CO continues to make NW look better w/ new Int'l drink prices
 

$4 charge for alcoholic beverages goes into effect on CO int'l flights on 7/1.

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http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020520/dam035_1.html

All revenue from the liquor charges will be reinvested to help offset significantly increased costs of the enhanced meal service.

"This reallocation of our investment in our inflight product benefits every customer, rather than the few who enjoy complimentary liquor," said Eric Kleiman, director of product marketing.

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All revenue? Significantly enhanced? Give me a break.... I can't see NW following this unless they can get KL to implement it as well. And I just don't see that happening....

is/was liquor free in coach on Continental and Northwest international flights? They pass out individual bottles of wine-flavored gargle with dinner, but I've never seen a maw and paw enjoying a Cointreau or Hennessey cocktail for free.

I thought all US airlines (and most airlines in general) served free alcohol on transoceanic flights, even in coach ...

I know beer wasn't free on NW, at least last december going from dtw to fra.

Wasn't even necessarily transoceanic. My flights to Mexico City in coach last year included free alcohol!

Yep, beer/wine/liquor is free in Y on all NW trans oceanic flights. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

CO, even with the charge, still beats NW hands down with PTVs and better IFE in in general, and kinder, gentler FAs on the int'l flights.

Edited to add food---the food is much more edible on CO flights too. And when the flight is at least 7 hours, it's not like we can just eat at the airport beforehand...


[This message has been edited by the-ca-goat (edited 05-21-2002).]

Keep in mind that NW/KLM does a pretty crappy job with transatlantic Y meal service. It is my understanding that, on some TA flights, NW only a serves a bagel or croissant in Y prior to landing. Period. No dinner, no arrival breakfast, just a bagel or croissant before you land. I'd MUCH rather have good food over liquor and no meals at all...

Transoceanic flights on NW serve the full beverage cart complimentary in coach. I think that it just isn't well known or publicized, especially to an infrequent flyer. Only once or twice have I heard an FA offer an after-dinner liqueur, but if you listen closely, you can often hear those little Martells clinking together in their pockets during the coffee service.


[This message has been edited by tartetatin2 (edited 05-21-2002).]

oops

[This message has been edited by the-ca-goat (edited 05-21-2002).]

On TA flights, NW does serve a "meal" in Y class. NOT just a bagel before landing!

And NW liquor is free in Y class on international flights.

I know why you say "meal" http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

There's always food, but it ain't anything to write to FT about.

Let's get back to the subject;

This CO move will not last in my opinion.

You have no idea how cheap bulk tax-free beers cans are (US$ 0.30)!
If you ask less then US$ 4 for the drink, the whole infrastucture required for payment, accounting etc. will actually automatically lead to a loss!
CO is not BI, alcohol should be available on long haul services.
NW can never follow such a move becuase Europeans will not except it (so KL cannot follow). Neither the Japanese for that matter.
If words gets around quickly, then CO stands to lose many customers.
I was just considering a routing from Asia, but now CO is out!
Maybe the management of CO needs to follow a 'cost and purchasing' course, look at all your cost and then put them in order.
Where do you find alcoholic beverages?
All the way on the bottom.

DO READERS OF THIS FORUM KNOW THAT A TAX-FREE BEER CAN IS CHEAPER THEN A TAX-FREE COKE?

Yes, boycot CO untill they get back to normal behavior.

Miles4all -

Thanks for the info...

Since you are from Asia, you probably are high on the list of people CO would like to attract. Do us all a favor, would you? After you purchase your next transpacific ticket, would you you fax a copy of it, and a letter to CO, and tell them that you SPECIFICALLY didn't fly CO because of the new policy?

might it have something to do with CO trying to discourage its customers to imbibe too much on a long haul flight and thus trying to prevent any disrupttions to the flight ?
Maybe charging 4 bucks will prevent people from getting ripped and CO having to deal with the consequences. I really don't think they are charging to offset the upgrade in meals and entertainment choices. I think there is another motive here...
as far as other carriers following, it'll be like anything else; if it'll stick, they will follow.
who would have thought that airlines would stop paying commissions to travel agents, but it happened and it's working.
just my 2 cents.

completely agree. that's what i said in a thread yesterday in the CO forum.

but, i was rebuffed saying it was the CO bean counters way of garnering supplementary green backs from coach passengers.

[This message has been edited by fly co to see the yanks (edited 05-22-2002).]