Each week, my Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago.
This week’s Meal of the Week recalls my first-ever first class meal on Alaska Airlines.
It was 2007 and I had just finished my bachelor’s degree. I headed to Washington, DC for a conference and decided to treat myself to an upgrade on Alaska Airlines. At the time, Alaska had a monopoly on the permiter-controlled nonstop flight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Washington National (DCA).
Like today, the Alaska Airlines first class seat then was not all that comfortable. There was no in-seat power, either. To give you an idea of how far we have come technologically, this was the IFE:
But service was warm and kind. And how would the meal be?
Service began with a packaged snack mix and choice of beverage.
A green salad followed with warm bread. Notice the prayer card on the tray. Alaska abandoned prayer cards in 2012.
For the main course, the choices were cheese tortellini pasta or pork served with mashed potatoes, raisins, and sautéed vegetables. I chose the pork, which was a huge mistake. The pork was dry and tasteless, the gravy had a canned taste, and the mashed potatoes were not warm enough. So much for a culinary adventure on Alaska…
Dessert followed: puff pastry with whip cream and chocolate sauce.
About an hour before landing, warmed mixed nuts were served in a plastic ramekin:
CONCLUSION
I’m almost ashamed to admit I have not had another meal on Alaska Airlines since this flight over a decade ago. It wasn’t that this flight scared me off, it was just loyalty to Northwest/Delta/American/US Airways/United all made more sense. But I’ll try Alaska again soon enough.
Had breakfast and lunch in F on two separate flights between SEA and FAI a couple of months ago. Better than UA. Also impressed with service. Seat power and tablet if you wanted entertainment. Give it a go Matthew.
I don’t know how they do it, but Alaska Airlines cabin staff is almost never grouchy. That’s not true with DL, AA, UA. I thought that if you have thousands of employees and a passenger, over the years, has come in contact with at least 1,000, things would even out but it doesn’t. AS also tends to be not so dictatorial in minor compensation.
I flew regularly flew Republic to Florida several decades ago. The meals were always above the usual plane fare. I had excellent gazpacho a couple of times, then it disappeared. I lamented this to the flight attendant and asked why. She said too many people complained the soup was cold.
Hahaha
So sad about the prayer cards. And you wonder why flying has become so difficult in our world!
Removing the propaganda from the tray was a great idea!
Just flew first class on Alaska last week. Their meals have come a long way. Breakfast we started with a banana, strawberry smoothie followed by my choice of leek and onion omelet with bacon and fingerling potatoes. Also a cinnamon pastry, was awesome. My return included a salad, baked chicken, polenta and brussel sprouts. Dessert was brown sugar bar. Awesome. My only complaint, it was too much food for me!
An 11 year old review of an airline meal does a disservice to Alaska Airlines or any airline. At least you offer a disclaimer that it was years ago-how many people will actually realize this?
The first class service has come a long way and is very enjoyable.
I can not understand how this review benefits anyone!
Why not try Alaska again and write a post?
We will travel first class on Alaska Airlines in January and are looking forward to our experience.
I agree… nostalgia is fine, but this just makes Alaska look bad when they actually have very good food right now.
I’m not trying to make Alaska look bad. This is the way I do my Meal of the Week segment. Sometimes it makes airlines look good, sometimes bad, but don’t worry…I’ll give Alaska another try soon enough.
Matthew… how in the world do you remember what things tasted like from more than a decade ago?? Do you take notes or is your memory that good?
I usually can’t remember what I ate even on “memorable” flights, much less how it was.
Also, surprisingly good quality photos from 07. That’s impressive too.
Service on Alaska is leader of the pack with JetBlue Mint. BUT food quality has gone down drastically; especially late night flights in 1st class, which only offer this crappy hummus mixture.
We just flew in F class on Alaska from PDX to PVR with a transfer at LAX. We were served THE SAME MEAL on each leg of the flight. And the meal was terrible! In our estimation, the food has gotten worse on Alaska flights in recent years.
How is this relevant? A meal from a decade ago? Seriously?
You just further contributed to the irrelevancy of your blog.
Speaking of “grouchy,” your tirades against particular airlines give new meaning to the word.
Don’t let the door hit you where the good Lord split you!
Flew them SEA-SFO in F not too long ago. Seattle ground staff was grouchy; flight attendants were unmemorable (perhaps that’s better than flat out nasty). BUT, the FC lunch service consisted of an ordinary salad which could have been bought in any airport snack bar. Not impressed.