Originally Posted by emcampbe

Is there a reason why just because AA uses the same coffee brand that UA does, it's one CEO influencing another? Or why every decision UA makes seems to be suggested in this forum as being directly a result of the CEO decision?

First of all, both UA and AA have their own catering departments that likely make these kind of decisions based on their budget and other factors (quality, minimum standards they'll accept, etc.). If anything, the in charge in the catering area might inform the CEO of their decision, but doubt they even help to make it. The budget they are approved for certainly would have an impact on the final decision based on $ they have to allocate to coffee. But I wouldn't really call that "influence", much less from one in the industry to another.

And sure, one airline may check out what the competition is offering, and when preping their bid, a potential supplier might use the fact they supply another airline as a selling point. But hardly a case of Smeisk "influencing" AAs decision on coffee.

Lots of competitors in various industries use the same supplier, but I don't think Honda would be considered influencing Toyota's decision to select the same airbag manufacturer (or vice-versa). IMO, much more likely to be something like Freshbrew focusing more of their marketing efforts on providing coffee to air carriers then they have been in the past, for example.

Should I now suggest, following your lead, that Smeisk also influenced AA to change the base of their aircraft exterior to white from the silver they have used for about ever prior to their merger. After all, UA did that first, too.