As a young kid, I still find it a tacky practice. I mean stewards and stewardesses walking around taking cash for food. I guess i fly too much long haul. It just seems cheap and innapropriate. As for the meal, it was the same that first class got, except you had to pay for it. It's like charging to use a pair of headsets like USAir did when i used them alot in 1996!

I don't know maybe i am reading too much into it and looking into symbolism or something. But I think it is a sad sad trend.