canadiancow

Oh I agree completely. My only point was that agreeing to go without the meals is in no way giving up rights to compensation.

My response would have been "I'll take a J meal or a green form and whatever Y food I want."

Altaflyer

Switch to Delta. Their product is consistent and they would not respond like this to a significant gap in service. No non stop though.

SFO777

Not a big DL fan. I typically fly AA to JFK or JetBlue Mint to JFK or BOS, and then connect.
The only reason we flew AC was the "we". Mrs. SFO777 insisted on the nonstop.

canadiancow

DL's website says "For flights over 1,500 miles, you’ll find a fresh, full meal service — featuring a variety of healthy and local options as part of your meal. You’ll have several meal selections to choose from."

Here is my experience with a DL transcon, paid F, SFO-ATL.

First, there was no choice. Two were boarded, and I was offered one. "Two" is not several. "One" is certainly not several.

Then, it was not a full meal. It was halfway between an AC PLH appetizer and an AC international appetizer. Maybe closer to a cheese plate. It had cheese, crackers, and some sliced meat.

I didn't even write in to give them a chance to fix things. I just have no intention of flying them again. If you can't deliver the advertised product to a first-time paid F customer (okay I bought F on SLC-SFO a few years ago, but that was my only previous DL flight), then why should I give you another chance? Even a full refund wouldn't make me fly them again. It would make me happier, but when I book a transcon in a paid premium cabin, I expect a full meal (especially when advertised as having one). It's part of what I'm buying. It's not just a bigger seat and free drinks.

I completely empathize with SFO777.

This is not typical AC experience. I have only once seen no meals loaded, and I was the only revenue J passenger, and I booked my ticket after the flight closed. I have seen not enough meals loaded twice, but both cases were due to IRROPS that resulted in much fuller cabins than had been expected. But these are in hundreds of flights in J.

However, all of those were well into my AC frequent flying. If I hadn't got a meal on one of my first flights, I can't say I would have reacted any differently than I did to DL, or SFO777 did to this experience.

MasterGeek

canadiancow

I generally don't write in about issues of this magnitude.

When I write in about an issue, I tend to get coupons/vouchers worth $200-$500. One time I received a $150 gift card, but I had specifically asked for a ~$10 refund.

The only time I received anything low (3000 miles) was when I wrote in a commendation for a Jazz FA. And I clearly wasn't expecting ANYTHING there.

Adam Smith

For what it's worth, I know a couple of people with standing SPML orders that are preferences rather than allergies or religious issues and 2,000 Aeropesos has been the standard compensation for SPMLs not being loaded, so perhaps that's AC's frame of reference. I'm not sure it's appropriate for no meals being loaded though.

keitherson

Did you fly during the meal timings for Delta?

That sounds like a post-8pm/redeye snack service than the normal hot meal service

canadiancow

SFO-ATL departing 1141. That's 24 hour time. In 12 hour time, it would be 1141am.

quantumofforce

I've always gotten 10%+ discount for SPML issues, but it's always on a transoceanic flight.

I have never gotten aeroplan miles in compensation.

Adam Smith

My comments were confined to domestic/TB SPMLs, so perhaps AC treats the two differently.

keitherson

How odd. I agree that's completely unacceptable for transcon service. I've flown Delta Shuttle for SEA-LAX numerous times and have always been impressed by Delta's meal service on that route in J, when the competitors often don't serve a meal, or they do without a meal choice.

canadiancow

And it may be completely abnormal. If I had 50 DL transcons under my belt, and that was the first issue, I'd likely let it pass. Just like I'd be somewhat lenient on AC if I experienced what the OP did, because I know how unusual it would be.

But if you're a FOTSG on the airline in question, and they offer 2000 miles for no meal, or a crappy meal, or whatever, I'd be done with them too, if I even gave them a chance to give me 2000 miles.

This is why they need to do a good job. For every SE who knows it's a rare occurrence, you're going to have a new flyer who thinks it's common, and decides not to fly again.

RangerNS

Imagine, if you will, someone "forgetting" to order up gas for the A/C.

There are things the particular airlines care about and those that they don't.

keitherson

Yeah that is totally fair, too. Not everybody pays for F all the time. And if it's someone's first time, they're not going to want to do so again.