RetiredSFOATC

I really enjoy flying to places for the first time, just to see how airlines deal with it, what the terminals (and airfields) look like, other airlines who serve the destination, etc. Even at my old age, it's exciting to see these things. I flew AS this past week, LAX-LIR (Liberia, CR) for the first time. It was interesting in many ways, but I won't go into all the weeds of it here - just some thoughts about the inflight service, especially since I haven't seen anything here on FT regarding this topic recently.

I was on a paid F ticket. It was not outrageous cost-wise, considering the flight time/distance - around $1500 RT, and that included a change to the return I had to make after the 24-hour window. AS operates nonstop to LIR only out of LAX, and once a day in each in each direction. On the outbound leg, I was able to preorder the lunch and that worked pretty well, although I would say the online entree listing didn't really describe what I actually got. Overall though, the service on that flight was pretty good - I suppose I *slightly* expected a little more "special-ness" to it, given the fact that it's one of AS's longest routes and one that might have a bit of a "party" attached to the destination - kind of like Hawaii used to be.

AS's one southbound flight leaves LAX a little after noon, and arrives in LIR around 6:30pm (CST) five days a week, I think. The plane overnights there and is the first commercial flight of the morning out of LIR, departing at 10:25am. Funny to arrive for check-in at a terminal (which is pretty nice for departures) at 8:30am, and have it be nearly empty and only just beginning to wake up. All the other airlines depart after noontime, the result of their turning around their arrivals right away - nobody else overnights the aircraft there, as far as I could tell.

The inflight F service was pretty dismal on the return/northbound flight. Only one meal choice - a "cheeseburger with chips" which I detailed in the "What Will Alaska Airlines Be Serving in First Class on Your Flight?" thread. I'm assuming that that's the best they think they can do, given the small operation there. But other airlines operate larger aircraft in and out of there (DL 757s to ATL, BY 787s to LGW, and WG 767s to YYZ) so I would think there are some decent caterers available around there somewhere. In a word, the meal was a "fail" - especially considering that this was F, and ANYthing (I think) would have been a better choice. I'll leave the meal at that, except to say that I asked if I could purchase something from the back, and the FA said "They're having the cheeseburger too" - so apparently it was a cheeseburger or nothing.

But it wasn't just the food. There WAS a PDB offered (good) - coffee, water, or OJ, so not the most comprehensive of choices, although it was good to have something offered at all. Someone asked for something not on that short list (I couldn't hear what it was) and the FA rather impatiently said, "Coffee, water, or OJ - that's ALL I'm serving until we are airborne". He was kind of a peculiar guy, and I think he was trying to be light-hearted/funny most of the time but I tend to believe in that "Know your audience" prerequisite before cracking too many attempted jokes. No bottles of water at the seat at boarding, as often seems to be the case. So, along with my really unappetizing meal experience, I didn't feel that there was anything special about F - just the seat itself perhaps. There was no second beverage service - so after the meal service around 90 minutes or so into the 5+ hour flight, other than the warm cookie we got after the trays were picked up, we didn't see any other offerings for the duration. I think a couple of people asked for a drink, and probably got it, but should that be the norm? Maybe so....

Then there was the issue with the lavatory access. OK, call me a snob, but I am not a fan of pax from the Y cabin coming up to use the F loo, unless there is an urgent need (and, I suppose I wouldn't know if there was or not, but given the line in the aisle - 3 deep, which, I believe, is not according to regs, I'm guessing it wasn't). There were two FAs standing there as well, talking to an F passenger who I think was a sports celeb of some type - I did not recognize him. But they seemed pretty oblivious to the lav line that was right in front of them. And I didn't see anyone suggesting that the Y pax use their own loo.... I did have to wait in line until it started getting more urgent - and then, fortunately it was finally my turn. Again, what's the point of F?

So it's safe to say that I was disappointed with the general F level of service, especially for a longer flight, which I think should have had at least a frill or two and perhaps felt just a bit more special. My expectations tend to be lower when I am on a U upgrade or otherwise not a full-fare paying F pax, but somehow when I'm paying the $$, it's nice to feel the appreciation for having done so.

Hope this doesn't sound too whiny.... I realize this is definitely a first-world complaint.... Interested in any responses.