Yesterday’s Big American Airlines Cookie PR Scandal

ginnybakes is apparently makes “organic, gluten-free, non-GMO and kosher” cookies.

They sent out a press release yesterday declaring:

ginnybakes™… has been chosen as the exclusive cookie to be featured on all domestic and a selection of international flights for American Airlines First Class passengers. Starting this month, First Class passengers will be able to enjoy coconut oatmeal bliss ginnyminis inflight.

Elsewhere in the release they promoted their cookies would be onboard fist class.

Only there were several problems with the press release.

  • They aren’t the exclusive cookie of American Airlines.
  • American will continue to serve warm cookies onboard many of its flights in first class.
  • ginnybakes isn’t the provider of those cookies.
  • Their packaged cookies will be in American’s snack basket.
  • The snack basket is not available on “all domestic” flights

Oh, and the press release was apparently sent out without American’s permission. It didn’t even include the traditional blurb at the bottom “ABOUT AMERICAN AIRLINES”…

The press release has now been retracted.

American finally introduced a better cookie after killing the true baked onboard ones back in September. And they aren’t eliminating that in favor of an “organic, gluten-free, non-GMO and kosher” packaged cookie.

I wonder if even the organic packaged cookie will have a short shelf life after this PR stunt.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

More articles by Gary Leff »

Comments

  1. Well since I often end up in “fist class” rather than “first class”, the type of cookies served onboard aren’t an issue!

    “Elsewhere in the release they promoted their cookies would be onboard fist class.”

  2. I don’t want to be in “Fist Class” regardless of the airline.

    As Frank stated above, if I’m in “Fist Class,” the type of cookie they serve is the least of my concerns.

  3. I only get excited by AA’s desserts when I see they’re provided by Love & Quiches. Their bakery’s a few miles from where I grew up

  4. Gary,
    Maybe someone from this cookie company follows your cookie blogs.

  5. I thought fist class was exclusive to UA.

    That said, there are some people who would pay for that upgrade.

  6. @Matt – you mean the prepackaged brownies? They are so unhealthy but they do taste good given how little AA serves in Economy and supposedly, no transfat but not sure AA is buying the high quality version you see on their site.

  7. I just got some of these in the First Class snack basket yesterday on my AA flight out of CLT and they are OK but apparently these replaced the Milano cookies so that’s not good.
    Funny thing was on Sunday I was on a Republic Airways AA flight to ORD and got Biscof “Delta” labeled cookies. Too funny.

  8. @Gary — I’m very impressed that you continue to allow the “other” mark (his lowercase “m”) to post despite his repetitive and unconstructive (though, I must admit, somewhat amusing) criticism. A fellow Boarding Area blogger of yours censors all dissent. After I cordially refuted a number of said blogger’s more egregiously false assertions, he gave up on simply censoring my comments and banned me outright. Mind you, these disagreements weren’t of a political or otherwise controversial nature, but rather related to black-and-white airline policy. Like a child, he refuses to admit when he’s wrong.

  9. @Mark S. – Gary’s lack of censorship is absolutely to be commended. I, for one, would like to know which other blog you’re referencing. I get trying not to sling mud around, but I’d like to stop reading said blog if you wouldn’t mind sharing.

Comments are closed.