Beginning what is likely to be a popular trend in the airline
industry, American
Airlines has said it will start charging for food. I say, it’s about bloody time. For years as the more
fleet-of-foot discount airlines have eaten their lunch, the major airlines have been trawling out their foul-tasting
(or is that fowl-tasting) chicken or pasta to people who, if I may exaggerate, don’t really want it, and who would have
gladly taken a discount on their fare over the food. Of course, you’re not likely to see any savings because all the
major airlines are having such tough economic times because of afore-mentioned discount carriers. BUT, the move will
save American about $30 million a year (that much for rubbery chicken breast and wilted, white salad scraps? Man,
they’ve been getting ripped off.)
Anyway, the food sales will be available on domestic flights longer than three hours and will replace existing coach
food service on 120 transcontinental and 40 Hawaii flights. First class meals remain complimentary (as does the fine
dishware and more genuine smiles from service staff), but the airline will stop all special meal requests on all
non-transcontinental flights. Non-alcoholic beverages in coach remain complimentary…so you’ve got that going for you,
which is nice.
No word on whether the food that you’ll now have to pay for will remain as crappy as it’s always been.