Please update
 

Recently, someone wrote that Delta was going to offer an alcholic drink in coach for free on International flights during mealtime.

Also, someone wrote that American was going to offer free alcoholic drinks on Trans Pacific flights in coach.

Any truth to these stories.

My personal opinion is that I wish the airlines would tack another $3.00 to the price of the airline ticket and "give" the customers in coach a free "Lean Crusine" or "Healthy Choice" meal and a glass of wine on flights over three hours. I priced it at $3.00 at my local grocery store.

Anyone agree?

These flights from coast to coast or to Hawaii are just not enjoyable with a $4.00 snack pack or $2.00 Blueberry muffin.

I remember riding a train in Spain and they "gave" free earphones to everyone in coach. The earphones were an advertising promotion for a credit card.

And on a flight with Deutch BA from Berlin to Nice, they gave a free drink as a promotion for a new beverage.

Why don't the airlines contract with different companies to offer free food for promotional/advertising opportunities?

Just an idea. I feel better now. Blood pressure back to normal.

...because the airlines consider us to be I don't know how best to describe it but something less than their guests.

To be locked up in what is basically a chamber for 5 or 6 hours without a distraction is very uncomfortable to say the least.

At least a meal service, which never cost them all that much, creates some sort of diversion and helps the time go by.

And the European airlines have not found it necessary to stoop to the low of American carriers and charge for wine with dinner in coach and I don't see where their prices are any higher than American's.

The worst is American's "snack" on west bound trans Atlantic flights an hour and a half out of JFK...while both BA and VS service finger sandwiches which aren't all that bad, we get from American that snack pack of a bunch of inedible garbage. Also both VS and BA give small ice cream bars midway through the westbound flights to JFK from LHR...why not AA?

I also wonder why the airlines don't provide meals. I don't mind a few more dollars on the ticket price.

I am willing to pay for individual small bottled waters and drinks like CranGrape.

The meals are a distraction, entertainment of a sort and/or a little needed energy boost on flights.

I don't mean to offend anyone. However, I feel the endless silent scream for CHEAP from many ticket seekers is part of the no food plan.

Alcohol does not matter to me. I love that sparkling grape drink that tastes like Asti. If the airlines offer it for free or for a fee I will be thrilled.

What is wrong with tying to make flying pleasant and keeping flyers happy? That might help the bottom line and fill more planes.

My preference is to pay a little more for the ticket and get a few nice comforts.

The flight attendant as cashier in the sky blocking the aisles and trying to find change annoys me.

I guess I'm in the minority here, but what other business is required to feed you for free while you use their services?

I am paying less than what I paid TWENTY years ago for the same flight (Tampa to Philly roundtrip used to be $198 in 1986 - I am paying $108 in October 2006).

We don't expect free food when we go to a (very long) movie, not on a bus trip, not on an all morning wait at the doctor's office, not on a train, nowhere that I can think of. Yet we expect free (and delicisou!) food from an airline.

I don't get it.

Well, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. If it is a two hour flight, I can understand no food, but Dallas to Hawaii, New York to San Francisco? They need to make those flight attendants work! This way, they will quit before they get old and crabby.

Joan

I'm glad you are saving money, but Tampa to Philly is only a 2 hour 24 minute flight.

And we're not expecting the airline to give us free food.

However, for flights over four hours, include the food cost in the ticket price so the flight attendants don't block the isle of the aircraft.

Well, it sure sounded like you want free food.

As for going to the grocery, adding up the Lean Cuisine and a glass of wine to $3...you do realize somebody must be paid to refrigerate, transport, and heat these Lean Cuisines, right? And that "somebody" better be heating that food to the right temperature - which means training and thermometers, etc, and in an airport we're talking UNION wages.

I deliver Meals on Wheels - just like airline food - and the COST is $6 without the wine, and using volunteers to deliver the food. So I think your estimate is off by at least half, not including the wine.

On a recent flight, (I think it was Air Tran) they announced they would not accept cash for beverages, only credit/debit cards. I am sure this is to prevent the whole cashier problem you refer to. Since you say you don't want it for free, but just want something good and less hassle with the cash/cart problem, how would that work for you?

I'm not being snotty here, I'm sorry if it comes off that way. I just don't think the airlines should be responsible for feeding me - I'd much rather bring on a tasty sandwich I chose before boarding. So no, don't charge me more and feed me. I'll bring or buy my own thanks!

Looking at prices for next year to Europe, American Airlines is matching Virgin Atlantic's price, and British Airways is $35 cheaper. Doesn't take too many brains to go with the airline that offers free alcohol and food--not a snack pack. Let the Buyer Beware.

In short, the U.S. airlines have cut out the extras and brought the price back up.

I really think that when people bring their own food on an eight-hour flight it creates a health issue. No refrigeration for the food and no hospitals between California and Hawaii.

Right now according to Orbitz January flights from JFK to LHR are in the mid $500 return...that is an obscenely high absurd fare.

Sooner or later, the airlines will announce their post holiday sales and expects fare to drop to a much more reasonable $300-$350 return.

There are actually a lot of legal issues with providing free alcohol on domestic flights. And these legal issues are very convoluted. There is also the problem that alcoholic beverages are regulated at a State level. That's a lot of legalese to wade through.

....but don't they provide free booze in business and first class? They seem to have mastered the legal issues there.

<b>as posted by Wally</b>,

<i>Looking at prices for next year to Europe, American Airlines is matching Virgin Atlantic's price, and British Airways is $35 cheaper.</i>,

when and if you are posting <b>actual</b> information, try not to drink before you do that. Here are some facts:

www.BA.com - JFK-LHR
1/10-1/17 - $464.73
3/7-3/14 - $464.73
5/7-5/14 - $613.73

www.AA.com - JFK-LHR
1/10-1/17 - $464.00
3/7-3/14 - $464.00
5/7-5/14 - $613.00

Perhaps you see a $35 difference because of the drinks and your need to have 7 glasses of wine (AA charges $5 per glass in economy), but I see it as (almost) the exact same fare, actually $0.73 cheaper.

Besides with 2 R/Ts and some status, AA will give you a free domestic ticket, I wonder what BA will give you? oh, I forgot....some cheap wine....

Enjoy your trip!

I understand the griping about cattle-class airline service, but I continue to wonder about complaints about free wine, food, sneaking soda on board cruise ships, paying corkage fees.

I am as much in search of a bargain as anyone else - and some of that allows me to travel as much as I do - but after paying thousands for a vacation, I refuse to stress over whether or not I have to pay for a glass of lousy wine, some cheese and crackers or the brand diet soda I drink at home. Life is to short.

AA will match BA's price from Miami if you don't use the DIRECT (Miami/London) flight. You have to fly to New York on an Airbus 300 (you know, the kind of plane where the tail falls off if a 747 goes by).

If you fly on AA's Direct Miami/London flight, the price is higher than on BA's. And as everyone knows, the service in economy DOESN'T EXIST.

<i>I am as much in search of a bargain as anyone else - and some of that allows me to travel as much as I do - but after paying thousands for a vacation, I refuse to stress over whether or not I have to pay for a glass of lousy wine, some cheese and crackers or the brand diet soda I drink at home. Life is to short.</i>

Amen. But people love to gripe about something, don't they?

Can't recall if I ever got &quot;free&quot; wine or food back when I rode Greyhound up and down and across the country regularly. Oh, yeah, except when that guy we picked up in Lodi one night sat next to me and fell asleep snoring at me with breath that was composed of 2/3 horse and 1/3 Red Mountain Burgundy content. Slept all the way to LA. We both had hangovers.

&quot;Can't recall if I ever got &quot;free&quot; wine or food back when I rode Greyhound up and down and across the country regularly.&quot;

I don't believe Greyhound makes one throw out their liquids before boarding the bus.

Sorry, I didn't mean to twist your arm for an answer, but then, I guess I didn't.

But no one has answered the original question of this post which is: Is Delta offering a free drink with meals on International flights and is American offering some type of free alcohol on flights across the Pacific.

Would anyone like to answer the question?

And by the way, if you want to rant and rave, &quot;start your own thread.&quot;

Here's the original news release from DL. Should have started July 1. I can't confirm.

news.delta.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=10282

I cannot find anything on aa.com that says they provide free drinks on their Pacific flights.

<b>Wally</b>,

You asked for a comparison test and here it is. Same dates as above, from MIA to LHR, <b>both airlines</b> non-stops:

BA:
JAN - $641.73
MAR - $$609.73
MAY - $733.73

AA:
JAN - $600.80
MAR - $600.80
MAY - $733.80

so, once again, a big question mark? what's your point?

The grub in coach is about the same, AA charges $5 per drink but in return gives you 100% of actual miles flown, BA gives you 25% and that is only if you're a member already, if not, you can't sign up to their program when flying on these fares, so you get <b>nothing</b>. The service varies on both airlines, sometimes outstanding, sometimes good, sometime bad, so let's not kid ourselves.

You want to try again?

AAFF - We all know free drinks and no seat-belt signs are way more important than FF miles for some people!

BTW, after many many months, I suddenly realize that I haven't thought about this connetion before - the more drinks one have, the more frequent one has to use the bathroom. And if the seat belt signs stays on, you know... ;)

Buyer Beware:

If you want miles, fly with American.

If you want free drinks and flight attendants that don't wake you up at 3:00 a.m. to say, &quot;The captain has not turned off the fasten seatbelt sign, please return to your seat,&quot; fly British Airways.

If you want an excellent selection of movies to choose from, fly BA.

If you want a small choice of movies with plenty of advertising to listen to, fly American.

If you want crappy food and a snack pack, fly American.

If you want an excellent dessert and salad with your meal, fly BA.

Buyer Beware

It appears what AAFF is saving is don't book an international flight with American more than four months in advance. No one wants to fly them and the price will go down.

<b>rkkwan</b>,

I know, but for some reason I can't help myself.....

btw, great logic there!!! (about wine, seatbelts and toilets). :-D

and final note - Unless we were experiencing turbulance where the FAs were asked to stop service, sit down and buckle up, I have never been stopped from going into a bathroom on any AA flight when and if the AA flight did have the seatbelt sign on. It's done for the paxs safety but it does not preclude one from using the toilet when needed.

Besides - the light is not on that much anyway, nowhere near what Wally thinks, believes, or experiences.....

as posted by <b>Wally</b>,

<i>It appears what AAFF is saving is don't book an international flight with American more than four months in advance. No one wants to fly them and the price will go down.</i>

You are really loosing me (and I'm sure others) at this point.

because you said the following:

<i>Looking at prices for <b>next year</b> to Europe, American Airlines is matching Virgin Atlantic's price, <b>and British Airways is $35 cheaper.</b> Doesn't take too many brains to go with the airline that offers free alcohol and food--not a snack pack.</i>

so, when I proved to you that AA is the same or possibly cheaper on some randomly chosen dates, you really go of the deep end and just post random and what seems like not really thought through ideas, or whatever you want to call it.

Perhaps it's time to &quot;fly&quot; AA, and I don't mean American Airlines.....:-D

&quot;<i>If you want free drinks and flight attendants that don't wake you up at 3:00 a.m. to say, &quot;The captain has not turned off the fasten seatbelt sign, please return to your seat,&quot; fly British Airways</i>

Why would you NOT want the FA to <u>wake you up</u> to tell you to return to your seat?!

If you were sleep walking that could be dangerous. If you were passed out in the aisle then people might step on you. If you were passed out in the loo then people might do other things on you. So the FA was doing you a favor.

I really think the fasten seat belt sign is enough to let the passengers know to return to their seat. Why, would you like the flight attendants to say it in 50 different languages at 3:00 a.m?

And as for the prices, I was checking on the dates that I want to fly; June and July.

ok Wally,

I picked 2 random dates in June and July for MIA-LHR

June 12-19
BA - $1003.73
AA - $1003.80

July 12-19
BA - $1063.73
AA - $1063.80

You tell me...????

AAFF...

We all appreciate your devotion and loyal to AA and I am in no way suggesting that this is not your right.

However, one has to admit there is a degree of contempt for coach passengers with little things, which simply cannot be all that expensive to the airlines in the scheme of things, as substandard meals (you just can't compare the quality of the meal on a trans Atlantic flight on Virgin or BA as compared to AA), the free booze, the inedible snack pack they give out instead of sandwiches we get on VS and BA on the LHR-JFK route and yet the fares are pretty much the same!

And listen...if they want to charge for a meal on a trans Continental flight, why not a real meal...how much does the meals cost...$8 or so...again while you may not feel it's a big deal to sit without food for 6 or 7 hours, at least on Greyhound every couple of hours they pull up to a service area on a motorway and you can feed your body...when you're captive in a close tube for 5 or 6 hours, that's a different story.

Like I said, it's a sign of contempt for the well being of the passengers.

Again, AA. American would match BA's price when you made a connection in either Chicago, Houston or New York. AA would not give you the Miami London Non-Stop flight both ways or the price was more than BA's. I'm using www.kayak.com. Check non-stop prices. Why would I want to fly from Miami to Houston to get to London?

BTW, when was the last time you flew American in coach? On my last flight during Labor Day, when the passengers got up in first class to use the toilet--no problems. However, when the passengers went to the back of the plane to use the toilet in coach, the announcements were, &quot;There are too many people trying to use the toilet, please return to your seat,&quot; or &quot;The pilot has not turned off the fasten seat belt sign.&quot;

AFAIK,

meals on transatlantic flights are <b>free</b> on AA and it's pretty much the same grub that's served on BA and/or Virgin.

<b>Wally</b>,

I did compare the fares on www.ba.com and www.aa.com.

Both airline sites gave me non-stop flights for the fares posted above, MIA-LHR-MIA.

AMERICAN AIRLINES

56

MIA Miami

06/12/2007 08:10 PM

LHR London

06/13/2007 09:45 AM

777
AMERICAN AIRLINES

57

LHR London

06/19/2007 10:05 AM

MIA Miami

06/19/2007 02:25 PM

777
Fare Summary ?
Average Fare Per Person - 888.00 USD
Passenger Type Used in Pricing

Fare per Person

Additional Taxes and Fees per Person

Total Price
1 Adult

888.00 USD

115.80 USD

1003.80 USD
Total Price

1003.80 USD

BA0206 Miami,USA Heathrow (London),United Kingdom Economy (Traveller) Tue 12 June 2007 ,17:15 Wed 13 June 2007 , 06:35
Inbound BA0207 Heathrow (London),United Kingdom Miami,USA Economy (Traveller) Tue 19 June 2007 ,09:40 Tue 19 June 2007 , 13:45

Price breakdown
Fare per person plus taxes, fees, charges and surcharges* per person Total
1 Adult $ 758.00 $ 245.73 $ 1,003.73
* The price of your ticket includes a security, insurance and fuel surcharge per flight levied by the carrier. For details please click here .
Total flight price $ 1,003.73
(US Dollars)

<b>xyz123</b>,

I really don't care what airline one chooses, but if somebody chooses to post some inaccurate information and pretend it's a <b>fact</b>, then I have a problem with that.

There is no truth to the OP's claim about pricing and the OP's and your's claim about the service and food. As I stated above, both airlines service depends on the crew and it could range from fantastic to poor, and I know, I used to fly both in coach, and now fly both in business or first. The grub in coach is about the same and it's free. The only difference is the alcohol.

All I said in my first post was that one can choose to get alcohol for free or one can choose 100% miles, which would give one a free domestic ticket with about 3 R/Ts to London from US.

You do the math!

Airlines
nonstop 1+
Air Canada $1023
Air France $1059
Alitalia $1098
American Airlines $1039 $1001
British Airways $1004 $1094
Brussels Airlines $1124
Continental $1266 $1067
Delta $986
Iberia Lineas $961
Lufthansa $1139
Multiple Airlines $945 $822
Northwest $1014
Scandinavian Sys $1348
Singapore Airlines $1715
Swiss Intl Air $1078
United $1017
US Airways $1006
Virgin Atlantic $1039

Here are the results of my Kayak search, June 13 outbound and July 10 return:

Non-stop is the first column and 1 stop is the second column. BA beats AA by $35 in the non-stop.

Continental and Singapore are on the Virgin flights. The interesting one is the Multiple airlines. Fly out on American and return on Virgin. Does anyone know how the FF miles work on that ticket?

AA:

What is the story about American Airlines giving alcohol in coach on flights across the Pacific Ocean?

Yes, Delta is offering a free drink during their main dinner or lunch service on international flights.

Thanks, MoeMom.

One of the nicest comments people can make about a flight is that they served a nice meal.

Wally

Just for your info, along with a free drink with dinner or lunch, Delta has also started walking through with a basket of snacks before or after they walk through with water on flights to Europe. On flights from Europe, they come through with ice cream in the middle of the flight. And yes, this is for economy class.

AAFF...

Have you flown AA coach from JFK-LHR lately...trust me there grub is much better on VS and BA...the entertainment system on VS, even in coach, is far superior to AA and of course the drinks are free.

Now whether or not these small amenities are a big deal is in the eyes of the beholder...I just continue to think that AA shows much greater contempt to its passengers on these matters than do especially VS but also BA.

IMHO

You guys are just going round and round on this and you must understand that nobody is going to be changing their position so y'all must be just interested in arguing.

I don't agree that airlines should tack on another $0.05 to my ticket price so that you can have a couple of glasses of wine.