FEBO vs reserving your entree in advance
Mar 29, 2013, 8:52 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DL: Silver; AA: EX PLAT; UA: Silver; HY: DIA; HH: DIA; MR: TIT
Posts: 1,708
I'm not sure how giving you more choices, thinking that you could have changed your mind and want something different, while still having your pre-ordered item available should be a cause for craziness.
Seriously, people complain if they don't have an option to change their choice as well as if they're given added options. No wonder the FAs can't win
Cheers.
Seriously, people complain if they don't have an option to change their choice as well as if they're given added options. No wonder the FAs can't win
Cheers.
I love most AA FAs. I am actually concerned about fellow travelers. What if I change my mind from say pasta to beef and then there is not enough beef for others that pre-ordered beef just because I had better FEBO seating? I think if one pre-orders, they made their bed and now need to lie in it.
Mar 29, 2013, 9:27 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: AA PLT Pro (2MM), HH DIA, IHG PLT
Posts: 496
Out of my last 10 or so flights that I have pre-ordered, my flight tonight was the first one that the FA had my pre-order acknowledged. She appeared to have it on a print out on her tray. I will still book FEBO until I see some consistency,
Mar 29, 2013, 10:26 pm
#18
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,296
I've preordered 12 times since the program started and each time the flight attendant has acknowledged it. Once it was noted after I told her I had previously reserved my choice; she apologized and said she saw that. If the f/a has the print out with the first class seat diagram that is designed to record drink and meal orders (the one that has boxes for each seat with the pax name at the top of the box), the entree reservation appears at the bottom of each box. I really like the system. As another poster noted, the online descriptions of the choices are much more detailed.
Last edited by DCAstudent; Mar 29, 2013 at 10:28 pm Reason: Typo
Mar 29, 2013, 10:53 pm
#19
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I love most AA FAs. I am actually concerned about fellow travelers. What if I change my mind from say pasta to beef and then there is not enough beef for others that pre-ordered beef just because I had better FEBO seating? I think if one pre-orders, they made their bed and now need to lie in it.
Cheers.
Mar 29, 2013, 11:34 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Beaverton OR
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So it sounds like I should keep my FEBO seating just in case. I'll be interested to see how this works out in the future as more FAs are trained and the Ipads are out system wide.
Mar 30, 2013, 6:34 am
#21
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago O'Hare
Programs: AA EXP, LT PLT 2.6MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 678
Brp is misguided
When pre-orders work it allows one to site toward the front AND get what they want to eat. There have been issues with pre-orders not making to the plane, but more often than not they do so I am now selecting seats without FEBO consideration (where Pre-ordered is offered).
When pre-orders work it allows one to site toward the front AND get what they want to eat. There have been issues with pre-orders not making to the plane, but more often than not they do so I am now selecting seats without FEBO consideration (where Pre-ordered is offered).
Mar 30, 2013, 6:47 am
#22
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Was on a flight mid-March that had pre-orders available, and when FA came by to ask what we would like for lunch, we informed her that we had chosen online. She very quickly informed us that she had not yet undergone "training" on that system and didn't have the ipad (or similar?) required for it... so, don't expect that it will be available on your flight... FEBO is still the best plan.
Mar 30, 2013, 6:48 am
#23
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Or does AA simply load the same mix of say 8 pastas and 8 chickens, and the pre-orders just reduce the available count for the non-pre-order pax? So theoretically if 8 pax pre-ordered chicken, the non-pre-order pax would have a choice of pasta or nothing?
As others have, until there is more consistency in the service, I still select seats for FEBO as well as pre-order.
Last edited by SFO777; Mar 30, 2013 at 6:53 am
Mar 30, 2013, 6:53 am
#24
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Does AA really change the mix of entrées by flight based on pre-orders? Would certainly be impressive logistics if they did.
Or does AA simply load the same mix of say 8 pastas and 8 chickens, and the pre-orders just reduce the available count for the the non-pre-order pax? So theoretically if 8 pax pre-ordered chicken, the non-pre-order pax would have a choice of pasta or nothing?
Or does AA simply load the same mix of say 8 pastas and 8 chickens, and the pre-orders just reduce the available count for the the non-pre-order pax? So theoretically if 8 pax pre-ordered chicken, the non-pre-order pax would have a choice of pasta or nothing?
I'm assuming that if 10 pax pre-order the chicken by 24 hours in advance, then they will have to load more chicken entrees in order to accommodate these pax and also provide a mixture for the rest of the pax.
Mar 30, 2013, 7:26 am
#25
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 106
Preorder a Huge Bonus For Folks With Food Allergies
I am "six for six" in receiving my pre-ordered meal.
FEBO is only effective when the seats you need for FEBO priority are available, but pre-ordering lets me avoid entrees my cheese allergy won't let me eat even when I am the last one served. Until pre-order became available, my only option when the only entree left had cheese was to ask if one of the "for sale" sandwiches from coach was available that I could peel the cheese off.
I am hoping that the next step will be better descriptions, as my last flight MCO-ORD the entree simply described as "chicken" had been bombed with feta cheese that had disintegrated into tough-to-work-around granules throughout.
FEBO is only effective when the seats you need for FEBO priority are available, but pre-ordering lets me avoid entrees my cheese allergy won't let me eat even when I am the last one served. Until pre-order became available, my only option when the only entree left had cheese was to ask if one of the "for sale" sandwiches from coach was available that I could peel the cheese off.
I am hoping that the next step will be better descriptions, as my last flight MCO-ORD the entree simply described as "chicken" had been bombed with feta cheese that had disintegrated into tough-to-work-around granules throughout.
Mar 30, 2013, 11:31 am
#26
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Mar 30, 2013, 11:56 am
#27
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Jose, CA, USA
Posts: 546
haven't had a single issue with pre-ordering so far, I use it often and it's always worked out perfectly, most times with the FA acknowledging the pre-order. I think it's a great system.
Mar 30, 2013, 12:30 pm
#28
Join Date: Feb 1999
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I'm 0 for 3 in FA's being aware that I pre-ordered my meal online.
If meal choice matters, I'd stick with FEBO for a while.
OT: How does US do meal choices-- front to back? Status? FEBO?
If meal choice matters, I'd stick with FEBO for a while.
OT: How does US do meal choices-- front to back? Status? FEBO?
Mar 30, 2013, 12:34 pm
#29
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Mar 30, 2013, 2:03 pm
#30
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Posts: 231
I'm 0 for 6 on my preorders. When I mentioned it to the FAs I generally got a vacant look and sometimes an "umm... we didn't get that list this time." Maybe it works on some routes better than others. All my flights were between NYC and MIA or FLL.