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
Jul 17, 2018, 3:22 pm
#601
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. Follow up after being surprised was 'May i have one, please'. She returned to the front galley to grab one and hand it over to me 
Jul 17, 2018, 10:30 pm
#603
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Jul 18, 2018, 12:02 am
#604
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Jul 18, 2018, 12:06 pm
#605
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Jul 18, 2018, 6:26 pm
#606
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Eh, that's really more of a myth that the airline industry has done a great job of propagating. When you include what air travelers actually have to spend to travel, (luggage fees, buying their own meals, often paying for a coach seat assignment with enough room to move, outrageous change fees, call center fees, etc) it's really not that different, especially if you comparing legacy airline fares today to that time (and not including ULCC).
Jul 19, 2018, 6:45 am
#608
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There were no free upgrades to first class in 1980. Giving away the front cabin for free was a development later on (and some would argue eventually led to devaluations of what it used to be, though that is up for debate).
Jul 19, 2018, 9:29 am
#609
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There were no FF programs until 1981, but some airlines did informally upgrade their known very frequent customers. Fir example, I know a guy who flew Swiss almost every week between Europe and Boston and was upgraded most of the time (when space was available).
Jul 21, 2018, 10:16 pm
#610
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Eh, that's really more of a myth that the airline industry has done a great job of propagating. When you include what air travelers actually have to spend to travel, (luggage fees, buying their own meals, often paying for a coach seat assignment with enough room to move, outrageous change fees, call center fees, etc) it's really not that different, especially if you comparing legacy airline fares today to that time (and not including ULCC).
In fact, coach fares in the 1970s + inflation are approximately equal to F fares (at least FCM fares) today. And the seats and service are similar, too.
Jul 22, 2018, 11:59 am
#611
Join Date: Nov 2011
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On PDX-NRT flight both Mrs. P and I pre-ordered Japanese meals. Advised FA, who noted there were a lot of diamonds on flight. She is PM and didn’t get the Japanese meal - they had run out when she got served. We were in 3A and 4A on a 7 row D1 configutpration.
We’ll send a complaint to DL when we return.
We’ll send a complaint to DL when we return.
In this situation I am positive that the FA is just making up an excuse for a logistical mistake. Mistakes certainly happen, but no reason for the FA to make a false statement or mislead.
From my experience on paid tickets in D1 as a DM I have not been given special treatment when pre-ordering was not offered. In fact on my last flight two of the four choices were gone by the time I ordered.
Jul 23, 2018, 7:25 pm
#612
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In the early 1970s, I paid $500 JFK-HNL-BOS. In 2002, I paid $500 JFK-HNL-JFK. There was a bit of inflation over that period.
In fact, coach fares in the 1970s + inflation are approximately equal to F fares (at least FCM fares) today. And the seats and service are similar, too.
In fact, coach fares in the 1970s + inflation are approximately equal to F fares (at least FCM fares) today. And the seats and service are similar, too.
Also, I did a search for a flight on random days in January 2019, JFK-HNL. The lowest coach fare is $950, or $850 for basic economy. Comfort +, which is much closer to the product that you flew in the 70's, is $1327. And you still have to pay extra to check luggage, plus huge fees for any changes. It's probably still a little cheaper to fly today, but it's not dramatically cheaper like some claim.
Jul 23, 2018, 9:00 pm
#613
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You mean you got a really low fare to Hawaii during one of the worst economic moments in airline history (2002)?. Please read my whole post to understand the point I was making. Yes, base fares have often not kept up with inflation, but overall cost of travel certainly has. Somehow the airlines are making record profits, and it's not just from cramming more seats in coach.
Also, I did a search for a flight on random days in January 2019, JFK-HNL. The lowest coach fare is $950, or $850 for basic economy. Comfort +, which is much closer to the product that you flew in the 70's, is $1327. And you still have to pay extra to check luggage, plus huge fees for any changes. It's probably still a little cheaper to fly today, but it's not dramatically cheaper like some claim.
Also, I did a search for a flight on random days in January 2019, JFK-HNL. The lowest coach fare is $950, or $850 for basic economy. Comfort +, which is much closer to the product that you flew in the 70's, is $1327. And you still have to pay extra to check luggage, plus huge fees for any changes. It's probably still a little cheaper to fly today, but it's not dramatically cheaper like some claim.
Jul 23, 2018, 9:24 pm
#614
Join Date: Jan 2010
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Not correct. United had a program that started in 1972 (the airline had already maintained customer data for decades at that point so the airline finally mined it), Texas International's program started in1979, and Western's started the following year.
American and multiple other airlines founded their respective programs in 1981 and 1982.
As a sidenote, Pan Am was late to the frequent flyer table with World Pass but the airline was widely recognized for the program's innovations, namely that hitting a specified threshold would give the member an actual 30-day World Pass supported by PAA's network. The initial enrollment solicitation mailing included a complimentary domestic round-trip ticket good for six months with no blackout dates or other conditions aside from enrolling in World Pass. The response rate on this mailing (to 80,000 people) was possibly a record for any DM piece, roughly 50%.
American and multiple other airlines founded their respective programs in 1981 and 1982.
As a sidenote, Pan Am was late to the frequent flyer table with World Pass but the airline was widely recognized for the program's innovations, namely that hitting a specified threshold would give the member an actual 30-day World Pass supported by PAA's network. The initial enrollment solicitation mailing included a complimentary domestic round-trip ticket good for six months with no blackout dates or other conditions aside from enrolling in World Pass. The response rate on this mailing (to 80,000 people) was possibly a record for any DM piece, roughly 50%.