AA should 'reinvent' coach dining
Oct 19, 2017, 5:12 pm
#61
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Does Non Rev count?
Posts: 588
Good luck getting American to upgrade anything, unless you consider an increase of seat count on an airplane an upgrade. I've flown them for years as a top tier FF. Race to the bottom. I can't recall any improvements in the customer experience. Even premium cabin services have continued to decline.
Oct 19, 2017, 6:09 pm
#62
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
So, it's "going for great" if you're flying in a premium cabin. 
For everyone else, enjoy being crammed into your 30" seat on the 738MAX with no AVOD, ultra-thin seat that reclines less, terrible BOB menu, surly F/As, etc. And God help you if you buy Basic Economy.
Back on subject, AA has a loooong way to go with their main cabin food and beverage experience; DL, UA, B6, AS are far ahead, EK, VS, QR, SQ and others are ahead by magnitude of light years.
For everyone else, enjoy being crammed into your 30" seat on the 738MAX with no AVOD, ultra-thin seat that reclines less, terrible BOB menu, surly F/As, etc. And God help you if you buy Basic Economy.Back on subject, AA has a loooong way to go with their main cabin food and beverage experience; DL, UA, B6, AS are far ahead, EK, VS, QR, SQ and others are ahead by magnitude of light years.
Want better service? Pay for it. Period.
You're not alone in your thinking, not even remotely. And you and everyone else should be thinking "increase prices, overhaul aircraft"... not "let me get a beef wellington in Y". The latter is just lipstick on a pig to try and fool yourself into thinking you're getting a premium experience without actually paying for it.
Last edited by kb9522; Oct 19, 2017 at 6:14 pm
Oct 19, 2017, 6:14 pm
#63
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: The Metroplex
Programs: AA EXP 4MM, SPG Platinum
Posts: 111
I don’t eat on board anymore (few years now). Spirits and just about everything else are bottom shelf. Even the cokes are flat and you can tell they have been in the hot Texas sun or warehouse for days. It’s sad, really. Just can’t do it.
I look at upgrades now as strictly a way to be among the first to de-plane.
I look at upgrades now as strictly a way to be among the first to de-plane.
Oct 19, 2017, 6:40 pm
#64
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: WAS, LAX
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,330
And whose fault is that? When Ma and Pa Kettle go on Expedia and the first thing they do is sort by price, what the heck do you expect AA to do? People are getting exactly what they said (showed) they want.
Want better service? Pay for it. Period.
You're not alone in your thinking, not even remotely. And you and everyone else should be thinking "increase prices, overhaul aircraft"... not "let me get a beef wellington in Y". The latter is just lipstick on a pig to try and fool yourself into thinking you're getting a premium experience without actually paying for it.
Want better service? Pay for it. Period.
You're not alone in your thinking, not even remotely. And you and everyone else should be thinking "increase prices, overhaul aircraft"... not "let me get a beef wellington in Y". The latter is just lipstick on a pig to try and fool yourself into thinking you're getting a premium experience without actually paying for it.
I benefit from all of those things that I listed* - and I purchase only discount Y and very occasionally Premium Economy. (well except coach food on the premium transcons - I don't fly those routes, and don't care about coach food anyway)
Of course the biggest product/service investments are in the areas which relate to premium revenue. That's called business.
It's patently false to say that AA has made "no service improvements". It's certainly a open topic about whether those improvements that they made balance or offset the cuts that have been made elsewhere.
As for Basic Economy/slimline/reduced pitch in Y - no different than on UA/DL. Remember basic economy was a DL innovation in the first place...
Does any meaningful segment of the non-FT flying population select a carrier or buy a ticket because of coach food and drink "experience"? Highly doubtful, IMO.
Could AA improve their coach food? Sure.
Is that anywhere near the top of the list of things that I would have AA work on? No way.
Of course the biggest product/service investments are in the areas which relate to premium revenue. That's called business.
It's patently false to say that AA has made "no service improvements". It's certainly a open topic about whether those improvements that they made balance or offset the cuts that have been made elsewhere.
As for Basic Economy/slimline/reduced pitch in Y - no different than on UA/DL. Remember basic economy was a DL innovation in the first place...
Does any meaningful segment of the non-FT flying population select a carrier or buy a ticket because of coach food and drink "experience"? Highly doubtful, IMO.
Could AA improve their coach food? Sure.
Is that anywhere near the top of the list of things that I would have AA work on? No way.
Oct 19, 2017, 6:42 pm
#65
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
This thread isn't about my experience or your experience. It's about AA improving its quality of meal offering in coach to be more competitive with other carriers. Pretty simple, and I'm pretty sure everyone who's had to endure AA main cabin internationally would agree. The meals need improvement and are one of many reasons people select DL over AA these days, all other things being equal.
It bears repeating this thread is not about your experience.
It bears repeating this thread is not about your experience.
Oct 19, 2017, 6:46 pm
#66
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: WAS, LAX
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,330
The point of the discussion is to have a dialogue about whether AA should improve its meal service in coach compared to other carriers. There's a dedicated thread for AA international meals, with the occasional report about main cabin "dining." If you want to discuss your personal experience with regard to dining in coach, that might be your best bet. @:-)
Oct 19, 2017, 6:49 pm
#67
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
The point of the discussion is to have a dialogue about whether AA should improve its meal service in coach compared to other carriers. There's a dedicated thread for AA international meals, with the occasional report about main cabin "dining." If you want to discuss your personal experience with regard to dining in coach, that might be your best bet. @:-)
Every aspect of an airline's hard or soft product is exactly about the person's experience.
It's what gives context to the entire discussion.
Oct 19, 2017, 10:01 pm
#68
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
This thread isn't about my experience or your experience. It's about AA improving its quality of meal offering in coach to be more competitive with other carriers. Pretty simple, and I'm pretty sure everyone who's had to endure AA main cabin internationally would agree. The meals need improvement and are one of many reasons people select DL over AA these days, all other things being equal.
It bears repeating this thread is not about your experience.
It bears repeating this thread is not about your experience.
this makes no sense.
if the thread is, in your words, about AA improving it's coach meals in order to be "more competitive" then it is very much about my experience, and everyone's experience. Your premise is that meal experience is a key element of competitiveness.
Do you have any evidence that anyone selects DL over AA because DL's coach food is a step above dreck?
People choose carriers based on price, schedule, convenience, and loyalty programs - not coach food.
Oct 20, 2017, 12:27 am
#70
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 3,646
Delta is not revolutionizing anything.
https://www.businesstraveller.com/bu...tic-auto-check
A printed menu and new cutlery.
Same food quality, different name.
sounds more like a marketing ploy than a real improvement. Just like when AA revolutionizes business class with new amenity kits.
btw. I also think KFC is gross.
https://www.businesstraveller.com/bu...tic-auto-check
A printed menu and new cutlery.
Same food quality, different name.
sounds more like a marketing ploy than a real improvement. Just like when AA revolutionizes business class with new amenity kits.
btw. I also think KFC is gross.
Last edited by JDiver; Oct 20, 2017 at 11:12 pm Reason: Force link
Oct 20, 2017, 12:35 am
#71
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
Gotta love the elitist folks dissing Taco Bell as though the glop AA currently serves in Y isn't several times worse. If they tried to serve it on the ground it would requiring labeling of several hundred more calories than a few tacos, with a few health department shutdowns to boot.
Oct 20, 2017, 7:52 am
#72
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Gotta love the elitist folks dissing Taco Bell as though the glop AA currently serves in Y isn't several times worse. If they tried to serve it on the ground it would requiring labeling of several hundred more calories than a few tacos, with a few health department shutdowns to boot.
Oct 20, 2017, 11:55 am
#74
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: WAS, LAX
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,330
this makes no sense.
if the thread is, in your words, about AA improving it's coach meals in order to be "more competitive" then it is very much about my experience, and everyone's experience. Your premise is that meal experience is a key element of competitiveness.
Do you have any evidence that anyone selects DL over AA because DL's coach food is a step above dreck?
People choose carriers based on price, schedule, convenience, and loyalty programs - not coach food.
if the thread is, in your words, about AA improving it's coach meals in order to be "more competitive" then it is very much about my experience, and everyone's experience. Your premise is that meal experience is a key element of competitiveness.
Do you have any evidence that anyone selects DL over AA because DL's coach food is a step above dreck?
People choose carriers based on price, schedule, convenience, and loyalty programs - not coach food.
The premise of the OP's topic is that AA needs to improve coach meal service versus other carriers, namely DL. I agree with that because they they are at a competitive disadvantage in this and many other areas. Improving coach meal service would at least give flyers one more reason to select AA over DL.
As to your second point: first, it's well-established that meal service, especially in coach, is not the be-all end-all; it is, however, a factor in people's current and future decision making. If someone gets served absolute crap (to the point they feel it's inedible) on one AA flight then goes to book another flight, that plays into their decision making. Likewise if the meal service was surprisingly above par.
Second, I don't need evidence to present to you because the proof is in the pudding: DL and other airlines don't make these decisions without hard data showing that they can gain more market share in making these changes. It's a savvy move on their part and, if the data supports it, AA would be wise to follow.
Oct 20, 2017, 1:35 pm
#75
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
The problem with your argument is that what you related previously was with regard to off-topic (i.e. premium) experience.
The premise of the OP's topic is that AA needs to improve coach meal service versus other carriers, namely DL. I agree with that because they they are at a competitive disadvantage in this and many other areas. Improving coach meal service would at least give flyers one more reason to select AA over DL.
As to your second point: first, it's well-established that meal service, especially in coach, is not the be-all end-all; it is, however, a factor in people's current and future decision making. If someone gets served absolute crap (to the point they feel it's inedible) on one AA flight then goes to book another flight, that plays into their decision making. Likewise if the meal service was surprisingly above par.
Second, I don't need evidence to present to you because the proof is in the pudding: DL and other airlines don't make these decisions without hard data showing that they can gain more market share in making these changes. It's a savvy move on their part and, if the data supports it, AA would be wise to follow.
The premise of the OP's topic is that AA needs to improve coach meal service versus other carriers, namely DL. I agree with that because they they are at a competitive disadvantage in this and many other areas. Improving coach meal service would at least give flyers one more reason to select AA over DL.
As to your second point: first, it's well-established that meal service, especially in coach, is not the be-all end-all; it is, however, a factor in people's current and future decision making. If someone gets served absolute crap (to the point they feel it's inedible) on one AA flight then goes to book another flight, that plays into their decision making. Likewise if the meal service was surprisingly above par.
Second, I don't need evidence to present to you because the proof is in the pudding: DL and other airlines don't make these decisions without hard data showing that they can gain more market share in making these changes. It's a savvy move on their part and, if the data supports it, AA would be wise to follow.
You mean they make decisions based on their experience?