sfoeuroflyer

So I understand cutbacks. No explanation needed there.

But who is the genius that decided that food offered for sale had to be junk? Why not offer something decent and charge for it? Particularly on mid-cons and transcons there is no excuse for not offering reasonable food at prices being charged for the junk now.

I know the apologists for AA will say that they are afraid of spoilage and taking a loss when that happens, but that is just an issue of price. One simply factors in spoilage as part of the price.

The dreadful reality is that everything sinks to the lowest demoninator at AA. Other airlines are wising up to the fact that you can put in extra things and charge for it. Jet Blue for $30 each way will sell a seat with 4" extra legroom (and by the way, their regular seats have 4" more than AA to begin with). Virgin America offers much better food for sale.

Instead of monitizing baggage for extra revenue, monetize food and some seats with more legroom.

Arpey's evident attitude is that the only way to survive is by making things worse, rather than being clever about how to offer something for which people will pay more.

In any event, I cannot begin to justify dismal food for sale under any set of circumstances.

captaink

"Dreadful" is in the eye of the beholder. I like to fly with the mindset that "airline food is food, plain and simple". You shouldn't expect 5-star restaurant food for $5. If you want something to eat on your flight, but don't want to to deal with buying something from the airport concessions, you have the opportunity to buy something on board. What you give up is money and (perceived) quality.

JHark

But I agree with the OP. I would much rather pay $10 for a decent sandwich than $5 for a horrible one.

I was shocked the first time I flew SONG when I could actually buy a martini in the sky, from a shaker, in a glass. I would have paid double than what they charged.

Where does it say that the food/beverage experience in the sky has to be the lowest common denominator?

Now that AA takes credit cards, why can't they charge $20 for a great meal. If they run out, they run out. (Serve elites first, of course!)

tom911

What happened to the Boar's Head brand sandwiches that were out there for a while at a premium price?

Guess I'm used to picking something up at Subway inside the security gate at SFO when I have a transcon in coach (usually award tickets when that happens).

sithjedi333

I think the food they sell on board is actually pretty decent.

3Cforme

If one can't be trusted to use a tape measure properly, why should he be charged with something subjective like food reviews?

mizzou miles

On AA? Really?

It is TERRIBLE compared to what (some) other airlines are serving. I am the biggest AA fan out there, but when it comes to BOB, AA is dreadful. The food on DL is actually good and worth every dollar. I am sickened that the best AA can come up with is a big huge cookie and a can of knock-off pringles.

brp

The wraps I've had (even before the presumed Boar's Head) were quite nice. Lots of turkey. The lettuce and tomato were crisp (albeit iceberg lettuce nd store variety tomatoes). Not sure what the OP was expecting (or got, for that matter). Certainly seems s/he had an appropriate whine with the meal, though.

Cheers.

JDiver

It might be easier to comment appropriately if we actually knew what the OP was offered, the length and times of his/her flight.

Certainly today's environment allows for edible sandwiches, for example - kitchens producing sandwiches for some small restaurants / coffee shops and similar operations prepare these in sterile facilities at 36 F / 2 C, replace air with nitrogen and pack them in sealed packaging, for example, precisely so they will last several days if refrigerated.

I don't know if these are ubiquitous where AA flys, but they are certainly what state of the art provides and IMO AA could probably sell reasonably well during normal meal hours on longer flights (3 hours and up?) (Then again, though I know the facilities exist, perhaps AA has done surveys and market research that shows people might not buy them - much like people chose not to pay a cent more for "More Room Throughout Coach.")

B6 is a completely different animal - for instance, if AA had newer (needing less maintenance) and more fuel efficient aircraft than the 300 MD-80s, etc. they might be able to do more.

skylady

The Boar's Head sandwiches are very good, and still available.

elitetraveler

I think the thought process is that the food has to be priced so it is somewhat accessible even if quality is lacking a bit. There are in most airports quite a few places to get decent quality salads and sandwiches to take on board. The AA food for sale really becomes "food of last resort" and a $20 quality sandwich would probably elicit more arguments between pax and FAs about the state of the industry than the $8 bad one.

sithjedi333

To be honest, I've been so happy with the EXP program, I no longer fly any other airlines, so I can't give an up to date comparison to them. But I do like the Boar's Head sandwiches, wraps, and cookies. They taste pretty good, are filling, and only moderately overpriced relative to what you can get on the ground. I almost always get upgraded, but sometimes while sitting in business, I entertain the notion of asking a FA if I can swap my meal with the buy on board in coach.

You guys must be horrified.

CXYYZ

Not available on flights ex-YYZ I'd love to know why they can get them elsewhere but not YYZ, or why they can't double cater those flights.

dkhc

Good Lord, I could run those wraps under the lavatory faucet and it would give it more flavor!

dkhc

Those are nice. But the problem is that they force pax to eat pure junk. I agree with the OP that those of us who care about or waistlines and BMI are given no options for a healthy(-ier) meal.

It is food of a last resort, which is why I bring my fruit and hard boiled eggs on board. But just wait, TSA will soon call eggs and oranges liquids or gel-like substances...