rhiannonwales

Yes, i remember 20 years ago smoking on planes.It always used to give the FA's a moments pause, since i was 16, lol.

micfly

I remember being in coach on DL ATL-PHL on a L1011 in 1990, packed to the ceiling and they served a lasagne dinner complete w/ salad, roll and cake for dessert! They were running trays back to the galley on final w/ wheels down and locked

senatorgirth

See: http://www.airlinemeals.net/

If you've ever flown on a transatlantic of transpacific flight today you know that in Y the flight will include at least one hot meal with an entree, small salad/appetizer, roll or bread, and small desert. This is basically what airlines served on most domestic flights over 1.5 hours 20+ years ago. It was usually served on plates with stainless flatware (i.e. not a bunch of plastic). In First Class, the food was (naturally) fancier and often included some kind of elaborate preparation or presentation. Jokes about bad airline food were (and still are) one of the biggest cliches around, but in fact the food was usually pretty edible.

dlen111

HILARIOUS!!

i remember a couple things about my early flying. fll-iah-lax-hnl, we had the CO pancake and sausage breakfast (in Y) on all three flights in a row.

in 1996 I smoked on a AA 767 from LON. I was 18. i think AA was the last big US carrier to go smoke free.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

I don't fly CO but saw this thread headline. Interestingly, I was channel surfing a few weeks ago and C Span had the CEO of CO as a guest. He was asked the same question. Basically, CO cut its ad budget to still afford meals with the belief that "word of mouth" advertising would more than make up for the loss of media ads. Now will this continue to work with oil over $100 is maybe another question.

CosmosHuman

I learned this from a co-worker. Order a "special meal", such as Kosher. Works for me. The meal is good and very fresh.

She orders this meal at workshops, and even though it may cost her a little bit extra it is worth every penny.

2 weeks ago we were at a seminar and her meal was 5 star, no kidding. I had the regular chicken and it was horrible.

The Kosher meals on an airline are good as well, as my parents order them on long flights. (only when they fly in coach, as BF and F meals are still better). Go figure.

This is IMHO only.

Anglo Large Clawed Otter

Can't claim credit for the term. AFAIK, doobierw coined it.

Bonehead

I was riding the IAH rental-car bus a couple of weeks ago, and a group of five guys who had just arrived from Boston was sitting near me.

One guy said "I can't believe they gave us food", and another replied 'yea, I can't remember the last time that an airline fed me".

Who knows...those guys could choose CO the next time because of that one experience.

rkkwan

Twenty years ago, I mostly fly intra-Asia flights. And some longhauls to Europe/America from there. In Y, of course, and food service is pretty much the same across the Asian airlines - from Cathay to Singapore to Thai to JAL.

- Towel and menu
- Beverage Service
- Meal includes hot dish, roll, salad, fruits, desert & chocolate. Not salad or fruits, but salad AND fruits. Metal silverwares, but dishes are still plastic. On the tray will be a plastic coffee/tea cup, but inside is another sealed plastic container of water (or occasionally orange juice).
- Closely following the FA who serves the main tray will be a senior purser with red/white wine
- The purser may come by again with red/white wine
- Coffee and tea a little bit later (in later years for HKG routes, they added Chinese tea)
- Another round of coffee/tea; and liqueur.

Anglo Large Clawed Otter

Undoubtedly the 70's/Early 80's (before Deregulation really did its dirty work) were the Golden Age of Jet Travel...in coach. More pitch, wider seats, thicker padding, all armrests (including aisle armrests) movable, more and better meals, free booze, unique and varied fleets.

However, premium cabins (especially long-haul) weren't much to look at, when compared to today's products. I'm just glad to be accruing miles and flying in the modern Golden Age of premium-cabin travel.

I'll keep telling myself that as I try to snag some sleep tonight on a CO 764 in coach

cova

Plus providing domestic food helps balance the Chelsea work load through out the day. Little prep time for the coach sandwich but the trays have to be loaded in the carts, etc. So those that do that for the evening international flights, can do the domestic in the am. The food is easy to hold in the cart for a longer time for domestic coach.

AMF in NJ

For the most part that how it was for me on KLM last June in Y.

Anglo Large Clawed Otter

On a short-haul intra-Europe flight?

AMF in NJ

Oh no, not at all. I misread the comment. I though it was about the trips between Asia and NA/Europe. Carry on.

CAL PHL FLYER

I agree correction..at what point does it become unrealistic to serve free food?..What price does fuel have to be at before you fianlly have to say,we cant afford the free food anymore?..@:-)