Airlines starting to offer more than peanuts

[Ned]

So, some of the legacy airlines are trying to go back into the "full service" flying business, at least a little bit. What would you like to see your favorite legacy airline bring back?

Originally Posted by TravelMole.com by David Wilkening, December 14, 2006

Airlines starting to offer more than peanuts

Airlines have been routinely cutting back on passenger perks but there have been some new ones, though travelers will have to be sitting in the front of the plane or flying internationally to get new services, said The Wall Street Journal.

For example:

• AMR Corp.'s American Airlines recently added back silverware and hot cloth towels to its domestic first-class cabins, replacing the plastic utensils and disposable hand wipes that had become standard during tougher times.
• Delta Air Lines this fall reintroduced mid-flight snacks in coach on international routes and started handing out amenity kits with socks, eye masks and earplugs.
• Northwest Airlines started beefing up its snack service in first class on shorter domestic flights, replacing pretzels and bags of mixed nuts with fresh fruit, muffins and other snacks...
• ...American is offering freshly baked cookies in first class on transcontinental flights.
• Northwest has a new on-demand entertainment system on trans-Atlantic flights
• Delta in September started adding on-demand digital television, movies and games at every seatback on select longer U.S. flights where it is competing aggressively for customer loyalty. Those flights include ones from Atlanta and New York to cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle and San Francisco.

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[bravestar]

Well, the main thing I'd like to see the airlines do is offer a snack on domestic flights that qualify for drink service. There's nothing worse than attempting to enjoy a drink, and you get in the mood for a little snack, and there's none to be found.

Also, I'd like to see the for-fee services be a more reasonable cost. I don't blame the airlines for wanting to make a profit from the sale, but I don't like being taken advantage of.

I like the way Continental treated me last May when I went overseas. Shortly after take off for our 8.5 hour flight, we were offered drinks. After about an hour into the flight, out came dinner. Then, more drinks. Then later, more drinks, this time with a snack. Then, more drinks. Finally, when we got near to touchdown during the early morning hours, out came a light breakfast. I was so pleased that I didn't have to buy anything to eat right away once I deplaned - the breakfast served was light, but it was enough to hold me for about 2 hours after deplaninig for me to get away from the airport and get settled in the area.

I'm not one of those people who think I should be treated like Donald Trump on a charter when I fly (though those folks exist). I just want to be comfortable until I reach my destination. Drinks and snacks go a LONG WAY towards that.

[Kairho]

I thought that looked familiar.

[jimtbay]

Customer service. I dare them to bring customer service back before adding cloth napkins.

Whatever class you choose, your memory will recall the actions of the flight persons versus if you received a plastic knife or not.

I do not expect or want the airlines to feed me. I do not need them to entertain me, I have enough electronic devices or a good old fashioned book to keep me occupied.

Clean the plane, make the seat comfortable and get me to the next airport on time and in one piece!

[Ned]

Originally Posted by jimtbay

Customer service. I dare them to bring customer service back before adding cloth napkins.

Whatever class you choose, your memory will recall the actions of the flight persons versus if you received a plastic knife or not.

I do not expect or want the airlines to feed me. I do not need them to entertain me, I have enough electronic devices or a good old fashioned book to keep me occupied.

Clean the plane, make the seat comfortable and get me to the next airport on time and in one piece!

Holy Mackerel Jim! Do you mean to tell me that you'd actually like the airlines to do their jobs ... well? That certainly seems like it's asking an awful lot!

[bodega]

This is a nice start, but what are they going to do for those of us in coach? My first suggestion would to be vacuum and clean the trays more often as I would like to feel like I am not traveling on the Walmart Express

We have been flying business or first for several of our trips and this time we flew coach. Interesting to compare;
-Blanket in first is in a plastic bag and on the seat, but in coach you are lucky to even find one.
-Pillows in coach are about as rare as a clean lavatory
-On 777's in business class on those designed for international flights, you get a button to use to puff up the seat for lumbar support and you can also get it to massage your back. In coach you get to use that part of the seat to stuff your coat behind you for support!
-Snacks in first, especially the nuts, come in nice cups and are warm. We had one of our bagged snacks handed out of a plastic tub.
-In first/business you can often get a drink before takeoff. In coach, on this most recent flight, we were well into our flight before we got something served.

Oh the fun of flying!

[stephen_s]

Bodega read my mind.

All this is fine and dandy for first and business, but what about us poor souls who can't afford first and business?

[Ned]

Originally Posted by stephen_s

Bodega read my mind.

All this is fine and dandy for first and business, but what about us poor souls who can't afford first and business?

That's an easy question. Can't you ask something harder Stephen.

It's business as usually in economy. No service!

[deangreenhoe]

It's business as usually in economy. No service!

Which is why the best expenditure of frequent flier miles is for upgrades, not free tickets, at least for long haul trips where you get more bang for your buck. Quite often the cost of an upgrade from coach to first class has several more times the cash value of a free ticket in the back of the plane.

Otherwise just double up the miles (actually, often less than double) for a free ticket up front rather than in the back. That's what I have generally done for myself.

[Ned]

Originally Posted by deangreenhoe

Which is why the best expenditure of frequent flier miles is for upgrades, not free tickets, at least for long haul trips where you get more bang for your buck. Quite often the cost of an upgrade from coach to first class has several more times the cash value of a free ticket in the back of the plane.

Otherwise just double up the miles (actually, often less than double) for a free ticket up front rather than in the back. That's what I have generally done for myself.

Dean, you couldn't more correct about using those miles. That's how I'm constantly flying FC on flights longer than 2 hours. If it's 2 hours or less, I'll take my chances on getting a free upgrade, which I get about 50% - 60% of the time.