AA recently introduced new guidelines for their inflight meals in domestic first, breaking things out my flight mileage. See below. There are some exceptions though. For example, some flights under 900 miles receive a full meal, like ORD-DCA. Why was this decision made for specific routes? Trying to understand the rationale.
Up to 699 miles
(under 2 hours)
Light snack such as a fig bar, cookies or pretzels.
700-899 miles
(2 – 2:30 hours)
Warmed mixed nuts and a selection of plated snack such as fruit and cheese, hummus and pita or spinach dip and pita; or a warm cookie is served on most flights.
900 – 1,298 miles
(2:30 – 3:30 hours)
Warmed mixed nuts, followed by a three-course meal including a warm cookie for dessert is served on most flights*.
1,299 + miles
(over 3:30 hours)
An appetizer paired with your entrée followed by cake for dessert after Lunch and ice cream for dessert after Dinner.
On flights over 2,200 miles and over 4:30 hours, you'll also receive a choice of dessert: made-to-order ice cream or a fruit and cheese plate.
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RE: AA Meal Exceptions
| Quoting dcaord (Thread starter): There are some exceptions though. For example, some flights under 900 miles receive a full meal, like ORD-DCA. Why was this decision made for specific routes? |
Most exception routes are premium business routes, like ORD-DCA, ORD-LGA, ORD-DFW. I don't know all the fine points, but it's easier to secure corporate contracts (important in a competitive market like Chicago) if a more complete service is offered in F.
I'm not sure if MIA-PAP is still an exception route, but for many years there was hot meal service on that flight as well, even in Y. IIRC, AA tried to pull meal service and got rebuked by the Haitian government, or something silly like that. Others on here may know better.
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
Exception markets are ones where they have heavy competition or the potential therefore
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- Spiderguy252
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RE: AA Meal Exceptions
Exceptions help smoothen the whole process out. I recently read a TR on an AA 777 from the mainland (ORD or Dallas) to Hawaii and the poor passenger in Y received nothing bar a pack of peanuts for the 7/8-hr flight.
Now there's another exception to be made.
Now there's another exception to be made.
Vahroone
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
| Quoting Spiderguy252 (Reply 3): I recently read a TR on an AA 777 from the mainland (ORD or Dallas) to Hawaii and the poor passenger in Y received nothing bar a pack of peanuts for the 7/8-hr flight. Now there's another exception to be made. |
That was the standard AA-level of service to Hawaii for ten years or more. AA showed little interest 'to smoothen the process out.'
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
All Haitian flights receive full meal service in both cabins I believe. Also, all flights from DFW-Latin America (PTY, SJO, SAL, LIR, etc.) receive free meal service in Y, whilst flights to similar destinations from CLT/MIA do not.
RJ85, F70, E135, E140, E145, E70, E75, E90, CR2, CR7, CR9, 717, 732, 733, 734, 735, 73G, 738, 739, 744ER, 752, 753, 762, 763ER, 772, 77E, 77W, 789, 319, 320, 321, 332, 333, 343, 359, 388
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
American announced in early February 2016 that they will also introduce Main Cabin snacks on transcon flights between JFK and LAX, JFK and SFO and MIA and LAX. Hawaii flights will also receive complimentary meal service, although its possible that this may be buy-on-board products that are essentially given out for free.
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
| Quoting IrishAyes (Reply 7): American announced in early February 2016 that they will also introduce Main Cabin snacks on transcon flights between JFK and LAX, JFK and SFO and MIA and LAX. Hawaii flights will also receive complimentary meal service, although its possible that this may be buy-on-board products that are essentially given out for free. |
Announced earlier this year by AA:
Main Cabin Food Enhancements
In February, complimentary Main Cabin snacks will be available on American’s transcontinental flights, which include routes between:
-New York’s JFK and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
-JFK and San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
-Miami International Airport (MIA) and LAX
All other domestic flights will offer an assortment of complimentary snacks in the Main Cabin by April.
Customers traveling on flights departing prior to 9:45 a.m. will receive Biscoff® cookies. On flights departing after 9:45 a.m., customers will have a choice between Biscoff® cookies or pretzels, rotated on a seasonal basis. American’s Food for Sale items will also be available for purchase on all flights.
Starting in May, complimentary meal service will be available in the Main Cabin on all flights between Hawaii and Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
Full details: http://hub.aa.com/en/nr/american-airlines-elevates-customer-experience
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- usflyer msp
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RE: AA Meal Exceptions
The random one to me is PHX-MZT. I don't know what is so special about that flight were it gets meal service (even on AA Eagle flights). It is leisure route and has little competition so it does not meet the premium criteria...
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
A quick related question - later in the summer I will most probably be doing a couple of AA US domestic flights both scheduled to be operated by an E145 and both with scheduled times of 2.15-2.30 hrs.
I am guessing given the aircraft types these are feeder flights rather than mainstream. Do the meal options listed above apply to American Eagle as well as mainstream?
Thanks.
I am guessing given the aircraft types these are feeder flights rather than mainstream. Do the meal options listed above apply to American Eagle as well as mainstream?
Thanks.
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
| Quoting jumpjets (Reply 10): A quick related question - later in the summer I will most probably be doing a couple of AA US domestic flights both scheduled to be operated by an E145 and both with scheduled times of 2.15-2.30 hrs. |
E145's aren't equipped with First Class. Standard snacks for sale will be available along with complimentary drinks and munchies.
| Quoting usflyer msp (Reply 9): The random one to me is PHX-MZT |
Most likely because AS and DL also provide meal service to/from their US gateways.
RJ85, F70, E135, E140, E145, E70, E75, E90, CR2, CR7, CR9, 717, 732, 733, 734, 735, 73G, 738, 739, 744ER, 752, 753, 762, 763ER, 772, 77E, 77W, 789, 319, 320, 321, 332, 333, 343, 359, 388
And buy-on-board on American Eagle flights is cash-only, in stark contrast to the cashless cabins of mainline flights.RE: AA Meal Exceptions
| Quoting usflyer msp (Reply 9): The random one to me is PHX-MZT. I don't know what is so special about that flight were it gets meal service (even on AA Eagle flights). It is leisure route and has little competition so it does not meet the premium criteria... |
It's the only INTL route out of PHX (except HMO which is way too short to serve a meal on) that is under the 900 miles. It keeps with all of the other Latin America routes having food.
Airport (noun) - A construction site which airplanes tend to frequent
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
| Quoting dcaord (Thread starter): For example, some flights under 900 miles receive a full meal, like ORD-DCA. Why was this decision made for specific routes? |
Quasi shuttle route. Try this for comparison / explanation: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...lta-shuttle/northeast-shuttle.html
| Quoting dcaord (Thread starter): On flights over 2,200 miles and over 4:30 hours, you'll also receive a choice of dessert: made-to-order ice cream or a fruit and cheese plate. |
Transcons, see DL and UA having similar enhancements on their LAX / SFO - NYC runs. Nice to see AA bring that level of attention to LAX - MIA or LAX - BOS or SEA - MIA. Can't say that about UA on LAX - BOS IIRC.
| Quoting N1120A (Reply 2): Exception markets are ones where they have heavy competition |
Mostly, though the 2,200 mile stuff seems to be above what DL and UA provide. Having said that, differences remain, e.g. DL West Coast shuttle service is better than AA or UA, but AA flies flatbeds on LAX - SFO once a day, unlike DL or UA.
| Quoting jumpjets (Reply 10): I am guessing given the aircraft types these are feeder flights rather than mainstream. Do the meal options listed above apply to American Eagle as well as mainstream? |
Mostly snack boxes on feeder flights. The other part is that some planes don't have ovens and thus no hot meals. But some express experiences are better than others, look at what DL is able to serve on the E-175s, way better than a snack box.
2020: AMS | ATL | BRU | DAL | DEN | DFW | EWR | FRA | GUA | IAH | LAX | LIM | MCO | MUC | ORD | PTY | SAL | SCL | SFO | TPA | TXL
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
| Quoting ua900 (Reply 14): Mostly snack boxes on feeder flights. The other part is that some planes don't have ovens and thus no hot meals. But some express experiences are better than others, look at what DL is able to serve on the E-175s, way better than a snack box. |
Out of PHX, we serve a scaled down cold version of the same mainline meals. Instead of cheesecake for desert, we serve rolled chocolate wafers. But the main course is almost always the same. Currently it is a Chicken Cobb Salad or some sort of sandwich for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is currently milk, a granola mix and some dried fruit.
Airport (noun) - A construction site which airplanes tend to frequent
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
| Quoting ua900 (Reply 14): Transcons, see DL and UA having similar enhancements on their LAX / SFO - NYC runs. Nice to see AA bring that level of attention to LAX - MIA or LAX - BOS or SEA - MIA. Can't say that about UA on LAX - BOS IIRC. |
AA has two levels of trams-con service. JFKSFO/LAX and MIALAX see a truly better product. The rest just get a better desert. Before US took over, all transcontinental AA flights, from LAXBDL to BOSLAX and even DFWANC, had the same enhanced meal service that is now limited to JFK and MIA.
a.
RE: AA Meal Exceptions
| Quoting Spiderguy252 (Reply 3): Exceptions help smoothen the whole process out. I recently read a TR on an AA 777 from the mainland (ORD or Dallas) to Hawaii and the poor passenger in Y received nothing bar a pack of peanuts for the 7/8-hr flight. Now there's another exception to be made. |
AA runs a 763 on DFW-HNL and DFW-OGG and doesn't serve a free meal in coach. UA runs a 772A on ORD-HNL and also doesn't serve a free meal in coach. AA is adding means on DFW-Hawaii in coach.
| Quoting USAirALB (Reply 11): E145's aren't equipped with First Class. Standard snacks for sale will be available along with complimentary drinks and munchies. |
Still get free snacks for EXPs.
| Quoting ua900 (Reply 14): Mostly, though the 2,200 mile stuff seems to be above what DL and UA provide |
On JFK and MIA from LAX/SFO, the service is better.
| Quoting ua900 (Reply 14): Having said that, differences remain, e.g. DL West Coast shuttle service is better than AA or UA, but AA flies flatbeds on LAX - SFO once a day, unlike DL or UA. |
DL seems better in Y, but not F. That said, which flight does AA have flatbeds on LAX-SFO? It is a mix of E175s and 738s.
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