The Forward Cabin shares an internal memo that American will be ending full beverage service on several flights under 250 miles.
This is being pitched to crew as saving them from having to do work that made them ‘uncomfortable’ and of course is also a cost saver. Fares will not go down as a result, of course.
There will be no more full beverage cart service for Dallas to Austin, Houston, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Tulsa, as well as New York JFK – Boston and Washington National, and Los Angeles – Las Vegas.
If you’re sitting in first class a flight attendant will toss you a small bottle of water, or give you a cup of juice. There is a ‘small cart’ which will offer normal drinks in some quantity, though that will stay in the galley and allow flight attendants to respond to requests (in my experience, at their discretion, we’ll see how many acknowledge its existence).
Of course given the more limited provisioning it’s almost as if they expect that flight attendants won’t offer predeparture beverages. American has made clear that customer service takes a back seat to D0 departures. And flight attendants shared very clearly on this blog how they feel about offering predeparture beverages.
Jaime says that New York LaGuardia-Boston-Washington National flights will be exempt from this catering cutback.
Each of us should communicate our “pain points” since they “are committed to resolving these when possible, so please keep your feedback coming. We are listening.” So, everyone, stop complaining here on all the blogs and Facebook and other places. Go to aa.com and select customer service and type your complaint there. Put your money where your mouth is.
I am floored by LAX-LAS – my experience is there are few drunker short flights than that one! I mean yes it’s under 250 miles. Maybe it’s just that I usually fly SWA but man, Friday night there are a TON of thirsty passengers. I guess they must barely fly the route…
How is it that other (international) airlines can do a snack and full beverage service for that amount of time/distance? I have done AV TACA from SAL>MGA, AM from MEX>GDL, and various from CDG>LHR with plentiful offerings.
What’s the reasoning for having the cut on JFK-BOS, but not LGA-BOS? I guess just trying to keep the shuttle competitive with Delta’s?
AA continues to slide. Why do they seem to want the coveted space between low-cost and legacy airlines?
Good. It just stresses me out when they try to do full beverage service on a 30 or 40 minute flight. It’s not like we can’t wait 30 minutes for half a can of diet coke.
While AA slides backwards Delta gave me 2 snacks and 2 drinks in less then 250 miles.
Horizon, Alaska’s regional carrier managesto provide drinks and a bag of something to snack on between PDX and SEA which is only a 129 air miles. Maybe AA flight attendants should serve more and complain less. It’s no wonder why Alaska is tops on customer service surveys every year.
Gary, your “sitting in first class” statement confuses me. Isn’t this in regard to the main cabin?
In my experience the flight attendants often never got around to beverage service in coach on JFK to DCA or BOS anyway — so in effect I don’t think this will be much of a change in those routes.
KimmieA says:
May 25, 2017 at 3:21 pm
How is it that other (international) airlines can do a snack and full beverage service for that amount of time/distance? I have done AV TACA from SAL>MGA, AM from MEX>GDL, and various from CDG>LHR with plentiful offerings.
My guess is the crew compliment ratio. Number of flight attendants to passengers. US is one per 50 passengers.
Also, my understanding is that this service is for the Coach Cabin Only. Full service in first class.
Give me a break. A lot of these flights are less than an hour. By the time the one lone FA finishes serving everyone, she turns right around and collects all the cups. How many people are taking up drinks on these short flights? hell half the passengers in F i always see decline the PDB. These travel blogs do not speak for the common flier, only the 1%ers of “frequent fliers.”
LOL. So basically lazy flight attendants encouraged this.
Going to miss my Woodford Reserve on the 321T flying between JFK-BOS in first class.
Southwest continues to lag in the race to the bottom. By devaluing more slowly they look relatively better and better.
Well I can say as an EP, I think it looks completely ridiculous watching flight attendants running around trying to get a full service done, then on these bigger planes they are putting on some of there routes they can’t even finish the cabin, since everyone wants two drinks on a 30min flight. It’s always seemed stupid.
First class service doesn’t change. I think people need to stop whinning. If you really want a drink bring one with you (I do), or get one in the terminal. I think the last few weeks have shown us, or I should say reminded us, flight attendant are not there to be our servants, they are they for safety, and if anyone wants to argue with that talk to Congress and the FAA, both of whom openly say that actually they don’t really have to give out drinks that is not part of their federal duties, it’s a courtesy.
My granddaughter is becoming a flight attendant, and I can tell you, if you all think it’s so easy, they are actually hiring now…how about you put all your energy of bi*****g on here and social media where your mouths are and sign up. Maybe after you do and you have to do it yourself, and deal with petty people like you whinning, you won’t think it’s so easy. I know I couldn’t do their job, nor would I want to.
The trouble with lots of people is that they are not happy unless they have something to gripe at. Please let’s remember there are bigger things going on in the world. Get a life people.
Another step back for AA. Alaska and Delta inch forward by doing nothing but letting AA reverse.
Those poor crew, they were ‘uncomfortable’ after getting raises. Pre Departure Beverages are still a 50/50 crap shoot and now they are eliminating drinks under 250 miles.
Omg, people can’t do without a coke for 30- 40 mins?? This also has to do with Flight attendant safety! Those carts are heavy and take time to set up as well! Leaving not much the to even do a service! Also having to work against climb and decent …..BTW you are paying for the seat and gas NOT the service .
Also would like to respond to the “lazy flight attendant” comments and such….. Flight attendants at American on average work a 10- 12 hour duty day! On our feet pushing heavy carts as well! Those little 40 minute flights are usually tagged onto an already long day, so stop with the catty remarks about “lazy” flight attendants! Most airports have plenty of places to PURCHASE your OWN drinks and snacks in between flights! The meal and drink service isn’t part of your ticket! Its “complimentary”…..Stop whining about no drinks on a SHORT flight. So ridiculous.
Delta doesn’t offer a full beverage service under 251 miles. If you want a drink, ask me, and I’ll get you one. It’s too short to safely do a full beverage service. If you try you end up being unable to serve most of the plane. You’ll live 35 min without a diet coke.
Your post is very unclear. Is this in F or just coach? DL doesn’t do beverage service in coach less than 250 miles, what’s the big deal? If it’s F as well, that a problem and a dumb decision.
Simon.. take the time to read and understand what is said…..
this is BEING PITCHED to CREW…> the company is spinning it as the fault of the crew .. for complaining that trying to serve 130 people in under 40 minutes (remember take off and Landing!) with just 2 working crew ( 1 of the three is busy with the elite in FC) is not safe…
FWIW 130pax/40minutes = 36 sec per passenger per crew member.
the low IQ person in the first row of coach will take that long just to understand that they are being asked a question…Whaaa?
Paul S so you equate pay with the possibility to increase speed? Boy I wonder how fast you can go.
see above.. 130 passengers served by 2 people in less than 40 minutes.. let’s see you pull that off.
next ,, show me how you can serve PDB before you are catered with beverages..
you need to step in someones shoes ( or seriously pull your head out of your As*) before you critique someones job.
Gary, a double bloody mary for a 40 minute flight? hopefully your destination is an AlAnon meeting. if you can’t live without a double shot for 40 minutes , you have bigger problems to worry about.
Just give pax free wifi and I will gladly give up the distraction and nuisance of beverage service in that 30 minute window between take off and landing.
On the other hand, if we sit on the runway or in a holding pattern for 1 or 2 hours, I am going to need more than airplane wifi for my comfort and troubles.
@Charles. Agreed.
While I realize some American Eagle operating carriers are not owned by AA, both American Eagle and American Airlines fly TUL-DFW. So now if one flies mainline on TUL-DFW they will experience beverage reductions, but if they fly TUL-DFW on American Eagle, they’ll still get full beverage service?
Gotta love the logic in this.
#GoingForGreat
I fly regularly from Lynchburg to Charlotte which is about 30 minutes and just under 250 miles, and they don’t have routine beverage service because of the distance. But because I am executive platinum, they always ask me if I want a beverage or snack if I am not sitting in first. When I’m in first, they always offer the regular first class service.
Since the memo explicitly mentions JFK-BOS; why not take drink orders for the 10 people sitting in first while on the ground on the 321T? I fly this route a couple times monthly and know the time constraints. It’s tough for sure but better time management is key.
This is yet one more example of the fact that, as far as the airlines are concerned, less is more. Less service (or room or anything else) for us is more profit for them. Period. End of story.
The boundaries between full service and ULLCs are becoming less transparent.
I lived in Europe for a awhile and on a short flight they would never attempt a full service. It’s crazy to even think that this cut isn’t a good thing. They should do as the Europeans, go around with the water in one hand and cups in another. If you want water, you grab a cup off the top and they pour. If you can’t go an hour with out a soda or a beer….well……
There use to be small juice boxes that could be passed out in main cabin on these short hauls with just a drawer insert. Bottom line, it really is not safe to be out with those heavy carts on a flight that is 40 minutes gate to gate. No one is allowed up before reaching 10,000 feet and you are still climbing at that point. Flight attendants at American Airlines time clock does not start until the release and park of the brakes, so the boarding process is just unpaid time for the crew and that fun process starts at the very least 30 minutes before departure.
I do like the math given above about the time per passenger to offer and serve a beverage. I’d like to add that these days, many passengers also have headphones on and even when asked a question they wait until after being asked to take them off and have the question repeated taking up precious time on top of it all on some of these short hauls.
Safety for all passengers and crews should always come first! There are FAA compliance checks that also have to be completed along with securing the galley.
There absolutely should be some provisions for those pesky delays that occur often enough due to weather or maintenance issues and those provisions should be water, there are already procedures in place for a snack during delays.
I was just flying PHX-LAS and remember thinking the beverage service seemed completely unnecessary, seemed like a pretty significant stress on the crew, and caused backups for people needing the lav. I completely support this. If it helps pushback on time, I could care less if it means a little cost savings.
I’m generally pretty resistant to crew complaints and, in recent years, have actually started to view crew much less favorably. But for a crew with several short segments in a day, the beverage thing seems completely unnecessary on the very short ones.
Well on a 30 minute, really who needs a drink, besides maybe a small child or elderly person. and then as long as it is available for them if they request it, this is a non issue. This is not something that concerns me at all.
I was A Stewardess from 1969 to end of 2008…..we did FULL MEAL with COCKTAILS in Main Cabin on 1 hour flights. Of course there were only 100 passengers then. You’ll want cheap fare so they now pack you in like sardines, cut service and crew so the service is miserable and then you want to keep the drinks for landing and that is not allowed by the FAA….Today flying is a PAIN in the @$$!
I will drive the things 300 miles from me rather than do the regionals or the sardine cans.
Just one woman’s opinion. I DO REMEMBER when flying was wonderful.
I have no problem with this. It never fails to amaze me why airline passengers can’t sit for a one hour long flight without expecting to eat or drink something.
Good. This should be more comfortable for the passengers as well as the crew. Trying to cram beverage service into a 45 minute flight means that the aisle is obstructed for the entire time that the seat belt sign is off! Frankly, I’d rather be able to get to the rest room (if necessary) than be assured of not having to go a whole hour without a drink.
I agree with some posts – eliminating on LAX-LAS is an interesting move. Especially the flight out – its a fun one where people want to get the party started. Looks like SWA + Drink Coupons for me moving forward! AA delayed my LAS-LAX flight 10 hours due to MX on Sunday so I flew SWA anyways. Thats the call moving forward
Should have happened long ago, Bring your own drink for these short flights if you can’t wait a half hour. People bitching are over entitled Trump supporters!!!
Lazy flight attendants? Really? Try to work a flight where we stay at lower altitudes and is bumpy and you have a full flight. It’s like surfing. You spill drinks. People get upset. You have to hold on to anything . Lots of risk of getting injured. It’s ridiculous if people get upset about not getting a drink in a 45mins flight. I’m looking forward to this. We don’t get paid enough to get injured cause someone is thirsty.
It wouldnt be so bad working these short flights if Bertha in 10A wouldnt order a coffee regular,, a water no ice, and a can of coke…..who has time to cater to Bertha. I dont…then repeat that in every row on a 45 min flight…seriously people get a grip you arent flying to Paris for god’s sake….suck it up buttercup.
Flight Attendants are on board for your safety. Period. End of story. Required by the FAA. Stop people and think about it.
30 min. Flight.and you need a drink… the airport has plenty of places to buy drinks. Break into that dust covered wallet that hasn’t been opened in years and pill out a couple of dollars. You cheap bastards!!!!
THis is only in regard to Main cabin service. I will tell you as a working FA on these routes my crew always attempts the service. Safety regulations prevent the cart in the aisle during the initial climb and decent so it gave us about 15 minutes to serve a full assortment of beverages to 171 passengers. Most people wanted Diet Coke which takes even longer. We would only get about half of Main cabin done before the “prepare for landing” was announced in which we are required by law to discontinue all service and focus on safety. There was only twice I was able to serve every passenger a beverage on those flights. This new policy will ensure every passenger at least gets some sort of beverage and the service in first class will continue as usual.
I feel this goes deeper than opening the proverbial dusty wallet. How about the folks on tight connections in completely terminals? Take PHL for instance. Imagine getting off a long haul flight in Terminal A then run for dear life for an Eagle flight out of Terminal F. Keep in mind PHL doesn’t have an airside inter-terminal rail link. In this scenario you can go well over 90 minutes without a beverage.
Gary you’re a moron and i’m positive that biography was written entirely by you. You’re probably one of those overweight passengers that can’t go 5 minutes without something to eat or drink. Gluttons.
Repeat after me….after getting felt up at security and screaming at them cause they they would let you bring the knife your daddy left you and you claim you have always brought it with you with no complaints….GO TO THE BATHROOM, THEN BUY A BOTTLE OF WATER OR soda!! it’s a airplane not a 7-11 and it’s not all about us! Sick of everyone complaining about airline crap….. just sit with you legs closed fasten your seatbelt, lean your seat back just a little or in the other persons lap and shut the hell up!
The Flight Attendant (FA) job has many injury hazards that the airlines as well as the FAA are trying to eliminate. Many airlines are ahead of safety improvements and some low cost and foreign carriers are far behind the task of safety improvements. Pushing a 300lb beverage cart up hill while a plane is taking off is very dangerous. There are many FAs out on disability from this medieval practice. Maybe you need to research crew injuries and educate yourself and all the other “FA job experts” commenting here. Then maybe, just maybe you’ll realize getting a choice of 2 drinks instead of 10 isn’t worth someone getting injured. Another option you can consider to educate yourself is applying as a Flight Attendant. They are now accepting 1500 applications. Then you will be trained why procedures change and won’t be speaking from the standpoint of clueless entitlement.
In the end your ticket price covers getting from point A-B a lot faster than walking or driving. If you need to drink every 30 minutes I suggest you take advantage of any one of 30 vendors throughout the airport and buy yourself the drink of your choice.