belynch

Yup. She was the one.

Jaimito Cartero

You may want to read the OP again.

Most international flights and domestic flights over 6 hours will still have a complimentary food. There will be no change to our food offerings in these markets at this time


IAH-SJO is about 3 hours or so. (Checking ITA it shows about 3 1/2 hours block to block) This is the route we fly 95% of the time.

EWR-SJO is about 5, I think, unless they have it blocked way longer for NY air traffic. (Checking ITA it's about 5 hours 15 min Northbound, or 5 hours 30 min Southbound.)

quantumslip

i wonder how CO is going to differentiate from other carriers now? they're just going to look like UA, US, etc. now.

Steph3n

I think the poster is right as it specifically mentions international and Latin America flights as well will lose free meals.

iahphx

Well, I'm not surprised, but I'll miss the food (such that it was) in domestic coach. Like a couple of weeks ago, I was waiting at the gate for an upgrade to clear on a transcon flight, and it was good to know I wasn't going to starve if the upgrade didn't come through. I guess now the fallback is paying for the food in coach.

It would seem that CO's new CEO doesn't believe that the branding benefit of "free meals at mealtime" is worth the cost. Beats me. I do think it added to CO's reputation as being better than its domestic competitors, but did that reputation sell significantly more seats? As someone previously mentioned, the "commoditization" of the US airline industry continues. Except for some largely unpredictable differences in IFE, it will be hard for the consumer to notice much in-flight difference between carriers.

The problem with paying for food is that, like most of these things, you wind up on the slippery slope of quality and price. Like almost none of us would mind paying 5 bucks for a decent sandwich. But, inevitably, the prices go up and the quality goes down. And since you no longer "feel good" about your in-flight food purchase, you start looking for other options (even when they are less convenient).

As a practical matter, doesn't this make Star Alliance members more likely to choose UA (and maybe even US) for domestic trips where they'll have to connect? Like I'm a CO plat: I can now choose an Economy Plus seat on UA, or a regular seat on CO. Without free food, aren't I better off on UA for connecting trips?

marklyon

Yes, but if I book a ticket now for the fall, expecting that I'm getting a turkey dog crescent roll with my IAH -> EWR flight (with that 30 minute connection time they seem to like to suggest for every flight I book through IAH), I might be angry when someone shakes me down for cash on the plane.

ctownflyer

Hi Scott, couple of questions.

What will be with kosher meals? Will there be any kind of mechanism to order or pay for one beforehand? Each of CO's hubs have huge Jewish populations and it would be nice if there were possible somehow.

What about LAX/SNA-HNL/OGG which are under 6 hour flights?

sbm12

Since he previous bullet point was about domestic flights under six hours I was reading it as:
Most international flights
and
domestic flights over 6 hours.

That being said, the press release says that "certain" LatAm routes will be losing meals.

Until there are real details available it'll be hard to say definitively.

entropy

Are you serious? You can always grab a meal at the connection point or BoB, either way, its worth the $5-9 for the better seat.

Steph3n

BoB from Enzyte says hello, gimme your money I give you some food.

sbm12

The same way they always did. The meals at meailtimes wasn't enough to drive revenue to CO so why keep it up?

Steph3n

I have seen an increase in the amount of people bringing food onboard, probably not expecting anything, or simply not wanting what is offered as they know it.

I am sure they have been studying this, but I have seen the last few times I was in Y many many people refusing the food. I don't know that percentages are up, only attentive FAs and the catering crews with this duty and whom they report would know the real figures.

iahphx

Well, you can exit row on CO.

And not every connecting opportunity has good food options (price/quality/time).

And if you're travelling with your family, feeding the whole gang at an airport actually costs real money.

It's just another factor that potentially makes pax less likely to pick CO over other Star Alliance carriers.

CAGuyInNY

This doesn't really surprise me - I don't think the "free meals" policy was making a material difference in customers' choice of carrier, particularly since the "meals" in coach were more along the lines of slightly largish snacks, and generally mediocre at best.

I'll admit that I'm more likely to buy something in the terminal rather than on board, but I'll give the BOB offerings a try at some point.

As for accepting Continental Currency - I actually expect CO Currency to go away, now that the card readers are in place...doesn't make sense for CO to give the 6-for-5 drink offer any more. OTOH, they might keep it since I suspect a lot of the coupons wind up unused, either from being lost or misplaced until after they expire. I had some expire myself last year. In any case, I don't see the Currency being usable for BOB items unless the items happen to cost exactly the same amount as a beer or mixed drink.

cova

One reason for flying CO over UA is if you have a Chase Pres Plus MC. You get the 25% mileage bonus only on CO flights. Although E+ is a factor in UA's favor.

Agree on the issue of clearing all remaining F seats ahead - say the T-3 hours. Then if you go buy something and then get a battlefield you have two meals.

This should be a boom to the vendors at CO gate areas.