".
Steve
</font>
Huh? I wouldn't call NWA's service wine & dine either. The meal service is close if not identical and I feel "luxury" is lost on the NWS planes, especially if you have to ride their crappy 57 configured seats with the divingboard tray table.
BTW, food service has been part of AWA post-911 on many routes to Detroit, Chicago, etc.. where those flight times have been 3+ hours.
AS Flyer
Feb 15, 04, 10:24 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by garyhartaz:
Huh? I wouldn't call NWA's service wine & dine either. The meal service is close if not identical and I feel "luxury" is lost on the NWS planes, especially if you have to ride their crappy 57 configured seats with the divingboard tray table.
BTW, food service has been part of AWA post-911 on many routes to Detroit, Chicago, etc.. where those flight times have been 3+ hours.</font>
How could you compare NWA First Class meal service with a hot pocket? On NWA, you get an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert in First Class. I've NEVER seen a hot pocket in First on NWA.
garyhartaz
Feb 16, 04, 7:36 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AS Flyer:
How could you compare NWA First Class meal service with a hot pocket? On NWA, you get an appetizer, salad, entree and dessert in First Class. I've NEVER seen a hot pocket in First on NWA.</font>
It may not have been a hot pocket but on my recent DTW-PHX, I got this pre-pressed chicken patty with a bone (supposed to be a chicken leg) sticking out. Same salad as HP and I'll take the Apple Pie thing over the dry cake.
On my PHX-DTW I got a really lame meat and cheese sandwich, half of a pickle and again with the cake.
So you tell me, where is the gourmet with NWA? I personally don't see a big difference here.
I was also annoyed that they didn't reverse the meal asking like HP does. Both ways I probably missed out on the "better" meal because they started from R1 both segments.
enviroian
Feb 16, 04, 8:46 am
Hot Pockets rule--
TransWorldOne
Feb 16, 04, 2:54 pm
I like Northwest's meal service. The food is edible. America West's meal service is a cruel joke.
ByrdluvsAWACO
Feb 16, 04, 6:48 pm
I'll take AA's egg omlette, sausage, warm biscuit, fruit, and OJ for breakfast. The Pene Pasta(served hot) with side salad, bread/butter, and cake for dinner.
This being served in coach. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif
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"Rows 50 and above are business seats for those with infants" - gfowler-ord-1k
SkyTeam - "The whatever's leftover Alliance"
steve64
Feb 16, 04, 10:06 pm
Hi garyhartaz,
There's absolutly no comparision between HP and NW meal service. Maybe you had a bad flight or 2, but since switching to NW the begining of this year, I've flown pehaps 12 lunch/dinner flights.
Now when I talk 'bout "wine-n-dine", I do factor in that this is an airline and not a 5 star restaurant; this is "institutional food". But Northwest FAR outshines America West.
On NW, the salad has always been served in a separate bowl. It varies between 3 varieties:
1) A Garden salad with cucumber and tomatoes.
2) A Greek-like salad with olives and feta cheese.
3) A funky, yet good tasting, lettuce salad with orange and strawberry slices.
The most I saw on HP in 2003 was leaf lettuce with dressing. Period.
On NW lunch flights, I've always chosen whatever pasta salad was offered over whatever sandwich. The specific offering seems to change every couple of weeks. One I remember in particular had chicken strips, green beans, crumbled egg and capers among other items.
I can't remember an HP lunch. Maybe it was always the same Hot Pocked served for dinner. A more likely explanation is that no lunch was served.
Dinner. NW's dinner plates don't look to enticing. They remind me of AA's coach dinners about 10 years ago: meat, starch and veggies all piled into one casserole dish. The taste is usually what I'd call ok... not my most remorable meal but better than just sitting there staring at the seat in front of me. I alternate between chosing the meat/starch/veggie selection or what has always been called the 'veggie' lasagna. Each time I've ordered the lasgna, it was a different recipe and was always good.
78,000+ miles on HP last year. I think only 6 of the flights were dinner flights. None of them had a choice between 2 dishes. EACH and EVERY one of them was a Hot Pocket; no rotation thruout the year. The Hot Pockets have been good tasting and would be rated high by my simple tastes if served on a 2-3 hour lunch flight ... but not as the only dinner selection on a 5 hour evening trip.
Dessert. I consider NW's to be almost restaurant quality. Has never been a dry cake. Usually a sinfully rich and moist chocolate fudge type cake or a cheesecake; I've seen cheescakes as plain, with raspberry drizzle, chocolate and pumpkin ... just in the past 2 months.
In the past year on HP, the few times I had dessert offerred it was always a delicious concoction I call Apple Crisp.
To summarize, I rate NW meal service better than HP for:
-Offering full meals on shorter flights (IE: Memphis to Tampa).
-Offering a menu selection
-Offering dinner on evening flights instead of a lite lunch
-Varying the menu thru the year
-Offering beverages in real glasses, even on short trips
HP betters NW in the fact that NW serves First Class meals from a cart "coach style".
And while I'm on my soap box...
The 6pm (read: dinner time) HP flight from Phoenix to Dallas (a 2.5 hour flight) is a "snack only" service. You get a small packet of snack mix and your beverage in a plastic cup.
The 9:32pm (read: I wanna sleep) NW flight Minneapolis to Phoenix is also a "snack only" service. For a snack you get to pick from a basket of: snack mix, peanuts, "goldfish" crackers, Oreo cookies, Fritos, Trail mix, Tolberone chocolate, apples or bananas. And your beverage will be served in a glass !
I generally respect everyone's right to their own opinion no matter how much it differs from mine. But on this topic, even tho my "wine and dine" comment overstates things, I stand by my first statement that there's no comparision between HP and NW. I wouldn't be so upset if HP would just advertise their "First Class" product for what it really is ... "Economy/Coach Plus"
[This message has been edited by steve64 (edited Feb 20, 2004).]
enviroian
Feb 16, 04, 11:05 pm
I've written to HP but to no avail. Their product is the worst in the industry. I've only seen that hot pocket rotate out once, and for the "cold plate" of chicken salad in a cup. And their salad--from what I gather, it looks like good ole' Doug Parker fired up his Lawnboy, mowed his grass, and deposited the leaf clippings into a bowl and served it up with a sludge like consistency caesar dressing.
The apple cobbler is good, styrofoam bowl and all. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif
chpappas
Feb 22, 04, 6:10 am
Sadly I discovered on DL from IAD to SLC & back, the wonderful omlettes are no longer being served in First Class. Cereal & other cold stuff I can't remember. The FA also told me that they are no longer serving anything hot anytime. Somehow these AM flights are no longer the same.
ByrdluvsAWACO
Feb 22, 04, 1:30 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by enviroian:
And their salad--from what I gather, it looks like good ole' Doug Parker fired up his Lawnboy, mowed his grass, and deposited the leaf clippings into a bowl and served it up with a sludge like consistency caesar dressing.</font>
LOL!
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"Rows 50 and above are business seats for those with infants" - gfowler-ord-1k
SkyTeam - "The whatever's leftover Alliance"
ByrdluvsAWACO
Feb 22, 04, 1:36 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by chpappas:
Sadly I discovered on DL from IAD to SLC & back, the wonderful omlettes are no longer being served in First Class. Cereal & other cold stuff I can't remember.</font>
My mom discovered the wonderful DL F product when they offered nothing but meatloaf sandwiches. Seriously. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif
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"Rows 50 and above are business seats for those with infants" - gfowler-ord-1k
SkyTeam - "The whatever's leftover Alliance"