AA BOS-SAN one drink and one water
Apr 5, 2006, 7:46 pm
#31
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: UA1K, BA GLD
Posts: 227
Originally Posted by FWAAA
I agree as well. I still want some of those things, and have long advocated a completely ala carte approach. Wanna beverage? Get out a dollar or your credit card. Wanna meal? Order it on the website 24 hours in advance, prepay at that time with a credit card, and enjoy a discount over the "order on the plane price." Flight cancel/change/standby for different flight? We'll credit you with half the price as a refund.
Want more room in coach? Pay $x in advance for a seat in those rows there (along with a non-cancellable middle seat block). UA really did have the right idea with E+ and unfortunately, September 11 and the resulting financial storm intervened to cloud the numbers on MRTC, making it impossible to tell whether or not it worked.
Want more room in coach? Pay $x in advance for a seat in those rows there (along with a non-cancellable middle seat block). UA really did have the right idea with E+ and unfortunately, September 11 and the resulting financial storm intervened to cloud the numbers on MRTC, making it impossible to tell whether or not it worked.
SAS does something like this only it charges about $400 extra for a 2 hour flight and of course it does not go well with its passengers. But it also charges $1300 roundtrip more than coach for its business class service on a 2 hour flight (the same seats, just middle seat blocked and hot meal compared with cold one in "premium economy") while AA and most US carriers have $800-1200 first class YUP fares for flights of the same length and these come with much better seats. So why not to offer "premium service - same seats" section on domestic flights for a reasonable price?
Apr 5, 2006, 7:52 pm
#32
Join Date: May 2004
Location: OAK
Programs: UA Gold MM / AS MVP Gold
Posts: 2,504
Originally Posted by mabff
I am also wondering why this does not happen. There were a few threads where people came to consensus that many (me included) are willing to pay around $50 extra for a meal and real beverage service for 2-4 hour flights and $100 extra for trascons. More room may be trickier because it will require aircraft reconfiguration and advance forecasts of pax willing to pay for it. But providing service? Just put people who are ready to pay for it in the first rows of coach cabin and put an easily moveable paper sign behind the last row of this "premium" section.
SAS does something like this only it charges about $400 extra for a 2 hour flight and of course it does not go well with its passengers. But it also charges $1300 roundtrip more than coach for its business class service on a 2 hour flight (the same seats, just middle seat blocked and hot meal compared with cold one in "premium economy") while AA and most US carriers have $800-1200 first class YUP fares for flights of the same length and these come with much better seats. So why not to offer "premium service - same seats" section on domestic flights for a reasonable price?
SAS does something like this only it charges about $400 extra for a 2 hour flight and of course it does not go well with its passengers. But it also charges $1300 roundtrip more than coach for its business class service on a 2 hour flight (the same seats, just middle seat blocked and hot meal compared with cold one in "premium economy") while AA and most US carriers have $800-1200 first class YUP fares for flights of the same length and these come with much better seats. So why not to offer "premium service - same seats" section on domestic flights for a reasonable price?
At the very least, maybe it would keep them from napping in the jumpseats or yapping away in the galley for 90% of the flight while ignoring not only the coach passengers but everyone in FC.
Apr 5, 2006, 9:07 pm
#33
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: BOS
Programs: Recovering AA flyer, LT PLT 2.6 MM
Posts: 1,543
It will change when oil reaches $120 a barrel. Here is my reasoning:
Think of your last meal at an Outback Steak House or Chilli's or similar place. The meal was huge, whatever you might think of the quality. The reason is that food is so darned cheap in the US, the only way to justify the prices to the patrons is to give them lots of it. The food is a minority of the price you are paying in that sort of place... wages, rent, insurance, etc., etc. are what drives up the costs.
When oil hits $120/barrel, ticket prices will have to go through the roof... at that point, the only way to get people on planes is by providing more of the things that no longer account for a large portion of the ticket price... service, entertainment, and catering.
Just a theory
Think of your last meal at an Outback Steak House or Chilli's or similar place. The meal was huge, whatever you might think of the quality. The reason is that food is so darned cheap in the US, the only way to justify the prices to the patrons is to give them lots of it. The food is a minority of the price you are paying in that sort of place... wages, rent, insurance, etc., etc. are what drives up the costs.
When oil hits $120/barrel, ticket prices will have to go through the roof... at that point, the only way to get people on planes is by providing more of the things that no longer account for a large portion of the ticket price... service, entertainment, and catering.
Just a theory
Apr 5, 2006, 9:37 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: So Cal
Programs: AA EXP - 1.4MM
Posts: 684
Originally Posted by sinanju
When oil hits $120/barrel...
Apr 6, 2006, 12:13 am
#35
Join Date: May 2004
Location: OAK
Programs: UA Gold MM / AS MVP Gold
Posts: 2,504
Originally Posted by West Coast Ace
You won't have to worry about flying if oil gets that high. Unemployment will be about 50% and you won't be able to get to the airport, even if you can afford it, without a Navy Seal escort. There will be rioting in the street and anyone who looks like they've got money will soon be separated from it.
Barring that, maybe alternative energy sources will become popular.
Oct 2, 2006, 11:43 am
#36
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
Originally Posted by mgolshan
Yes you can buy a snack box for $4 raisins,peanuts and processed cheese or 1/2 turkey sand for $5. On a flight that long that basically means that everyone around me had brought in Mcdonalds, Chinese food etc.. and the plane smelled awful after about 30 minutes...
What about entertainment? Does AA225/226 have a good selection of movies or should I bring my own media?
How about beverage service? Is it realy just one drink? If so, I will need to bring my own "bottle of liquid" (oh my!).
Oct 2, 2006, 12:03 pm
#37
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: HRO/SGF (Home)/DFW (Work)
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,623
Originally Posted by r3guru
or labor costs need to go down perhaps....
Oct 2, 2006, 12:15 pm
#38
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA-plt
Posts: 355
Originally Posted by dieuwer2
What about entertainment? Does AA225/226 have a good selection of movies or should I bring my own media? (oh my!).
Solution, Ipod...listen/watch to what you want when you want...
Oct 2, 2006, 12:47 pm
#39
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Silver IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,733
Originally Posted by amartin1979
or maybe people will just learn to live without their automobiles.
Barring that, maybe alternative energy sources will become popular.
Barring that, maybe alternative energy sources will become popular.
Why worry about alternative energy sources when current sources are more efficent, thergo more friendly to the environment.
Oct 2, 2006, 12:53 pm
#40
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP/4MM, UA GS, AS MVP GOLD 75K
Posts: 3,362
Originally Posted by dieuwer2
I will be on a AA BOS-SAN flight at the end of october. Do you need to pre-order the snack boxes or are there plenty onboard to begin with?
What about entertainment? Does AA225/226 have a good selection of movies or should I bring my own media?
How about beverage service? Is it realy just one drink? If so, I will need to bring my own "bottle of liquid" (oh my!).
What about entertainment? Does AA225/226 have a good selection of movies or should I bring my own media?
How about beverage service? Is it realy just one drink? If so, I will need to bring my own "bottle of liquid" (oh my!).
As for entertainment, AA is hit and miss on the 757. Recently I have found the programming to be relatively good, but it is shown on those regular sized TV screens throughout the cabin, and I much prefer my own laptop/DVD player with some videos loaded on it.
Oct 2, 2006, 2:11 pm
#41
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum (3MM), QF Lifetime Gold, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, Ex-Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 7,541
Originally Posted by JohnnyUMF
I think that on a 6 hour flight there could be more than 1 beverage service. Even if it pains one to admit that, there is no need to have trash around, which I have often seen. FA's are on the plane for safety, as its part of thier work, but so isnt tidying up the cabin and refilling drinks.
Oct 2, 2006, 2:12 pm
#42
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 17,769
Originally Posted by mgolshan
Most will offer you give you the whole can of soda... Most other airlines who I have flown transcontinental will throw in a bag of peanuts or equivalent and ask for trash more than once on a flight...
Oct 2, 2006, 3:03 pm
#43
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: AA Advantage (Platinum)
Posts: 143
Originally Posted by dieuwer2
I will be on a AA BOS-SAN flight at the end of october. Do you need to pre-order the snack boxes or are there plenty onboard to begin with?
Oct 2, 2006, 5:08 pm
#44
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
Originally Posted by olimaspecto
You cannot preorder snack box, and to be honest, you are best just getting something at ABP in the terminal and then bringing it on board.
As for entertainment, AA is hit and miss on the 757. Recently I have found the programming to be relatively good, but it is shown on those regular sized TV screens throughout the cabin, and I much prefer my own laptop/DVD player with some videos loaded on it.
As for entertainment, AA is hit and miss on the 757. Recently I have found the programming to be relatively good, but it is shown on those regular sized TV screens throughout the cabin, and I much prefer my own laptop/DVD player with some videos loaded on it.
Oct 2, 2006, 5:12 pm
#45
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP/4MM, UA GS, AS MVP GOLD 75K
Posts: 3,362
Originally Posted by dieuwer2
I guess I was wrong in thinking that TCON service was similar to TATL service.
There are a few exceptions (most notably LAX-MIA on the 777 currently) which I believer has the individual screens operational, though not sure with which media.
And, the AFS flights (LAX/SFO-JFK) are better in that they do have meals on them and have nicer seats than a 757.