Jun 10, 2014, 8:14 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Meals changes US & AA announced - international and domestic
[Discussion]This thread discusses changes to the combined carrier's meal policy. On Friday, 14 Nov 2014, the following e-mail was sent to AAdvantage frequent flyers:
this after an apparent record of the percentage of complaints received in response to earlier announcements (80% of complaints were about the meal cutbacks),
On Monday, August 4th, 2014, American and US Airways both announced their plans for the final aligned meal service effective September 1st, 2014 for both carriers. This Wiki will touch upon in detail the new meal windows, parameters, and what to expect moving forward.
MEAL WINDOWS:
Up to 699 miles (under 2 hours):
Enjoy a light snack such as a fig bar, cookies or pretzels.
700-999 miles (2 – 2:45 hours)
A heartier selection of snacks such as sandwiches and fresh fruit is served on most flights (Lite Bites), with exceptions (see below).
1,000 – 1,298 miles (2:45 – 3:30 hours)*
Enjoy warmed mixed nuts, followed by a three-course meal including a warm cookie for dessert.
1,299+ miles (over 3:30 hours)*
Enjoy an appetizer paired with your entrée followed by cake for dessert. On flights over 2,200 miles and over 4:30 hours, you'll also receive a choice of dessert – specialty ice cream or a fruit and cheese plate. Redeye flights in the category of 2,200 miles and above will have a snack basket to begin, then will receive an arrival continental breakfast box. (This does not apply to A321 transcons, listed below.)
*There is no meal service on flights that depart after 8:00pm, only beverages and a snack basket. There is also no meal service on flights that depart before 5:00am.
CERTAIN MARKETS:
A321 Transcontinental Service (JFK-LAX/SFO):
- Refreshing fruit or cucumber-infused water or sparkling wine
- Warm mixed nuts followed by a three-course meal, with a choice of our signature customized sundae or seasonal fruit and cheese
- A snack served shortly before arrival
Note: This focuses specifically on A321 transcontinental service (JFK-LAX/SFO), although some members has clarified that LAX-MIA will continue to receive the same level of service. This still remains to be seen.
Hawaiian Flights:
Between Hawaii and DFW/ORD:
- Full meal with Hawaiian rolls plus two other bread options
- Choice of a customized sundae or a fruit and cheese plate
- Bottle of water
- Selection of snacks prior to arrival
Between Hawaii and LAX/PHX:
- Full meal with Hawaiian rolls plus two other bread options
- Pre-made sundae
- Selection of snacks prior to arrival
EXCEPTION MARKETS:
Exception flights will fall between approximately 600-999 miles. Those flights will receive the same level of service as the published 1000-1299 miles parameters.
- Between DFW and: DTW, ORD, SLC, MEX (Effective 16-Oct-2014)
- Between FLL and: PAP
- Between JFK and: FLL*, MCO, TPA*
- Between MIA and: IAH, PAP, CAP, DCA (Effective 16-Oct-2014), IAD (Effective 16-Oct-2014)
- Between MSP and: CLT, PHL
- Between ORD and: BOS, DCA, DEN, JFK, LGA, RDU, AUS (Effective 16-Oct-2014)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
It was reported from an internal source (but not formally announced) that American Eagle would be discontinuing plated meals and, instead, will offer snack boxes and/or chilled meal boxes on meal flights.
Based on the picture on the websites representing meal service, it is confirmed that American will use US Airways plates, bowls, and other servingware moving forward. Additionally, it has been speculated that tray linens will also be eliminated in lieu of the current US Airways paper tray liner. An AA Twitter representative, however, confirmed that buttonhole napkins would be here to stay.
Additionally on October 1st, American Eagle and US Airways Express flights will follow these same meal time frames with some variations to the service. Flights between approximately 176 and 999 miles will receive snack baskets, and meal flights will feature a chilled gourmet boxed meal. Some popular regional flights between approximately 700 and 999 miles will also receive a chilled gourmet boxed meal.
All information above has been gathered and/or copied from the AA website.
Links:
AA Meal Service
US Meal Service
HISTORICAL INFORMATION:
This section is purely vestigial, primarily concentrating on historical announcements prior to August 4th, showing a path from separate carrier policies to a combined policy.
On February 15, 2014, there was an internal announcement shared here, outlining changes to US Airways' meal policy, as well as a few minor changes on the AA side. The changes would occur in two phases: April and September.
April:
US Airways
The meal windows on US Airways has transitioned from the previous 3 1/2 hours and above window as of April 1st; now, they are serving meals on flights that are 2 hours and 45 minutes, and above (specified as 1,000 nautical miles in the announcement). Light snacks on flights under 2:45 hours has been added, featuring breakfast pastries and fresh fruit for morning flights, as well as finger sandwiches on later flights (known as Lite Bites). New meal window tiers has been added to standardize US Airways meal service:
- Less than an hour: Nut mix
- 1 - 2 hours: Snack basket
- 2 - 2:45 hours: Snack basket plus pastries/finger sandwiches (Lite Bites)
- 2:45 hours - 3 1/2 hours: Meal service, no appetizer
- 3 1/2 hours - 4 1/2 hours: Full meal, including an appetizer
- 4 1/2 hours and above: Full meal service, accompanied by the snack basket
American
An expedited service for shorter, eastbound transatlantic flights (JFK-LHR/MAN/DUB) became the only choice in premium cabins. It was also announced that all eastbound transatlantic flights would receive a more streamlined service, but no visible differences has yet to be reported by FT members.
Over the course of this year (but all mentioned changes will discontinue on September 1st, with the exception of A321 transcons receiving three choices, as well as snack & brunch service for redeyes) a few notable improvements were made to transcontinental meal service, such as sorbets being offered as a breakfast/brunch dessert, supper service (an abbreviated dinner service without an appetizer and sundaes) that replaced snack service on redeyes, and three menu choices of entrees being offered instead of the previous two menu choices.
There were also a few cutbacks in the spring: on Flagship Transcontinental service (JFK-LAX/SFO; MIA-LAX), wherein marinated anti-pasto was discontinued in 3-class First Class lunch/dinner service; and in International First Class, where the wine-tasting course, grey placemats, and grey water glasses were eliminated in May.
Historical Weekly Updates (shared from an internal source):
6/14
- Emphasis on being a leader, not a follower, according to Doug Parker.
- Catering and cabin equipment review in progress.
- FA involvement team to be created.
- US/IB codeshare has started these past few days.
- Three cycles of the revision for the joint certificate have been approved by the FAA. FAs now have inflight manual revisions.
- MIA and JFK catering issues are still being addressed.
- Visual presentation of the beef in the sandwich on the second meal service from Europe to the United States is being reviewed by F&B and catering in Europe.
6/21
- Leadership conference focused on restoring AA to greatness.
Reply to negative feedback via website form: (3.5 hr flight RNO-ORD)
Thank you for contacting American. We know that meal options are important to our customers, and we appreciate the opportunity to address your comments about the changes we have made to our First Class meal program.
There are no plans to discontinue the signature services that have set American Airlines apart over the years. In fact, we are investing millions in our product. This includes the existing premium transcontinental service on select markets, and the offering of certain elements that customers have come to appreciate over time such as warm mixed nuts on all meal flights, cookies and premium desserts on longer flights.
Our new Domestic First Class service footprint provides opportunities to not only streamline service but also to enhance the quality of current food components: new salads and entrees. Product offerings are be aligned with the length of flight. For example, appetizers have been added on certain flights, and a new snack basket concept has been introduced on shorter flights. New meal tray elements to modernize presentation have been introduced, including new china and a stemless wine glass.
A component of these changes is to make consistent between American and US Airways the length of flight where a full meal service is offered. Effective September 1, traditional meal service is offered in First Class on flights operated by American that are 2:45 or longer. While this has removed the traditional meal service from some markets served by American, the changes implemented at US Airways earlier this year added meals to many US Airways markets that traditionally have not offered a full meal service.
On flights from 2 hours to 2:45 in length we offer our customers a "Lite Bites" basket with a variety of food options including tea sandwiches, fresh fruit, breakfast breads and sweet and savory snacks. We will, of course, continue to offer complimentary beverages and snacks for our First Class customers on all of our flights, including beer, spirits and our award-winning wine selection.
Meals changes US & AA announced - international and domestic [Discussion]
Sep 25, 2014, 7:24 am
#1561
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Sep 25, 2014, 5:08 pm
#1562
Join Date: Feb 2012
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Pastas give me the bubbles. I don't think my seat mate would appreciate that.
Sep 28, 2014, 1:27 pm
#1563
Join Date: May 2012
Location: California
Programs: AA LT PLT, UA LT Gold, Hertz PC, 5 MM+ miles
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What's With the Goop?
I thought people in this thread were being overly critical but I just encountered the so-called enhanced First Class meal service of US Air doing business as American Airlines, and wow, this is not good. I’ll comment here on my meals on my roundtrip between the West Coast and Chicago last week. I’ll separately post a comment with suggestions.
The appetizers, as others noted, are quite good. Sort of like the small tastes that Virgin America uses. Maybe that’s the key for American: just copy small tastes from Virgin.
The salad looked like a downgraded version of a bad Denny’s salad. A bunch or iceberg lettuce with not much more. My high school used to do better than this.
As for the main courses, what’s with the goop on top? Going to Chicago, I had the beef entree that looked exactly like the Swanson’s frozen TV dinners of the 1960’s and early 1970’s: a row of mysterious clumps of beef with brown goop, a line of broccoli and a line of macaroni. Again, just like Swanson’s but without the dividers between each item. If American is going to be this mediocre, just stock the planes with three or five Lean Cuisine choices (or let us bring our favorite), microwave the stuff and hand it out as a so-called First Class meal.
Flying back to California, it was chicken with orange goop on top. My seatmate noted the goop didn’t taste very good, started feeling queasy a half hour before we landed and then made an emergency dash for the toilet.
When the cabin attendant came around to take meal and drink orders, she had a hard time understanding when people asked for one type of drink before their meal and a different drink with dinner. Apparently that’s not part of the so-called enhanced service plan.
For a company that carries our nation’s name on it, this is embarrassing, especially when you realize foreign visitors flying in so-called First Class now think this is what America (the country) has become.
The appetizers, as others noted, are quite good. Sort of like the small tastes that Virgin America uses. Maybe that’s the key for American: just copy small tastes from Virgin.
The salad looked like a downgraded version of a bad Denny’s salad. A bunch or iceberg lettuce with not much more. My high school used to do better than this.
As for the main courses, what’s with the goop on top? Going to Chicago, I had the beef entree that looked exactly like the Swanson’s frozen TV dinners of the 1960’s and early 1970’s: a row of mysterious clumps of beef with brown goop, a line of broccoli and a line of macaroni. Again, just like Swanson’s but without the dividers between each item. If American is going to be this mediocre, just stock the planes with three or five Lean Cuisine choices (or let us bring our favorite), microwave the stuff and hand it out as a so-called First Class meal.
Flying back to California, it was chicken with orange goop on top. My seatmate noted the goop didn’t taste very good, started feeling queasy a half hour before we landed and then made an emergency dash for the toilet.
When the cabin attendant came around to take meal and drink orders, she had a hard time understanding when people asked for one type of drink before their meal and a different drink with dinner. Apparently that’s not part of the so-called enhanced service plan.
For a company that carries our nation’s name on it, this is embarrassing, especially when you realize foreign visitors flying in so-called First Class now think this is what America (the country) has become.
Sep 28, 2014, 1:38 pm
#1564
Join Date: May 2012
Location: California
Programs: AA LT PLT, UA LT Gold, Hertz PC, 5 MM+ miles
Posts: 106
I separately posted a summary of the First Class meal service I encountered when flying between California and Chicago. Here are some suggestions for the revamped meal service now being offered by US Air doing business as American Airlines, especially for Mr. Parker.
Since the appetizers are the only thing decent, build on that. No matter what, get rid of the goop on the main entrees or at least put it on the side. We’re literally getting sick from it.
I’ve been an outside director of publicly traded companies and a senior executive at another. An important role of directors and senior management is to know how a company is interfacing with its customers. So I strongly urge that you serve in your executive dining rooms ONLY what you now serve on your domestic flights, including from your snack baskets. Same for your board meetings, although here you could occasionally serve what you offer on domestic coast-to-coast premium service and maybe once every fourth board meeting what you serve in business or even first class on overseas routes. But since we customers endure this mediocre food for a premium price every day, so should your directors and senior executives.
Remember also, members of Congress, their staffs and the staffs of your regulators likewise encounter your domestic meal and snack service on a regular basis. You spend a fortune lobbying them, but this is the memory they take away with them. I’ve had focus groups done of my customer base and we were shocked at how small shortcomings dominated our customers’ opinions of us, and how they in turn told tens if not hundreds of others about it. Your meal service is going to do the same thing over time to your company.
You also are teaching us frequent flyers that when traveling overseas, we should fly on your One World partners or other foreign competitors instead. If you care so little about us in premium class domestically, that memory is going to stick with us when we book premium class for overseas travel.
For an entire year, American used an outside company to conduct an intensive, invitation-only forum for 200 (eventually 300 or 400) of its customers. I was one of the original participants and continued throughout the entire year-long process. There were extraordinarily good suggestions in that forum on many topics, including meal service (both main and premium cabins) that would be profitable, win business and substantially enhance customer loyalty. Did US Air doing business as American Airlines even look at the results of this forum? If not, you should.
Since the appetizers are the only thing decent, build on that. No matter what, get rid of the goop on the main entrees or at least put it on the side. We’re literally getting sick from it.
I’ve been an outside director of publicly traded companies and a senior executive at another. An important role of directors and senior management is to know how a company is interfacing with its customers. So I strongly urge that you serve in your executive dining rooms ONLY what you now serve on your domestic flights, including from your snack baskets. Same for your board meetings, although here you could occasionally serve what you offer on domestic coast-to-coast premium service and maybe once every fourth board meeting what you serve in business or even first class on overseas routes. But since we customers endure this mediocre food for a premium price every day, so should your directors and senior executives.
Remember also, members of Congress, their staffs and the staffs of your regulators likewise encounter your domestic meal and snack service on a regular basis. You spend a fortune lobbying them, but this is the memory they take away with them. I’ve had focus groups done of my customer base and we were shocked at how small shortcomings dominated our customers’ opinions of us, and how they in turn told tens if not hundreds of others about it. Your meal service is going to do the same thing over time to your company.
You also are teaching us frequent flyers that when traveling overseas, we should fly on your One World partners or other foreign competitors instead. If you care so little about us in premium class domestically, that memory is going to stick with us when we book premium class for overseas travel.
For an entire year, American used an outside company to conduct an intensive, invitation-only forum for 200 (eventually 300 or 400) of its customers. I was one of the original participants and continued throughout the entire year-long process. There were extraordinarily good suggestions in that forum on many topics, including meal service (both main and premium cabins) that would be profitable, win business and substantially enhance customer loyalty. Did US Air doing business as American Airlines even look at the results of this forum? If not, you should.
Sep 28, 2014, 1:53 pm
#1565
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I’ve been an outside director of publicly traded companies and a senior executive at another. An important role of directors and senior management is to know how a company is interfacing with its customers. So I strongly urge that you serve in your executive dining rooms ONLY what you now serve on your domestic flights, including from your snack baskets. Same for your board meetings, although here you could occasionally serve what you offer on domestic coast-to-coast premium service and maybe once every fourth board meeting what you serve in business or even first class on overseas routes. But since we customers endure this mediocre food for a premium price every day, so should your directors and senior executives.
Remember also, members of Congress, their staffs and the staffs of your regulators likewise encounter your domestic meal and snack service on a regular basis. You spend a fortune lobbying them, but this is the memory they take away with them. I’ve had focus groups done of my customer base and we were shocked at how small shortcomings dominated our customers’ opinions of us, and how they in turn told tens if not hundreds of others about it. Your meal service is going to do the same thing over time to your company.
You also are teaching us frequent flyers that when traveling overseas, we should fly on your One World partners or other foreign competitors instead. If you care so little about us in premium class domestically, that memory is going to stick with us when we book premium class for overseas travel.
For an entire year, American used an outside company to conduct an intensive, invitation-only forum for 200 (eventually 300 or 400) of its customers. I was one of the original participants and continued throughout the entire year-long process. There were extraordinarily good suggestions in that forum on many topics, including meal service (both main and premium cabins) that would be profitable, win business and substantially enhance customer loyalty. Did US Air doing business as American Airlines even look at the results of this forum? If not, you should.
Remember also, members of Congress, their staffs and the staffs of your regulators likewise encounter your domestic meal and snack service on a regular basis. You spend a fortune lobbying them, but this is the memory they take away with them. I’ve had focus groups done of my customer base and we were shocked at how small shortcomings dominated our customers’ opinions of us, and how they in turn told tens if not hundreds of others about it. Your meal service is going to do the same thing over time to your company.
You also are teaching us frequent flyers that when traveling overseas, we should fly on your One World partners or other foreign competitors instead. If you care so little about us in premium class domestically, that memory is going to stick with us when we book premium class for overseas travel.
For an entire year, American used an outside company to conduct an intensive, invitation-only forum for 200 (eventually 300 or 400) of its customers. I was one of the original participants and continued throughout the entire year-long process. There were extraordinarily good suggestions in that forum on many topics, including meal service (both main and premium cabins) that would be profitable, win business and substantially enhance customer loyalty. Did US Air doing business as American Airlines even look at the results of this forum? If not, you should.
Sep 28, 2014, 2:50 pm
#1566
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Sep 28, 2014, 4:07 pm
#1567
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Both your post are right on the mark, I could not more than strongly agree with you^^^. I wish more passengers would voice their opinions rather than just sit there and eat goop and drink garbage.
Last edited by Radiant Flyer; Sep 28, 2014 at 4:22 pm
Sep 28, 2014, 4:09 pm
#1568
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
The wine was disgusting. Portuguese red? really? I am not a wine snob, but, a good red wine in international business and first is a minimum. No need for $100 bottles, but a moderate french should be there. Champagne Motard was... ehh. Glad we had time to drink some of the Moet in the Asiana lounge.
As for the food, the chicken on the first meal was okay, but, the second "meal" was a joke - seemed most people skipped it. Clearly the food has gone down.
Other notes on the ICN-DFW first...
Finally, collecting headsets and power inverters OVER 1 hour from landing? Really?
On a positive note, I will say the FA's were friendly and mostly attentive.
The bottom line, I will pay extra for AA's OneWorld partner's first or business. I think most others here would too.
And how much more I would pay (vs. AA) is increasing.
That is something AA management should be concerned about.
Sep 28, 2014, 5:40 pm
#1569
Join Date: Sep 2001
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And if AA ever flies to Australia/New Zealand, it will share the revenues with Qantas, as they also have a JBA.
Of course, I'm not disagreeing with you, I would never pay to fly AA (or UA/DL for that matter) in a premium cabin over a foreign airline, but AA still sees the money.
Sep 29, 2014, 5:06 am
#1570
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
If that partner is British Airways, Finnair, Iberia or JAL, AA still sees the money since they operate under a merged JBA.
And if AA ever flies to Australia/New Zealand, it will share the revenues with Qantas, as they also have a JBA.
Of course, I'm not disagreeing with you, I would never pay to fly AA (or UA/DL for that matter) in a premium cabin over a foreign airline, but AA still sees the money.
And if AA ever flies to Australia/New Zealand, it will share the revenues with Qantas, as they also have a JBA.
Of course, I'm not disagreeing with you, I would never pay to fly AA (or UA/DL for that matter) in a premium cabin over a foreign airline, but AA still sees the money.
Sep 29, 2014, 8:15 am
#1571
Join Date: May 2012
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The Year-Long Company-Sponsored Forum - Responding to SFO 777
The invitation-only forum started around July 2011 and went for a year. American was already in bankruptcy and planning to build a new and hopefully much improved airline, and meal service was a regular topic. The forum was a crowd based approach to get customer insights and new ideas. It was run by a Canadian company named Chaordix and here's the link to their brief and public write up: http://www.chaordix.com/chaordix_our...rican-airlines. Our impression is that senior management was looking at the results daily and initiating new questions almost weekly, many with follow up inquiries for the participants to comment on. As I said earlier, there were some very good ideas that would be highly profitable and simultaneously would have strongly enhanced American's competitive position if implemented, including about meal service in both main and premium cabins.
Sep 29, 2014, 8:21 am
#1572
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Here was the FT thread on that customer forum:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...vite-only.html
Unfortunately, one can safely say that the issues and innovations and initiatives that were discussed in that forum are all in the trash-bin of AA history at this point-- most unfortunately.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...vite-only.html
Unfortunately, one can safely say that the issues and innovations and initiatives that were discussed in that forum are all in the trash-bin of AA history at this point-- most unfortunately.
Sep 29, 2014, 8:48 am
#1573
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Unfortunately, I'm thinking this is the new reality of an uncompetitive airline environment. No one needs to excel - they just need to suck less than the last guy. US airlines have long since given up on competing with foreign carriers - and there's no incentive to with immunized JVs. They still get the money from revenue sharing with the better carriers, while cleaning up bottom half for those either unwilling to or unable to pay for a better experience.
I don't see much changing, and it wouldn't surprise me to see even the more premium carriers slip down the road.
I don't see much changing, and it wouldn't surprise me to see even the more premium carriers slip down the road.
Sep 29, 2014, 9:24 am
#1574
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Unfortunately, I'm thinking this is the new reality of an uncompetitive airline environment. No one needs to excel - they just need to suck less than the last guy. US airlines have long since given up on competing with foreign carriers - and there's no incentive to with immunized JVs.
Sep 29, 2014, 9:44 am
#1575
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