sail7seas - American Airlines

[Krazy Kruizers]

It has been years since we have flown American Airlines. We stayed loyal to US Airways as long as we could. And at one time they had direct flights to the embarkation ports we needed to get to. But those days are over.

In August we dumped our US Airways tickets to San Diego and bought American Airlines - had to change planes in Dallas.

From Pittsburgh to Dallas breakfast was served. We had a choice of Special K cereal or a spicey enchillada. Of course both came with fresh fruit and a roll. We weren't too impressed with breakfast.

On our flight from Dallas to San Diego lunch was served. The choices were cold chicken on a salad bed, 3 wedges of lightly seasoned pita bread, crackers, cheese, and cookies OR tuna on a bed of pasta, small salad, cheese, crackers, and cookies. I had the chicken and DH had the tuna - both were excellent meals.

Coming home we had the same thing for lunch. But this time DH's pasta was wheat noodles - you would have loved them.

We each had the chicken parmigiano dinners. They also offered short ribs -didn't want snything spicey.

All in all the food was good.

 

[sail7seas]

Your breakfast sounds very like the first class breakfast we get on our Boston to FLL flights. The lunch is different though. The food is really awful IMO and certainly is not anything I would call First Class. I remember the days when we really got a first class meal on a first class ticket.

 

You're right though.... :) The wheat noodles would have pleased me. :)

[jhannah]

Flying sure ain't what it used to be, that's for sure. But it still beats driving!

[dakrewser]

All in all the food was good.

 

 

 

No sundaes for dessert? That's the best part of an AA meal, IMHO.

 

-dave

[Krazy Kruizers]

dakrewser

OH YES - we remember when AA used to serve sundays with all kinds of choices for toppings. DH would ask for Drambuie on top of his ice cream. I always got hot fudge with creme de caco on top.

Oh - the good old days.

[Krazy Kruizers]

sail7seas

The lunch and dinners were better than we got the last few times on US Airways in first class - tough chicken breasts and tough beef. At least we were able to eat these meals.

When US Airways used to serve breakfast we had a choice of pancakes and bacon or ham/cheese omlette with sausage. We didn't even get that the last time we flew down to Ft Lauderdale in May. All we got on our last flights on US Airways were snacks.

Can hardly wait to see what Delta serves in January. Right now there aren't any meals listed for our flights.

 

[gizmo]

 

 

 

Can hardly wait to see what Delta serves in January. Right now there aren't any meals listed for our flights.

 

 

 

If you think you are going to get hungry bring your own food.

The doggy bags Delta used to hand out was better than what was served in First/Business Class. :rolleyes:

[Krazy Kruizers]

There have been times when we would like to take our own food, but unfortunately we have to stay in a hotel the night before our flights since so many of our flights are around 7 or 8 AM. And since we have to be at the airport at least an hour ahead the hotels aren't even open for breakfast that early. So there isn't much of a chance of our taking our own food. And now that there are fewer flights out of Pittsburgh most of the restaurants don't open till 7 or 8 AM. Businesses are suffering at our airport. When we got off our plane at 9:10 PM the other night, our airport was like ghost town - nothing except the news stands were open. And we have reading reports the last couple of days in our papers that businesses will be cutting their hours even more.

[sail7seas]

Seeing as I do not usually want to eat anything AA is offering, I sometimes bring a small box of cereal. If you open it the way they indicate, you can use the box as a bowl. The flight attendants will give milk and at least I can have a decent bowl of cereal. Shame what we spend for those tickets and I feel the need to bring a box of cereal but it's worth it to have something edible. IMO

[stanjj111]

much better to get a good corned beef sandwich on board and get a free coke. I remember when flying was fun but then I was late one day and had to grab a hot dog for dinner in Pittsburgh. That was it for me. Any airline is the same. Go for the cheapest. Forget loyalty.

[Hflors]

I agree. For several years we flew either US Air or Southwest (to places where US doesn't fly. But for the last year or so we here out of BWI have no direct flights to anywhere but Charlotte or Pittsburg to change planes to where ever you want to go. (FLorida to pick up a cruise!!!!) This trip AA beat both US AIR and South west (also no flights to Miami) by a mile. And a direct flight!! YooHoo! We are leaving New Years Day out of Miami. We fly down the day before. Which I love since it's too hectic to fly the same day and since New Years Eve is a holiday this year for both of our companies we can leave middle of the day and have a leasurely day & New Years Eve. Before we're off.

 

IF US Air wants to stay in business they better get with it and stop this hop scotching from to their hub airports with every flight.

[imsulin]

AA - my favorite airline! Over the years, I've flown American Eagle to all kinds of destinations in the Caribbean, and have often volunteered to bump, gaining several free tickets, AAdvantage miles, hotel rooms, meal vouchers, and future flight vouchers. I once volunteered to bump three times out of Beef Island, Tortola, over Spring Break) and ended up with $1800.00 in future flight vouchers, which got me back to Tortola from SFO twice. I love AA!!

[mhshapiro]

On shorter flights American has eliminated meal service altogether.

 

I recently did a round-trip from Ontario, CA to DFW, and there was no food served even though one flight was a lunch time flight and the other was a dinner time flight. This wasn't a big problem because I was able to eat lunch and dinner at the airport.

 

But, I can easily see a situation where you might have two connecting flights and not enough time between flights to get anything to eat.

 

Flying sure isn't what it used to be.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We are faced with only 45 minutes between flights in Atlanta on Delta for all of our up-coming cruises out of Ft Lauderdale.

It's official - Pittsburgh is no longer a hub for US Airways - just a connector city.

[sail7seas]

Depending upon what gates your arrive/depart at, 45 minutes between flights can cause alot of hustling. I realize there are few options but it is so stressful. The few times we connected through Atlanta, we did not enjoy the experience. That's a horrid airport IMO We did not find the people at all helpful when we had confusion trying to get from here to there the first time we were there.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Its been a few years since we went through Atlanta but our choices are slim. American wants to take us through Chicago - way out of our way to get to Ft Lauderdale. If we want to continue cruising, we don't have very many options anymore.

[sail7seas]

I feel your pain, KK.

 

 

I so hate having to deal with airlines, airports, airplanes.

 

When we were deliciously able to board "MY" Maasdam in Boston last July and get off in Boston.....NO AIRPORTS......it was the BEST!! We have passed up a number of cruises due to air travel displeasure. If I hate the air choices badly enough, we simply opt to skip that cruise and take a different one.

 

DH was just about willing to take longer out of his office than normal and do the 16 day Veendam transcanal repo cruise (we would have been gone 18-19 days) from FLL to San Diego in April but I don't want to fly to Tampa and then home from San Diego so we are not doing it.

[jhannah]

The few times we connected through Atlanta, we did not enjoy the experience. That's a horrid airport IMO

Absolutely! The way it's sprawled out heaven forbid if you arrive in terminal B and have to get to terminal H or some such in a short period of time. And that crazy tram. You can often walk/trot the distance just as quickly.

[elmorejj]

I also despise Atlanta airport, and on many occasions they have had to take us across the runways etc to get to our gate in time. My husband uses a wheelchair in airports and they make us stay on the plane until everyone else has de planed oftentimes making it a real close call. Now, thankfully, Delta has inplemented straight through flights to Orlando, Ft Lauderdale and Tampa from Columbus so we have a little more choice.

BTW, don`t hold your breath waiting for decent food on Delta, we have travelled first class at meal times and been served nothing. On many of their flights now you can purchase food from TGIF restaurants, its much better than what the airlines cook....jean :cool:

[Roadwork]

Changing planes in the Atlanta airport is a real nighmare to be avoided at any cost.

Some Delta flights serve something they refer to as food, but that term is subjective.

[AirGorilla]

Seeing as I do not usually want to eat anything AA is offering, I sometimes bring a small box of cereal. If you open it the way they indicate, you can use the box as a bowl. The flight attendants will give milk and at least I can have a decent bowl of cereal. Shame what we spend for those tickets and I feel the need to bring a box of cereal but it's worth it to have something edible. IMO

 

 

In your previous messages, you have indicated that you always fly first class? Why bother to pay up for the front cabin, and then bring your own food?

[AirGorilla]

Absolutely! The way it's sprawled out heaven forbid if you arrive in terminal B and have to get to terminal H or some such in a short period of time. And that crazy tram. You can often walk/trot the distance just as quickly.

 

 

Sorry to bust your bubble, but ATL does not have a concourse H. A, B, C, D, E and T are the six concourses there.

 

Also, if you're connecting between concourses that are not adjacent to one another, I would definitely use the train to save time.

 

I am speaking as an Atlanta resident with 3.4 million miles on Delta Air Lines.

[AirGorilla]

Its been a few years since we went through Atlanta but our choices are slim. American wants to take us through Chicago - way out of our way to get to Ft Lauderdale. If we want to continue cruising, we don't have very many options anymore.

 

You could always move to Florida!!!

[sail7seas]

In your previous messages, you have indicated that you always fly first class? Why bother to pay up for the front cabin, and then bring your own food?

 

 

:) For that larger seat and more leg room.....Dh certainly cannot drink enough to 'get his money's worth'. The food is disgusting IMO

[sail7seas]

Absolutely! The way it's sprawled out heaven forbid if you arrive in terminal B and have to get to terminal H or some such in a short period of time. And that crazy tram. You can often walk/trot the distance just as quickly.

 

 

 

 

Sorry to bust your bubble, but ATL does not have a concourse H. A, B, C, D, E and T are the six concourses there.

 

Not to be picky, but Jim did qualify his designation "H" by saying 'some such'. I think he was simply putting forth a hypothetical.