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.

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.

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.

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! 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??? This is just ******* amazing!

-A