What Will Alaska Airlines Be Serving in First Class on Your Flight? (2018)
Apr 8, 2018, 12:28 am
#331
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
No matter what they serve not everybody is going to be happy. You just can't please everyone. If someone isn't happy with the offerings they have the option of eating before or taking food along. Remember Air Travel is a mode of transportation with a benefit of a food offering for those up front; not a restaurant in the air. FA's are not chefs. They follow a guidline and some have more finess than others with the preparation, presentation.
I have had some very good meals coming out of Mexico and Costa Rica as well as on transcons. Some shorter duration flight where a snack was listed were full meals. For breakfast Steel Cut Oats are delicious. I understand not everyone likes them. I have been in 2F and this option was already gone. Overall, I think they do a pretty good job. Bailey's in my coffee and Tequila on the rocks rounds it out.
In comparison, I have had terrible food on AA in paid international business. New 787-9 aircraft DFW-MAD. Beautiful aircraft but sh@#ty food and sh@#ty service and no Tequila. Why do they need to murder a Tenderloin twice? Was I upset? No! Did it ruin my vacation? No! Will the next experience be better? Hopefully. Will I fly AA international again? Most likely if the price is right and I can credit to AS.
I haven't flown since the enhancemets were introduced after doing an 8-week around the world vacation that started January 1st returning home March 1st all in Business and First on award travel. Some were fantastic, some good and some meh! Biggest diapoointmen was SQ J SIN-DXB. Most uncomfortable flight I have been on as far as hard product goes. Soft product was very good. Thank god it was a daytime flight.
If food service is the determining factor in choosing an airline then there are other options. You have to look at the overall experience. Customer service has always been excellent in my experience. The AS co-branded credit cards make it easy to accumulate RDM. I have 5 accounts, 2 US and 3 CAD. The five annual companion certificates saves me $1000's on annual liesure travel while sitting up front. For me, IRROPS have always been handled professionally. A U fare was changed to an F on the resceduled flight, an equipment change from E175 to Q400 as part of a PDX-SEA-MSY itinerary on an upgrade certificate resulted in issuing a new certificate even though we continued to MSY in F. I have flown SJO-LAX-SEA-PVR on one GGU. A damaged piece off baggage was compensated with the full purchase price of the entire set. The 50,000 bonus miles for reaching 75K was used for a YVR-HKG-DPS in CX J. Thank you Alaska. No change fees & no cancel fees within 60 days for Gold & 75K. Lots to be loyal for when it is reciprocated. Is anyone suggesting some of these benefits should be reduced so Alaska can hire chefs as F FA's and serve champaigne, caviar, lobster and tenderloin on their 2-3 hour flight? 😉 Some won't be happy with such an offering too.
No airline will be everything to everyone. I challenge everyone in all the treads in this forum to say something positive about their experience with AS.
The grass is always greener....
You catch more bees with honey....
Everyone in this forum is fortunate in that they can and do travel by air. That is a luxury unatainable for 90% of the world's population. Many millions go to bed hungry, many die each day from starvation. Concerns about in-flight catering to me seem paltry.
Every day you wake up and breath the air is a gift. Tomorrow I turn 55. There have been four times in my life where I should have died but circumstace saved me. I enjoy life, look for the positive, respect others and try to keep a smile on my face. The size of my F salad isn't worth my valuable time.
Health and happiness to everyone.
James
Last edited by Flying for Fun; Apr 8, 2018 at 9:05 am
Apr 8, 2018, 9:45 am
#332
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,361
Since customers don’t own the airline, they’re entitled to nothing. If you don’t like the value proposition being offered, you’re only recourse is to take your business elsewhere.
I am getting tired of the endless complaints about food like someone personally deserves more because of their loyalty.
Apr 8, 2018, 9:53 am
#333
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP , Delta Gold Medallion, "Credit Card" status for various hotels
Posts: 672
SEA-LAX 4/7, 7:25p departure
choice of Za’atar Chicken Salad or protein plate. The salad was good. While the portion of the entree was smaller, the addition of mixed nuts on this route is nice. IMO the food isn’t much better or worse than before.
choice of Za’atar Chicken Salad or protein plate. The salad was good. While the portion of the entree was smaller, the addition of mixed nuts on this route is nice. IMO the food isn’t much better or worse than before.
Apr 8, 2018, 12:05 pm
#334
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS
Posts: 2,293
Nice to see a choice offered on this route. In the past, only 1 choice offered. One could accept OR decline and pay for food from Y OR pass entirely. Nice to see AS adopt VX style meal for F, on such a short flight. (2.5)
Apr 8, 2018, 12:48 pm
#335
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Your best recourse, if you're a captive flyer, and no matter what the issue, is to complain loudly and try to get things to change. Do you not consider that an option before you walk away from the carrier? Why wouldn't you go down that path first before walking away?
Tom in Anchorage today
Apr 8, 2018, 4:20 pm
#336
Join Date: Apr 2006
Programs: AA, AS, TZ, UA, Clipper, EZ-Link, Hop, Navigo, Octopus, Oyster
Posts: 417
AS 53, 7apr18, EWR-PDX
Warm nuts. Good. Nancy's Fancy Bourbon Vanilla Gelato. Great.
Arugula and carrot salad with multigrain roll. Good.
Farro Fava Bean Pilaf. DREADFUL. Farro was limp. Vegetables overcooked to the point of being wrinkly and shriveled.
Should have gone with the Mole Braised Beef. (The menu didn't have an accent over the 'e' so I was initially thinking, "Really? They braised beef with mole!?)
Arugula and carrot salad with multigrain roll. Good.
Farro Fava Bean Pilaf. DREADFUL. Farro was limp. Vegetables overcooked to the point of being wrinkly and shriveled.
Should have gone with the Mole Braised Beef. (The menu didn't have an accent over the 'e' so I was initially thinking, "Really? They braised beef with mole!?)
Apr 8, 2018, 6:40 pm
#337
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NYC
Posts: 280
What I don’t understand is the energy and cost involved with plating and preparing such a tiny fruit salad and managing the dishware, etc. What’s the point of all that effort to handle 50 cents worth of fruit, especially when say putting another 50 cents towards it would turn the conversation from “look how cheap they are” to a surprise and delight moment.
I think therein lies the frustration a lot of us have with Alaska, which is this jekyll/hyde mix of being homespun and more personal than the ‘big guys’ while being spitefully fully cheap in other areas. The frustration with the ‘remove an olive’ way of doing business was part of what made Virgin America so appealing. .
I think therein lies the frustration a lot of us have with Alaska, which is this jekyll/hyde mix of being homespun and more personal than the ‘big guys’ while being spitefully fully cheap in other areas. The frustration with the ‘remove an olive’ way of doing business was part of what made Virgin America so appealing. .
Apr 9, 2018, 3:50 pm
#338
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Dinner
Menu with mixed nuts and a double Woodford
Date: 8 Apr 2018
Route: Fairbanks to Seattle
Flight Number: 124
Departure time: 5:40 pm
Meal served: Dinner
Meal description: The new service with menu, warm mixed nuts instead of cookies and a choice of two entrees is a BIG improvement over the old service. I ordered the beef, as did the guy across the aisle from me. His portion was disappointingly small whereas I thought mine was adequate, along with the portion size of the accompaniments. The brownie dessert was downright decadent. All in all - a nice effort by Alaska.
Apr 9, 2018, 7:23 pm
#339
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SEA
Programs: DL Plat, AS MVPG, Bonvoy Plat/LT Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,263
Date: 9 Apr 2018
Route: SEA-ORD
Flight Number: 22
Departure time: 12:15p
Meal served: Lunch
Meal description: Same choices as in Seat 2A’s post immediately above; I also chose the beef. A substantial improvement over the prior no-choice lunch on this route. The brownie was great.
Route: SEA-ORD
Flight Number: 22
Departure time: 12:15p
Meal served: Lunch
Meal description: Same choices as in Seat 2A’s post immediately above; I also chose the beef. A substantial improvement over the prior no-choice lunch on this route. The brownie was great.
Apr 10, 2018, 8:27 am
#340
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Between SFO and STS
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, United Serf, Delta Gold
Posts: 731
Apr 10, 2018, 9:04 am
#341
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: SLC
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 2
Date: 10 Apr 2018
Route: SLC-SFO
Flight Number: 743
Departure time: 6:15 am
Food served: Snack
Smoothie shot, fruit toothpick, yogurt thimble. Tasty, but every bit as unfilling (even for a snack) as it sounds and definitely not worth waking up for. Thankfully, flight arrived in T2 for food options and Admiral's Club.
Route: SLC-SFO
Flight Number: 743
Departure time: 6:15 am
Food served: Snack
Smoothie shot, fruit toothpick, yogurt thimble. Tasty, but every bit as unfilling (even for a snack) as it sounds and definitely not worth waking up for. Thankfully, flight arrived in T2 for food options and Admiral's Club.
Apr 10, 2018, 9:44 am
#342
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
Dinner
Menu with mixed nuts and a double Woodford
Date: 8 Apr 2018
Route: Fairbanks to Seattle
Flight Number: 124
Departure time: 5:40 pm
Meal served: Dinner
Meal description: The new service with menu, warm mixed nuts instead of cookies and a choice of two entrees is a BIG improvement over the old service. I ordered the beef, as did the guy across the aisle from me. His portion was disappointingly small whereas I thought mine was adequate, along with the portion size of the accompaniments. The brownie dessert was downright decadent. All in all - a nice effort by Alaska.
Apr 10, 2018, 9:20 pm
#343
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SEA
Programs: DL Plat, AS MVPG, Bonvoy Plat/LT Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,263
Yes it is the salad dressing (I had it yesterday). Opening the fairly small cap required a decent grip - I assisted my seatmate as she couldn’t get hers open.
Apr 11, 2018, 12:58 am
#344
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 490
IAH-SEA
Departure time: 7:25pm
Total summary: pretty good (3.5/5). My biggest complaint was that the used napkin and water bottle from the previous passenger were left in the seat back pocket when I boarded.
Similarly, my spoon did not look totally clean, so I’m glad I did not need it for this meal. Also, the airplane was uncomfortably hot during boarding. I found myself sweating, and noticed almost every passenger commented on the temp during boarding. I noted both of these complaints in my alaska listens survey.
Overall FA attentitivness/ friendliness was average, nothing exceptional (3/5).
Salad was tasty, (3.5/5). I like the new dressing bottles better than the old ones. It would nice to have some variety in the salads considering it was the same exact salad on the outbound leg. The usual dinner roll (I wish they would change up the bread roll more often).
I wonder if we’ll see upgraded salt and pepper shakers.
The chicken was honestly really good (4.5/5)! The kimchi aioli was delicious, I would use it on a variety of dishes. Serving size was appropriate.
Lemon square was also good (4.5/5), and the serving size was larger than I was expecting.
Personally, I’m more of a chocolate guy, so I probably enjoyed the brownie on the outbound leg better, but that’s just my preference. For a lemon square, this was as good as anything I’ve ever had from a bakery!
On the outbound leg, we were also served a small salted chocolate candy. This was in addition to the formal dessert course, and was served at the beginning of descent. Not sure if that was a one-off, but it was absent from this leg.
Last edited by ASA_1; Apr 22, 2018 at 3:19 pm
Apr 11, 2018, 11:39 am
#345
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
I would appreciate some variety in the salad dressing....it's always some type of Italian or Balsamic or Caesar dressing...never 1000 Island or Ranch.