Originally Posted by chicagorich
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Well--yes--but you have a separate outside contractor doing the catering for airlines--so there is an interface that needs to take place for communicating the need for the meal and what type.
Also a special meal isn't something that could easily be handled at the airport the day of flight.
There are only two types of pillows---scratchy and scratchier---interchangeable in most cases.
Like the OP said the FA said, this is something you have to call ahead for. We're talking about the F/J pillows that are given out on their int'l and premium flights, and only in the premium cabins, so any station handling those would presumably have them on hand already.
Again, I don't know if AA actually does this, but it's hardly out of their range of capabilities.