Originally Posted by
QueenOfCoach
Folks, it's AIRPLANE FOOD. There is a limit at what anyone can do at 35,000 feet given the tiny ovens and cramped galley.
Did you expect anything other than Airplane Food? Did you buy into the hype?
Pah. Forget the hype. Airplane Food varies from delicious (I still remember a chef's salad I had in Coach, once) to truly horrible. If you find you really can't stomach Airplane Food, then get something of your own choice while still on the ground, then pass on the inedible disgusting food while in flight.
The heart of the matter is that yes, this is airline food, but with Doug & Co.'s cuts, the level of quality went from best in F amongst US carriers to barely edible, in most cases.
For those that actually pay for F, having a decent meal was surprisingly a deciding factor for many people choosing AA. Seriously.
At best, most domestic First Class meals are what U.S. domestic carriers served in coach in the 1990's, just with slightly fancier plating. But at least meals served prior to the 9/1 changes tasted better than meals from a public school cafeteria. Now public school cafeteria meals look more appealing.
Flying First Class is usually an enjoyable experience; adding a decent, edible meal, heightens that experience level. Take that experience away, and you diminish the overall enjoyability, and are essentially pissing on your "premium" product.
Doug & Co. only keeps meals in domestic First because there would be such an outcry from people if it they were completely replaced with snack baskets. [though I doubt he'd ever replace First Class meals on Flagship Transcons, and the DFW-Hawaii flights] Look at AA's response to returning the meal windows--- such a change was only made because of complaints from customers.
Because of such pressure, Doug & Co. feel that meals are an obligation, not something to differentiate AA from the competition.Thus, there is no real incentive in his mind to improve the quality/restore the higher level of quality.
Profit before a quality product. The new American has arrived.