Religious Travelers - no kosher domestic first class?? (AA)

I have not had the occasion to travel first class domestically recently,
but I was dismayed to find out today that my upcoming trip on American
Airlines, round trip BOS-ORD, does not have "kosher" as a meal option.

When I called them, the lady told me that they no longer offer any kosher
meals domestically, in any class. I said that since BOS and ORD are both
international airports, maybe they could bring a meal over from the other
terminal, and she asked her supervisor, but came back with a "no"
answer.

I know, I know; bring a sandwich.

How long has this been the case?

--LG

CO provides kosher food and I bring my own food as it’s not worth eating.

I was dismayed to find out today that my upcoming trip on American Airlines, round trip BOS-ORD, does not have "kosher" as a meal option.

That's correct. It's covered on the AA website (http://www.aa.com/aa/pubcontent/en_US/travelInformation/duringFlight/dining/specialMeals.jsp).

When I called them, the lady told me that they no longer offer any kosher meals domestically, in any class.

The same web site indicates kosher meals are offered on transcons in first and business.

They do KSMLs for transcons 'cos they're the longest flights, so they say. But, erm, not for HNL-ORD - at nine hours, quite a bit longer than a transcon.

And for someone coming from outside the US the option of bringing your own doesn't apply, 'cos one can't get it through Customs. :td:

And for someone coming from outside the US the option of bringing your own doesn't apply, 'cos one can't get it through Customs. :td:

I thought there were plenty of foods that one could bring through customs.

I thought there were plenty of foods that one could bring through customs.

Like what?

CO provides kosher food and I bring my own food as it’s not worth eating.

sorry but I find that Regal the new company being used the past year is very good compared to anything else we've had in the States

sorry but I find that Regal the new company being used the past year is very good compared to anything else we've had in the States

The last CO flight I took that had kosher (special) meal was about 2 years ago. Most of my EWR-LAX/ONT flights are with a stop in IAH so I do not get to try the kosher meals anymore.

The last CO flight I took that had kosher (special) meal was about 2 years ago. Most of my EWR-LAX/ONT flights are with a stop in IAH so I do not get to try the kosher meals anymore.

then it was Weiss. When Weiss 1st came on the scene they were Fabulous. Then came 9-11 and there was no looking back. I guess it was a combo of US carriers cutting out their meal service and wanting to pay less $$ so Weiss had no choice but to cut the quantity of what they were giving.Weiss was the 1st company that served fresh salads, rolls that werent made of cement etc etc.

Before Weiss it was Wilton, now that was bad stuff.

Now Regal which is Borenstein which is ElAls owned kitchen, since ElAl serves only Kosher and didnt use Weiss, they remained in Biz even after 9-11. So I dont know if Weiss closed up shop completely or CO just had enough complaining about what we were being served to finally go out and seek an alternative source.

When i flew LGA-STL in F with AA on January i got a kosher meal and it was only a 2.5 hour flight, maybe policy changed?

When i flew LGA-STL in F with AA on January i got a kosher meal and it was only a 2.5 hour flight, maybe policy changed?

Any advice for me? Did you have to do something special to make that happen?
--LG

When i flew LGA-STL in F with AA on January i got a kosher meal and it was only a 2.5 hour flight, maybe policy changed?

Wow, I'm surprised by that. In March I spoke with a CSR who informed me that kosher meals are only available in J or F on transcons as defined AA, such as JFK-SFO, LAX-JFK, MIA-SFO, SFO-BOS, LAX-MIA, etc.

Like what?

you can bring anything except fresh meat, fruits, live plants.
You can bring cheese except raw milk.
you could certainly bring food bars, nuts, dried fruits, cheese sandwich, crackers, salami.

Any advice for me? Did you have to do something special to make that happen?
--LG

Nothing at all i booked my ticket through BA and they have kosher written down by my preferences. I'd recommend you to call SS before you fly and ask them nicely to pull you out an F meal from a long haul flight.

you can bring anything except fresh meat, fruits, live plants.
You can bring cheese except raw milk.
you could certainly bring food bars, nuts, dried fruits, cheese sandwich, crackers, salami.

Unfortunately that's not the complete position at all. See here (http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/publications/travel/knowbeforeyougo.ctt/knowbeforeyougo.pdf) - although it looks like you're right about the cheese sandwich, and I've previously had the OK from the chaps at Dulles Airport to bring in Smoked Salmon.

There is a general presumption that essentially all food products are a no-no and whereas there are some exceptions one really does have to assume that anything could be confiscated at the airport.

Nothing at all i booked my ticket through BA and they have kosher written down by my preferences. I'd recommend you to call SS before you fly and ask them nicely to pull you out an F meal from a long haul flight.

Well, I tried that, and no dice. And I was all grumbly. But then, what
actually happened for the breakfast leg was that there was a choice of
"cereal" and, while not the classiest F meal imaginable, it was totally
kosher by accident! I wonder if the regular passengers were annoyed that
the meal was so spartan (well I guess there was also an omelet option).

The meal contained:
Raisin Bran (Kellogg's, sealed little bowl-box)
Milk (sealed little hechshered carton)
fresh strawberries (washed and in a dish but that was ok with me)
fresh banana (in its own peel)
[choice of beverage, of course; I got hot tea]
Knott's jam (hechshered little packet)
butter (hechshered little packet)

...of course, they also came around with biscuits/bagels and I couldn't
take one of those. I had the jam/butter left and was thisclose to putting
some on a raisin bran flake. ;)

On the return, it would have been "dinner" but there were three hours of
delays and then a mess-up with catering, so there was no meal at all,
for anyone. There were [kosher, I assume] mixed nuts, and beverages.
But, I am deathly allergic to cashews, so that was more a matter of trying
to breathe in without getting too close to my neighbor's bowl of nut dust.

I had in my bag, on the return, some fantastic take-out from Ken's kosher
diner in Skokie, so that was dinner for me.

--LG