New Trans-atlantic Coach Meal Service

[nycbusdriver]

I am convinced the travelling public only cares about the fares..not what is served on board...times have changed.

[post="257515"][/post]​

You are exactly right, until they get on the airplane then expect to get wined and dined because USAirways is a "full service" carrier. Oddly, if SWA started transatlantic service with identical fares, those same people would be perfectly content with only a bag of peanuts simply because that's all they expect from SWA.

I don't think there should be any "meal" service, per se, on any flight except for FC or Envoy. The fares aren't even adequate to cover the transportation, so what add amenities? They should be charging for soft drinks a la People Express. The only thing free should be water. The fare is paid for the transportation and anything else in coach made available on board should be sold.

 

[KCFlyer]

The only thing free should be water. The fare is paid for the transportation and anything else in coach made available on board should be sold.

[post="257533"][/post]​

I don't know where you live, but in my neck of the woods, a bottle of water costs MORE than Coke or Pepsi.

 

[JS]

I don't know where you live, but in my neck of the woods, a bottle of water costs MORE than Coke or Pepsi.

[post="257534"][/post]​

True, but I think the free water should be from the "tap" (the airplane supply). A bottle of water should be the same price as a soft drink -- three dollars. It's a captive market; price it like the movie theaters.

I'm sure no one would fly a different carrier just because they get no meal and have to pay for soft drinks on a trans-Atlantic flight. If Nycbusdriver says the fare paid is only for air transportation, well that settles it.

 

[nycbusdriver]

If Nycbusdriver says the fare paid is only for air transportation, well that settles it.

[post="257546"][/post]​

I like the way you think!

 

[sfb]

You are exactly right, until they get on the airplane then expect to get wined and dined because USAirways is a "full service" carrier. Oddly, if SWA started transatlantic service with identical fares, those same people would be perfectly content with only a bag of peanuts simply because that's all they expect from SWA.

Well, it really all depends on the "identical fares" of which you speak. If I buy a $99 (or even $199) transatlantic fare, I don't expect much at all. But if I'm stuck having to pay $2000 (or more) round-trip because I'm traveling on short notice, I'd be pretty miffed if the trip didn't include a nice dinner and some booze to make me forget how much I paid for that ticket. If Southwest flew transatlantic, I'd expect the fares to max out around $500 each way, with regular advance purchase fares in the $200-250 range.

And the "full service" perception/market positioning is up to US Airways' management. They don't have to market themselves as such; Aer Lingus has chosen to position itself as a transatlantic LCC and seems to be having some success in its niche. US Airways doesn't have to be a "full service" carrier, but it's key to make sure that the company's marketing matches the product delivered. If the airline markets itself as having a premium product and delivers something which is substandard in comparison to the competition, the customer will be dissatisfied because the hype didn't live up to the reality.

Do the passengers often have unrealistic expectations? Yes. But you have to ask who built up those expectations in the first place. When you board a Southwest flight, you more-or-less know what to expect. What should one expect on board US Airways?

I don't think there should be any "meal" service, per se, on any flight except for FC or Envoy. The fares aren't even adequate to cover the transportation, so what add amenities? They should be charging for soft drinks a la People Express. The only thing free should be water. The fare is paid for the transportation and anything else in coach made available on board should be sold.

US wants $450 one-way to go between PHL and BUF tomorrow. That's not "adequate to cover the transportation?" Is the $1150 one-way walk-up coach fare between CLT and SEA "adequate?"

I don't have a problem at all with airlines charging for drinks and meals. But if they do that, they need to drop the pretense of being "full-service" and bring their prices in line with the quality of service they provide. The price paid needs to deliver an appropriate value -- and this is where Southwest truly shines.

 

[nycbusdriver]

sfb -

I'm pretty much on board with the points you make. The legacy carriers have backed themselves into this corner. It will take a while for the traveling public to become aware that there really is no longer ANY "full service" carrier.

I agree that the fare structure is so totally out of whack that it's almost unworkable. I suspect that the legacy carriers still get that unfortunate customer who has no choice but to pay a king's ransom to get on a flight and still gets no meal service. But that's the capitalistic system: I have what you need, now how much are you willing to pay for it. It's market forces at work, plain and simple. The legacy carriers who previously reaped handsome rewards for this situation are now seeing the downside. Since we still see outrageous walk-up fares on some routes, it means that there may be some folks still willing (?) to pay those fares. It's only temporary. The law of supply and demand will eventually prevail.

 

[sfb]

nyc-

Well, I think that Delta's SimpliFares are essentially an attempt to blunt the advance of the LCC's into their markets (not to mention that they were seeing a large percentage of their markets affected by LCC pricing in any case). It seems to me that they are trying to get away from the BloFares and market the value of their product (though I don't really get the "good goes around" theme).

What's sort of tragic about US Airways' predicament is that it should have been obvious years ago (it was to me) that the strategy of continuing to retreat into the airline's high-fare strongholds was not workable long-term. I believe the UAL merger was management's last, best attempt to extricate itself from the corner into which it had painted itself over the last decade or so. The fact that Siegel's plan post Bankruptcy I (before WN entered PHL) was essentially just more of the same is terribly disappointing.

I agree with you that US Airways' ability to extricate extortionate fares on certain routes is simply market forces at work. The problem is that those same market forces will draw in more efficient competitors who will be more than happy to price under your costs and over theirs.

 

[Phoenix]

Indeed I do jest. But I have to confess the "travel Bug" is beginning to bite as well. I love going to Europe and US has some new destinations I want to visit. GLA, BCN being tops on the list.

[post="257390"][/post]​

Fair enough.

Sometimes ntrntnl flying is like working out. Aside from seeing the northern lights, a few icebergs, and the milkyway, it is the results that make the pain worth it.

 

[Whatnow?]

So what, that's STILL enough food to be eating after 10PM at night.....and at least there is still a HOT portion! MOST of these people have been in the Airport for a couple of hours before boarding these LATE NIGHT flights accross the Atlantic and have already eaten before boarding! I've worked some of these flights that have left at 2AM and have thrown most of that food away because NATURALLY all people want to do is sleep that late at night! Big Deal......cardboard or plastic, does it really matter?

 

[Travelpro72]

Like stated above by someone, they have only put the stuff on the tray into a box and replaced the salad with carrots and dressing. Passengers have not said anything to us f/a's regarding the contents. I honestly think it is stupid not trashy. I think its more waste than anything. The fares that are being paid by passengers in both directions right now is so low that it's amazing we give anything to be honest. Now come summer with quite high fares I think thats a different story. With fuel costs and the hit we have all taken around here I don't care if they bring the BOB to Int'l as well. Most passengers wanna sleep and not be bothered on the way over to europe. I have deadheaded to the US from ireland on Aer Lingus and we have a far superior service. We aircrew ALWAYS watch what other carriers serve and how they serve it. I felt damn proud of the "limited" service we have. The ONLY passengers to usually complain are American. The europeans don't get much on any of the carriers while travelling within europe. Some carriers over there charge for water and soda as well. WE created the monsters that complain.

 

[WestCoastGuy]

The fares that are being paid by passengers in both directions right now is so low that it's amazing we give anything to be honest.      The ONLY passengers to usually complain are American.      WE created the monsters that complain.

[post="257804"][/post]​

You are SO RIGHT. It seem the complaints and whinning at the ATO and GATES are usually those that pay the least and want the most. Its the the way our society has become....complaining and whinning to get everything, the Europeans and Asians have a totally different perspective. Very rarely do they complain about fares or service or seating.

 

[mweiss]

WCG, you're repeating an oft-stated "truism." I'm dying to know how everyone seems to be able to tell how much the complainers have paid. With the possible exception of the GAs, who do have access to that information (AFAIK, anyway), how do any of you know what fare the complainer has paid?

 

[JS]

So what, that's STILL enough food to be eating after 10PM at night.....and at least there is still a HOT portion! MOST of these people have been in the Airport for a couple of hours before boarding these LATE NIGHT flights accross the Atlantic and have already eaten before boarding! I've worked some of these flights that have left at 2AM and have thrown most of that food away because NATURALLY all people want to do is sleep that late at night! Big Deal......cardboard or plastic, does it really matter?

[post="257687"][/post]​

US has flights scheduled to leave at 2 AM? Or maybe the truth is that the flight was running a few hours late, people got hungry and ate, and then you're surprised when they didn't eat again on the plane.

Like stated above by someone, they have only put the stuff on the tray into a box and replaced the salad with carrots and dressing. Passengers have not said anything to us f/a's regarding the contents. I honestly think it is stupid not trashy. I think its more waste than anything. The fares that are being paid by passengers in both directions right now is so low that it's amazing we give anything to be honest. Now come summer with quite high fares I think thats a different story. With fuel costs and the hit we have all taken around here I don't care if they bring the BOB to Int'l as well. Most passengers wanna sleep and not be bothered on the way over to europe. I have deadheaded to the US from ireland on Aer Lingus and we have a far superior service. We aircrew ALWAYS watch what other carriers serve and how they serve it. I felt damn proud of the "limited" service we have. The ONLY passengers to usually complain are American. The europeans don't get much on any of the carriers while travelling within europe. Some carriers over there charge for water and soda as well. WE created the monsters that complain.

[post="257804"][/post]​

Those are two different markets!

 

[Travelpro72]

It still doesn't change the facts. Transatlantic travel is NOT what it was a few years ago. Fuel is high, prices are LOW LOW LOW and companies are trying to survive. As for why US is in the position it is in is besides the point. Being a few steps ahead of a few other "legacy" carriers, it's going low cost. I don't know how much people pay but I DO know that most of the passengers that have some kind of complaint seem to be American most of the time. I would say that flights to Paris can be tough but other than that it's how we (Americans) think. We don't care about paycuts or fuel prices,just a low fare and lots of amenities with it. I still have people ask me for playing cards. PLAYING CARDS????? I don't care if you never fly or have not been on an airplane in years. Who the hell has playing cards. If it were possible the airlines wouldn't even have flight attendants onboard. You'd go to the back galley and throw a dollar into the vending maching and get a soda and a snickers bar. Everyone would be SOL if the a/c wound up in a cornfield. LOL.... If they were lucky enough to have a flight attendant, hopefully he or she mixed a martini at their leather seat they were farting in while watching direct tv before the plane went into a tailspin. All in all the meal is fine, your not gonna get much better on ANY other domestic carrier over the atlantic in coach. Statistically, fares are at an all time low in all markets.

 

[mweiss]

I still have people ask me for playing cards.

I probably still have a deck or two of American and Eastern cards. Nobody has them anymore, though, that's for sure!