Northwest to Expand Meals For Sale Program
 

Northwest to Expand Meals For Sale Program

Expansion Will Go from 64 to 135 flights

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030715/cgtu042_1.html

What next? Checkin kiosk which will sell us meal ticket....or perhaps, our elite upgrade will come in a form of these "meal vouchers". http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

FWIW, the program appears to be very popular -- on a recent MSP-MCO flight, NW ran out of meals to sell.

Interestingly, it is still cheaper to purchase a meal from a in airport restrurant (at least in MSP, DTW, and JFK).

They have made adjustments to the program and that is not true anymore.

The meals sold so far have all been cold salads/sandwiches/breakfast.

Are there any plans to sell 'hot' meals in the future?

RC

The program has been expanded yet again:

- Program will go from 135 to 199 Flights
- The flights are getting longer, although NW notes that flights to the west coast will still have complimentary meals, it doesn't seem like it will last. MSP-GEG, MSP-RNO (which is longer than MSP-SEA distance wise), among others, will have meals for purchase.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031120/cgth045_1.html

they might as well get it over with and make meals for sale on ALL domestic flights.

The dry sandwiches they pass out on the West Coast flights are pathetic.

I haven't heard of any major airline doing this, however it's a logical next step in cutting operating costs -- Are there any plans to charge for meals on short haul nwa flights in FC?

RC

On my afternoon GEG-MSP last week, an Einstein Bros. sandwhich box and a TGI Friday's chicken salad were offered.

It was a very lightly loaded flight and the gentleman across the aisle was the only person I saw purchase a meal. He had a huge sandwhich that looked and tasted good according to him.

This particular flight never offered food in Y in the past, so this seems to be an improvement.

Actually Delta started this program earlier this year, and American Eagle has also started selling meals... I got to try my first meal on Eagle on a GSO-DFW run (3 hours in a tin can with wings (aka ERJ) somebody wake me up from this nightmare) and it was VERY good! A Friday's sandwich, Big can of Doritos, and drink of course... 7 bucks. A little much, but good none the less...

I think that would be a big mistake. There's got to be something left to make FC seem special - charging for meals there would really set the wrong tone.

Smile is still free http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Everything else at least $5 bucks.

Next, it's clean pillows and blankets, then overhead pay storage lockers. Bathroom anyone? Toilet paper 10 sheets for a $1.

If meals for sale is to help NW reduce cost, another perfect way will be to charge passengers for drinks. e.g. $1 for a can of Pepsi or a glass of water.

I am not sure how many passengers are willing to pay >=7 bucks for a snack or 10 bucks for a meal during a 3 hours flight; but most of them might be willing to pay 1 or 2 bucks for drinks.

Do you think airlines (e.g. "Drive Every Loyal Traveller Away" Air Lines) will be interested in this?

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Phil, U of Illinois and O'hare are always in my mind!

DL sold me for $10 a nice, large ham, turkey & beef sandwich on 7 Nov 03 flying ATL-SFO on a B-757, departing at 1800.

With my connection, I had eaten lunch at another airport and was hungry. However, after drinking Dogwood beer on tap at the Crown Room Club (with my Presidents Club card) for the first time, the sandwich sufficed.

I would not have paid a penny for a soda!