Aug 20, 2014, 2:27 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
Current meal order system based on flight cardinal direction & time zone change
New meal order / service order as of 1 Sep 2014; "FEBO" RIP
Effective 1 September 2014 a new system for taking meal preferences was put into place depending on flight cardinal direction combined with whether any time zones are crossed.
When an aircraft flight involves a change of time zones, take meal preferences:
. . . • Eastbound: from forward / front to aft /back
. . . • Westbound: from aft to forward
If the flight does not involve a change of any time zones, take meal preferences:
. . . • Southbound: from forward to aft
. . . • Northbound: from aft to forward
(c/o (sluggoaafa)
Effective 1 September 2014 a new system for taking meal preferences was put into place depending on flight cardinal direction combined with whether any time zones are crossed.
When an aircraft flight involves a change of time zones, take meal preferences:
. . . • Eastbound: from forward / front to aft /back
. . . • Westbound: from aft to forward
If the flight does not involve a change of any time zones, take meal preferences:
. . . • Southbound: from forward to aft
. . . • Northbound: from aft to forward
(c/o (sluggoaafa)
"FEBO" was discontinued 1 September 2014
FEBO ("Front Even Back Odd") is the acronym developed to explain the taking of meal preferences / orders (not serving meals) on AA flights. Orders for meals on even-numbered flights are taken from the front of the cabin, whilst on odd-numbered flights meal order taking began at the back of the cabin.
FEBO ("Front Even Back Odd") is the acronym developed to explain the taking of meal preferences / orders (not serving meals) on AA flights. Orders for meals on even-numbered flights are taken from the front of the cabin, whilst on odd-numbered flights meal order taking began at the back of the cabin.
AA meal order by flight direction & time zone change 09/2014 - no FEBO
May 18, 2015, 7:47 pm
#91
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
In other words, meal choice taking order does matter in the real world because you can't 100% count on pre-order working in the real world.
If you read the pre-order thread, you'll find not only cases of the order getting 100% lost, but also cases of "the item you pre-ordered is not available on this flight" because the menu changed since the pre-ordering! And also many cases recently of the pre-order system not showing all the menu choices (eg, showing only one when there are two or three).
May 18, 2015, 8:41 pm
#92
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I can count on pre-order working about 1000x more than I can count on the cabin crew following the new policy. The fact of the matter is, I don't really care what the policy is, so long as it's consistently utilized every time, and there's no ambiguity to it. The reality of the new policy, is that I've seen it used once or twice since it was implemented in September of last year. In fact, I received more PDBs (not counting water and OJ nonsense) on AA than number of times I've seen the meal policy followed. Previously, I never had a crew not follow FEBO. The policy is only as good as its implementation, and this new one is a complete failure.
May 19, 2015, 3:20 am
#93
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
My point is that whether the staff follow the policy or not, it is not something that there is any expectation that a passenger should have - AA has never stated to public what its internal policy is for this
Jun 26, 2015, 4:00 pm
#94
Join Date: Apr 2006
Programs: AA ExP 5MM, DL Lifetime Medallion 2.3MM
Posts: 68
RIP FEBO
Those familiar with AA policy of FEBO service (Start in the Front on Even numbered flights, start in the Back on Odd numbered flights) may have missed the new protocol: For flights traveling East and or South, cabin service will be front-->aft. For flights traveling West and North, the cabin service will be aft to front. So... The apparently too complex FEBO is now replaced with the easily memorable EAORSFA--WAONAF. Handy information to have when (like for the days leading up to today's flight) the web site did not list meal service options.
Jun 26, 2015, 4:05 pm
#95
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
Jul 13, 2015, 12:16 pm
#97
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA (PPro/3MM/Admirals Club), AS, UA, Marriott (Gold), HHonors (Gold), Accor (Plat)
Posts: 2,602
Reminder: It worked because they used to use even numbers for flights in one direction and odd numbers for flights in the other direction. But ever since they had to absorb all the US Airways flights into one numbering system, they abandoned that, and started having the same flight number in both directions. That's what threw FEBO into a rut, it meant that there was no longer even distribution between even-numbered and odd-numbered flights for a particular traveler.
FEBO was designed so that someone who always wants to sit in the same part of the cabin would not got the same order of meal choice on every flight. Now that someone who flies AAA-BBB both directions constantly can get the same flights number in both directions, that's no longer true.
So this new system is an attempt to put the same variability in meal choice order based on direction back into the system, in a world where direction no longer correlates to flight numbers.
FEBO was designed so that someone who always wants to sit in the same part of the cabin would not got the same order of meal choice on every flight. Now that someone who flies AAA-BBB both directions constantly can get the same flights number in both directions, that's no longer true.
So this new system is an attempt to put the same variability in meal choice order based on direction back into the system, in a world where direction no longer correlates to flight numbers.
Jul 13, 2015, 12:18 pm
#98
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
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Posts: 2,602
This is a pretty small contingent of individuals. I doubt AA really cares about providing preferred meals to customers who have upgraded within 24 hours of departure, and perhaps when there's flight changes and IRROPs the customer will just have to deal with it. It's not as though FEBO was implemented to appease that group anyway.
Aug 14, 2015, 1:07 pm
#99
Formerly known as billinaz
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Goodyear,AZ for now then FL Spacecoast
Programs: US Airways Dividend Miles, American AAdvantage, Avis Preferred, Budget Rapid Rez, Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,145
1st class meal service from foreward or aft? Finally got (sort of) an answer.
I was used to FEBO for meal service, but on a recent trip Westbound I noticed that it was not followed so I asked the FA what the guidelines were.
She said it was now Eastbound from Forward and Westbound from Aft.
Last week I was Eastbound so I selected a seat in row 1 for a breakfast flight.
I was surprised when the meal service started from the back, and of course there was nothing left at the front 2 rows other than oatmeal. Many of us (myself included) passed on that.
I asked the FA if the service was supposed to start from the front as this was an Eastbound (and even numbered flight as well) and her paper said it starts at the rear.
It didn't help that she was one of the most disgruntled FAs I have ever come across. She was an East FA, and gave me the whole story about how the company hated them, the Pilots hated them (unless they were sleeping with them) and how bad her working conditions were......
I emailed Customer service and got this response:
"We've listened to our customers' comments about meal choice, and we are now happy to offer our First and Business Class customers the ability to pre-order their meals so that you're sure to receive the meal option that you would like. For more information on this service, please visit www.aa.com/i18n/utility/pre-order-meals.jsp. For those times when it's not possible to pre-order your meal, you might find it helpful to know that on even numbered flights we take entree selections from the front of the aircraft to the back and on odd numbered flights, from the back to the front.
I emailed them back and said that was not the case. And we were talking about a US Airways flight so there was no option for a pre order."
A twitter message got this response:
"the crew will generally follow "Front Even Back Odd", but it's completely up to the crew."
I tried calling and the response was:
"Ask the crew once onboard."
That kind of makes it difficult to pick your seat prior to get a better option for a meal choice.
After not getting through to a person for a definitive answer I tried calling the local US Airways Ops department. I asked the same question and the answer was:
"There is no standard for whether the crew starts from the front or rear of the cabin, it is up to them".
Talk about frustrating. Nobody seemed to have any answers.
On my recent Westbound flight, the FA stated this was Westbound so the service starts from the rear. The FA quickly added that after more than 20 years as an FA she knew that many FAs dont bother to do things they right way and it causes confusion.
Well, I found that to be accurate.
I got to look at the sheet the FA goes off when the meal service is delivered. It seems that the printed instructions are clear.
Eastbound from the front, Westbound from the rear but those are listed as preferences......
She said it was now Eastbound from Forward and Westbound from Aft.
Last week I was Eastbound so I selected a seat in row 1 for a breakfast flight.
I was surprised when the meal service started from the back, and of course there was nothing left at the front 2 rows other than oatmeal. Many of us (myself included) passed on that.
I asked the FA if the service was supposed to start from the front as this was an Eastbound (and even numbered flight as well) and her paper said it starts at the rear.
It didn't help that she was one of the most disgruntled FAs I have ever come across. She was an East FA, and gave me the whole story about how the company hated them, the Pilots hated them (unless they were sleeping with them) and how bad her working conditions were......
I emailed Customer service and got this response:
"We've listened to our customers' comments about meal choice, and we are now happy to offer our First and Business Class customers the ability to pre-order their meals so that you're sure to receive the meal option that you would like. For more information on this service, please visit www.aa.com/i18n/utility/pre-order-meals.jsp. For those times when it's not possible to pre-order your meal, you might find it helpful to know that on even numbered flights we take entree selections from the front of the aircraft to the back and on odd numbered flights, from the back to the front.
I emailed them back and said that was not the case. And we were talking about a US Airways flight so there was no option for a pre order."
A twitter message got this response:
"the crew will generally follow "Front Even Back Odd", but it's completely up to the crew."
I tried calling and the response was:
"Ask the crew once onboard."
That kind of makes it difficult to pick your seat prior to get a better option for a meal choice.
After not getting through to a person for a definitive answer I tried calling the local US Airways Ops department. I asked the same question and the answer was:
"There is no standard for whether the crew starts from the front or rear of the cabin, it is up to them".
Talk about frustrating. Nobody seemed to have any answers.
On my recent Westbound flight, the FA stated this was Westbound so the service starts from the rear. The FA quickly added that after more than 20 years as an FA she knew that many FAs dont bother to do things they right way and it causes confusion.
Well, I found that to be accurate.
I got to look at the sheet the FA goes off when the meal service is delivered. It seems that the printed instructions are clear.
Eastbound from the front, Westbound from the rear but those are listed as preferences......
Aug 14, 2015, 1:25 pm
#100
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Empire State
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 461
I was used to FEBO for meal service, but on a recent trip Westbound I noticed that it was not followed so I asked the FA what the guidelines were.
She said it was now Eastbound from Forward and Westbound from Aft.
Last week I was Eastbound so I selected a seat in row 1 for a breakfast flight.
I was surprised when the meal service started from the back, and of course there was nothing left at the front 2 rows other than oatmeal. Many of us (myself included) passed on that.
I asked the FA if the service was supposed to start from the front as this was an Eastbound (and even numbered flight as well) and her paper said it starts at the rear.
It didn't help that she was one of the most disgruntled FAs I have ever come across. She was an East FA, and gave me the whole story about how the company hated them, the Pilots hated them (unless they were sleeping with them) and how bad her working conditions were......
I emailed Customer service and got this response:
"We've listened to our customers' comments about meal choice, and we are now happy to offer our First and Business Class customers the ability to pre-order their meals so that you're sure to receive the meal option that you would like. For more information on this service, please visit www.aa.com/i18n/utility/pre-order-meals.jsp. For those times when it's not possible to pre-order your meal, you might find it helpful to know that on even numbered flights we take entree selections from the front of the aircraft to the back and on odd numbered flights, from the back to the front.
I emailed them back and said that was not the case. And we were talking about a US Airways flight so there was no option for a pre order."
A twitter message got this response:
"the crew will generally follow "Front Even Back Odd", but it's completely up to the crew."
I tried calling and the response was:
"Ask the crew once onboard."
That kind of makes it difficult to pick your seat prior to get a better option for a meal choice.
After not getting through to a person for a definitive answer I tried calling the local US Airways Ops department. I asked the same question and the answer was:
"There is no standard for whether the crew starts from the front or rear of the cabin, it is up to them".
Talk about frustrating. Nobody seemed to have any answers.
On my recent Westbound flight, the FA stated this was Westbound so the service starts from the rear. The FA quickly added that after more than 20 years as an FA she knew that many FAs dont bother to do things they right way and it causes confusion.
Well, I found that to be accurate.
I got to look at the sheet the FA goes off when the meal service is delivered. It seems that the printed instructions are clear.
Eastbound from the front, Westbound from the rear but those are listed as preferences......
She said it was now Eastbound from Forward and Westbound from Aft.
Last week I was Eastbound so I selected a seat in row 1 for a breakfast flight.
I was surprised when the meal service started from the back, and of course there was nothing left at the front 2 rows other than oatmeal. Many of us (myself included) passed on that.
I asked the FA if the service was supposed to start from the front as this was an Eastbound (and even numbered flight as well) and her paper said it starts at the rear.
It didn't help that she was one of the most disgruntled FAs I have ever come across. She was an East FA, and gave me the whole story about how the company hated them, the Pilots hated them (unless they were sleeping with them) and how bad her working conditions were......
I emailed Customer service and got this response:
"We've listened to our customers' comments about meal choice, and we are now happy to offer our First and Business Class customers the ability to pre-order their meals so that you're sure to receive the meal option that you would like. For more information on this service, please visit www.aa.com/i18n/utility/pre-order-meals.jsp. For those times when it's not possible to pre-order your meal, you might find it helpful to know that on even numbered flights we take entree selections from the front of the aircraft to the back and on odd numbered flights, from the back to the front.
I emailed them back and said that was not the case. And we were talking about a US Airways flight so there was no option for a pre order."
A twitter message got this response:
"the crew will generally follow "Front Even Back Odd", but it's completely up to the crew."
I tried calling and the response was:
"Ask the crew once onboard."
That kind of makes it difficult to pick your seat prior to get a better option for a meal choice.
After not getting through to a person for a definitive answer I tried calling the local US Airways Ops department. I asked the same question and the answer was:
"There is no standard for whether the crew starts from the front or rear of the cabin, it is up to them".
Talk about frustrating. Nobody seemed to have any answers.
On my recent Westbound flight, the FA stated this was Westbound so the service starts from the rear. The FA quickly added that after more than 20 years as an FA she knew that many FAs dont bother to do things they right way and it causes confusion.
Well, I found that to be accurate.
I got to look at the sheet the FA goes off when the meal service is delivered. It seems that the printed instructions are clear.
Eastbound from the front, Westbound from the rear but those are listed as preferences......
Aug 14, 2015, 1:47 pm
#102
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Maybe this is where FA's are getting confused....the PDB does not say OF CHOICE....so perhaps they are interpreting that as whatever they feel like serving....water only, water/OJ only etc.??
Aug 14, 2015, 3:01 pm
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
I was used to FEBO for meal service, but on a recent trip Westbound I noticed that it was not followed so I asked the FA what the guidelines were.
She said it was now Eastbound from Forward and Westbound from Aft.
Last week I was Eastbound so I selected a seat in row 1 for a breakfast flight.
I was surprised when the meal service started from the back, and of course there was nothing left at the front 2 rows other than oatmeal. Many of us (myself included) passed on that.
I asked the FA if the service was supposed to start from the front as this was an Eastbound (and even numbered flight as well) and her paper said it starts at the rear.
It didn't help that she was one of the most disgruntled FAs I have ever come across. She was an East FA, and gave me the whole story about how the company hated them, the Pilots hated them (unless they were sleeping with them) and how bad her working conditions were......
I emailed Customer service and got this response:
"We've listened to our customers' comments about meal choice, and we are now happy to offer our First and Business Class customers the ability to pre-order their meals so that you're sure to receive the meal option that you would like. For more information on this service, please visit www.aa.com/i18n/utility/pre-order-meals.jsp. For those times when it's not possible to pre-order your meal, you might find it helpful to know that on even numbered flights we take entree selections from the front of the aircraft to the back and on odd numbered flights, from the back to the front.
I emailed them back and said that was not the case. And we were talking about a US Airways flight so there was no option for a pre order."
A twitter message got this response:
"the crew will generally follow "Front Even Back Odd", but it's completely up to the crew."
I tried calling and the response was:
"Ask the crew once onboard."
That kind of makes it difficult to pick your seat prior to get a better option for a meal choice.
After not getting through to a person for a definitive answer I tried calling the local US Airways Ops department. I asked the same question and the answer was:
"There is no standard for whether the crew starts from the front or rear of the cabin, it is up to them".
Talk about frustrating. Nobody seemed to have any answers.
On my recent Westbound flight, the FA stated this was Westbound so the service starts from the rear. The FA quickly added that after more than 20 years as an FA she knew that many FAs dont bother to do things they right way and it causes confusion.
Well, I found that to be accurate.
I got to look at the sheet the FA goes off when the meal service is delivered. It seems that the printed instructions are clear.
Eastbound from the front, Westbound from the rear but those are listed as...
She said it was now Eastbound from Forward and Westbound from Aft.
Last week I was Eastbound so I selected a seat in row 1 for a breakfast flight.
I was surprised when the meal service started from the back, and of course there was nothing left at the front 2 rows other than oatmeal. Many of us (myself included) passed on that.
I asked the FA if the service was supposed to start from the front as this was an Eastbound (and even numbered flight as well) and her paper said it starts at the rear.
It didn't help that she was one of the most disgruntled FAs I have ever come across. She was an East FA, and gave me the whole story about how the company hated them, the Pilots hated them (unless they were sleeping with them) and how bad her working conditions were......
I emailed Customer service and got this response:
"We've listened to our customers' comments about meal choice, and we are now happy to offer our First and Business Class customers the ability to pre-order their meals so that you're sure to receive the meal option that you would like. For more information on this service, please visit www.aa.com/i18n/utility/pre-order-meals.jsp. For those times when it's not possible to pre-order your meal, you might find it helpful to know that on even numbered flights we take entree selections from the front of the aircraft to the back and on odd numbered flights, from the back to the front.
I emailed them back and said that was not the case. And we were talking about a US Airways flight so there was no option for a pre order."
A twitter message got this response:
"the crew will generally follow "Front Even Back Odd", but it's completely up to the crew."
I tried calling and the response was:
"Ask the crew once onboard."
That kind of makes it difficult to pick your seat prior to get a better option for a meal choice.
After not getting through to a person for a definitive answer I tried calling the local US Airways Ops department. I asked the same question and the answer was:
"There is no standard for whether the crew starts from the front or rear of the cabin, it is up to them".
Talk about frustrating. Nobody seemed to have any answers.
On my recent Westbound flight, the FA stated this was Westbound so the service starts from the rear. The FA quickly added that after more than 20 years as an FA she knew that many FAs dont bother to do things they right way and it causes confusion.
Well, I found that to be accurate.
I got to look at the sheet the FA goes off when the meal service is delivered. It seems that the printed instructions are clear.
Eastbound from the front, Westbound from the rear but those are listed as...
Aug 14, 2015, 3:09 pm
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Aug 14, 2015, 3:41 pm
#105
Formerly known as billinaz
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Goodyear,AZ for now then FL Spacecoast
Programs: US Airways Dividend Miles, American AAdvantage, Avis Preferred, Budget Rapid Rez, Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,145