MrAndy1369

Just a heads up that AA will discontinue the slate-grey placemat in Int'l F (but, presumably keep the white linen tablecloth).

Chiro1979

I was reading this at work and this made me literally laugh out loud! Thanks!!

spin88

I can't believe people are griping about grapes. United simply has to succeed in "project quality" and you are all doing your part each time you accept less for your travel $$$$. As Jeff said on the recent 1Q 2014 call:

“I am pleased with our cost performance in the first quarter, particularly given the challenging weather. I attribute this good performance to the dedication of our employees and their active engagement in the launch of Project Quality. The Project Quality program, designed to remove to $2 billion of annual cost by 2017, is off to a strong start. It is very early in the process, but I can assure you that we are intensely focused on and committed to its success. We're engaging in a rigorous process as we work to achieve our goal of delivering durable efficiencies and high quality, all while offering excellent customer service and building a great place to work. We will continue to invest in our employees, providing them better tools and training to do their jobs more effectively and improved facilities like renovated break rooms and in-house health clinics to make their work experience better.”

I think we should all help Jeff out here with suggestions for some further cuts, particularly ones that will raise revenue. My Top of the head suggestions:

(1) BOB toilet paper, $2 a pack, $1.50 with the Chase card on the first pass through the cabin. The demand based pricing allowed by SHARES could be used real time, with the price going up as the supply was used up. Extra revenue, lower costs, and fewer diversions to Seattle.
(2) remove the carpet. Its dirty, and needs cleaning anyway. The metal/plastic floor underneath is fine, and cleans quicker. United can same on weight AND cleaning costs. Win, Win.
(3) remove the bulbs from the reading lights. They are expensive to replace when they burn out, and use power. As we all know all passengers have a tablet or smart phone, and United can offer a free download of the "flashlight" app to anyone who buys the $15 Wi fi (availability limited). Win, Win and United is positioning itself to be the airline of the future.
(4) wine in a bag. Since United is already into about an average price of $7.99-9.99/bottle for BF (and less for domestic first) how about going with Terra pack wine? Glass is heavy, might as well go with the cheap and light bag wine option. Saves money and fuel.

dank0014

I agree, we should help our buddy Jeff out:
-We heard you loud and clear that our food needs review. Going forward, we will be introducing our new pre-packaged finger food options for first class. Not only do we reduce weight from our limited silverware, but we become environmentally – friendly due to less food waste from our rubber sausage and eggs.
-While we are removing carpet, why not take the seat cushions. You complain about our slim line seats, we respond. Going forward we will offer bench seats. We’ll make sure not to make them bucket seats so we can accommodate passengers of all sizes. Best part, offer better support and truthfully, since we will make them a bench, they offer 180 degree recline….just put your head on the lap of the person behind you.
-We want to increase productivity; our ground crews will no longer empty the human waste after each flight. Instead, we will be add kitty litter to each flight. Best part, it has odor elimination.

kb1992

LOL.

Are you giving Jeffy any more ideas to cut?

CopperSteve

I've given up on expecting more than 2 red wine selections, let alone anything approaching decent quality. I just ask what they're serving today and I usually get a generic response like I did last week PEK-EWR: "A French Bordeaux and a Malbec." Talk about department of redundancy department...

When you look at the price of even discounted BF, wouldn't a fair amount of those ticket buyers be willing to spend $50-100 more for better food and wine? That approximates a rounding error when you're paying $5-10k.

Dieuwer

My lunch and dinner last night (LIM-MIA-BOS) was served on a black tray with white linen tablecloth. The food was pretty good. The desert ice cream was yummy!

MrAndy1369

Black tray covered by a linen? can you share a picture?

ThisYearsModel

I think we should all help Jeff out here with suggestions for some further cuts, particularly ones that will raise revenue. My Top of the head suggestions:

1. As with customer service in the airports, remove the human check in and gate agents. They don't want to be there anyway, are far too expensive and computer screens have no empathy, are not unionized and don't talk back.
2. Charge FF's 25,000 miles to speak to a live person on the 1K line. All of that can be done by technology, and the miles are impossible to use for free flights or upgrades anyway.
3. Instead of DirecTV and/or the current crummy music choices, make each domestic flight a fully narrated tour by the flight attendants. Sprinkle in the "Adventures of SMI/J" animated cartoon once each hour to give the flight attendants a break. Include 5:00 of commercials for your credit card and some flyer-friendly topics and you can save the money on the DirecTV contract. After all, between the commercials and the endless announcements, there is not all that much time to fill.
4. Eliminate the seat belt sign switch in the cockpit. It will simplify the operation and is obsolete these days. After all, today, it does not get turned off until the aircraft is at altitude for at least 15 minutes and gets put back on every time a vibration from someone farting in coach reaches the cockpit. Just make people remain seated the entire flight.
5. Remove the costly restrooms on flights of 4 hours or less. see #4 above.

Dieuwer

Not the tray. The cutleries.

MrAndy1369

Hmm, what do you mean? Can you clarify exactly what the setting was? Am a bit confused.

Dieuwer

http://www.airlinemeals.net/browseme...x=1&type=first

riphamilton

My wholesale costs for this week are $2.29/lb for red seeded grapes; both green and red seedless are $2.12/lb. Everything coming from Chile. Of course my company doesn't have a fraction of costco's buying power and seeded grapes are in the ballpark of 5% of our grape sales.

kale73

Cactus flavored?

Kacee

When they're both on sale, I figure people buy the seeded ones only by mistake.

In Asia and Europe it seems as if they always give you seeded. Like they haven't discovered seedless or something.