I hear all the time that food on an airplane doesn’t matter. You’re not up in the air long enough. You won’t get a great meal like you can on the ground anyway, and “nobody decides who to fly because of the food.” That isn’t true – differentiated products win.
When US Airways took over American Airlines, the smaller carrier – whose stock ticket symbol was “LCC” for low cost carrier – didn’t serve very much food. In fact, to put expectations for the combined carrier in perspective I pointed out to the New York Times at the time that US Airways did not serve very much food. “US Airways frequent flyers are hungry” I said. It took a 3 hour 30 minute flight before they’d serve a meal.
So when ex-US Airways management synced up meal offerings at the two airlines a decade ago, the number one passenger complaint in first class was the food. Crew were embarrassed by what they were serving. And all the employee feedback at internal company meetings was about meal service. Then-CEO Doug Parker said at the time ‘I never knew anybody cared that much about food.’
United Airlines is now investing significantly in its wine program. They already have the best business class bedding among U.S. airlines. Delta, too, is upping its champagne and investing more in bedding.
It’s not that Delta and United are dumb. In fact, they’re achieving high margins while airlines that haven’t been investing as much in their product are underperforming financially.
One reader shares with me his decision to book with Delta and Air France instead of American – when he used to be willing to spend more to fly American. This is a real choice, and real revenue loss, that’s being repeated over and over.
I just booked a business class flight on DL/AF DFW to Warsaw instead of on AA. It was $2k cheaper, but…I would never have done this in years past (especially when spending [my employer’s] money).
But status on AA just isn’t worth chasing any longer. And AF business class so so much better—if only because of the wine and Armagnac.
Air France Airbus A350 Business Class
Air France has good seats, good food, and respectable wine. They’ve added mattress pads in business class on transatlantic flights. American is adding mattress pads, but only on longer flights to Asia Pacific and the Mideast.
American AAdvantage was American’s moat, and this reader used to spend more to fly American because of it. Doing so helped them earn their status. But status is no longer as valuable!
- American, like United and Delta, would rather monetize unsold first class seats to once a year coach flyers for as little as $40 rather than making those seats available as upgrades for customers spending tens of thousands of dollars a year.
- So it’s not surprising the product is not worth much more than $40!
American Airlines serves $8 wines in international first class. They dropped their wine expert, and were even just taking whatever the wholesaler sent them. On my flights out of Sydney they haven’t even had Australian wines. They stopped trying.
This was reflected in a significant net promoter score deficit to Delta and United. The good news is that nps recovers for those customers experiencing American’s best product.
Delta says they have a moat and a long enough head start that United can’t catch up. United CEO Scott Kirby said that the difference between his airline and “one other airline” is structural, and other airlines (i.e. American) can’t catch up. But that is not true. United was where American is right now a decade ago. The problem is that it takes time, commitment, and money. American is making some positive moves, but hasn’t yet demonstrated the commitment or money.
Ultimately, an airline can win on product. And it can win on loyalty alone – Northwest used to compensate top elites with bonus miles whenever they weren’t upgraded on domestic flights, making up for their inferior product with an ‘upgrade guarantee’. The best combination does both!
But ‘schedule and price’ alone is not a winning combination for a high cost airline in what’s ultimately a competitive marketplace. And reliability – while crucial – is mere tablestakes.
I just assumed it was all $8 bottles anyway. Besides, after their planned retrofits, will there even be any Flagship First in a few years anyway? The new business class suites seem ‘enough.’
“I never knew anybody cared that much about food” stated ex-CEO Doug Parker of ex-US Airways, was obviously clueless, but lets remember, I’m sure ole Doug flew in the corporate Gulfstream where he was served gourmet meals prepared onboard by a personal chef, so to him, he didn’t think anything of it, it’s “just food”.
Roughly around 2014, I had the opportunity to speak with several members of AA’s senior management at an event. I politely lamented the fact that, as a revenue premium passenger, their beverage quality paled in comparison to the Asian carriers they were up against. As I gave several specific examples, they fell silent, looked at each other, and finally one of them said, “Yeah, we know. But our new leaders are very frugal.” That sums it up, and nothing has changed. Isom said just last year “We can’t spend a dollar more than we need to. And we shouldn’t.” Nothing will improve meaningfully until there is a major leadership revolution at American, and that most certainly includes every last one of the Board of Directors. The shareholders must demand it.
The article makes Air France sound good. Air France is one of my two never fly again airlines – the other is American (nuff said). Air France involuntarily downgraded my wife and I on a Paris to IAD flight. The ticket was purchased through Delta. They only wanted to refund the difference, no other compensation. Their excuse was “change in equipment,” which was a lie. I told Delta that E.U. rules applied, and I was owed more. It was too confusing for them. I finally gave up, after delta threw a small token gesture at us. My wife (a medical professional) assisted with an ill patient over the Atlantic after the FAs asked for help on that very same flight. Not even as much as a thank you from Air France. Never again.
I’m one of the customers AA lost. Spent 13 years as first AA Plat and then Plat Pro. I am based in NY and used to go out of my way to fly AA, including doing connections when other airlines had non-stops for domestic flights (like all those times AA decided to drop JFK-LAS). And for international, frequently having to fly through LHR and connect to BA in lieu of taking a non-stop on DL or UA.
Decided to try out DL for a bit in 2023 and the experience was overall so much better I switched completely and have now earned DL Diamond two years in a row. The switch coincided with more travel for work- and I’m fortunate that work always pays for domestic first / international business. So sorry, AA, DL is now getting all my revenue.
The wine game at AA is terrible. They really need to find a better buyer for their wine program.
American Airlines Quality Service Just isn’t there anymore, the management team is only thinking about there investors not the customers who are poring there money into American Airlines. I have achieved Executive Platinum Status for three (3) consecutive years in a row. American Airlines First Class/Business Class Prices have increased between $300 – $500 USD out of DFW to EWR in the Past Two months. I generally book my Business & Leisure travel two months in advance. As of January 2025 is stopped chasing status on AAL it’s just not worth it…. American Airlines are just not Interested in Providing a Good Product any longer. I have Booked (3) R/T Flight on United in First Class & (2) R/T Delta Flights in First Class out of DFW for August and September 2025. Chasing Status on American Airlines is just not worth it any longer. I know American Airlines Management are not concerned about loss revenue from me! But when there loyal customers are booking on United & Delta by the Droves, that should be a eye opener to there Management Team.
@Chris — Sorry to hear of your bad experiences. I like AF’s food, but I know they are not as ‘reliable’ as other airlines at times. However, any airline can do this to its passengers; and it sucks every time. I’ve had that happen (multiple times) with Air Canada (the involuntary downgrade, blamed on ‘equipment’), often a 777 to 787 or a330. However, thanks to APPR, they’ve always refunded or rebooked, and provided compensation; since you were flying EU to USA, you should have been eligible for EU261 compensation, unless your itinerary originated outside the EU (like, DEL-CDG-IAD, etc.), even if purchased via Delta, operated by AF. I wish we had better air passenger rights in the USA, because these compensation schemes make it less ‘bad.’ We deserve better.
People (or more precise their employers) that pay for International Business expect a really good product. International premium is a big offset to overall money losing domestic flying. I suspect that’s where part of the revenue and profit shortfall compared to UA and DL is coming from.
Save you cash for GLP-1 meds. Skip the booze for your health.
It’s not just the wine, but the entire international premium travel experience is flawed and terribly inconsistent. My home base of RDU is a great example in showing how international premium travel on American is a huge letdown especially out of a non hub airport:
-The priority check-in line is often longer than the main cabin bag drop line. There is no separate “Flagship” check-in line.
-The lounge is small and disgusting. Prior to the LHR departure, there is not a single seat available, with folks having to sit on the floor. The lounge food offerings are FINE, but there is no Flagship lounge option and they do not provide premium drink coupons like they used to do pre-pandemic.
-The flight itself is fine, but nothing fun or fancy. Mediocre wine, mediocre food, and an apathetic crew.
If I can find a cheap fare with miles, I will fly American to LHR out of RDU, but otherwise I will always connect or fly Air France. The Air France experience out of RDU is not much better, but at least the flight is nice.
@Sam — I’m enjoying how this comment thread (on a post about American Airlines) is drifting into an Air France love-hate session, thanks to you and @Chris. Keep it going, and they might have to send us some of their delicious soft cheeses to go with all this… whine.
“‘I never knew anybody cared that much about food.’
Did he ever take a good look at Americans? The majority are tubs of lard that appear to never miss a meal, especially when it’s “free”. Oh, and don’t get me started on their diminished palates. Eating the food served by any airline never makes any sense.
Airline food — when lousy — does matter. It’s a primary reason I use airline/airport premium passenger lounges as much as I do.
Alcoholic beverages on board planes also does affect the choices of travelers, but in a different way — to book a different airline.
Good on the custeroms.
With all due respect, where’s your **proof** (not merely an opinion driven by apparent hate) that the wine was the sole cause of what happened?
Setting aside the ridiculous idea of an $8 wine in first class, I’m truly flummoxed at the idea of a major airline not bothering to source Aussie and New Zealand wines for their long haul flights. Really… really… REALLY… stupid.
I had been EXP for 10 years when the USAir takeover happened. 2M+ miles. The food changed. The mileage earning changed. The service levels changed. I went from doing anything to fly on AA to not caring anymore. It was hard at first, but it was the right choice. I’m happy mostly flying AS now.
Even now, it’s impossible to not see the gulf between an AA crew and a Delta or AS crew. And the difference on long-haul is immense (granted Aer Lingus staff are on AA’s level).
I hope AA gets their act together.
@Gary: Quantified anywhere?
“American Airlines Poured $8 Wines In International First Class—Now Elite Flyers Are Fleeing, Taking Billions With Them”
@Bill Dwyer : Delta was the same on their USA->Santiago routes when I flew it years ago.
I agree that $8 dollar wines in First Class is absurd. If they could get their wine buyer to purchase high quality Australian and New Zealand wines, that would not be a bad thing in my humble opinion. Some of those countries wines are really quite good.
Since retiring, I don’ fly as much any more, but I still fly AA Flagship first class whenever possible between SFO and JFK on thier 3-class service. In JFK, you get the top BA lounge which is nice. On the other hand, long domestic flights form SFO on a 737 is not a good experience. Was a 737 really meant for domestic long hauls. The first class is barely better then economy. Not sure executives really understand the the product and rewarding loyalty really does matter. It is almost as though they think they are running a public transportation bus system.
usual assumption, 5-5 ounce pours from a 750ml bottle. Heck, give ’em the whole bottle, it’s just $8. With ticket prices in the thousands, what price for an adequate bottle of wine? $25? $50? At least one more pour from a champagne bottle, 4 ounces per. Is cheap wine better-received than cheapo-“champagne”?
At least most of the comments are from people who have other options.
My home airport is PHL where AA controls something like 75% of the gates. Unless I am flying to either a UA or Delta hub I am stuck with AA. My other options are Spirit and Frontier. No thanks!
Regardless of specifics of the story, it’s just raw capitalism. Ensh*tification of systems and organizations in the race to the bottom for squeezing every possible penny out for earnings per share.
It is most prominent and painful in industries with high fixed costs and network effects like loyalty rewards. Like airlines, hotels, etc.
Want more and better service? Pay more cash up front or endure more garbage fees and captivity effects.
Let AA flounder. Let them all flounder, I say. I’ve thankfully used up all my loyalty points at every business. I’m skinny enough and short enough that I can comfortably fly in coach seats even on long flights so I buy only on trading off price for schedule. I’ve traveled enough for pleasure in my life that I don’t care if I never leave home again.
Well, I am another AA deserter.. after decades as either Chairman’s, Exec Plat or CK. I have long been an AA apologist; that stopped some months back.
Last week, I also cancelled my CITI AA Executive card.
AA has just been in a race to the bottom, and, God love ’em, they’re winning. If I had to underline a pivot point it’s when they repeatedly listed Dry Sack sherry as their desert wine in 2024. That may seem a minor point but to me it underlines their “couldn’t care less” attitude.
@SAM: Yes the “First” lounge at LHR is often overcrowded. Assuming you have OW status there are several other lounge options available to you: BA, Qantas, CP…All of which beat the American offering.
And, to further the Air France debate, I love them. I am all in Flying Blue now. The major downside being that DL is their domestic partner. Not just Armagnac, but Calvados too! 🙂 They can get me from my home US airport to my home UK airport (not LHR) with one stop in CDG. So far I have to say CDG isn’t anything like as bad as it is painted, either. Is AF flawless? No. I don’t like their 787 Business seats but since my US-UK flight is typically an A350, I’ll suck that up. And, I have learned that if one is date flexible, their prices can be incredibly reasonable.
I’m a United business class flyer and haven’t eaten or drank on a plane in 20 years because the food quality is so low, full of salt, and the food handling is abysmal. Talk to flight crews…80% don’t eat airplane food. I always eat at the flight club before departure and bring my own food. The airlines should get out of the food business and stick to flying.
Not everyone picks international business class with soft product as a major factor, but I do, and I don’t think I’m alone in that.
In the late 90’s, I was flying Singapore Airlines in business class. They served Dom Perignon on the Tokyo to Singapore leg. And on the smaller regional connection from Singapore to Jakarta, they poured Cos d’ Estournel (a $200 bottle today). How times have changed!
Like with American cars, I have abandoned using US airlines or international flights.
@SteveSmith1234.
Hello, Steve. My friend…..in the United States IT IS a public transportation bus system. My old NYC roommate was a steward with the original Pan Am. At PA they were never allowed to say Airbus in their PA’s to passengers. It was always A300 or A310.
The classy airlines are all gone in our country. Pan Am, Braniff, TWA…..gone. It’s a public bus. Nothing more & nothing less.
Wine is gross. I’ll continue to fly AA.
I remember September 1, 2014 when the food was aligned. Wow, talk about slop. The meals went from decent to absolutely inedible. What a disgrace. I remember the LUS flight attendants just perplexed when trying to serve a meal on a three hour flight. While the food has gotten better since then it’s never returned to what it was.
There are 4 glasses in a bottle. An $8 bottle would mean each glass is $2. So let’s compare apples to apples and instead of talking about that $8 bottle YOU NEVER GOT let’s talk about the $2 cup you did. (See pictures in the article above).
> It’s not that Delta and United are dumb…
No, they are not. Dumb is the inability to speak. Airlines don’t lack that ability.
Perhaps your authors would use English correctly. Otherwise they are dumb [in print].
The problem here is the airlines want to provide ZERO and charge A LOT and customers want the opposite, and where they meet is a ticket sale.
US airlines are the worst. Time and time and time again, VFTW, SF, TPG, all write about it. Yeah, AF is more expensive. If you care about you $2 wine cup maybe it’s worth it. SA is definitely worth it. So are the sportwasher airlines. Even Iberia beats AA, UAL, DL, Spirit (ha!), WN, etc.
Pick your battles. Whining about your $2 wine cup isn’t one.
Gary, you’re exactly right on this. I booked three round trip transatlantic flights in paid business class this summer, none on AA. I’ve only flown AA for work trips this year where my employer bought the ticket. My own money goes to the best value these days, and it seems AA has stopped being competitive. Wasn’t something conscious I did, but the receipts tell the tale pretty clearly.
Well said!
I just booked ANA business class to Japan instead of JAL. The main reason is that I am looking forward to their great onboard dining, which is far superior than JAL (and a planet away from AA).
The glenlivet 12 is fine. If you tip the FA a box of chocolates they’ll be happy to keep getting them “from the front” for you. (Even though it’s on the menu…)
Now that the walled garden is gone time to start cashing in all AA miles ASAP. Was worth earning them separately given the value but now it’s strictly MR UR or TY (or if I get the x, C1). They will not be worth more one year from now, that’s for sure.
Gary makes broad claims but only produces anecdotal evidence. No real evidence to support the claim that people care so much about food and beverage on flights that it drives decision making when choosing flights and carriers.
I for one would make a decision on which airline to fly based on onboard meals or lack of them, with all other things being equal. When flying across the Pacific Ocean, I consider seat width, price, luggage allowance, schedule and airline before meals. Often Philippine Airlines is the cheapest in the last few years but I have never flown them because of lower reviews and sometimes luggage allowance restrictions on the lowest cost tickets. Seats may be uncomfortably narrow, too. Cathay Pacific sometimes has good prices but with an allowance of only one checked bag. Once a second checked bag is added, they are no longer so competitive. If Korean Air, Asiana and EVA were priced almost the same with the same width seats, I would quite possible chose EVA because I like the meals a bit better, although none of those has bad meals.