A food service employee wheels a cart into a Continental Airlines jet at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the fall. (AP Photo/Robert Graves, File)
Associated Press | Continental Airlines is ending free
hamburgers, barbecue and sandwich rolls for many of its passengers in
favor of a food-for-sale program that mirrors what other carriers are
already doing.
A spokesman said Monday that the airline, based in Houston, expects a
$35 million annual benefit, from cost savings and added revenue. Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, US Airways and United Airlines are
among carriers that already charge for food on flights.
Continental passengers on some international routes, on domestic flights over six hours and those who sit in first or business class on routes worldwide will continue to get free food. Snacks like pretzels and nonalcoholic drinks will continue to be offered for free.
The changes take effect in the fall. Menu choices and prices will be disclosed later.
Air travelers have seen a steady erosion of amenities included in the price of their ticket over the last two years or so, from checked bags to pillows and blankets on board. Airlines call it unbundling the product, allowing them to offer lower base fares and only charge extra for people who want more. But with so many add-on fees these days, a traveler could end up paying more when everything is added together than what they previously paid for an all-inclusive ticket.
Some travelers have been packing lighter or carrying more on board flights to avoid checked bag fees. Likewise, some bring their own food on flights to avoid paying for meals.
Continental, which has about 900 daily mainline flights, said its food-for-sale program is about offering passengers more choices.
Currently, Continental flights lasting less than two hours usually have a free beverage service with a small snack like pretzels. Flights of two to three hours offer a small sandwich roll, or a muffin in the morning. Flights over three hours currently offer a free hot sandwich or other hot meal, or cereal in the morning.
“While free food was a nice point of distinction for Continental, we could not provide the same caliber of food on that basis that we can under a food-for-sale program,” spokesman Dave Messing said.
Continental shares fell 28 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $22.76 in afternoon trading.
Will be interesting to see how “pay to eat” works out. Some years ago UAL offered rather nice salad or sandwich trays (actually brought to your seat on the plane) that you could order when you booked the ticket, from Panera, Corner Bakery or similar. That lasted about 6 months … way too few of the flying public would pay, apparently stuffing in a greasy Mikey D’s burger, or being crammed in like sardines in one of the “food service” outfits in the terminals that passes for restaurants today, was preferable. Public wants to pay only for greyhound of the air, that is what the industry will deliver. Wonder how long CAL will be able to offer “upscale” stuff on a pay basis before that goes extinct too.
i think the travelling public saw this coming..no charges for food when the other carriers are doing it?? i dont think so..oh well, the food is not that good anyway..you can go to get a big mac or a some other such in the airport before you leave now and it will be just as good and probably cheaper!!!
“Airlines call it unbundling the product, allowing them to offer lower base fares and only charge extra for people who want more”
Someone, please, show me where the lower fares are because of this. This is all nothing more than the scam they called “unregulating the phone companies” – and weve all seen the great lower fees and competition of THAT!