Meal Service Question F Phl Lax -sorry!

[USlurker]

Does anyone know whether that picture with the plastic fork/spoon, tin foil cup on the plate, and paper place mat is really Envoy? I had several business trips to CDG in 2001 in Business Class and the Envoy meals looked nothing like that. The service and food were, in fact, fantastic.

I am sad to say that it was in fact an Envoy meal. As recently as March (the last time I flew across the pond), Envoy was being served with plastic utensils with a brushed metal finish. The standard of food service has sadly declined since you last rode in Envoy, I'm afraid. The service and extraordinary seats in Row 1 on the 330 still make J a fine product across the pond, but the food is not what it once was.

 

[USFlyer]

I think you should read my post carefully if you think I implied anything about UA.

Huh? No, but you implied US need not worry as much as some of us think about the in-flight meal. I cited the UA example to show that US lost $8,000 in bookings from a VFF by not offering a decent in-flight meal for a PAID F ticket (albeit discounted).

On the other hand, when I flew Envoy to LGW in March, the service was definitely on par with UA's business class. I'm assuming this is due to Star Alliance standards.

 

[mweiss]

Anyone dumb enough to pay a few hundred dollars a flight more than the competion must be an idot.

Please be sure and tell this to Art at ISP the next time you have him on the phone.

 

[ITRADE]

speaking of meals.......I cant tell you how many times we RUN OUT OF inflight cafe meals in coach. How disappointing for our customers to expect to BUY ONE and there is not enough. This is happening on ALOT of transcon flights.
First class meals?.......certainly NOT comparable to meals 5 or 10 years ago. But airfares are cheaper today then 25 YEARS AGO. It's interesting how expectations are still there when we charge Low Cost Carrier airfares yet when they fly carriers like Southwest, they're happy with the cheese and crackers coast to coast.

Isn't there a way to preorder a cafe meal for the flight?

I've heard stories where the FAs have run out and I've heard stories that they had so many meals left over that they could have served dinner to a field artillery company.

 

[SVQLBA]

While I would have phrased it differently then RumorS, the end message is still the same. Bring your own food. Foodwise, nothing bad can happen if you do that. For example, pre 9/11 HP had a five course meal we did on our PHX-BOS/JFK/EWR/PHL and DCA flights. Want to know how many times I got the food cooking, had linens laid out and two minutes before serving a temperature critical dish we were ordered to secure the galley and take jumpseats? Trust me, there were all kinds of inventive ways to louse up the nice meals you once got.

The safe way to fly is bring your own food. I can't tell you how many times I have been deadheading or travelling on my own and been offered 3x the price that I paid for a lovely sandwich or salad by someone who didn't think ahead.

Be an informed consumer and take responsibility for making sure you have food and medicine to get you to your destination. This is true no matter what domestic carrier you fly. Be safe, fly safe.

Someone somewhere put it very well -- the airlines don't get the difference between "amenities" and "service". They understand even less what it is that different customers want. It's well and good knocking airplane food, but airports are miserable places for food too (UA's terminal at O'Hare being a great example, Berghoff Cafe aside at the far end of C). In any industry there are always people who are prepared to pay for service -- look at the hotel industry with its multiple price points. Airlines need to stop treating travellers as two big lumps (business and leisure) and realize there is a lot of variety within each group. When I'm on business, I don't have time to roam terminals searching for a half decent meal, so having some sort of food service at meal times is a big plus. Doesn't have to be filet mignon, just something. (I'm talking about the back of the bus where I do most of my flying.)

Now, some airlines may choose to make it Buy-on-board, others may provide it free (CO stands out here). But it won't drive passenger purchasing until marketing gets across the message as to what you'll get when you buy a ticket on the airline. Go to UAL's web site and you have no idea if/when you get E-plus. On uswairways.com you have no idea what their product is. Compare that to jetBlue's marketing where it's very clear what the product is.

Service can be branded and can command a price premium (and decommoditize the market), even in coach (just look at jetBlue). But you'll never get the premium if (a) it isn't delivered relaibly and (B), purchasers don't know about it.

 

[SVQLBA]

QUOTE (SKY HIGH @ Jul 11 2004, 11:52 PM)
speaking of meals.......I cant tell you how many times we RUN OUT OF inflight cafe meals in coach. How disappointing for our customers to expect to BUY ONE and there is not enough. This is happening on ALOT of transcon flights.
First class meals?.......certainly NOT comparable to meals 5 or 10 years ago. But airfares are cheaper today then 25 YEARS AGO. It's interesting how expectations are still there when we charge Low Cost Carrier airfares yet when they fly carriers like Southwest, they're happy with the cheese and crackers coast to coast.

and Itrade asked ...
Isn't there a way to preorder a cafe meal for the flight?

I've heard stories where the FAs have run out and I've heard stories that they had so many meals left over that they could have served dinner to a field artillery company.

===================

I believe the pre-ordering is only available on Sing (DL) and has not been reliable to date.

On SKY HIGH's point about the Southwest, the thing is, it may only be 3 or four different types of snack (similar on B6 I believe) but at least I know I'll get something, probably at least two bags even on a 1 hr flight. At least there's both quantity (>0) and some variety. I've done most of my recent flying on UA rather than US, but apart from CO, you're lucky to get one measly bag of pretzels even on a 2-3hr meal time journey in coach on US or any of the others.

Note to all inflight product managers -- I'm SICK OF THE PRETZELS!!!! Vary it just a little bit, puh-lease.

 

[bobcat]

SCEflyer

Now that is the truth and nothing but the truth. I can't remember the last time that I saw someone actually buy a first class seat. I can't speak for international flights but domestic is basically all upgrades. Apparently there is some attraction in first whether it be more room, those yummy sandwiches or status. DM members scramble for those seats like there is no tomorrow. Did you ever hear a grown man cry? Well just tell them no first available and they must be waitlisted or check at the gate. You will never hear such moaning, groaning and whining. What they forget is that upgrades are a perk and there is limited seating and they can only upgrade if available. It is not a guarantee!

So even though there is no food or food that sucks everyone still wants to sit there....but for free!

 

[biztraveller29]

Bobcat, what? Sit in F "for free"?

I find it interesting that some employees are bashing FREQUENT customers for upgrading rather than paying "full fare". How many $200, $3oo, and $400 roundtrips did it take for these customers to achieve status on U so that they would have the OPPORTUNITY to upgrade? How much contribution to U's bottom line did those people have? And now you're blasting these folks for upgrading "for free"?

Give me a break. It's obvious that some people around here don't know and don't care about the people who contribute significant amounts to US' bottom line. Statements like "bring your own food" are ridiculous things to say to U's frequent fliers.

And frankly whether it's $1800 or an upgraded $200 seat, U should be offering more than a sandwich to its "First Class" customers.

 

[PSA1979]

biztraveller29 says "And frankly whether it's $1800 or an upgraded $200 seat, U should be offering more than a sandwich to its "First Class" customers. "

Well actually, no one really pays $1800. In the last 8 months, I have seen only 4 full fare f/c passengers. As far as upgrading on a $200 dollar seat, if you were still paying $2000 or maybe $900 for that seat, then upgrading, yes U should get more than a cold sandwhich. But, it seems to me that because the business traveller is not willing to pay the hefty fares of days gone by then they should get no food or a cold sandwhich. Just because one person actually paid the $1800 doesn't mean we can afford to feed the rest for a measly $200. You do get what you pay for!!

Maybe we should change the frequent flier program to how much you pay. Let's say you get a free upgrade if you buy 5 $200 round trips or 1 $1000 round trip. That sounds like a much fairer program. Then we could put back real food in first class, because it would take you 5 times as long to sit up there!

 

[USFlyer]

FWIW, I've been buying A fares (on both US and UA) for the past year or so. These are technically First class fares for around $1100/trip.

 

[mweiss]

But, it seems to me that because the business traveller is not willing to pay the hefty fares of days gone by then they should get no food or a cold sandwhich. Just because one person actually paid the $1800 doesn't mean we can afford to feed the rest for a measly $200. You do get what you pay for!!

Then get rid of the FC cabins and call yourselves Northeast airlines.

Honestly, you can't have it both ways either.

I choose airlines based on getting the most for my money. Currently, the honor goes to NW. Their FC isn't anything to rave about, but the offering is better than US and I pay the same amount as I would on US. I slightly prefer US's power ports, but not enough to overcome the degradation in service.

If I could afford to fly CO, I'd probably choose them instead, because their domestic FC appears to offer the most. But they charge too much, so...

 

[Phoenix]

Good Lord!!

If you're that concerned over what 's for Dinner then do yourself a favor and bring food or buy your own! Why would you depend on what the airline may or may not be serving for your own nourishment for 6-8 hours? (Factoring in possible delay time). Better question is Why would you even want to depend on airline Food for Dinner? What have you ever eaten on a plane and then said to yourself later, "MMMMMM...wish there was a US Airways Take out Drive-Thru window nearby..."

The only thing I ever count on in First are a few cocktails. So buy your Nathan's Hot Dog, Auntie Anne's Cinnamon Pretzel (Love those...) or Sbarro Personal Pizza and have a blast!

Easy dude. I used to do the SEA CLT all the time in first and actually enjoyed the food. First class food on the transcon used to be substantial and quality.

 

[NAPAUS]

Just flew out to SFO on UA - went out in F/C and back in coach. Here's how it went:
F/C, 767-300, full service including linens ( nice grey ones ) glassware, choice of three entress, salads with nice topping, and cookies, two each, and coffee with liquers for dessert. WONDERFUL presentation..simple but elegant..not overly fancy. Kind and courteous service from a very senior flight attendant. IFE ok, not terrific, not like US A330's. passport sytem is far superior.
Y/C, 777 to ORD , nice, immaculately clean a/c, very friendly crew. Bev and biscotti snack,crew then offered "for purchase" meals, many people purchsed them. Followed by coffee and water service. about an hour out of ORD, beverage and pretzel,goldfish and sesame sticks snack bag.. VERY nice service for a 3 1/2 hour flight. ORD-BOS, A-320, beverage,snack, coffee, beverage. Another very nice crew.. all male, very efficent and kind.
Well, all in all, an A+ rating for UA...not the usual mediocre service ive had in the past.....Very impressed and a bit embarrassed to work for US..... Does anybody in CCY ever fly on the competition?

 

[USFlyer]

UA service is definitely A+ in my book, so much so that I've started sending about 80 percent of my business to them since I've already renewed my US1 status this year. I might make the switch permanent at this point, assuming they retain IAD as a hub.

 

[bobcat]

USFlyer

Just to set the record straight for any of our passengers that may read the posts on this forum..."A" class fares are NOT technically FC fares they are ACTUALLY coach fares upgradeable to first IF available. These fares are not always in any given market and are put in and taken out at any time. The "A" fares are usually under $1000.00 RT and the non refundable "A" fares around $500-$600.

When a passenger purchases an "A" fare ticket they should be explained as to what this fare is. The problems arise from the misconception that they are buying a FC ticket when they are NOT. When someone calls to change an "A" class ticket and "A" class is no longer in the market and are quoted a much much higher fare for a COACH "Y" or "B" class ticket and are given a coach seat they in most cases are quite upset and can not comprehend why they are paying, sometimes double, for a coach seat when they had a FC seat at a much lower rate.

Know what you're buying and the rules of the ticket that you are purchasing. Hopefully the agents are explaining the rules but if not, please ask and if you are buying online read all rules and restrictions. This will save a lot of time and headaches if you need to make changes to your ticket.