Right now, the economy is relatively healthy and more people are traveling and airline profits are up. So American and Delta can afford to offer free Y meals on their long haul Hawaii flights. But when the next recession hits, or if fuel prices remain high, AA and DL likely pulls the free meals and go back to BoB only. The good times don't last forever and it may be better to not offer free meals, then to offer them now and take them away later.
Originally Posted by
gradsflyer
My understanding is DL and AA are now doing this, and we all know that they each copy each other, so why not UA?
United (and American) certainly copies Delta's cutbacks, but not their enhancements. American copying Delta on offering free food on its longest Hawaii flights is actually an exception to the practice.