You’re Stuck On A Plane. It’s A Long Flight. And American Airlines Serves You… This

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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 »

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Comments

  1. Why do passengers continue to rely on an airline for their comfort and well being, when time and time again they fail in their most basic duties. First thing, always bring a huge bottle of water for when the plane runs out. And always bring shelf-stable food that you can eat in an emergency. I rather have some beef jerky, almonds/walnuts, cheese sticks than that piece of crappy whatever it is. lol

    When I travel, I always expect the worse and come prepared.

  2. “With a capacity for up to 19 passengers, a range of 8,000 nautical miles (14,800 kilometers) and a top speed of Mach 0.94, the upcoming plane is expected to enter service in 2025, according to a statement from Bombardier.”

    Isn’t that Mach 0.06 short of supersonic?

  3. I agree. Waiting nine hours for your meal on an American Airlines international flight between Athens and Chicago and being delivered a rancid sandwich is exceptionally disappointing. Serving a dinner like this will never earn American Airlines a James Beard Foundation Award to recognize the excellence of culinary professionals in the United States.

  4. I have no desire to eat anything from AA when I get upgraded to first class, though I do like the warm peanuts. If I need a meal I’d prefer to eat at an airport restaurant.

  5. I laugh at jabs at airlines. If they got you to your destination and hopefully on time, they’ve done their job. All of you didn’t pay the airfare before the deregulation; maybe don’t realize how much fuel has gone up. The day of travel in comfort and style are long gone. Thanks to deregulation, Sep 11, and OPEC. If you want better food, there is always Starbucks, McDonalds, Snack snacks and sun dries at the gift shop before boarding. Fill your own water bottle prior to departure. We done that at rail stations since the old days. Planes are just another form for transportation. Oh ya, please bath before you head to the airport if you have any courtesy. Breath mint would be nice too.

  6. Amusingly, the woman with the underwhelming sandwich on the AA flight included this in her tweet: “you’d think I’d get a little something better considering I’m a skymiles priority member.” I’m seeing at least 2 problems with that assertion.

  7. Absolutely shameful! How can anyone take AA seriously after seeing this disaster offering?
    This one is really bad.

  8. @Thing 1: in shallow dives during testing the plane reached Mach 1.015. Apparently this was required for certification to cruise at Mach 0.94.

    It will make a great plane for climate change oligarchs to travel in solo to virtue signalling conferences

  9. “The day of travel in comfort and style are long gone.”

    In international business class on the non-US airlines, it is not only still here, but improving. The lounges, the food and drink, the lie-flat seats, wifi in the air. In fact, I would argue that we are in a golden age of travel – just only in international J (or F).

  10. @Arthur +1

    @Mike sayz, “I laugh at jabs at airlines. If they got you to your destination and hopefully on time, they’ve done their job.”
    But the airlines are (false) advertising a lifestyle, and charging rates to match!

  11. There are people that take their cell phone everywhere take pictures and bitch incessantly, are chronically offended or looking for that TIKTOK moment. I’m sure the complainer was back in steerage on a e-saver economy ticket.

  12. Noticed how they put Muslim passenger. What they require special attention. Who cares just woke rubbish

  13. Good gravy, Marie. I’m sick to death of people whining about a soggy $10 sandwich that they got on American Airlines.
    Boo freaking hoo. We learned from the pandemic that we can easily survive on any four hour flight with a tiny little water bottle and a cookie.
    If you can’t, most airports have many different restaurants to choose from and even vending machines. So get something you like once you are through TSA and on the airside.
    Yes, it will cost you a little more but it will be yours.
    Stop the whining. Unless you’re a brittle diabetic, you probably won’t die from hunger on any domestic flight in the USA.
    Drink a Coke and eat the cookie, dammit.

  14. I was In business on Tuesday LHRORD on AA. Best service, food and presentation I’ve had in over two years. Including BA and UA.

  15. Sunny – How did you get that name, surely not from your obvious disposition. The garbage being served is not fit for a starving animal, much less a paying customer.

  16. Sad that AA catering didn’t put in two whole slices of tomato, or some chunky salsa, but as others have noted always bring along protein bars, nuts, raisins, and your own water.

  17. Are all the novice flyer bitching still about airplanes? Learn something before make yourself look like an idiot. I remember back in 2002 when I flew from LAX to HKG in CX business class. Fresh wok cooked ginger beef and cooked not reheated steam rice only Asian can appreciate. What most people don’t realized how much planning went behind the scene for that one gourmet meal. A rice cooker normally costs 100 to 500 dollars. A specialized rice cooker on a Boeing 747-400 costs $14000, and yes USD. As much as a car. Have people forgotten your physics and biology? Have you ever wonder why no celebrity chef will put their name on an airline menu? You think it’s because they are cheap. Serving food on an air plane requires science and logistical planning, that means time and money. Up in the 30k feet our taste buds change. Food also flavor changes because low pressure. If you want your airfare to go up 5-10X like we paid in 1980s and 1990s to todays dollar just to have that fine dining on the plane, no thank you. I’d pass, and save it when I land to visit my favorite local restaurants.

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