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Coronavirus Reduced Inflight Food and Beverage Restrictions as of 03/2020 and changes

Old Mar 26, 2020, 9:45 pm
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Last edit by: UAPremierGuy
As of 9/21:

Flights under 900 miles
  • Water, canned drinks and juice by request only
  • No snacks, alcohol or food available in the Main Cabin
  • Alcohol available in First by request only
Flights between 900 and 2,199 miles / up to 4.5 hours

In the Main Cabin includes Premium Economy and Main Cabin Extra

  • Complimentary pretzels or Biscoff cookies and bottled water during boarding*
  • No snacks, alcohol or food for purchase
  • Water, canned drinks and juice by request only

In First:

  • Complimentary fresh snacks on flights departing between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.*
  • Complimentary pretzels or Biscoff cookies and bottled water during boarding*
  • Drinks, including alcohol, by request only
  • No drinks served before departure
*Not available on American Eagle flights.

Flights over 2,200 miles* / over 4.5 hours

In the Main Cabin includes Premium Economy and Main Cabin Extra

  • Complimentary pretzels or Biscoff cookies and water, canned drinks or juice during the flight
  • No snacks or food for purchase
  • No alcohol or meals except on long-haul international flights

In First and Business:

  • Complimentary fresh snacks on flights departing between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.
  • Complimentary pretzels or Biscoff cookies and water, canned drinks or juice during the flight
  • Meals served on one tray, not in courses**
  • No drinks served before departure
  • Alcohol will be available
*Includes transcontinental and Hawaii.

**Some domestic and short-haul international flights will include a fruit and cheese plate instead of tray meal service and will also have snack basket service before landing.

cmd320 notation (unofficial): the 2,200mi + section for F and J is a bit misleading. Domestic flights within the continental US other than premium transcons (JFK-LAX/SFO, MIA-LAX on 77W) do not receive a full meal and instead only see a sandwich/fruit and cheese plate.

fly747first notation (official) MIA LAX on 772 receives full meal and amenities as Flagship Business except for lounge access


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Coronavirus Reduced Inflight Food and Beverage Restrictions as of 03/2020 and changes

Old Jul 20, 2020, 12:38 am
  #691  
 
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Originally Posted by CLT
Not trying to get off topic from AA related F&B, but Sara Nelson (president of AFA and an UA FA) literally said the button is for a emergency use only in an interview.
I have no doubt that the AFA would love for the call button to be for emergency use only. Fortunately, I haven't seen any such AA policy.
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 3:31 pm
  #692  
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Originally Posted by Hot Pocket
Does this apply to Eagle routes also? Happen to have a couple 900+ Eagle routes coming up and have no idea what, if anything, to expect. Certainly I can insist on cocktails, right...?
No fruit/cheese plate on Eagle even longer flights...makes ZERO sense. They don't even get the water bag w snacks.
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 5:03 pm
  #693  
 
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What should be my reasonable expectations on an approx. 400-500 mile flight in First, but on Eagle? Will drinks really be served 'upon request' or likely to get nothing? Thanks!
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 6:21 pm
  #694  
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Originally Posted by DCAflyer81
What should be my reasonable expectations on an approx. 400-500 mile flight in First, but on Eagle? Will drinks really be served 'upon request' or likely to get nothing? Thanks!
Be prepared to stop the FC FA as he/she heads back to the coach galley for the whole flight or if you miss that then hit the call button.....of course some are great but AE is where I see the FC FA scurry to the back the minute they can once in the air.
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 6:21 pm
  #695  
 
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Originally Posted by DCAflyer81
What should be my reasonable expectations on an approx. 400-500 mile flight in First, but on Eagle? Will drinks really be served 'upon request' or likely to get nothing? Thanks!
From my experiences on 3 short-ish Eagle flights operated by Envoy in the past month (DFW-IAH and back and ABQ-DFW): you'll almost definitely have to request one and you'll probably get one, but don't be surprised if you get some dirty looks or flat-out refused. (I had to request on all of them; one FA happily gave me refills, one gave me one reluctantly and then disappeared, and one refused even water.)
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 7:17 pm
  #696  
 
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
1200 (anything over 900) should get the cheese/fruit plate, just not a full meal. This just started.
Update: Was not offered anything (did not ask, I was more tired than planned and ended up falling asleep). This was on a republic E175 operated flight.
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 9:18 pm
  #697  
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I’m flying a late afternoon early evening flight CLT-GRR in a few weeks on a 175. If I get upgraded I’ll be hitting that call button for cocktails.
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 10:12 pm
  #698  
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As others have mentioned, I have found Republic FA's to be the worst during this time period; literally hiding in the rear galley during the entire flight.

PSA/Envoy/Piedmont FAs have been terrific.
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 10:26 pm
  #699  
 
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I predict we see AA retract some of this if we complain enough. Like how AA is actually adding padding back to some Oasis F seats. They went too far again.

Some routes like PHL-SFO/LAX/SAN are some pretty long domestic flights. Imagine a 2 hour delay to takeoff then a 6.5 hour flight and all you got was a cheese plate. People will start to bring their own F meals, and at that point who is going to pay for it, you mine as well take MCE. Why not offer some nice sandwiches or for sale meals instead comped? They could offer them to F first and then sell the remaining to coach buy on board program. There has to be better options then this even if they insist on cold. Even a salad is more filling then their cheese plate.

Is AA removing the ovens to save weight? That is a scary thought because they will never put them back in.
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 10:31 pm
  #700  
 
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Originally Posted by enviroian
I’m flying a late afternoon early evening flight CLT-GRR in a few weeks on a 175. If I get upgraded I’ll be hitting that call button for cocktails.
Will look forward to your report... there's something seriously wrong with EP status these days if it doesn't provide a CLT-GRR COVID upgrade in a 12J regional jet cabin lol.

As for cocktail service, just cross your fingers that you don't get one of the "Big Front Seat" crews! And even if you don't, you'll still have your plastic cup as a reminder that it's not quite the same as it was.
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Old Jul 21, 2020, 8:15 am
  #701  
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Originally Posted by lunchtime
Is AA removing the ovens to save weight? That is a scary thought because they will never put them back in.
I didn't hear this. Oh boy...yep....that's a one way trip for those ovens. They'll never be re-installed no way in hell.
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Old Jul 21, 2020, 8:23 am
  #702  
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I highly doubt AA would remove ovens at this stage. That would be a very drastic move IMO especially if they want to win flyers back once everything settles.

Here are the currently operating routes that lost meal service:
-BOS-LAX/PHX
-DCA-LAX
-PHL-LAX/SAN/SFO
-CLT-SFO/SEA/SMF/PDX (I often forget how far west CLT is)
-MIA-LAX/SAN/SEA/SFO
-DFW-ANC (I can't remember if this was included or excluded like Hawaii)

What is concerning to me is AA labeled this change as only affecting a small number of routes, but that is essentially all of AA's transcontinental network at present. Some of these routes are high-yielding and have contracts attached to them, MIA-LAX and CLT-SFO both come to mind. Granted that business might not be traveling now but it still doesn't send a good message.
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Old Jul 21, 2020, 8:37 am
  #703  
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Originally Posted by metallo
Will look forward to your report... there's something seriously wrong with EP status these days if it doesn't provide a CLT-GRR COVID upgrade in a 12J regional jet cabin lol.

As for cocktail service, just cross your fingers that you don't get one of the "Big Front Seat" crews! And even if you don't, you'll still have your plastic cup as a reminder that it's not quite the same as it was.
I'm going to find the AA verbiage that states drinks upon request in F and take a screen shot so I'll be armed and ready. I'm going to replace that stock photo upthread of someone's hand reaching for the call button with a pic of my hand reaching.
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Old Jul 21, 2020, 9:07 am
  #704  
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The sad thing is the cheese plate is at least a fresh food item (and somewhat healthy) and IMO better than the shelf stable snack boxes that DL/UA/AS are serving. Plus the snack basket on the longer flights makes AA still better in my book.....its just sad to see AA go backwards on all of those routes CLT called out above.

Deltas CEO has committed to bringing back full service and you know AA will have no choice at that point so its just a matter of time.
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Old Jul 21, 2020, 9:16 am
  #705  
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
The sad thing is the cheese plate is at least a fresh food item (and somewhat healthy) and IMO better than the shelf stable snack boxes that DL/UA/AS are serving. Plus the snack basket on the longer flights makes AA still better in my book.....its just sad to see AA go backwards on all of those routes CLT called out above.

Deltas CEO has committed to bringing back full service and you know AA will have no choice at that point so its just a matter of time.
Agreed. Is there any picture of the cheese plate? Is it something substantial or essentially just the BOB cheese plate from Y?

CLT flyers truly lost the most out of this as CLT-SAN/LAX are just under 2200 miles and were excluded from the other meal cuts.
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