Rant: No food on a transcon
 

My first time with AA.
economy with a 789 from LAX to MIA.
good entertainment on board and a decent seat, but a cookie for a 4.5 hour flight is embarrassing.

i couldn’t even pay for more stuff!

I hope covid is not an excuse for starving your passengers

Yep, I have flown MIA-SEA many times through covid, the longest lower-48 domestic US flight, and the lack of service in the back is pathetic. I always fill up in the airport before boarding, and hope to sleep through as much of the flight as I can. American is the last large US airline holding out of resuming full service in the back of plane "because covid" even though Delta, United, Jetblue, Alaska, etc have been able to do it.

I recently booked FLL-SEA on Alaska instead, and have the choice of 4, yes FOUR, meal pre-order options in economy for buy-on-board. Plus I got a free premium class seat with my AA status so I'll get complementary adult beverages as well.

I agree...lame...to be fair, the AA website is pretty clear that almost nothing would be served in terms of food so there really shouldn't be any surprises.

For as long as I can remember, I've always brought some snacks with me when I travel. At least granola bars, protein bars, sometimes snack size bags of chips, cookies, things like that are all easy to eat while on a flight. Especially if there is a tight connection, I never know if I'll have time to make that connection, let alone get something to eat. I nearly always bring a backpack with me on flights, and it is easy to throw a few snacks in it.
Of course if there is a meal served to me, I'll usually take it. But even when there was food, it was often disgusting, or something that I didn't like or eat. Something like a protein bar is substantial enough that it can sub for a meal in a pinch.

An emergency granola/protein bar and maybe some jerky is a great idea. You never know when you're going to get stranded at CVG after all of the airport concessions close with a ...... $10 voucher for questionable hotel food likely prepared by drug addicts and a 530AM departure the next morning way before even the airport Starbucks are open.

FWIW AA.com indicates that there’s a complimentary meal on all domestic flagship routes, so OP has a legitimate complaint (and the website seems to be finally updated to the post Covid reality). Complimentary economy meals are still alive on LAX-JFK at least.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...cabin-food.jsp

Absolutely, having snacks on a long flight is important, ultimately you need to be ready even if the airline fails.

It really isn't an excuse though that the airlines can't serve decent food. Air Canada has even started selling business class meals in economy if you are inclined to pay up, which can meal a hot meal in real crockery, even on a domestic or US bound flight.

Here is Alaska's current daytime meal menu for economy. From my past experiences with Alaska they do a nice job as well, plus I can expect full bar service, and have even been gifted a chocolate bar for my OW status when flying on AS. Meanwhile on my last transcon with American I was amazed to receive both the Biscoff cookies AND corn nuts, they can do better than that!

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...26a39e6d62.png

You have an Amex Plat card, right? Why don't you eat at Centurion Lounge?

Is that a joke? LAX Centurion has been closed for covid/non-existent construction/staff/made-up excuses for forever now, and Amex just shrugs. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...2021-a-15.html

AS is a great li’l airline, but be aware that despite presenting you with the possibility of preordering meals, there’s a non-zero chance of “sorry, we weren’t catered as expected” “because covid” on your flight. That has happened to me multiple times within the past few months.

This doesn’t change the point some of you are making when comparing AA to other airlines, but as a practical matter the grass isn’t always greener even when it seems like it should be.

Except that they give themselves an out with the word “select”‘ flights in the lax-Mia market. Is it only 773 that gets marketed flagship and all the rest (even if on a 789) are not qualifying?

Flagship® Hawaii and transcontinental

You’ll get a meal and non-alcoholic drinks on flights between:
…

• Select Boston (BOS) and Miami (MIA) flights to / from LAX

Still absurd that they are marketing meals in main cabin/non flagship on other 2200+ mile routes that happen to fly outside the congruous 48 states.

I like eating on planes to pass time.
What is unacceptable to me is no buy on board, I am happy to pay 10 USD or even 20 USD for some food.
Also no drinks! They just gave a soda!
If I am bored I like having a drink or 2, even if I have to pay for it.

I don't like taking a bunch of food on board with me, its a hassle to carry bags of smelly food. I did eat at the airport before but I was still hungry during the flight.

On Swiss or BA at least I know I can buy some stuff in Econ.

Yeah Amex lounge in LAX closed, so I made do with Sprinkles cupcakes and some cheese (It was an 8AM flight so most food places closed)

It's really weird in the USA how food is available everywhere, but on planes you starve = )

Feel free to take food that isn't smelly. Your fellow passengers will appreciate it.

plus 3 hours time difference , going to the airport and leaving. I agree with the OP. They need to serve a light meal or bring back food for purchase. No meal is unacceptable on a transcon flight.

Sure the OP's use of the word starving is dramatic but AA's economy service is simply unacceptable. Here is what I received on a recent transcon in Comfort+ on Delta. Everything in the below photo was complementary.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...69e62f2c47.jpg