American Airlines is trialing two cocktails in premium cabins this week on one longhaul route. As it happens, Delta has already announced it will offer the same beverage to all passengers…in economy class.
This week, American is trialing two pre-flight cocktails in first class, business class, and premium economy class on flights between London Heathrow and Los Angeles.
- Sangria
- Peach Bellini
Only one of the two drinks will be available on each flight. A memo instructed flight attendants:
As a pre-departure beverage, this cocktail should be poured over ice and offered to all adult customers in our Premium Cabins. We ask that you solicit feedback from the customers and let them know that we are testing this specialty cocktail for a limited time.
One could argue this is simply a ruse by American Airlines to avoid the excise taxes incurred by serving pricy alcohol like Champagne on the ground. That may be the case, but the bigger issue to me is that the peach Bellinis American may offer to its international first class passengers this week is exactly what Delta will be offering to all longhaul economy class passengers as a welcome beverage starting in November.
> Read More: Delta Invests In Itself By Investing In Customer
> Read More: American And United Have No Plans To Match Delta’s Latest Enhancement
CONCLUSION
Good for American Airlines. I love both sangria and peach Bellini (though the peach puree must be thick and fresh) and I see this as positive news. But the divergence between the Delta and American soft product…or at least the illusion of it…is markedly shown in AA’s new pre-flight cocktails.
(H/T: View from the Wing // image: American Airlines)
But I really do like the hard product on American Business class int’l better than Delta A350. I don’t care as much about the soft product.
Really? I’ve not flown the new Delta Suites but I’ve heard great things compared to AA 777-300 business class
The grizzled old crabapples working American’s longhaul flights probably won’t even bother to offer these drinks 50% of the time. Too much work. Most AA crews approach premium-cabin service patterns with an eye toward making the job as easy as possible. If they feel like cutting corners, they will, and they know they can do it with complete impunity. The most sluggardly crews in the skies.
I agree with you! As a frequent first class flyer, American never offered me a predeparture beverage! Delta has always offered one in the first class cabin however!
It will go great as an aperitif for the pretzel hot dog in F.
Let’s be realistic here. Delta offering Bellini’s was a triviality far overshadowed by actually meaningful things such as seat size and late departures.
This simply doesn’t matter an doesn’t really affect the flying experience. It doesn’t matter if American copies it or not.
If delta uses a better soap in the Economy bathrooms than Qatar uses in business class, Delta doesn’t somehow produce a better overall product.
True, but Delta was already ahead of AA in seat width, entertainment, on time performance, and basically everything else in economy. They are just piling on with the cocktails.
Whoopee. So AA is going to serve a predeparture bevvy in First Class. Good luck with that. Meanwhile, Delta now has pursers to greet and settle even economy class passengers and will even give THEM a nice predeparture beverage. Not to mention, they don’t fling their handicapped passengers around like luggage, as AA is so fond of doing. Take a wild guess as to who I’d rather fly with.
What do you expect from American as after all the guy in charge took US Air to the dumpster. He ticked off loads of US Air employees and American employees have now been placed in the same spot.
Lolol. Try getting AA FA’s to serve PDB. And if they do, it is the famous water or juice. Remember they are here for your safety, and angry birds on their cell phones.
The name of the products are the same, but you would hope, and expect, the quality of ingredients used by AA would be superior than DL’s in this case. You can buy Sangria in Spain for 1 Euro per bottle (carton more like) or you can pay 20 euros for a bottle. Devil will be in the quality of what they serve.
Hahahah another joke. AA was soooo bad I have stopped flying them. Seats on longhaul were acceptable but the staff is the issue.
So thx for the update, I will continue to stay away from that company.