More Simplification for AA
Mar 6, 2005, 11:36 am
#1
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More Simplification for AA
Just received this news from our inhouse e-mail. Just wanted to pass along the info to you.
please don't shoot the messenger 
Simplification is the word of the day. The April schedule change will expand the simplification tests conducted last summer in ORD to the rest of the system. Closer to home, in an effort to reduce complexity in the kitchen for our caterers, we are making the following simplifying adjustments to our Domestic/Mexico/Caribbean First Class food service to save money:
Basic Plus in most markets will be modified to a smaller salad, which allows salad and entrees to be delivered on the tray at the same time. This makes the service a two-step process versus three-step. Pre-made, flavored ice cream sundaes will replace the traditional, made by the flight attendant sundae.
Light Lunch, which consisted of cold salads and sandwiches, served in glass bowls, will be replaced with our hot Snack program. Don't be fooled by the name…the meal will consist of a salad, a choice of pizza or hot sandwich and cookies for dessert.
For primarily competitive reasons, some exceptions have crept into our meal scheduling policy. This month, we're cleaning up those exceptions in order to have a cleaner, more consistent scheduling policy that is easy to manage for employees, customers and caterers. This means, First Class meals may be added on some flights, where historically there have been none or meals may be removed where competition drove them being added earlier. The result is a net savings of over $700K.
Basic Plus in most markets will be modified to a smaller salad, which allows salad and entrees to be delivered on the tray at the same time. This makes the service a two-step process versus three-step. Pre-made, flavored ice cream sundaes will replace the traditional, made by the flight attendant sundae.
Light Lunch, which consisted of cold salads and sandwiches, served in glass bowls, will be replaced with our hot Snack program. Don't be fooled by the name…the meal will consist of a salad, a choice of pizza or hot sandwich and cookies for dessert.
For primarily competitive reasons, some exceptions have crept into our meal scheduling policy. This month, we're cleaning up those exceptions in order to have a cleaner, more consistent scheduling policy that is easy to manage for employees, customers and caterers. This means, First Class meals may be added on some flights, where historically there have been none or meals may be removed where competition drove them being added earlier. The result is a net savings of over $700K.
Mar 6, 2005, 11:41 am
#2
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Thanks for posting.
Good grief - trim F meals yet again for a measly $700k in net savings. Someone has no F'ing idea why I fly.
Smaller salad, no more ice cream sundaes. For crying out loud - just sell F meals ala carte to those of us who appreciate them.
Hey - at least your job gets easier; no more sundae preparation.
Good grief - trim F meals yet again for a measly $700k in net savings. Someone has no F'ing idea why I fly.
Smaller salad, no more ice cream sundaes. For crying out loud - just sell F meals ala carte to those of us who appreciate them.
Hey - at least your job gets easier; no more sundae preparation.
Mar 6, 2005, 11:43 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2002
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It's a good thing that I don't fly for the food. I think that, from now on, I should seriously consider an extra stop at a restaurant or market before each long flight I take so that I no longer have to be assaulted by the increasingly putrid slop being slapped in front of us.
Don't worry, no bad feelings toward the messenger. In fact, just the opposite. Thanks for the heads up.
Don't worry, no bad feelings toward the messenger. In fact, just the opposite. Thanks for the heads up.
Mar 6, 2005, 11:49 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2003
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And why should the beancounters OR the customers care if sundaes are a two step process or a three step process? Last I checked the FAs were scheduled to be around for the entire flight anyway!
Mar 6, 2005, 11:53 am
#5
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Originally Posted by 925
And why should the beancounters OR the customers care if sundaes are a two step process or a three step process? Last I checked the FAs were scheduled to be around for the entire flight anyway!
Mar 6, 2005, 12:05 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2004
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
Because it will allow AA to make a more credible case to its FAs that it can reduce all flights to FAA-minimum staffing once food service is sufficiently "simplified" rather than continue to fly with extra FAs whose sole function is to serve food and drinks. No more galley slaves.
For $700,000, this change is idiotic. But if it will save AA millions in labor costs down the road, it may make sense.
Now, since I'm an AA passenger and not an AA shareholder, I should mention that I think this decision stinks! At the very least AA should publish the average number of paying FC customers per flight system-wide, if they're going to keep shoving FC service reductions down our throat and justify them by saying that no one pays for FC, it's all upgrades or awards. Until I see that, these reductions are inexcusable. (And even then, AA seems to miss the point that FC service reductions weaken their frequent flyer program by making upgrades and premium award tickets less attractive--and AAdvantage is pretty much the only reason I think most of us bother with AA!)
Mar 6, 2005, 12:07 pm
#7
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
Because it will allow AA to make a more credible case to its FAs that it can reduce all flights to FAA-minimum staffing once food service is sufficiently "simplified" rather than continue to fly with extra FAs whose sole function is to serve food and drinks. No more galley slaves.
Rumor mill has it that they are wanting to reduce the # of F/As just like over at UA. They only have minimum crews on all their flights from what the rumor mill has going around.
but at the same time, the Flight Attendant function is NOT solely to serve food or drinks. That is an added function. The original idea of a flight attendant was to attend those who got air sick. Hence, our sole purpose on board is for your safety. Serving food and drinks just became an added amentity that is slowly going away.....food for though.
Mar 6, 2005, 12:19 pm
#8
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ok, reducing the size of the salad on basic plus sounds like a reduction, but based on the other thread on meals, it sounds like AA has already cut that service far more than just a salad reduction.
what can we expect on a 4-hour dinnertime flight??
what can we expect on a 4-hour dinnertime flight??
Mar 6, 2005, 12:23 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Here, there, and everywhere
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Originally Posted by sluggoaafa
DING DING, we have a winner!!!
Rumor mill has it that they are wanting to reduce the # of F/As just like over at UA. They only have minimum crews on all their flights from what the rumor mill has going around.
Rumor mill has it that they are wanting to reduce the # of F/As just like over at UA. They only have minimum crews on all their flights from what the rumor mill has going around.
Not true. We still are staffed based on aircraft type and passenger load. The only aircraft that consistently depart with FAA mins is the 737 and the non-TED airbuses.
-IFLYUA
Mar 6, 2005, 1:11 pm
#10
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Originally Posted by IFLYUA
Not true. We still are staffed based on aircraft type and passenger load. The only aircraft that consistently depart with FAA mins is the 737 and the non-TED airbuses.
-IFLYUA
-IFLYUA
Mar 6, 2005, 1:50 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2002
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sluggoaafa,
LOL....amazing how that mill works OT isn't it? Sometimes I wonder where or how things get started.
-IFLYUA
LOL....amazing how that mill works OT isn't it? Sometimes I wonder where or how things get started.
-IFLYUA
Mar 6, 2005, 2:36 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Posts: 2,441
Originally Posted by Hoc
It's a good thing that I don't fly for the food.
I find the constant whining about food really tedious. The amount of 'useful' information in this forum seems to be continually declining, to be replaced by constant whining. Frankly, I don't understand why AA bothers serving food, in any class, on any flights under 5 or 6 hours. What is it about being on an airplane that makes people feel they must eat? Why do people get upset because they're not served a hot meal at four in the afternoon - would you normally eat then? Is it really that difficult to get something before you fly? No, it isn't .... and spare me about how busy you are etc. etc. etc - you just need to plan better. In any event, skipping a meal once in a while is hardly likely to force the onset of malnutrition. The current economics of the airline industry don't allow for some of the 'service' that may previously have existed - why is that so hard for some people to understand? If you don't like the service/meals/whatever, go somewhere else ... but please quit whining.
Mar 6, 2005, 3:30 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Originally Posted by tt7
Does anybody fly for the food? Did they ever? If you want food, go to a restaurant.
I find the constant whining about food really tedious. The amount of 'useful' information in this forum seems to be continually declining, to be replaced by constant whining. Frankly, I don't understand why AA bothers serving food, in any class, on any flights under 5 or 6 hours. What is it about being on an airplane that makes people feel they must eat? Why do people get upset because they're not served a hot meal at four in the afternoon - would you normally eat then? Is it really that difficult to get something before you fly? No, it isn't .... and spare me about how busy you are etc. etc. etc - you just need to plan better. In any event, skipping a meal once in a while is hardly likely to force the onset of malnutrition. The current economics of the airline industry don't allow for some of the 'service' that may previously have existed - why is that so hard for some people to understand? If you don't like the service/meals/whatever, go somewhere else ... but please quit whining.
I find the constant whining about food really tedious. The amount of 'useful' information in this forum seems to be continually declining, to be replaced by constant whining. Frankly, I don't understand why AA bothers serving food, in any class, on any flights under 5 or 6 hours. What is it about being on an airplane that makes people feel they must eat? Why do people get upset because they're not served a hot meal at four in the afternoon - would you normally eat then? Is it really that difficult to get something before you fly? No, it isn't .... and spare me about how busy you are etc. etc. etc - you just need to plan better. In any event, skipping a meal once in a while is hardly likely to force the onset of malnutrition. The current economics of the airline industry don't allow for some of the 'service' that may previously have existed - why is that so hard for some people to understand? If you don't like the service/meals/whatever, go somewhere else ... but please quit whining.
I couldn't agree with you more about how people whine about food and the whole approach from airlines to catering.
If you search through the whole site, I'm sure you will find a good third of the posts related to food.
If airlines keep feeding the whiners at the rate they demand, they sure are going to expand like the universe. Then, they will complain the seats aren't wide enough !!!
These people seek attention. They use airplane food as an excuse to soothe their empty souls.
J.
Mar 6, 2005, 3:35 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2002
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............deleted............
on second thought its best not to validate the ignorance of a person whose option really does not matter to me...........................................
on second thought its best not to validate the ignorance of a person whose option really does not matter to me...........................................
Last edited by DataPlumber; Mar 6, 2005 at 4:04 pm
Mar 6, 2005, 4:07 pm
#15
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Originally Posted by DataPlumber
............deleted............
on second thought its best not to validate the ignorance of a person whose option really does not matter to me...........................................
on second thought its best not to validate the ignorance of a person whose option really does not matter to me...........................................
I understand you have a busy schedule and may need to depend on airline food for substinance. It only takes less than 5 minutes to pick something up at the airport and carry it with you onboard the plane. It gives the more variety of choices. :-)
J.
Last edited by jcf27; Mar 6, 2005 at 4:11 pm