Single Snack Items Gone 11/1

[flyingcat]

I still say take a page from CO. They have great service and meals that you have to pay for and they are making money. With all the cost cuts US has gained, how can they not duplicate the CO model in inflight service? Still seems US is trying to find its place in the airline world. What is the longterm plan for inflight service levels?

One of the reasons Continental can offer more in terms of meals is that they are the only domestic airline who did not sell off their catering kitchens. I believed it is called Chelsea catering. Suppossedly having catering inhouse has given them the flexibility to take control of the catering costs themselves. Unfortunately this goes way back to the days when airlines had hotels and all sorts of related travel companies under their ownership. Selling catering kitchens, in the short run, made quick money but exposed your catering to markuped market prices.

 

[stoopidute442]

The single snack items for purchase program on US East will be discontinued beginning 11/1, with sales continuing until supplies are depleted. The program might return in the future.

It was also announced that F/A's will announce if any extra BOB items are available after the initial pass is made in an effort to decrease spoilage of the perishable items.

I personally depleted 2 kitkat's and 2 gummy jolly ranchers last night.

 

[legacy-to-LCC]

I still say take a page from CO. They have great service and meals that you have to pay for and they are making money. With all the cost cuts US has gained, how can they not duplicate the CO model in inflight service? Still seems US is trying to find its place in the airline world. What is the longterm plan for inflight service levels?

what is co's inflight service? their website doesn't reveal much; i didn't see anything about food for purchase, either?!?

 

[700UW]

Continental offers free meals on thier flights, not Buy On Board.

 

[legacy-to-LCC]

Continental offers free meals on thier flights, not Buy On Board.

thanks 700!
and didn't co post a q3 profit? and haven't they been one of the most profitable legacy carriers?
i get so annoyed with these profitability myths that require us to dismantle the quality of our inflight service...and more annoyed with those who accept them without challenge.

 

[AstroLounge]

The concept of the single serve items was good to start with but the products available were never well received other than the Pringles and the KitKat bar. The price was a little steep........3bucks a pop when you can go to the local Dollar Store and get Three times the quantity.....situational awareness< You (the traveller) are at the Airport> You (the traveller) get hungry, needs to plan Ahead. If the airline wants to offer items like this onboard either a vending machine needs to be installed somehere/somehow on the a/c......that way the f/a's can continue to perform their duties with minimal disruption. The entire BOB program needs to be revamped.......the product has really gone downhill since the original program began and passengers are further ahead selecting their meals from various airport vendors. Longhaul (3hours or more) meals SHOULD be provided to all passengers, complimentary......it can be done. (And I sure as hell don't need to take another pay cut to do it!)

 

[TheWatcher]

what is co's inflight service? their website doesn't reveal much; i didn't see anything about food for purchase, either?!?

i will give an example. i love CO because its the hometown airline and because they have great service. i fly US sometimes because i have relatives that work for them and i would like to keep them employeed by throwing some of my business that way. i took a CO flight from IAH-PHL. on this flight i had to sit in the back because there were no fisrt class seats left. anyway i had an aisle seat which was good since i am 6'4" and 248 lbs. 🙂 the service went like this. full beverage with snack. followed by full beverage and hot meal. followed by coffee and tea and water service. then 1 hr out from PHL they performed another full beverage service. for having to sit in the back, i thought that service was pretty impressive and i wrote in and let CO know! fast fwd 1.5 months---i took US IAH-PHL was on an embraer 170 i think. pretty nice airplane, but at 6'4" 248 lbs. it was a little tight. the flight attendants were nice, all smiles. service went like this. buy-on-board thing in a box followed by full beverage service. followed by coffee. out of curiousity i purchashed one and i was shocked! it was some chips salsa and some sort of cracker sticks with cheese. the look on my face must have been all telling, for when the flight attendant came by to collect trash, she looked at me and apologized. i responded to her that its not her fault, you have to work with what your company gives you.

that said, i have taken US flights back in the late 90's when the service was just as i described for CO above. cut backs are understood when the company is in financial troubles, but the continued lack of service after major concession after major concession is unjustifiable when atleast 1 major competitor is running circles around you and making money doing things that US management says is a money looser. 🙁🙁🙁🙁

 

[ringmaruf]

i took a CO flight from IAH-PHL. on this flight i had to sit in the back because there were no fisrt class seats left. anyway i had an aisle seat which was good since i am 6'4" and 248 lbs. 🙂 the service went like this. full beverage with snack. followed by full beverage and hot meal. followed by coffee and tea and water service. then 1 hr out from PHL they performed another full beverage service. for having to sit in the back, i thought that service was pretty impressive and i wrote in and let CO know! fast fwd 1.5 months---i took US IAH-PHL was on an embraer 170 i think. pretty nice airplane, but at 6'4" 248 lbs. it was a little tight.

A CO 737 in coach has 31" of seat pitch and 17.2" wide seats.

A US EMB-170 has 33" of seat pitch and 18.1" wide seats.

 

[TheWatcher]

A CO 737 in coach has 31" of seat pitch and 17.2" wide seats.

A US EMB-170 has 33" of seat pitch and 18.1" wide seats.

that maybe but i felt better on the 737 as the 170 with the 2-2 made me feel as though i was on a tuna can. also could be the fact that on CO i didnt focus so much on the seat because of the service and because of the inflight movie being shown. i forgot to mention the inflight movie. and it was a 737-800 a very nice plane. the 170 is a nice plane but no so comfy for me on such a long haul. 🙁🙁🙁

 

[firstamendment]

ithat said, i have taken US flights back in the late 90's when the service was just as i described for CO above. cut backs are understood when the company is in financial troubles, but the continued lack of service after major concession after major concession is unjustifiable when atleast 1 major competitor is running circles around you and making money doing things that US management says is a money looser. 🙁🙁🙁🙁

I haven't been proud of being a flight attendant in a long time. I too remember US in the 90's...

pre-departure wine or oj
bev with nuts
bev with 3 meal choices
coffee/liquer service

of course movie and short subjects

ice cream and beverage an hour and a half before landing
hot towels
mints

AND THAT WAS IN COACH!!

Now yes I have adapted, but there is NO comparison.

So when some of you see the "over it" look on many of our faces, it's because we know where we were and where we are now.

But you know, people b!tched when we did all that, so does it really matter?

 

[Light Years]

-i took US IAH-PHL was on an embraer 170 i think. pretty nice airplane, but at 6'4" 248 lbs. it was a little tight. the flight attendants were nice, all smiles. service went like this. buy-on-board thing in a box followed by full beverage service. followed by coffee. out of curiousity i purchashed one and i was shocked! it was some chips salsa and some sort of cracker sticks with cheese. the look on my face must have been all telling, for when the flight attendant came by to collect trash, she looked at me and apologized. i responded to her that its not her fault, you have to work with what your company gives you.

Funny enough, the E170s F/As were told they are not supposed to do a coffee service. I don't mean not required to, I mean not supposed to. That's just them being nice. They also aren't supposed to give the full can, but they seem to on all of the E170 flights.

 

[proudf/a]

LOL! Wouldn't be pretty around our system! 😱

EEWWW thats a nasty vision... :blink:

 

[CruelSummer]

I was thinking the same thing...

Personally I prefer braless. tongue.gif biggrin.gif

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[firstamendment]

I was thinking the same thing...
Be careful what you wish for.

It was a joke but I did once have a dear ol PSA f/a show off her new boobs because of cancer. She wanted me to feel them. I graciously decline.

 

[US1YFARE]

I graciously decline.

oh be a sport, the poor woman had cancer and was happy to have them