nineworldseries

I'm going CMH-PHX and then to SEA this morning on an A319, and I'm bummed that these will be the first two flights in months where I'm in PE rather than F. Saw it was a 319 and felt a bit better looking at only 8 F seats instead of 20.

I'm in 8C and the FA is quite apologetic to the second row of F; apparently CMH miscatered the flight and there are only 4 meals on board? One would think it would be more likely to be zero. Awkward.

So I'm feeling much better about not getting upgraded. GA comes on and hands out what I assumed were flight vouchers to row 2 of F. Damn, feeling a bit jelly again until he tells them they are meal vouchers for PHX to replace the miscatering. Crimeny! 2D and F vehemently refuse them and propose playing Rock-paper-scissors for the meals LOL.

GNRMatt

One thing I've always wondered...do AA (and other airlines) put penalties in their contracts with the caterers for mis-catering? I would think that they'd want that in there to try to minimize the amount of times this happens.

PHL

Clearly you meant MCE rather than PE. Imagine if an A319 had true PE seats!

I don't know how the process works when a plane is catered, but I'm guessing the FAs don't check the loaded carts to confirm the right number of meals before the caterer dashes off. Or, are they supposed to and this crew did not?

nineworldseries

Yes, MCE of course. So what ended up happening is that the FA split up the meals so that everyone got half a meal. Some got a fruit plate and some got whatever the other half was. Also, they got offered their choice of ANY of the snacks for sale "from the back." I know the first thing I want to eat in the morning is salami and gummy bears.

StevenSeagalFan

Those PHX to outstation turn flights often get double catered in PHX so there’s a few ways that could’ve happened.

no1cub17

Hilarious. AA's cheapo management probably pays out more in compensation than it would cost to actually provide good service in the first place. Nice going Isom!

nineworldseries

The plane came in from CLT (miraculously) and then sat overnight in CMH, so I would think this is squarely on CMH catering.

Antarius

It does! Domestic F is the same seat as PE

EXP100

If catering screwed up, which they do on occasion, what do you expect AA to do? Magically come up with food? Usually if the issue can't be resolved by departure time the flight will need to leave the gate. You have paxs that need to make a connection in PHX and a late arriving flight then cascades during the day.

Antarius

That's awesome. Thumbs up to the FAs for making a less than ideal situation work out as best they could.

GNRMatt

Simple, I expect AA to proceed with the flight as scheduled. However, I think some reasonable compensation being proactively given to passengers is warranted. AA should also have it written into their contract with the caterer, that when the catering company mis-caters a flight, that they need to pay AA a penalty, which is what eventually gets passed on to the customer.

Blumie

The availability or unavailability of a $5 TV dinner (or breakfast in this case) has no bearing of my desire to be upgraded. I always would prefer to sit in F.

Antarius

I don't think anyone here disagrees. But I also don't see how this has any bearing on the post by the OP.

beachmouse

Sounds kind of like some European hotel breakfasts I’ve seen.

Blumie

I've seen countless people on this board who would disagree, including apparently the OP: