The American Airlines snack basket is insulting as "inflight catering" for first class on Denver to LA.
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2022 3:42 pm
For all the pictures that go with this report, please click here.
One thing that always irritates me when flying in the USA on shorter domestic flights in first class is the snack basket. You don't get actual food, you get a basket of pre-packaged snacks to choose from. This is usually on flights up to around two and a half hours in duration, which is quite long. On American Airlines, flights up to 900 miles in first class get the snack basket passed around. Alas, Denver to LA is 862 miles, just missing out on real meals.
When flying business class on the European airlines, you always get a decent meal, most often plated, though sometimes not (KLM serves theirs in a box). Either way, what you get is far nicer than something like a tiny packet of crisps.
AA1164 – Denver to Los Angeles (DEN-LAX)
31 January 2022
Airbus A319 – N746UW
Seat: First Class 1A
Departure: 16:33 Arrival: 18:10
Boarding was on time and as I was in Group 1, I was quickly on board and settled into my seat. The first class cabin – business class everywhere else around the world – consists of two rows of four seats.
Once everyone was seated, the crew did the safety demonstration. After a quick enough taxi, it was a rolling take-off for us and we headed into the sky. Drinks orders were taken once in the air and I opted for a Mimosa and a water. I find the sparkling wine on AA to be rotgut on its own, but it’s quite drinkable with juice in, so that is my go to.
The crew came around with the snack basket, serving people from the back to the front. She was emphatic for everyone to, “take as much as you want, there’s plenty more”, and also said something indicating she wouldn’t be passing the basket around all the time. Fair enough!
In the basket are crisps (there are about three in the packet), trail mix, almonds, corn, and brownie brittle. On a previous flight I took two of everything from the basket and have since tried them all. Everything is very tasty, so no complaints there. Up front just by the cockpit door is a little room and inside there you will find the bathroom. There will be no bath there however, but you will find everything else useful.
Flying along to LA, I was offered and accepted another Mimosa and found the service from the flight attendant very good. Eventually we descended and landed on time. I hotfooted it off to Terminal B for my connecting flight to London, my first time doing that walk.
Look, the snack basket in domestic first class on American Airlines has been around for ages. Since all the airlines stateside seem to do it, it will be around for a long time. No use me bitching about it, but I do, as it cost me around US$250 for the flight. By comparison, this is what I had the next day on British Airways on a 280 mile flight.
Hell, if you really want to have a good cry, here’s the gorgeousness Swiss served on a 771 mile flight in 2020. Both of these flights are shorter than the AA flight here and nary a snack basket in sight. “But the seat!” I hear you cry. Seat schmeat. Give me great food any day of the week. Since I knew what I was getting into, the flight in American’s domestic first class with no food was fine.
What do you think of the snack basket and this experience? Have you had similar? Thank you for reading, remember, to see all the pictures, click here, and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
One thing that always irritates me when flying in the USA on shorter domestic flights in first class is the snack basket. You don't get actual food, you get a basket of pre-packaged snacks to choose from. This is usually on flights up to around two and a half hours in duration, which is quite long. On American Airlines, flights up to 900 miles in first class get the snack basket passed around. Alas, Denver to LA is 862 miles, just missing out on real meals.
When flying business class on the European airlines, you always get a decent meal, most often plated, though sometimes not (KLM serves theirs in a box). Either way, what you get is far nicer than something like a tiny packet of crisps.
AA1164 – Denver to Los Angeles (DEN-LAX)
31 January 2022
Airbus A319 – N746UW
Seat: First Class 1A
Departure: 16:33 Arrival: 18:10
Boarding was on time and as I was in Group 1, I was quickly on board and settled into my seat. The first class cabin – business class everywhere else around the world – consists of two rows of four seats.
Once everyone was seated, the crew did the safety demonstration. After a quick enough taxi, it was a rolling take-off for us and we headed into the sky. Drinks orders were taken once in the air and I opted for a Mimosa and a water. I find the sparkling wine on AA to be rotgut on its own, but it’s quite drinkable with juice in, so that is my go to.
The crew came around with the snack basket, serving people from the back to the front. She was emphatic for everyone to, “take as much as you want, there’s plenty more”, and also said something indicating she wouldn’t be passing the basket around all the time. Fair enough!
In the basket are crisps (there are about three in the packet), trail mix, almonds, corn, and brownie brittle. On a previous flight I took two of everything from the basket and have since tried them all. Everything is very tasty, so no complaints there. Up front just by the cockpit door is a little room and inside there you will find the bathroom. There will be no bath there however, but you will find everything else useful.
Flying along to LA, I was offered and accepted another Mimosa and found the service from the flight attendant very good. Eventually we descended and landed on time. I hotfooted it off to Terminal B for my connecting flight to London, my first time doing that walk.
Look, the snack basket in domestic first class on American Airlines has been around for ages. Since all the airlines stateside seem to do it, it will be around for a long time. No use me bitching about it, but I do, as it cost me around US$250 for the flight. By comparison, this is what I had the next day on British Airways on a 280 mile flight.
Hell, if you really want to have a good cry, here’s the gorgeousness Swiss served on a 771 mile flight in 2020. Both of these flights are shorter than the AA flight here and nary a snack basket in sight. “But the seat!” I hear you cry. Seat schmeat. Give me great food any day of the week. Since I knew what I was getting into, the flight in American’s domestic first class with no food was fine.
What do you think of the snack basket and this experience? Have you had similar? Thank you for reading, remember, to see all the pictures, click here, and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.