EXACTLY ^

In fact I just booked a FC transcon flight on AA instead of Delta and that is one of the main selling points. American has had the pre-order meal system now for I think two years now and it works great. I personally really appreciate being able to not only choose my selection but also knowing what I am going to be eating.

By the way, as someone with no status and who is in First with a paid for FC ticket, I find it immensely annoying to be passed over first for someone with status with a free upgrade.

Except many people on DL with status now pay for first like me because it is very cheap (relatively speaking). I am not sure how you would know if someone paid or was upgraded but the numbers for paid FC are much higher than in years past.

F airline food - - FEBO Amsterdam - - Same same. . . . . except in Amsterdam, your selection is alwayz available! ;)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yJgOQaS-ix...management.jpg

Just a couple of weeks ago it happened and the FA stopped at several seat before starting in the front and working back. I got first pick and felt the gesture was a good one. Mine was a choice of hot breakfast or cereal.

How you look at this is generally based on whether you are a Diamond or not.

When I was a DM, I was impressed with this gesture. As a GM that was always fortunate when I got to sit up front, I understood.

I have found that the best kind of recognition goes something like this--a few years ago, I was on a BWI-SLC sector that used a 757 (sadly they have gone to A320s on this route). On this particular trip, we were supposed to have one of the NW 5500 series 22 F seat planes; we ended up with a PMDL 24 seat F. Gate Gourmet only catered 22 F meals. I was sitting in row 1, and the FA came up to me and asked what I wanted for dinner; I didn't like what was on offer (they only had one entree choice), so I said I'll just drink my dinner and eat from the snack basket. The FA was thrilled, because they now had meals for every other F seat. The FA made sure my glass was never less than half-empty all the way to Utah.

This sort of thing makes me scratch my head. Delta is trying to fill the first class cabin with paid F passengers yet they take the meal order by status? That is just wrong. Anyone who paid for F should get first choice over upgrades.

So, has it been determined yet, whether or not the FA manifest differentiates between paid F pax and Medallion UGs? . . . . . But then, shouldn't mileage or cert UGs be, perhaps, above free UGs, but below paid F?

I can see this getting convoluted.

Thank goodness for SPMLs! I always put one in when booked into F or UG'd in advance. (For an UG at the gate I just assume I won't like either option.)

Coach special meals prevent people from getting OPUPs but shouldn't affect free elite upgrades at the gate or upgrades with SWUs/GUCs/RUCs at the gate.

But I did and always do pay for F ? She did not mention that but did mention the MM status.

Ok good, but paid F is paid F. The only priority for paid F should be FEBO. After that the choices should go to Medallion upgrades and then NRSA.

That was the policy when I was GS, but it was very inconsistent. On a flight from either DEN or SFO to BWI (can't remember) I was in the last row of F on a 757 in A and John Waters was in the other window seat of the same row. The FA took my order first and then went to Mr. Waters for his selection. He threw a mild fit, asking why she took "that guy's" order first, not his. The FA said "because he is GS and on a paid F ticket," and walked away to continue taking orders. He muttered about it for a good 10 minutes and at one point said loud enough for anyone to hear "Well I'M GS... I think. Or I SHOULD be..." :rolleyes:

About the only thing I miss from my days with AA is the pre-order meals. Before that system was in place, they were strictly FEBO. The only time being a CK got me better service was on an ERJ 145 from MEM to ORD. I was in the A side exit row and the FA walked straight to my seat, asked what I wanted, delivered my order with a cup full of almonds (unprompted) and then starts cart service with 1A. It actually made me a little uncomfortable with all the EXPs giving me the "who the heck is that jerk" stare.

So in other words to beat the system -
One has to determine what the random meal distribution is going to be on any
given day and factor in the equipment and toss the rules manual if there
is going to be a blue moon in that month !

But really in this day and age of computers should not be too much of a
hassle to manifest those folk riding in the front cabin based on status; fare
paid; upgraded and nrsa standby.
Judging that flights with meals are going to be at somewhere near 3 hours -
that is an awful lot of time to filter the manifest so that the meals (choice if any)
are first offered to the customer who paid full fare; then to those that
paid a lesser fare (Y) but were upgraded; then the DM PM GM etc. who
get a status upgrade and what is left goes to whoever is left in the cabin.

If the computer can work a standby/upgrade list at the gate just simply
print the darn thing out and give it the FA working F/B with the meal
pecking order and be done with it.
Often times when FC has not been provisioned correctly I have noted the
FAs will rob the meals for purchase in the back cabin and comp them !
Better something than nothing.

IME many FAs are more impressed with MM status than DM.

Also, AFAIK DL doesn't want FAs to know fare class (from the manifest) or whether an elite was upgraded into the premium cabin so as prevent FAs from giving various types of service to different revenue passengers (including award tickets). However, nonrevs are clearly identified to FAs and are supposed to get last choice on meals (or no meal if there was a catering error). Similarly, nonrevs aren't supposed to request drink refills that aren't offered by the FA and they shouldn't, for example, request that an additional bottle of champagne be opened just for them, etc.

The manifest does show FF status and some FAs and pursers make sure that top tier elites get their preferred meals. Ideally this is done discretely and I really appreciate this when it happens. It doesn't require jumping around the cabin, just asking some passengers for their second and even third choices (this seems to be how it's supposed to be done with nonrevs) and then reconciling the numbers in the galley before meal service.