US: The free meal, long gone, returns on some airlines
It has reappeared in recent months: a free meal in coach. Continuing their emergence from hard economic times, some airlines have begun adding complimentary breakfast, lunch or dinner on some of their flights in the United States. “Customers look at flight price and schedule,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, who until recently was CE of online travel agent Expedia and is now CE of ride-hailing company Uber. “Airlines want to get beyond that, so they are merchandising and adding things like Wi-Fi, free entertainment and meals.” Delta discontinued complimentary meals in 2001 as a cost-cutting measure, as most of the major airlines did at the time. “We all used to complain about airline food in coach, but once it was gone we missed it,” said Gary Leff, a travel expert. The industry is getting back on its feet financially now, said Khosrowshahi in an interview at Expedia headquarters in late August, the day his appointment to lead Uber was confirmed. Last March, Delta began offering complimentary meals in the main cabin of some of its flights in 10 domestic markets. Delta’s snacks have also gotten an overhaul, moving on from “40 years of unbranded peanuts and pretzels,” said Lisa Bauer, Delta’s VP for onboard service, to a variety that includes sweet, salty, healthy and gluten-free choices that will be rotated every six months. American Airlines introduced complimentary main cabin meals in May to customers flying between Los Angeles or San Francisco, and Kennedy International Airport in New York. Depending on the time of day, customers will be offered a continental breakfast or a sandwich wrap, chips and dessert. United Airlines does not plan to bring back free meals, said Jonathan Guerin, an airline spokesman, but did start offering a free snack last year to travelers in economy class on domestic and Latin American flights.<br/>
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US: The free meal, long gone, returns on some airlines
It has reappeared in recent months: a free meal in coach. Continuing their emergence from hard economic times, some airlines have begun adding complimentary breakfast, lunch or dinner on some of their flights in the United States. “Customers look at flight price and schedule,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, who until recently was CE of online travel agent Expedia and is now CE of ride-hailing company Uber. “Airlines want to get beyond that, so they are merchandising and adding things like Wi-Fi, free entertainment and meals.” Delta discontinued complimentary meals in 2001 as a cost-cutting measure, as most of the major airlines did at the time. “We all used to complain about airline food in coach, but once it was gone we missed it,” said Gary Leff, a travel expert. The industry is getting back on its feet financially now, said Khosrowshahi in an interview at Expedia headquarters in late August, the day his appointment to lead Uber was confirmed. Last March, Delta began offering complimentary meals in the main cabin of some of its flights in 10 domestic markets. Delta’s snacks have also gotten an overhaul, moving on from “40 years of unbranded peanuts and pretzels,” said Lisa Bauer, Delta’s VP for onboard service, to a variety that includes sweet, salty, healthy and gluten-free choices that will be rotated every six months. American Airlines introduced complimentary main cabin meals in May to customers flying between Los Angeles or San Francisco, and Kennedy International Airport in New York. Depending on the time of day, customers will be offered a continental breakfast or a sandwich wrap, chips and dessert. United Airlines does not plan to bring back free meals, said Jonathan Guerin, an airline spokesman, but did start offering a free snack last year to travelers in economy class on domestic and Latin American flights.<br/>
