If you’re flying on American Airlines out of Philadelphia this summer, you might be in for a surprise on shorter flights: beverage service on flights under 900 miles may include water only.
American Airlines Slashes Beverage Service After Catering Woes In Philadelphia – Will Other Hubs Follow?
A Live And Let’s Fly reader sent me the following report:
Flew PHL-JAX 6/24/2024, FA announcement:
- New beverage policy on flights 900 and under
- Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Water, Coffee/Tea
- No ice, no soda, no alcohol (including beer/wine)
- Ice provided from 1st class, if available
Sure enough, seated in economy, only the above beverages offered. During the announcement of the new policy, FA’s were noticeably annoyed by the policy and provided the email address to CS@ AA to complain. Appalling service change, so odd…cheap.
That would be quite a change, if true. So I did some digging and thanks to the ever-resourceful JonNYC, I found an answer: yes, Ameican AIrlines is cutting beverages…but only out of Philadelphia (PHL)…and only temporarily.
https://twitter.com/xJonNYC/status/1806783496008196227
Live And Let’s Fly reviewed the following memo circulated to AA flight attendants:
The catering team in PHL is under significant stress and is challenged to provision all flights with catering as scheduled. To try and mitigate the issue, the catering team will make their primary focus flights with a stage length equal to or greater than 900 miles and ensure that those flights receive the full catering plan. Supplemental catering will be provided on flights of less than 900 miles. Supplemental catering consists of minimal provisioning to include crew meals (when scheduled), water and ice. Please do not delay a flight to request extra catering.
American makes clear this is short-term change. JonNYC mentioned Charlotte (CLT) as well, but CLT was not mentioned in the memo I reviewed. Even so, be prepared for limited to no catering, including food and beverage service, out of Charlotte as well.
What kind of “stress” is the catering team under?
https://twitter.com/xJonNYC/status/1806852569072869626
That’s not a good look concerning third-party catering at other stations do not seem to be having any trouble.
Bottom line: be prepared for more limited beverages this summer out of Philadelphia and potentially other AA hubs. Based on the memo, you might get nothing more than water to drink.
And this is new? Or just firming up what AA crews have been doing for some time. It’s always too turbulent or too short to serve a beverage on 90% of my AA flights out of any hub under 3 hours.
And they want to strike! They’ve been on strike for the last 5 years anyway.
AA has a rare opportunity to reboot here. Sure pain in the short term but I’m willing to suffer it for concrete long term improvements…..and they should too.
no issues in business class but i gave witnessed “turbulence announcement” right after service in business and 1st (which by the way is basically a bigger seat”
I’m assuming that they’ll adjust the price of MCE (free alcohol) accordingly.
Announcement said “no alcohol” .
Which is why I would expect AA to adjust the fare accordingly as they will not be able to provide one of the service facets of MCE.
Haha yeah but remember you aren’t entitled to the advertised service, prepaid seat, aircraft type or type of seat, etc, as conditions prevent. Basically as long as AA delivers you near to your ticketed destination at some point within 48 hours of schedule and no more than slightly maimed, you are due no compensation.
Hot coffee is dangerous for your lap , especially if there is a bumpy turbulence .
If trembling Brandon is handing someone the coffee , it will be time for a spill .
Im deplaning now from a MCI CLT flight where “due to turbulence” there would be no service. The seatbelt sign was off for a half hour.
Inappropriate comment
One in a long line of many…
What an idiotic comment. This is hardly an appropriate venue to air your misguided leanings and grievances. By doing so, you simply underscore the idiocy of your ilk.
I guess we know what YOU were dying Thursday night!
@Alert The orange Cheeto’s hands would be full, grabbing random woman’s puxxys. No beverage needed. Get a life.
Your idiotic political remark shows your maturity and intelligence level, and therefore negates the worth of your comment.
Typical jacka** comment coming from the supporter of a jacka**. We realize it’s difficult to stick with the topic, but how about putting on your big boy pull ups and learn to interact with the adults….or better yet, just stay at the kiddie table and say nothing at all.
PHL getting the sht end of the AA stick, as always
In the pat AA would double (or triple) cater flights in a down line city. AA just wants to save money!
Just wait, Gate Gourmet employees (IBT) are about to go on strike in August…it’s going to be ugly for UA and DL/AA to a lesser extent.
I worked at AA Catering in CLT for 10 years. AA says CLT will get a new facility soon (that was 5 yrs. ago – “It’s in the budget”). No one does it like CLT. What is the issue with PHL? They have a new facility. A lot of FA’s complain about LSG SkyChefs Catering in DFW – you get what you pay for with non-AA employees that aren’t making $40 hourly top pay. Imagine that – an airline called American that is catered by a German company at their number 1 headquarters hub! $!
Willy Paul: Is that because CLT/PHL were legacy US? I know I of a couple field stations in the east that combined US and AA and had like one lift truck and 4-5 union utility folks who had to put catering on certain flights. They would drive to LSG, pick up the carts, then drive and put them on like 4 daily flights. LSG catered all the rest.
How is it after as many years that have past since US bought AA, management still haven’t sorted out having these “one off “deals involving AA employees working duties in commissary done in only a couple locations? It’s apparently NOT because they were focusing on settling with the Cabin Crew workforce. …
US didn’t buy AA.
One step further in becoming a LCC. If the US have decent alternatives to flight less than 90 mins., ppl. will take them. This service cuts show how lazy the FAs become while the airline becomes cheap.
No wonder besides Americans are the only ones still love flying across this country. Foreigners fly dirctly just to have less harassments and interactions on US airports.
While United is trying to improve themselves to be more like Delta, AA is purposely trying to downgrade themselves to be more like Spirit and Frontier. If I was a longtime AA employee I would be furious as to how leadership ruined the airline. Oh and of course, Philly is always the hated stepchild who bears the brunt of every bad decision made.
If this in on purpose they would do better cutting all beverage service on shorter flights that are under 1 hour. It’s actually annoying to have the FA’s try to do it those short 45 minute hops, it’s just stressful and I think we can survive for 45 minutes without a diet coke.
Nice try corporate employee.
If they do this it’s sad ,my mom work there and that will make a lot of people lose there jobs and not be able to take care of their family
Recent flight from CLT – MCI in F. No service offered before take off, FA’s sitting and talking or on their phone. 1 glass of wine about an hour after take off, the rest of the flight FA sitting and looking at her phone or talking to other FA. I think they’re already on strike.
Recently flew Airlink, a South African carrier, on a 40-minute flight between Kruger National Park (Hoedspruit) and Johannesburg via a full ERJ 190 w/ 98 pax. Every passenger received a delicious sandwich choice of chicken, beef, or veggie; a full bar service of white and red wines, premium liquors, juices, coffee or tea, water, all served graciously and efficiently by the cabin crew of three… on a 40-minute flight! If the South Africans can do it, why not AA, UA and DL. Granted it was only 98 passengers but still.
Race to the bottom.