Meal Pre-select comes 11 March 2020 to Regional First
Feb 19, 2020, 10:43 am
#1
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Meal Pre-select comes 11 March 2020 to Regional First
Starting March 11 You’ll Be Able to Select Your Meal in Advance On American Airlines Regional Jets
by Gary Leff on February 19, 2020 — link
Regionals have different meals than mainline aircraft because they lack ovens so don’t serve hot food in first class. However that’s coming.
Starting March 11 first class passengers will be able to pre-order on regional flights that offer meal service. That means the earliest travel date to receive a pre-order meal is March 12, since meals can be pre-ordered 30 days to 24 hours before a flight...
Starting March 11 first class passengers will be able to pre-order on regional flights that offer meal service. That means the earliest travel date to receive a pre-order meal is March 12, since meals can be pre-ordered 30 days to 24 hours before a flight...
Feb 19, 2020, 10:50 am
#2
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
Feb 19, 2020, 12:17 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: PSC
Programs: Hilton Diamond/IHG Platinum/DL Plutononium
Posts: 1,728
I know some of the regionals have ovens on aircraft like the CR9, I've gotten a hot burger on Skywest on MSP-PSC. This is a great development and I've been very happy with the system on mainline flights.
Feb 19, 2020, 12:21 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
There's certainly choices at lunch/dinner. Usually salad vs. sandwich/wrap. I haven't been on a regional breakfast flight for a while but I'm guessing you were probably on a flight with no catering supplier at an outstation.
Feb 19, 2020, 12:30 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: CMI, ORD, NYC
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 92
Feb 19, 2020, 1:27 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: PNS
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA
Posts: 700
Feb 19, 2020, 1:35 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
DL has been serving warm meals on RJs for years because they invested in the customer experience by having ovens.
Feb 19, 2020, 1:39 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
According to the airline, pre-order options on American Eagle flights will include a charcuterie plate, a Tex-Mex salad with adobo chicken, a Mediterranean turkey club sandwich, hot smoked salmon with everything-bagel seasoned potato salad and curried chicken salad on a croissant.
Feb 19, 2020, 4:07 pm
#11
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
This, "announcement," leaves me more confused.
According to the AA website (bolding mine):
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...ium-dining.jsp
But in the TPG announcement linked above:
https://thepointsguy.com/news/americ...flights-eagle/
So is it 700 miles or 900 miles? Is it different for mainline or Embraer/Canadair jets?
When I first saw this post, I began to look through some of my flight history, and the only non-mainline aircraft that I remembered having meals was DFW-FCA (and return). This is over 1300 miles, so that certainly makes sense.
But looking at other flights, DFW-LEX, DFW-GSP are over 700 miles, but under 900 miles, and were both on non-mainline aircraft (E175 I believe). No meals were offered (but I think the snack basket was).
I've been offered the snack basket on much shorter flights (heck DFW-GRK generally gets the snack basket and it is only 135 miles)
If they set the standard at 900 miles, I can't imagine that this will impact many passengers (and you'd need to get upgraded more than 24 hours in advance to select a meal).
According to the AA website (bolding mine):
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...ium-dining.jsp
U.S. / Canada / Caribbean & Central America Expand
- Snack basket on flights over 176 miles
- Lite bites / meals on flights over 700 miles
- U.S. meals by Chef Julian Barsotti, acclaimed chef specializing in Italian dishes
- Transcontinental / Hawaii meals by Sam Choy, James Beard Award winner and creator of Pacific Rim Cuisine
But in the TPG announcement linked above:
https://thepointsguy.com/news/americ...flights-eagle/
Beginning March 11, American will expand its pre-order option to include American Eagle flights that have a first-class cabin and fly on routes of 900 miles or more.
When I first saw this post, I began to look through some of my flight history, and the only non-mainline aircraft that I remembered having meals was DFW-FCA (and return). This is over 1300 miles, so that certainly makes sense.
But looking at other flights, DFW-LEX, DFW-GSP are over 700 miles, but under 900 miles, and were both on non-mainline aircraft (E175 I believe). No meals were offered (but I think the snack basket was).
I've been offered the snack basket on much shorter flights (heck DFW-GRK generally gets the snack basket and it is only 135 miles)
If they set the standard at 900 miles, I can't imagine that this will impact many passengers (and you'd need to get upgraded more than 24 hours in advance to select a meal).
Feb 19, 2020, 4:29 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC, SLC, LAX
Programs: AA EXP, UA Plat
Posts: 3,951
700-899 and 900-1298 miles are two different meal standards on AA. However, there are exceptions where flights under 900 miles get the 900-1298 mile treatment.
700-899 is the "lite bites" option normally which is like a fruit plate or hummus or something of the sort. Full meal only 900+.
700-899 is the "lite bites" option normally which is like a fruit plate or hummus or something of the sort. Full meal only 900+.
Feb 19, 2020, 4:35 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP, AA Million Miles, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,586
But looking at other flights, DFW-LEX, DFW-GSP are over 700 miles, but under 900 miles, and were both on non-mainline aircraft (E175 I believe). No meals were offered (but I think the snack basket was).
I've been offered the snack basket on much shorter flights (heck DFW-GRK generally gets the snack basket and it is only 135 miles)
If they set the standard at 900 miles, I can't imagine that this will impact many passengers (and you'd need to get upgraded more than 24 hours in advance to select a meal).
I've been offered the snack basket on much shorter flights (heck DFW-GRK generally gets the snack basket and it is only 135 miles)
If they set the standard at 900 miles, I can't imagine that this will impact many passengers (and you'd need to get upgraded more than 24 hours in advance to select a meal).
I've been served lunch and dinner on E75s, when on the appropriately timed flights (no, I don't know the meal windows off the top of my head), on DEN-LAX // LAX-DEN, which posts at 849 miles.
Feb 19, 2020, 5:11 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC, SLC, LAX
Programs: AA EXP, UA Plat
Posts: 3,951
The best resource to tackle these questions is probably this:
https://viewfromthewing.com/the-offi...-policy-guide/