rkkwan

Well, to be fair, they couldn't get all that in for HKG-TPE, but anything further, yes.

It could be tough. A few years ago, I rode CX's 744 HKG-NRT with a 100+ MPH tailwind. I needed to buy something from duty free, and they just didn't have time to finish the transaction. I had to wait until we were on the ground and everybody gotten off the plane before I could get my CX teddy bear. (Okay, I have a fetish for furry things...)

ssullivan

I remember once being served a coach "snack" basket on AA in the mid-1980s on a 727-100 on IAH-DFW. It was similar to today's CO "turkey puck" meal -- a cold sandwich, bag of chips, and a cookie, and soft drink. The entire plane was served this light lunch (I'm sure F got something much nicer) on a flight that was in the air probably 40 minutes.

A lot of the reduction in domestic Y meal service at legacy carriers has happened in the last 10 years, especially on routes of about 800 miles or more. I remember being served a hot lasagna entr�e for lunch with a fresh green salad and small brownie on a lunch IAH-PHL flight on US in October 1998. The utensils and cups were disposable, but the trays were not. And I had a very nice chef salad, roll, and cake lunch on a DL 767 flying ATL-BOS in late 2000. It was still a reduction from what DL would have served on that flight in the 1980s, or even early/mid 1990s, but a ton more than what DL serves today even in F on most domestic flights.

rhiannonwales

I guess it all depends on the amount of revenue it provides. It all depends on the perspective youre viewing it from. As a regular traveler, we see it from the perspective, of "if it makes tickets cheaper, get rid of free food and i'll bring my own, IF I"M NOT UPGRADED FOR FREE" Since we are always on the lookout for upgrades/discounts/milage runs we present a less profit per ticket scenario. However, the leisure traveler, who has no idea what half of those things are, is likely to pay a higher price in general plus may be motivated to buy a CO ticket instead of AA even if its a little more, becaues they feel that they would be getting more value for thier $. That presents a higher profit per ticket to them. When it reaches the point that that changes, then and onl then will they consider getting rid of it. My 2 cents anyway.

rkkwan

I'd be happy now just to get some honey roasted peanuts...

dlen111

I really think it costs CO next to nothing (fuel consumption related to weight). CO owns chelsea catering. most CO flights are catered at the hub for the outbound and return, so they require little out station catering.

chelsea is a profitable entity for CO as they cater other carriers as well.

I would bet that chelsea charges CO very little for the services and products it provides CO.

HeathrowGuy

You're only looking at one set of costs. CO owns Chelsea, and there would be costs associated with CO discontinuing complimentary meal service.

Olton Hall

I remember my first ever snack (between meals flight) It was a very nice sea food salad filled pita.

When HP first started flying to EWR, they offered hot towels in coach along with free alcholic drinks, and Wall Street Journal and USA Today at the gates too.

iiwii

As others have stated Chelsea is profitable for CO ~

Chelsea Food Services in Denver (DEN) expanded its catering services for Delta Air Lines (DL) effective April 1, servicing ten additional flights to New York JFK, Atlanta (ATL) and Cincinnati (CVG).

ssullivan

Yep. And I didn't even get that much on my DAL-IAH COEX flight a week ago, since the flight attendant decided that the flight was too short for a drink service.

Yet it was no problem on last night's DAL-HOU run on WN for 3 flight attendants to serve drinks and peanuts to a fully loaded 733 (137 passengers).

climbermom

I remember flying Eastern Airlines (I think it was Eastern) to Florida back in the late 70s. You could upgrade to F at the gate for $20. And in F, they asked you what you were hungry for -- I usually got a hamburger or a piece of carrot cake. And -- better still -- they would hand you all the little bottles of whatever alcoholic beverage you were drinking to take with you if you didn't finish the allotment on the plane.

formeraa

Heck, AA used to serve hot meals between DFW and MEM in the 90's. It was interesting to see the 3 FA's FLY down the aisle on a full MD-80 with a hot breakfast service (which included an omelette, potatoes, muffin, and a few slices of melon). The flight was typically 55 minutes long.

By the way, true downsizing of meals started first in the late 80's with snacks being discontinued in Y on shorter flights, then a signficant downsizing in the early 90's (losses related from Gulf War I), and then again in the mid 90's. Oddly, meals and snacks in Y made a comeback in the 1998-2001 .com boom -- only to be axed after 9/11.

Scott6067

I recall back in 1985 getting a full meal. It was really good and I remember a great cheese soup that I got on the flight. I dont however recall which airline I was flying. Can anyone help me fiqure out which airline it was.

rhiannonwales

The only airline i ever remember getting soup in coach was Delta.

kbelyeu

This is a little off topic but I would be willing to pay extra bucks for a decent meal on the flight.

Just give me a menu before departure or at booking and let me pick some stuff off and add it to the ticket price.

cova

The CO meal domestic meal service is minimal but nice and good in FC. But take Qantas for example - on domestic flights they serve a full meal in coach, even on a 55 minute flight from SYD-MEL. In BC - the meal on that 55 minute flight is a much more complete meal than CO serves on its 3 hour flights in F. And QF is profitable and the cost of a domestic ticket is reasonable - about the same as here. In some countries a meal is expected even on short flights.