BOB Program Extended to Hawaii?
 

If it is, I'm pissed... (and sorry if this had been posted before)

The last time I checked my itin for June for my SFO-HNL flight, it said Lunch. Now it's Meal for Sale.

What gives? I thought Hawai'i routes would be the only domestic flights with free food?

Flight: NW 85
Departs: San Francisco-Int'l, CA (SFO) at 3:00PM
Arrives: Honolulu-Int'l, HI (HNL) at 5:26PM
Class of Service: Economy Class (L) Seat: WF
Flight Duration: 5 hours 26 minutes Miles: 2397
Meal Service: Meal for sale Aircraft: Boeing 757-300
Note: Flight Status posted day before departure

I feel your pain. The recent thread about lost meals from FC from BOS generated 5 pages of responses. The real question is will your spam bento box still be fresh after spending time in San Francisco, or is a last minute jaunt to Chinatown now a neccessity for SFO HNL flights?

My itn for March still shows a meal.

Date: March 10 Flight: NW 85
Departs: San Francisco-Int'l, CA (SFO) at 3:10PM
Arrives: Honolulu-Int'l, HI (HNL) at 6:43PM
Class of Service: Economy Class (K) Seat: 14-B
Flight Duration: 5 hours 33 minutes Miles: 2397
Meal Service: Dinner Aircraft: Boeing 757-300

I'm flying to PDX in March and that still shows as Snack. I did a search of NW's schedule in June and found all West Coast flights showing Meal for Purchase. :(

Whats the BOB program?

BOB=Buy on Board (meals). Instead of free meals, you pay $ for meals prepared by outside vendors.

http://www.nwa.com/services/onboard/special/meals.html

THough this sucks, given the decreasing revenue over the past year despite cost-cutting, I can't blame NW for cutting out as much as they can, because they need to. Especially since they can't raise fares as they need to match costs.

I assume FC service will be maintained.

Sad, but true...
 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showp...71&postcount=3

Still nothing official has been published at NWA, but a quick search of schedules reveals that BOB is indeed slated to arrive on West Coast to/from Hawaii flights as well as "Sun City" flights effective March 15 '05, and remaining Hub to/from West Coast flights on March 01 '05.

I assume details will be forthcoming...

honestly though, the on-board food in coach was pretty nasty when I flew to HNL recently.

same with a trip to SEA a few months ago - the onboard food was nasty (atkins - ICK!) and I only ate the baby carrots.

I'd rather spend $10 for an edible BOB meal!

With all these cost reductions by NW, I am really wondering what seperates them from a LCC. Excluding the 16 people who may get to sit in first class (if it exists), the only difference I can see is seat reservations. All these changes make US airlines look really pathetic, there is clearly something worng with the business model and management.

OK, I am sympathetic....

But

(1) Airline food sucks. I would rather sleep or bring my own food or even drink. I am a Coke guy, don't like Pepsi anyway.

(2) What happened to your Hawaii resident bonus FC upgrade coupons? NW should serve food in FC :)

We all share your feeling, but current economy of the industry is very prohibitive. It may not be unrealistic to see buy on board extended to even beverages this decade......it's already happening in Europe..... at least we still have first class......

Jiburi

Of course I understand the economics behind it--it's just a change that I will never like. I think I was one of the few who actually enjoyed eating airline food, most likely because I don't have taste buds. ;)

aloha

I just got a schedule change and it show meal available for purchase and I am in First:
MON 03APR
04APR Leave KAHULUI
Arrive SEATTLE INTL APT
Meal available for purchase on this flight 720P
537A NW 0094R OK
1 STOPS 01B,01C 753

MON 04APR
Leave SEATTLE INTL APT
Arrive DETROIT
Meal available for purchase on this flight 855A
413P NW 0210R OK
0 STOPS 02B,02C 755


My guess is this is a mistake.

You Gotta Love It...
 

I would use this "change" as leverage for Inventory Control to upgrade you to FC so you can enjoy the meal you were promised. At the very least, they should comp you the meal. G*d... I can't believe how "cheap" the airlines are getting. :mad:

Not that this concerns us (yet), but you have to love the news that came out this week about American Airlines cutting pillows on flights starting next week to save 300K annually. This is just poetic! :rolleyes: Do you remember three years ago, when AA spent MILLIONS ($$$$$$$$$) on their advertisement blitz about increasing leg room on their flights? And so... NOW... a three years later... AA Senior Management has decided to "pinch pennies" by eliminating pillows??? :confused: This is just ******* amazing! :mad:

-A

That’s the truth, Tabasco sauce ruined me. Since being introduced to this fine culinary accompaniment at 17 in the Army, I have most likely burnt out what few taste buds I had in the first place years ago. To this day I carry a bottle of Tabasco sauce in my lap top bag.

I personally have never bought a BOB instead always opting for as Subway or something. I did have a lady last year who was also sitting in F give me hell for “smelling up the whole damn plane” with the B-Q sandwich I bought in MEM. Apparently she was a vegetarian and related to any one who would listen that the smell of cooked meat made here nauseous. So now I stick to the non-odorous meats. :D

If we were only willing to pay $20 more roundtrip, the airlines would break even for the year. If we were only willing to pay $30 more roundtrip, we could have a free meal at "mealtime" (as Gordo of CO affectionately says) and the airlines would break even. Oh well, wishful thinking... ;)

Mrs Hazmike & I are headed to HNL via SFO from MEM tomorrow. I'll let you know about meals, etc. I'm not bringing my laptop, but I'll be back next Thurs & will post then.

Lord knows how taboo it is to even suggest a bashing here (gawd forbid we run off any more NWA employees who post here), but if they want me to BOB AFTER I bought two FC tickets? Someone in Eagan, MN is smoking the drapes...

Mike

LMAO! Use BOB as leverage to get upgraded to F, now that's a good one!

When you buy a ticket to HI (or anywhere else), you're promised transportation to your destination, nothing else.

I agree management could do better. But I think it has a lot more to do with the Unions pay checks.

I don't know all the facts but I would wager a guess that the LCC pay less per hour per employee for a hourly people. I could be wrong but if NW would be able to cut 20-25% of pay off the top. I think they (NWA Corp, not the employees) would be a lot better off.

:D Yea, no more "play nice stickys".

Right BRIANS51... again, it's all the employees fault. Perhaps if NWA and the rest of the airlines would stop walmarting the industry, they could make money. Then, they could offer the amenities people want. But until the masses are willing to pay for the ammenities this kind of stuff will continue to happen. People vote with their pocket books. THe airlines need to raise prices and actually charge enough to cover their costs, like every other business in this country. But as long as airline are offering $84 one way tickets coast to coast and people complain about "high" tickets prices, it's not going to happen.

AZJ

That's the one reason I'm not a big fan of BOB. One man's aroma could be another man's odour. It turns out that I'm not a big fan of the smell of grilled onions in a closed space either-- a realization that dawned on my last flight, a transcon, on DL.

$84!!! $84!!! I'll pay that only if they throw in a free upgrade and double miles. Oh, they will? Never miiiiiiiiind. See you on board. :D

I hear ya, I HATE cheap perfume and cigarette smoke permeated cloths.
Grilled onions would become a bit tedious after the first 30 min.
That’s why some times you just have to go with the flow…. :D

I'm hoping this is a mistake??? :confused:

NWA to Standardize Domestic Coach Meal Service with smartsnacks

Northwest will standardize its domestic and sun destination coach class meal services beginning March 1 and continuing in phases through the beginning of April.

The program revisions include the introduction of smartsnacks -- a $3 snack box and a $5 fresh sandwich, both of which will be changed on a regular basis. The smartsnacks snack box will contain popular, brand name non-perishable items such as chips, crackers, cheese, cookies and raisins. The smartsnacks fresh sandwiches will include vegetarian, deli meat or breakfast choices and will be available on longer flights.

On March 1, the snack box will replace complimentary meals in coach class on flights to the West Coast from Northwest's hubs and from Milwaukee and Indianapolis. Also at that time, on the more than 220 domestic flights where Northwest currently has meals for sale, the snack box will be available for purchase.

On March 15, complimentary meals in coach will be discontinued on flights from the West Coast to Hawaii. Complimentary meals also will be discontinued on March 15 on flights from the hubs to Alaska and sun destinations (San Juan, Puerto Rico and Liberia, Costa Rica). On these flights, the snack box as well as the sandwich will be available. Both the snack box and the sandwich will be for sale throughout the flight should customers wish to purchase more of either product.

On April 4, the snack box and sandwich will be available in place of complimentary meals in coach class on flights from Northwest's hubs to Hawaii. Both items will be for sale throughout the flight.

Some 450 flights will offer smartsnacks when the program begins on March 1 and the new food options will be available on 480 Northwest flights by April 4.

"We have learned a great deal about customer preferences over the past two years while we ran our current buy-on-board test program," said Hector Adler, VP-inflight services. "Customers have told us they want more choice, control, convenience and consistency when it comes to onboard meal services. These changes deliver on all of these points. :eek:

"In addition, due to the current competitive airline environment, Northwest must focus on its primary business: providing safe, reliable and efficient air transportation by offering competitive ticket prices and flexible and comprehensive scheduling. We know customers make their air transportation decisions based on these considerations and not on food services," Adler added.

Meals remain complimentary in first class and World Business Class for all Northwest flights of at least two hours duration that occur at mealtimes. Meals also remain complimentary in coach class on flights to/from Europe and Asia. (for now ) :D

Both of these meal options are revenue positive for Northwest. I believe that they opted for the "non-perishable" smartsnacks because it can supply each flights with sufficient snack for everyone without having to throw them away after each flight. As for the $5 fresh sandwich option, I think this is a money losing option for Northwest, but Northwest is opting for this option instead of forking out free food for everyone..... And when the "fresh sandwich option" is sold out, then they can continue to offer smartsnacks to the remaining customers.

The only thing not clear is how passengers are allowed to pay for these. While cash is likely one of the option, will they take the credit card on board, or will we need to pre-purchase upon e-check-in?

Now, I think it would be wise for Northwest to start investing on a inflight vending machine so that customer can purchase them at any time.

Jiburi

Hey, at least be glad you've got the option of buying something on board that you can eat. For anyone who needs something different for medical reasons, they are absolutely, totally, 100% S.O.L. And that goes double for trying to buy something in an airport.

I've been a regular NW flyer for 20+ years, but my next trip to AMS will be via London on BA or Virgin - just because they still offer medical (gluten-free) meals on transatlantic flights. NW/KLM tells me ALL medical meals are history on their flights.

Like chicken? :D