JPG3392

I hope that this question is not a duplicate, but I have been unable to find the information I'm looking for.

Last winter I booked award travel using AA miles to fly DCA-MUC, with the transatlantic flight on AB (Y). It is now possible for me to rebook at no charge using US. Could anyone provide information on US' food and beverage service (complimentary wine/beer?) on transatlantic flights?

Thanks in advance.

CLT

You can pre-purchase a chilled DineFresh meal that costs $21.99.

Otherwise, the complementary service is as follows:

Eastbound:
-Dinner service after departure, usually consisting of a choice of chicken or pasta. Beef is offered only in June or July, I can't remember. A small salad, bread roll w/ butter, and brownie/cookie will also be included.
-Snack prior to landing. I think it is a muffin or Danish.

Westbound:
-Lunch service after take-off, similar to above.
-Snack service prior to landing. Usually a Hot Panini.

Complementary wine is offered.

Flights to TLV feature a different menu, as do flights to Brazil. TLV features a full hot meal prior to arrival and a mid-flight snack service, while Brazil features a more substantial arrival offering (a sandwich, fruit, and a cookie).

The sample menu to Europe is:

JPG3392

Thanks very much, CLT. That information is exactly what I was looking for.

Piedmont767

CLT-Brazil flights operated on A330s, get a full TSU with a hot meal and on flights on 767s recieve a snack box, with a sandwich, yogurt and a cookie.

Source- US Airways GRU OnBoard Service Addendum

CLT

What do you mean by "TSU" and why the differentiation between aircraft type?

Piedmont767

TSU- Tray Set Up

So a full breakfast TSU is the hot entree and usually a fruit salad and a yogurt.

On the 767, the rear economy galley does not have ovens, so for the main meal the entrees are pre loaded on to the tray and put in to a "hot cart" and in the galley we plug in an electrical wire, which heats up hot plates under each TSU then we serve the meals from the "hot cart" direct to the passengers. Then we have to place the used TSUs in the now cold "hot cart" so we have no other place to heat up hot arrival meals we have to serve cold snack box because there are only 2 "hot carts" (one for each aisle) on the 767s in the rear galley (in Business they have 2 small ovens which are a pain to use )

On the A330s, the rear galley does have ovens, so there are 12 entrees on a "deep cavity tray" in the meal carts above the TSUs for both the main meal and arrival service. Once we are in the air, the economy gallay FA takes the "deep cavity trays" for the main meals and puts them into the ovens and once they are ready they get put back into the meals carts, freeing up the oven space; so prior to our arrival in Brazil, we get the "deep cavity trays" for the arrival service out of the arrival meal carts and put them in the oven and then take them out ready to be served.

Hope that makes sense! If you have any other questions do not hesitate to ask.

CLT

^Thanks so much!

Makes sense.

On a somewhat related note, I have always thought that the food on Airbus aircraft tastes completely different than the same food that would be served on Boeing equipment. (Going off of two meals I remember eating on a transcon between CLT and SEA back in 2001...seems retro at this point!)

I hope the new AA keeps the hot arrival meal on Brazil flights. IIRC, AA just does a croissant and a yogurt, and UA offers a croissant and fruit.

IADCAflyer

You have to pay $22.00 to eat "edible" food on US Airways now?

Wow...

iztok

Actually, I had PHL-TLV in Y and TLV-PHL in C and even meal in Y was edible. I had no regrets. Granted it is not as nice as one in C.

CLT

I don't think the food in Y is that bad. Hundred times better than UA and pretty much on par with AA and DL. Granted it isn't great but edible. I'd say it is almost like a Stouffers or Lean Cuisine entrée and the Dine Fresh meal is almost like Boston Market or Panera IMHO.

Piedmont767

Catering from CLT/PHL is not bad and is edible. Whilst catering is much much better from Brazil or Europe, our crew meals (which are business class meals) are better from LHR than from CLT. If I fly as a pasenger in Y, the meals are actually quite nice, we serve a very nice BBQ Chicken in Y on flights from Europe.

US Airways' caterings is much better than United's and American's, on flights to Brazil, we serve a hot meal prior to landing.


This is what passengers get in Y, you get 2 choices for the main meal and on Tel Aviv flights you get 2 choices for Breakfast. All flights have a "Hydration Service" at least twice during the flight with pretzels and beverages and on TLV flights there should also be a snack service (not quite sure on this one as I am CLT based).

USA-Europe- Hot Dinner, Flat Top Muffin prior to landing
Europe-USA- Hot Lunch, Panini

CLT-Brazil-CLT A330- Hot Dinner, Hot Breakfast
CLT-Brazil-CLT 767- Hot Dinner, Snack Box (Sandwich, yogurt and cookie)

PHL-TLV-PHL- Hot Dinner, Snack Service, Hot Breakfast (2 options)

I recently was able to try a DineFresh and I was genuniely impressed, it looked beautiful, the food was neatly placed and it was delicious and was so fresh.

smilinganddialing

Piedmont- thanks for all the great details! This is wonderful to see. Are meals on US 752s to Europe pretty similar? Will be flying PHL - LIS - PHL in the near future. Thanks.

Piedmont767

It actually depends on what 757 you fly on, aircraft #203,204,205 have completely different ovens to the other 757s, so the crew can some times over-cook the meals becuase on these aircraft they have shorter cooking times than the other 757 ovens.

However, the meal service will be the same, a hot meal with 2 options and a flat top muffin prior to arrival. Catering from Lisbon might be better than from Philly, the LIS catering was on par with CLT catering but I don't know what PHL catering is like. You could try a DineFresh meal from PHL, if you wanted to treat yourself. My personal favorite is the BBQ Beef, which you can see above.

BTW- Why didn't you fly CLT-LIS-CLT you could of been on a flight with me as one of the FAs?

smilinganddialing

Thanks Piedmont! Would have loved to have you as a FA but sadly CLT - LIS ends pretty early in the year and we're flying in early Fall so PHL - LIS was the only option.

Piedmont767

That is ashame! But I hope you enjoy you trip to Lisbon!