As the others scramble to offer in-flight food sales, AA take''s a different aproach

[FWAAA]

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On 7/9/2003 12:57:57 PM FA Mikey wrote:

Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines, the world''s largest carrier, is in preliminary talks with vendors about selling food at airport gates, spokesman Tim Wagner said.

"There''s complexity that goes along with selling food on board flights," Wagner said. "We can have people purchase it, bring it on-board themselves. That gives them more choice."



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I''ll be the first to admit that selling food on board adds some complexity, but a little complexity has never deterred AA from selling (now) $5 cocktails and beers systemwide in Y nor collecting (until recently) $5 throughout domestic Y for headset rental or collecting (currently) $2 for headset purchase in domestic Y. It also doesn''t seem to deter AA from the ridiculous duty free sales on international flights.

I''d be more than willing to pay a fair price for a large F class meal (hot, on a tray) when seated in an exit row seat and I''d be willing to pay a fair price for a second meal on long flights in Y, J or F (because the current meals are rather skimpy) for someone like me who likes to eat.

But carry on a cold meal purchased at the gate? Sounds too much like a glorified bistro bag to me. Screw that.

For many years AA has accomodated requests for "special meals." It can''t be all that "complex" to begin charging me for normal meals, reserved in a similar manner to the current "special meal" scheme. That''s what technology is for (and AA used to be the worldwide aviation technology leader).

Come on, AA - wise up. I''m holding out money here - don''t you want it?

 

[LaBradford22]

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On 7/9/2003 1:16:07 PM FWAAA wrote:

I''ll be the first to admit that selling food on board adds some complexity, but a little complexity has never deterred AA from selling (now) $5 cocktails and beers systemwide in Y nor collecting (until recently) $5 throughout domestic Y for headset rental or collecting (currently) $2 for headset purchase in domestic Y. It also doesn''t seem to deter AA from the ridiculous duty free sales on international flights.

I''d be more than willing to pay a fair price for a large F class meal (hot, on a tray) when seated in an exit row seat and I''d be willing to pay a fair price for a second meal on long flights in Y, J or F (because the current meals are rather skimpy) for someone like me who likes to eat.

But carry on a cold meal purchased at the gate? Sounds too much like a glorified bistro bag to me. Screw that.

For many years AA has accomodated requests for "special meals." It can''t be all that "complex" to begin charging me for normal meals, reserved in a similar manner to the current "special meal" scheme. That''s what technology is for (and AA used to be the worldwide aviation technology leader).

Come on, AA - wise up. I''m holding out money here - don''t you want it?

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I agree. It makes perfect sense to me, especially given that "Fly Smart - Give Customers What They Value" is part of the Turnaround Plan. If a customer values a meal, let him/her pay a bit extra - either at the gate or at the time of reservation - for it. If a customer doesn''t value a meal, he/she does not have to purchase one. To me, this just seems like a no-brainer. A few others (US and NW, I believe) have already implemented something like this, with very good success. Complexity? What''s so complex about collecting $5 or $10 and dispensing a simple meal? And even if it does add complexity, if it adds to the bottom line, so what?

 

[FA Mikey]

Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines, the world''s largest carrier, is in preliminary talks with vendors about selling food at airport gates, spokesman Tim Wagner said.

There''s complexity that goes along with selling food on board flights, Wagner said. We can have people purchase it, bring it on-board themselves. That gives them more choice.

 

[coldplay]

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On 7/9/2003 12:57:57 PM FA Mikey wrote:

Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines, the world''s largest carrier, is in preliminary talks with vendors about selling food at airport gates, spokesman Tim Wagner said.

"There''s complexity that goes along with selling food on board flights," Wagner said. "We can have people purchase it, bring it on-board themselves. That gives them more choice."



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this new duty would then pave way to the new uniform pieces gate agents and FAs are required to purchase...paper hats, hairnets, and plastic gloves. Soon to be followed by a pair of wide suspenders and we are required to have at least 6 pieces of "flair" (for those of you who have no idea what "flair" is, watch the movie "Office Space", or just head on down to your nearest TGIF or Ruby tuedays and see what the wait staff put on their suspenders.)