Sep 24, 2019, 9:23 am
Last edit by: michab
The following website seems to allow you to preview the menu options ahead of time: http://cloud.o.delta.com/fltInfo
The Delta App lets you pre-select meals 7 days prior to departure. You may or may not receive an email around the same time (it's inconsistent whether you even receive an email). On the "MY TRIPS" tab, any eligible trip in the list will have a SELECT YOUR ENTREE button; this also appears if you tap on a trip and are viewing the individual trip details. The app is able to handle selections for multiple passengers traveling on the same record (i.e. you will be able to make selections on behalf of traveling companions)
Sample screenshot:
PRE-COVID: If you don't get the email, or only one of multiple passengers receives the email*, you can ask a phone or Twitter/FB agent for the choices, and they can make your selection up until T-24h (not all agents are sharp about this, so you may need to explain that you want to pre-order a regular meal, *not* one of the special vegetarian/Kosher meals etc. HUCA as needed) Nowadays it is unclear if agents can even still do this (or if just the average phone/chat agent does not know how to do so anymore)
*If this happens, double check that you have an email address (for each passenger) in the reservation. (But this can happen at random anyway even if you do have an email address listed.)
The Delta App lets you pre-select meals 7 days prior to departure. You may or may not receive an email around the same time (it's inconsistent whether you even receive an email). On the "MY TRIPS" tab, any eligible trip in the list will have a SELECT YOUR ENTREE button; this also appears if you tap on a trip and are viewing the individual trip details. The app is able to handle selections for multiple passengers traveling on the same record (i.e. you will be able to make selections on behalf of traveling companions)
Sample screenshot:
PRE-COVID: If you don't get the email, or only one of multiple passengers receives the email*, you can ask a phone or Twitter/FB agent for the choices, and they can make your selection up until T-24h (not all agents are sharp about this, so you may need to explain that you want to pre-order a regular meal, *not* one of the special vegetarian/Kosher meals etc. HUCA as needed) Nowadays it is unclear if agents can even still do this (or if just the average phone/chat agent does not know how to do so anymore)
*If this happens, double check that you have an email address (for each passenger) in the reservation. (But this can happen at random anyway even if you do have an email address listed.)
Pre-ordering Meals on Delta, the Definitive Thread
Oct 24, 2016, 6:46 am
#242
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Oct 25, 2016, 9:26 am
#244
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: ZRH / SEA, DL PM
Posts: 1,166
The whole idea is a lame excuse for not loading enough meals for paid pax. Just let the paid F/D1 have their first choice and upgrades / nonrev last.
I fly a mix of upgrades and paid and every time I am on a paid ticket in D1 and not getting my meal choice I think about flying other airlines (not that meal choice is so important but there is choice of airlines who would love to get my paid C revenue and have better food/seat/service). When I am on upgrade, I am happy with upgrade do not care that much.
I fly a mix of upgrades and paid and every time I am on a paid ticket in D1 and not getting my meal choice I think about flying other airlines (not that meal choice is so important but there is choice of airlines who would love to get my paid C revenue and have better food/seat/service). When I am on upgrade, I am happy with upgrade do not care that much.
Oct 25, 2016, 9:45 am
#245
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
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How do you know that the cabin is not full of many other people who paid to be there? Again, a pre-selection program would solve this problem.
Oct 25, 2016, 10:33 am
#246
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: SFO
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Well 50% of FC, the first six who ordered, got the Short Ribs, and the other 50% got the Pasta, which seems like a fair balance of choice to me, albeit not for passengers seven thru twelve! On my recent A319 flight from GCM>ATL, I was seated in 2A, and after 1A/1B/1C/and 1D had ordered the Shrimp Salad, all that was left for 2A/2B/2C/2D/3A/3B/3C/and 3D was Chicken Pasta, which was actually quite good! So 33% had the Shrimp Salad and 66% the Chicken Pasta as that's the ratio of what was available. What I don't know is whether the same two choices were offered on the ATL>GCM sector, thus the possibility that the ratio of choice was lopsided on the return leg!
Last edited by audidudi; Oct 25, 2016 at 10:45 am
Oct 25, 2016, 10:43 am
#247
Join Date: Apr 2012
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^ AA has offered this service for a number of years now and when I do fly with them its nice to be fore-warned that the choice is between the dreaded 'steak' with 'lobster' mac'n'cheese or the ravioli or something else equally offensive. At least with this information, if I'm hungry, I can try to run into the AC/UC/SC and grab a quick bite or something in the terminal and then settle in for my liquid dinner onboard. DL really ought to consider offering this service option sooner rather than later.
Oct 25, 2016, 10:44 am
#248
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: ZRH / SEA, DL PM
Posts: 1,166
Pre-selection is better than what you are describing for most, and for gate upgrades, will be exactly what you are describing.
How do you know that the cabin is not full of many other people who paid to be there? Again, a pre-selection program would solve this problem.
How do you know that the cabin is not full of many other people who paid to be there? Again, a pre-selection program would solve this problem.
I do not want to think about one extra step I need to do before flight. And if forgetting to pre-select would translate to even less choices inboard, it would be worried and look for other flights.
Trust me, its easier just to book SEA-NRT on NH instead of DL and have overall much better experience, not just the meal choice.
Last edited by AntonS; Oct 25, 2016 at 10:53 am
Oct 25, 2016, 10:58 am
#249
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
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I do not think many people will bother with pre-selection, mostly Flyertalkers and people with lots of free time.
I do not want to think about one extra step I need to do before flight. And if forgetting to pre-select would translate to even less choices inboard, it would be worried and look for other flights.
Trust me, its easier just to book SEA-NRT on NH instead of DL and have overall much better experience, not just the meal choice.
I do not want to think about one extra step I need to do before flight. And if forgetting to pre-select would translate to even less choices inboard, it would be worried and look for other flights.
Trust me, its easier just to book SEA-NRT on NH instead of DL and have overall much better experience, not just the meal choice.
And comparing DL with NH...
Oct 25, 2016, 11:10 am
#250
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: ZRH / SEA, DL PM
Posts: 1,166
This thread, and the AA thread on the pre-select orders being acknowledged, would beg to differ. I don't think these threads are atypical or an improper sampling because when booking on the AA site, the meal selection is just one extra screen to click through when making the reservation.
Selecting a meal at time of booking is silly from my point of view, especially if booking in advance. Do I want tea of coffee in 3 weeks for breakfast? I do not know, do not want to think about it and do not want to spend time thinking about it. When I book ticket, the seat selection is important and booking accodomation / making other arrangement is next step. Meal selection? Hell no. It only becomes somewhat important when I get on the plane and can relax after packing, finishing up work, often getting up early etc. Good thing if I had time to work through the quirks of often dysfunctional international online checkin if my itinerary involved multiple airlines. Meal choice? It can wait.
Oct 25, 2016, 11:17 am
#251
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,414
This is pretty ridiculous and if you really can't be bothered to click a few buttons online, I hope you choose other airlines.
Oct 25, 2016, 11:28 am
#252
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
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^ Pre-select is an option that can and should be offered to improve the travel experience. Whether the passenger elects to take advantage of it, is entirely up to them. I fail to see how choice is a bad thing in this context; fully acknowledging of course the inconvenience of a few click throughs...
Oct 25, 2016, 11:41 am
#253
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Selecting a meal at time of booking is silly from my point of view, especially if booking in advance. Do I want tea of coffee in 3 weeks for breakfast? I do not know, do not want to think about it and do not want to spend time thinking about it. When I book ticket, the seat selection is important and booking accodomation / making other arrangement is next step. Meal selection? Hell no. It only becomes somewhat important when I get on the plane and can relax after packing, finishing up work, often getting up early etc. Good thing if I had time to work through the quirks of often dysfunctional international online checkin if my itinerary involved multiple airlines. Meal choice? It can wait.
Oct 25, 2016, 4:04 pm
#254
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,885
I suspect many people in paid C book through corporate travel. I myself book on Expedia or corporate, rarely on delta.com.
Selecting a meal at time of booking is silly from my point of view, especially if booking in advance. Do I want tea of coffee in 3 weeks for breakfast? I do not know, do not want to think about it and do not want to spend time thinking about it. When I book ticket, the seat selection is important and booking accodomation / making other arrangement is next step. Meal selection? Hell no. It only becomes somewhat important when I get on the plane and can relax after packing, finishing up work, often getting up early etc. Good thing if I had time to work through the quirks of often dysfunctional international online checkin if my itinerary involved multiple airlines. Meal choice? It can wait.
Selecting a meal at time of booking is silly from my point of view, especially if booking in advance. Do I want tea of coffee in 3 weeks for breakfast? I do not know, do not want to think about it and do not want to spend time thinking about it. When I book ticket, the seat selection is important and booking accodomation / making other arrangement is next step. Meal selection? Hell no. It only becomes somewhat important when I get on the plane and can relax after packing, finishing up work, often getting up early etc. Good thing if I had time to work through the quirks of often dysfunctional international online checkin if my itinerary involved multiple airlines. Meal choice? It can wait.
If this individual hasn't shown up in the DYKWIA forum yet, we definitely have found a future member. I think the pre-selecting meal choice is an excellent idea and hope it is implemented soon. I have never not had my preferred meal choice, but certainly eliminates the risk. More importantly it eliminates the guessing game. My next flight is an odd numbered flight about 1100 miles and I am in F, but its in one of the exception times where no meal is served, but I am in one of the exception markets where a meal might be served. Should I eat lunch beforehand or snack? Also eliminates the FEBO nonsense. Should I pick a seat in front or back and are they really going to do BO on the odd numbered flights? My guess is no meal thus FEBO doesn't matter so I picked row 1.
Oct 25, 2016, 7:39 pm
#255
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: ZRH / SEA, DL PM
Posts: 1,166
If this individual hasn't shown up in the DYKWIA forum yet, we definitely have found a future member. I think the pre-selecting meal choice is an excellent idea and hope it is implemented soon. I have never not had my preferred meal choice, but certainly eliminates the risk. More importantly it eliminates the guessing game. My next flight is an odd numbered flight about 1100 miles and I am in F, but its in one of the exception times where no meal is served, but I am in one of the exception markets where a meal might be served. Should I eat lunch beforehand or snack? Also eliminates the FEBO nonsense. Should I pick a seat in front or back and are they really going to do BO on the odd numbered flights? My guess is no meal thus FEBO doesn't matter so I picked row 1.
Explaining people that they need to pre-book because there is not enough choices for everyone is a bad marketing message. Think of a restaurant which asks you to make choice 24 hours in advance. Unless it's a very special menu item, it sends a bad message and it's perfectly OK to run out of some items as long as it does not happen very often. Same with airlines: for special meals or items in book the cook menu (on SQ) it's perfectly OK to require advance selection. For everything else a-la-carte, just load a few more meals.