AA backpedals on cheapened domestic first class meals

[FWAAA]

New management has already begun to backpedal on the cheapened domestic first class meals:
 

Meal window will be reduced to 2 hrs 30 min. More exception markets- DCA/IAD-MIA, DFW-MEX, ORD-AUS.

Return of ice cream to flights that dropped it. Snack baskets will see improved sandwiches. Breakfast flights with the baskets will now include pastries. Warm nuts return to flights over 2 hrs and under 2.5 hrs. Chicken catering quality to be improved.

Exception markets added Oct. 16. Everything else is Nov. 1.

70% of feedback received in September were meal complaints.

http://www.travelingbetter.com/showthread.php?p=42704#post42704

Gary Leff weighs in with some greater detail: http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2014/10/04/american-heard-complaints-bringing-back-meals-improving-snacks/

 

[eolesen]

Perhaps US's marketing people are waking up to the reality that AA's customers expect a higher standard, and won't just take "no" for an answer?

If so, that's a good thing.

You also had the impact of UA upping the ante on meals at the same time, so I'm a little pessimistic on customer complaints being the real motivation for backtracking.

 

[FWAAA]

You're probably right, but I found it interesting that 70% of customer feedback were negative comments about the meals.

 

[MAH4546]

I'm impressed that the turn around to fix this huge problem is so quick - less than two weeks until the changes start to roll out. Clearly this was a major problem that needed to be quickly addressed.
 
Still need to address the policy of no meals on Eagle flights, though. We haven't heard complaining about that yet since it only started four days ago. 

 

[dash8roa]

I hope this is the start of the US mindset fading away. Charging for water and fees for redeeming frequent flyer miles are the ways of LCC's like Spirit, not AA. I have always found the level of service on AA to be higher than US.

 

[Rogallo]

I hope this is the start of the US mindset fading away. Charging for water and fees for redeeming frequent flyer miles are the ways of LCC's like Spirit, not AA. I have always found the level of service on AA to be higher than US.

 
It is US now!!

 

[dash8roa]

 
It is US now!!

For the sake of all involved, lets hope US management learns how to treat its customers.

 

[hula-flyguy]

No, it is not US... it is AA with former US and HP senior management.  It will never be US, it will never be HP.  It is American Airlines.

 

[Rogallo]

Still in the denial stage, eh?

 

[dfw gen]

this management is worse then the last group of clowns.

 

[etops1]

this management is worse then the last group of clowns.

Really ? How so ?

 

[silverbird007]

At least management is listening to and responding to our customers complaints as well as watching the competition. That's what they are paid to do.

 

[737823]

this management is worse then the last group of clowns.

 
AA employees are finally waking upto this reality, I am glad. But sadly its too late.  You all supported these fools merging the best with the bottom feeder of the industry.
 
Josh

 

[737823]

Overall this is positive but even with these changes implemented the service is far inferior to what was offered pre-9/1.  The quality of what is being served is far inferior and is the exact cycles USAIR has used and is even served on the same USAIR set-ups and China.  The AA china was relatively new and had a simple but elegant style I quite liked.  The new stuff is downright hideous it looks like it is straight from Ikea or something.  
The non-JFK/MIA transcon offering is pitiful compared to what AA had long offered on routes touching states on both coasts.   The F/As I know are embarrassed serving this garbage and many people are sending their food back.
 
Josh

 

[MAH4546]

Overall this is positive but even with these changes implemented the service is far inferior to what was offered pre-9/1.  The quality of what is being served is far inferior and is the exact cycles USAIR has used and is even served on the same USAIR set-ups and China.  The AA china was relatively new and had a simple but elegant style I quite liked.  The new stuff is downright hideous it looks like it is straight from Ikea or something.  
The non-JFK/MIA transcon offering is pitiful compared to what AA had long offered on routes touching states on both coasts.   The F/As I know are embarrassed serving this garbage and many people are sending their food back.
 
Josh

 
And others are doing what I'm doing: quitting flying American Airlines because the product has become garbage.
 
But I'm watching closely how AA is responding and I'd love to return to AA in the future. This is a positive step, but not there yet.