InFlight Cafe Goes Gourmet

[Travels2mch]

This airline is loaded with people that hate their customers....from top to bottom.

Unfortunately that number is growing quickly.

 

[SS255]

I wouldn't go so far as to call it "gourmet". If anyone recalls when Inflight Café first started at Usairways they were awesome meals. We went through the Wolfgang Puck period with pretty good food. Remember the level off video? "Hiiiiiiiii I'm Wolfgang Puuuuuuck! ! You even got a mini bottle of water inside it. This is basically a return of the same quality it looks as before. We are just charging more for the meal. DEFINITELY a positive step over the current food we have had for what two years?

IIRC, when IFC was first rolled out, the boxed meals were $7 and they included either a salad or a sandwich, a bottle of water, a bag of chips, and a cookie. Then Wolfgang Puck became the vendor, and the price increased to $10. The quality of the food was a bit better, but I believe they didn't sell as well at the $10 price point as at the $7 price point. I personally preferred the $10 Wolfgang Puck meal over the $7 generic meal, but I do not represent the average customer in Y.

The current $5 garbage must have started right after the merger. I'm glad US is finally improving their IFC offerings, albeit I'm sure this improvement got first priority because it's a profit center for US. (See....there's always a "gotcha" with these guys.) Whatever the motivation, it's still a huge step in the right direction--although I still think $7 is a bit much for what you get. But I'd rather pay $7 for an overpriced good-quality sandwich than $5 for garbage.

I flew AC last week, and they had several snack and sandwich options ranging in price from $2 to $6. The sandwiches were branded Subway and were fresh and tasty. They also offer discounts if you order on-line (which I did not do) during web check-in.

 

[PHX PHLyer]

Press Release

Press Release for New Food

-Mentions that new first class meals will begin "later this fall" <_<
-Served during greater windows (hopefully more than just the extra 30mins on each side for Inflight Cafe)
-Once again hints to being based on classic American cuisine.....what exactly does that mean? Meatloaf?

 

[FutureUScapt]

Last week's AboutUS gave a new timeline of late November/early December

 

[Travelpro72]

What I found interesting about the last Crew News Session in CLT on 9/20 was when Doug said he didn't understand why food was for sale in coach but not offered in f/c. Then Miss Shamblin chimes in and says that she suggests pressing 2 so the announcement isn't made in first. Well THANKFULLY someone said that you can't do that on the 757, 767 and the 737. Even STILL you can hear the announcement in the back though a bit muffled. She came right out and said the procedure is to NOT offer it to f/c. So Doug said if there is food in the back 2.5 or greater then there is time for a meal up front. THANK YOU! ! ! He even said he witnessed this himself and didn't understand it. So that being said maybe just MAYBE we'll see a change. There is NO REASON to offer food in the back for sale and the snack basket to first class. If there is time to sell in the back there is time to SERVE up front. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

 

[PHX PHLyer]

What I found interesting about the last Crew News Session in CLT on 9/20 was when Doug said he didn't understand why food was for sale in coach but not offered in f/c. Then Miss Shamblin chimes in and says that she suggests pressing 2 so the announcement isn't made in first. Well THANKFULLY someone said that you can't do that on the 757, 767 and the 737. Even STILL you can hear the announcement in the back though a bit muffled. She came right out and said the procedure is to NOT offer it to f/c. So Doug said if there is food in the back 2.5 or greater then there is time for a meal up front. THANK YOU! ! ! He even said he witnessed this himself and didn't understand it. So that being said maybe just MAYBE we'll see a change. There is NO REASON to offer food in the back for sale and the snack basket to first class. If there is time to sell in the back there is time to SERVE up front. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Someone on Flyertalk said that they fly PHX-DFW every Monday and have never received a meal (I can attest to this having flown in F two weeks ago on this flight). It is scheduled for about 2.5 hours with an actual flight time of probably 1hr 45mins. They said today (which happens to coincide with the coach upgrade) that there was a snack option in 1st.

 

[UWCactus]

Someone on Flyertalk said that they fly PHX-DFW every Monday and have never received a meal (I can attest to this having flown in F two weeks ago on this flight). It is scheduled for about 2.5 hours with an actual flight time of probably 1hr 45mins. They said today (which happens to coincide with the coach upgrade) that there was a snack option in 1st.

There is no snack option other than the snack basket in first. Coach offers the 3.00 snack which is trail mix (currently in the new snack box), cheddar crackers with peanut butter and famous amos chocolate chip cookies. Basically snack food, not a meal or sandwihich choice. I think the 3.00 snack is getting phased out.

 

[WCT]

What I found interesting about the last Crew News Session in CLT on 9/20 was when Doug said he didn't understand why food was for sale in coach but not offered in f/c. Then Miss Shamblin chimes in and says that she suggests pressing 2 so the announcement isn't made in first. Well THANKFULLY someone said that you can't do that on the 757, 767 and the 737. Even STILL you can hear the announcement in the back though a bit muffled. She came right out and said the procedure is to NOT offer it to f/c. So Doug said if there is food in the back 2.5 or greater then there is time for a meal up front. THANK YOU! ! ! He even said he witnessed this himself and didn't understand it. So that being said maybe just MAYBE we'll see a change. There is NO REASON to offer food in the back for sale and the snack basket to first class. If there is time to sell in the back there is time to SERVE up front. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

I agree TravelPro, all flights over 2 hours should have food in f/c. It is very embarrasing. The snack basket needs better quality products too.

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> Then Miss Shamblin chimes in and says that she suggests pressing 2 so the announcement isn't made in first. Well THANKFULLY someone said that you can't do that on the 757, 767 and the 737.

Just duct tape some pillows over the speakers in F.

Problem solved; cøst NUTral!

 

[PHX PHLyer]

There is no snack option other than the snack basket in first. Coach offers the 3.00 snack which is trail mix (currently in the new snack box), cheddar crackers with peanut butter and famous amos chocolate chip cookies. Basically snack food, not a meal or sandwihich choice. I think the 3.00 snack is getting phased out.

Well this is the direct post taken from Flyertalk.....make of it what you will

Hi All,

For once I would like to post an enhancement. I do the DFW-PHX route every monday morning. And today they served us a light breakfast for the first time. I think the official flight time is around 2.5 hours though its usually around 2 hours. Our options were corn flaked or a cold egg and ham sandwich. I know it doesnt sound great- but its better than nothing. Anyone else notice the new meals on short flights.