AA LAX Catering Issues Late 2017 (Listeria 1 Nov 2017)
#481
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,237
I'm really just talking about it as a stop-gap measure, though. But maybe this is the (not so) new normal.
Maybe a corporate contract loss or two will get through to him.
All that said, it's kind of hard to square that up with, say, the investments they're making in Flagship Lounges.
#482
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
It's not "just airline food" - it's some of AA's most premium routes such as SYD, HKG, NRT, that have had a substandard product for over a month. The "number of flights" BS doesn't cut it. No doubt Dougie and Co look at this as "oh well they already bought their tickets" and as long as people aren't left with water for 15 hours, nothing else matters.
#483
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,639
It only took Delta two weeks:
2 more airlines stop using LAX caterer hit by listeria
<snip>
Delta says it still gets cheese and fruit plates and wraps that are prepared in another part of the LAX Gate Gourmet facility but is getting hot meals from another Gate Gourmet facility in California. Delta spokeswoman Catherine Sirna said Tuesday the airline temporarily changed caterers so Gate Gourmet can be more aggressive in improving food safety.
<snip>
Delta says it still gets cheese and fruit plates and wraps that are prepared in another part of the LAX Gate Gourmet facility but is getting hot meals from another Gate Gourmet facility in California. Delta spokeswoman Catherine Sirna said Tuesday the airline temporarily changed caterers so Gate Gourmet can be more aggressive in improving food safety.
<snip>
#484
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: So Cal
Posts: 937
It's not "just airline food" - it's some of AA's most premium routes such as SYD, HKG, NRT, that have had a substandard product for over a month. The "number of flights" BS doesn't cut it. No doubt Dougie and Co look at this as "oh well they already bought their tickets" and as long as people aren't left with water for 15 hours, nothing else matters.
#486
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,774
I have a first class flight on a 737-800 (not sure of AA or LUS 737) coming up in mid december, but i am not able to select meal online for the outbound flight from LAX, but i could select meal for the returning flight into LAX. Does that mean no meal will be served for the outbound flight departing LAX?
#487
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: TPA, finally
Programs: AA EXP/US CP, United 1K (1MM) , Marriott Plat, Avis Plus
Posts: 303
LUS doesn't have 738s. Doubt they will have the ordering option on-line until the situation is resolved. If it rectified by your flight, we would all be trying to read some tea leaves, so maybe.
#488
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,774
I wonder what they're doing with first class passengers until the catering problem is resolved... i mean, they would lose A LOT OF first-class cash-paying customers if they don't provide meals in flight for top-cash customers. Do they provide vouchers for meals at airport or are they doing something else as compensation?
#489
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
I wonder what they're doing with first class passengers until the catering problem is resolved... i mean, they would lose A LOT OF first-class cash-paying customers if they don't provide meals in flight for top-cash customers. Do they provide vouchers for meals at airport or are they doing something else as compensation?
#490
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 563
Flying as a OWE on my BAEC number, I would have thought, objectively (OWE, paid business, preselected meal) that maybe an email notification of the problem or a small voucher for the inability to deliver the preselected meal - or any "real" meal - would happen but neither did. Given that others on shorter domestic routes have reported receiving both, I'm thinking based on my limited sample size that AA could be migrating to a "squeaky wheel" approach.
I don't care enough about the issue to bother to write in, which I suppose is playing into that approach, if it exists. Perhaps we'll see more snack boxes in "first" class as a serendipitous result of this SNAFU.
#491
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
Agreed. It's failure after failure with these idiots. I really hope AA feels this and the pilot screw-up financially so that changes can be made.
#493
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,909
#494
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,425
Relatives just got off of AA 193 LAX to HKG in J business class (regular ticket + applied my SWUs).
Departed SUNDAY November 19th, 11:45 PM LAX Time.
Relatives received $200 / each for complications of catering approximately 2 days before flight.
From the discussions, it's operating as a Domestic First Class meal service pretty much.
- PBD - Had the normal Apple Juice, Champagne, Water, OJs departure drinks.
- No Pajamas
- Amenity Kits were handed out
- No Menus at all on the flight / Food options and presentations not up to previous international Business Class Standards
- 1st Meal choice is only a Chicken or Pasta (with salad and some cold cut meat), Dessert is small chocolate cake or fruit, no ice cream served
- 2nd Snack - A sandwich but because no menus, they don't announce this. (Limited chip and snack selection in the galley)
- Landing Meal - Cereal in a Bowl or a Egg Sandwich garnished with fruit.
(Looks like Domestic first class meals still)
Departed SUNDAY November 19th, 11:45 PM LAX Time.
Relatives received $200 / each for complications of catering approximately 2 days before flight.
From the discussions, it's operating as a Domestic First Class meal service pretty much.
- PBD - Had the normal Apple Juice, Champagne, Water, OJs departure drinks.
- No Pajamas
- Amenity Kits were handed out
- No Menus at all on the flight / Food options and presentations not up to previous international Business Class Standards
- 1st Meal choice is only a Chicken or Pasta (with salad and some cold cut meat), Dessert is small chocolate cake or fruit, no ice cream served
- 2nd Snack - A sandwich but because no menus, they don't announce this. (Limited chip and snack selection in the galley)
- Landing Meal - Cereal in a Bowl or a Egg Sandwich garnished with fruit.
(Looks like Domestic first class meals still)
Breakfast “sandwich” looked terrible but tasted ok.
No menus. PDB was served. Amenity kits were out prior to boarding and PJs were passed out during boarding.
#495
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,237