American Airlines launches meal reservation program

[737823]

Well, perhaps you are having better luck with the caterer at MIA than we have at DFW. We have recurring problems with the DFW caterer. When I would write up things on the catering papers--such as more inserts delivered to F/C galley than would fit in the carts or in the "cubbyholes" and would just be left on the counter because "the f/a will find a place for them" (a no-no); or, 3 inserts of ice for the whole a/c on a DFW-LAX flight; or, catering papers saying one thing about the dinner entrees and when you took the foil off the dish, it would be something else entirely--the person handling catering reports told me that the catering manager was saying that "these things are not happening. The f/as are lying." I started taking pictures with my phone and sending them to the person responsible for catering reports. One of my favorites was the double-catered flight on which we were catered (just in First Class) with 15 liters of water and 48 nut ramekins (16 passengers each way).

AA 222 the other day on a 24 passenger 757 left with 16 meals. Over the years I've seen the flight leave short on menu cards, no entertainment players, or pillow/duvets but they have never been short on meals. Purser was very professional and resourceful, offered meals to all fullfare passengers and Execplats and then offered a fruit cup and buy on board from Y. Turns out family of four refused meals (must have been fullfare) as they had already eaten so everyone that wanted a meal got one, and many even got their choice of the asparagus and potato egg skillet or cereal. Purser mentioned in the past they have catered 30 meals (763) but NEVER 16.

Special meals ARE still available on transcons (which AA has a fairly loose and inconsistent definition) in F/J and all Asia, Europe, South America routes. Certain LatAm markets do still have special meals while others don't. Pretty ridiculous I agree, if someone needs a Kosher, Vegetarian or Gluten Free meal they should be able to have one. Delta still has them on all domestic flights with meal service, and some believe they are better than the standard offerings and are ordering them without a religious or dietary need:
http://upgrd.com/sit...l-on-delta.html

Josh

 

[ord78]

It's very easy to see from these various posts who actually flys, read flight attendant, and who actually sits in an office, read analyst or cubicle dweller.

35 years flying and all I can say about this is that's it's d.o.a. With the number of ludicrous problems we have with catering now, going back decades, I can see no way how this is going to work. Perhaps in a perfect world, just maybe. But in todays' operation, nope, ain't gonna happen.

 

[IORFA]

I must be extremely lucky in that I don't see all your catering problems. I rarely get a missed special meal. Almost entirely, when asked questions to narrow down the problem, it is almost always a mistake from the customer. This sounds to be very basic and fairly easy for them to accomplish. Especially if it helps us in the end to stop the idiotic whining about not getting what they want. Even restaurants run out of particular items at times, and they can go to the store. All in all I think this is great. Finally AA might see that people don't want the pasta anymore. Although, this might cost them money if people eat too many of the more expensive meals. Then they will stop another customer pleasing option.

 

[eolesen]

It shouldn't take AA much time or effort asking the EXPs and PLTs what we'd like to see on the menu. Looking at the spoilage is misleading, since you don't know if I took the pasta because I wanted it, or because it was the only thing offered. You don't know if I declined the meal because my choice wasn't available, or because I had no desire to eat lunch at 3pm in the afternoon...

Send something out to the top tiers, and you're guaranteed to get responses.

This? It might work, but I'm not going to go seeking it out. 90% of my bookings are thru an agency, so I won't see the click-thru on the website.

 

[IORFA]

The pasta reference is because they tell me they don't want it, or by the not so subtle eye rolls when told that is all that is left. But how would I know, I just work the flights. You are right, as usual.

 

[FWAAA]

It's very easy to see from these various posts who actually flys, read flight attendant, and who actually sits in an office, read analyst or cubicle dweller.

35 years flying and all I can say about this is that's it's d.o.a. With the number of ludicrous problems we have with catering now, going back decades, I can see no way how this is going to work. Perhaps in a perfect world, just maybe. But in todays' operation, nope, ain't gonna happen.

You may be right. But FA Mikey thinks it's an ok plan, as does IORFA.

I must be extremely lucky in that I don't see all your catering problems. I rarely get a missed special meal. Almost entirely, when asked questions to narrow down the problem, it is almost always a mistake from the customer. This sounds to be very basic and fairly easy for them to accomplish. Especially if it helps us in the end to stop the idiotic whining about not getting what they want. Even restaurants run out of particular items at times, and they can go to the store. All in all I think this is great. Finally AA might see that people don't want the pasta anymore. Although, this might cost them money if people eat too many of the more expensive meals. Then they will stop another customer pleasing option.

I agree completely. It's possible that management could choose to ignore the data that it will get from passengers about their meal preference and/or special meal orders, but assuming everyone does their job, this has the possibility of improving the customer experience for perhaps one or two (hopefully more) First and Business Class customers per flight. If customers pre-order 32 beef and 8 pasta yet AA orders and the caterers load 20 of each, that won't be good. But I have just a little more confidence that situation would be the exception and not the rule.

One thing I forgot to mention earlier is that years ago, flight attendants in J would often spend the taxi-out time greeting each passenger and taking their meal preference (from the fore on even numbered flights and from the aft on odd numbered flights, or as passengers sometimes call it, "FEBO" (front even back odd)). Flight attendants have said that federal FARs now clearly prohibit the FAs from spending these 10-15 minutes on such non-emergency preparedness related tasks. Apparently you're supposed to buckle in after retrieving the plastic cups or glassware from PDB service and checking for seat belts, seat recline, etc. If passengers can be trained to order their meals in advance, there should be fewer passengers who need a menu or need the meals described to them in flight.

All in all, a very benign change. And with aa.com more than 15 years old at this point, perhaps a little overdue.

For everyone, yes, it's a given: AA's management sucks and fails at every little thing it attempts. But this thread has nothing to do with how much management sucks. This is about the techie geek nerds in the aa.com cave and their ability to modify aa.com to permit customers to have some input on their flight's amenities without requiring them to call on the phone (as has been the case with special meal requests).