Catering Comparison

[Art at ISP]

A friend of mine forwarded me some interesting information regarding food costs per passenger mile for major airlines in the 3rd quarter of 2006.

After reading PHL's comments on the first (?) class product on his recent transcon, I thought it appropriate to share with you all....

U.S. Carriers Food Expense, Third Quarter 2006

Network Food CASM TotalCASM %CASM 3Q2005 Change
------------------------------------------------------------------
American (AA) $ 130,307,000 0.29 2.3% 0.30 -0.9%
Continental (CO) 60,673,000 0.25 1.8% 0.25 -1.0%
Delta (DL) 82,307,000 0.24 1.8% 0.23 8.5%
Northwest (NW) 47,236,000 0.21 1.6% 0.22 -5.1%
United (UA) 104,832,000 0.28 2.2% 0.28 2.5%

US Airways (US) 15,352,945 0.12 0.8% 0.15 -19.6%

Network $ 440,707,945 0.25 1.9% 0.25 0.6%

You will note that US Airways spends little more than half of their closest competitor, and it shows in the product.

Yet the fares remain among the highest in the industry (they have the highest yield of the majors, mostly on the backs of the East Elites I might add).

It's okay to make money--we are not asking for stupidly low fares, but we do want them to be competitive--VALUE for a dollar spent--and the perception of value is where the disconnect appears to be. Tempe thinks the West way, which does not work in the East. East customers have a different set of expectations, which are more and more not being met.

Now for all of you who think we're whiners, think again. We have recently opened a line of communication to Tempe, and I would like to think we had a little something to do with the adjustment to the A320 reconfigurations. Our comments are constructive, and offer a way to improve performance, increasing both revenue AND customer satisfaction. All they have to do is listen, and there are signs they are going to do that.

We don't want everything for nothing, but it has been all take, with little or nothing given to the VFF's in return.

I just thought you'd find the food stats interesting.

My best to you all........

 

[ABEFLYER]

Art at ISP: "Now for all of you who think we're whiners, think again. We have recently opened a line of communication to Tempe, and I would like to think we had a little something to do with the adjustment to the A320 reconfigurations. Our comments are constructive, and offer a way to improve performance, increasing both revenue AND customer satisfaction. All they have to do is listen, and there are signs they are going to do that."

I think it's a little too late for Tempe to open lines of communication. For many of us we gave them repeated opportunities to provide "basic" customer service over the last year and a half--in my case they continually failed. PineyBob gets vouchers--I've gotten nothing--including emails.

2005-125,000 miles 2006-105,000 miles 2007-0

 

[EMBFA]

You mean those party cups aren't expensive?

To be fair, you have to consider how little long haul/international US does compared to others... I'd bet that's where most of the costs are.

Still I think the FC product could be upgraded... at least hot towels and glassware, adds a little bit of "first class feel."

One thing I'll cautiously say is that this mgmt seems to throw things out there without thinking (not good), but at least admit it when something doesn't work (very good).... I'm sad to hear that customers don't get responses... any contact I've had with the company as a F/A has actually been pretty positive, at least they seem to want feedback and respond to it or explain what the reasoning was... the old US def didnt do that.

I think once the certs are merged, contracts are in place, they will revamp the product and operation... if they want to be one of the surviving three or four airlines and be a serious international player they will have to. Not that they shouldn't be doing that already, but hopefully once the merger is out of the way they can focus on what they are offering as a product and who they are selling it to..

 

[eckoa6]

One thing I notice is that Continental is the third lowest yet is the only one that still serves meals domestically to f and y

 

[EMBFA]

Continental owns its own catering company, Chelsea Catering I think its called so being that its in house it probably makes it cheaper.

I flew on them a while ago, you should have seen my face when they came down the aisle with hot pizzas... I may as well have seen a unicorn trot down the aisle.

 

[Informed1]

Now for all of you who think we're whiners, think again. We have recently opened a line of communication to Tempe, and I would like to think we had a little something to do with the adjustment to the A320 reconfigurations. Our comments are constructive, and offer a way to improve performance, increasing both revenue AND customer satisfaction. All they have to do is listen, and there are signs they are going to do that.

We don't want everything for nothing, but it has been all take, with little or nothing given to the VFF's in return.

I just thought you'd find the food stats interesting.

My best to you all........
[/quote]


As much as I hate to say this, it is a true reality....customers need to start taking their business elsewhere. Sure I understand that it means lost revenue for US, and less job security for myself, but I am fed up. This is just a job, and there are many jobs to be had. So if all the dissapointed customers quit coming back, maybe management would get the hint..Unfortunately, nothing else seems to work.

 

[peterpjr]

We have recently opened a line of communication to Tempe, and I would like to think we had a little something to do with the adjustment to the A320 reconfigurations. Our comments are constructive, and offer a way to improve performance, increasing both revenue AND customer satisfaction. All they have to do is listen, and there are signs they are going to do that.

Please do keep that line of communication open and let Tempe know what you think. You guys pay our salaries and management needs to know what is important to you.

 

[JS]

It's no surprise US spends so little on food. I think we already knew that. Where's the Southwest figure? That would be comparable to US Airways, not the other airlines.

 

[Harry Callahan]

LCC= Lousy Crappy Cuisine

LCC = Lame Crappy Catering
Let's see what else we can come up with??

Perhaps a "Special" Maricopa Menu every February?

Todays entre choices are:

Sheriff Joe's Turkey Calzone

And

Sheriff Joe's Sandwich special

Bob, you have some inside info on the last.....

 

[REACC1]

Bob, you have some inside info on the last.....

Must have been real tasty, or Doug was just real hungry.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Must have been real tasty, or Doug was just real hungry.

Did he charge the food as a "Business Expense"?

 

[RowUnderDCA]

real first class customers fly netjets

the new class system in the US....look into it... vote against it

USAViation postings re: airline service: deck chairs on the titanic