It’s not much, but it’s something: American’s free economy snacks. (Image: American Airlines)
Economy class passengers on two major airlines are finally getting something that doesn’t have a fee attached to it.
United Airlines this week initiated its previously announced plan to start giving free snacks to the folks in coach – and rival American Airlines now says it will do the same thing beginning this month. Delta is rolling out on new freebies on a limited basis, but it did announce some new, healthy economy items for purchase in economy class.
Economy flyers on United’s routes within North America and to and from Central America can now get a free Stroopwafel (a toasted waffle with caramel filling) on morning flights. Later in the day, free items include snack mixes of either rice crackers, sesame sticks and wasabi peas; or mini pretzel sticks, Cajun corn sticks and ranch soy nuts.
United is giving out free Stroopwafels in coach stating this week. (Image: United Airlines)
American, meanwhile, said it will begin free snacking in coach this month on transcontinental flights (JFK-LAX, JFK-SFO and MIA-LAX), and will extend it to all domestic flights by April.
The morning snack on AA will be a packet of Biscoff cookies; later in the day, economy passengers will get either the Biscoff cookies or pretzels. And in May, American said, it intends to start giving free meals to economy passengers traveling between Dallas/Ft. Worth and Hawaii.
American also said it is expanding free entertainment options on domestic flights equipped with in-seat entertainment, boosting the programming to include up to 40 movie selections, 60 TV programs and 300 music albums. The carrier noted that live TV channels are now available on Wi-Fi-equipped international flights of its 777-300ERs, retrofitted 777-200ERs and 787-8s.
Related: When United offered soul food as a meal option
Meanwhile, Delta said it is introducing some new healthy food options for purchase this week — a trio of wraps from Luvo available to Main Cabin and Delta Comfort+ passengers on North American flights longer than 1,400 miles. They will be offered for free to Delta Comfort+ flyers on the airline’s JFK-LAX and JFK-SFO non-stops, Delta said.
The new Luvo wraps, all with no more than 480 calories and limited sodium, include a southwest grilled chicken option, sesame grilled chicken, and a Mediterranean whole grain veggie wrap.
(Image: Luvo)
Here’s how Delta describes one of the new wraps:
- Luvo Southwest Grilled Chicken Wrap (470 calories) – Grilled chicken wrapped with a multi-grain salad (whole grain barley, millet, and bulgur with black beans, corn and roasted tomatoes) in a cilantro Greek yogurt dressing with arugula, romaine and green garbanzo hummus in a tomato whole grain tortilla.
I’m a fan of Delta’s Luvo snacks… but what do you think about the new food options from airlines? Please leave your comments below.
NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Boeing 747 nearing its end? + “Targeted” for an upgrade? + 5 newest biz class hotels in New York + TSA PreCheck is exploding + Bargain hunters travel guide for 2016
Do you follow us on Twitter? It’s a great way to keep up with the latest news!
Please join the 100,000+ people who read TravelSkills every month! Sign up here for one email-per-day updates!
Evan Torch says
February 21, 2016 at 8:41 pmNext time they all teeter on bankruptcy maybe our worthless Congress will put huge interest charges on all of the “gifts” like they got last time.
Fuel won’t stay this cheap and they’ll be right back whining about insolvencies!
Evan Torch says
February 21, 2016 at 8:38 pmTypical; United and American are giving food away–Delta sells it.
Shushannah Akin says
February 21, 2016 at 10:36 amThose snacks are all very popular here in San Francisco, especially the Stroopwafel.
Julie Zberg says
February 21, 2016 at 10:34 amthey need to pay their mechanics and do right at the bargaining table – quit fucking around and stalling. it’s bullshit.
Salvatore Johnson says
February 2, 2016 at 6:29 amThe bottom line is that these airlines got fat and profitable not only because of lower fuel prices, but gauging customers with fees and taking away food service five years ago. Also the biggest gift the airlines got was the government allowing them to merge so that there is no more competition.
In the last three years the only improvements they have made for flyers is for us to now fly and pay for first class. In an associate press story, American vice president of global marketing Fernand Fernandez admitted that they had to do all of these cutbacks to “survive”. He went on to say that “what has changed is that the airlines have been able to fix our core business and be able to reinvest in our customers.” So what does that mean, new planes, overhead bins and nicer first class cabins. So American and probably United and Delta are realizing that a bit of the wealth they are experiencing better trickle down to coach flyers.
But honestly the damage as been done, we are use to being screwed by the airlines in added fees. I was shocked when I saw drink prices on airplanes the other day, alcohol prices are triple what they were five years ago. I was also shocked on how much they charge for snacks and sandwiches on planes. $8.99 are they kidding? That along with baggage fees, direct TV fees, internet fees, added legroom fees along with the fact that flying today is terrible and uncomfortable and that is on a good day without delays or problems.
The airlines are making millions of dollars of profits, yes most of it they deserve for the decade of problems endured after 9/11 but frankly they are screwing us to the point that we hate flying anymore. Things will never change to the level they were before 2001, they have rigged the system in which they no longer have competition. But in future years oil prices will go up in making a strain on the profits.
All I am saying is the airlines better now get smart and creative in making flying tolerable again. They need to figure out a model in which we sit in five across instead of crowding into six across. A perfect example is bringing back snacks. They aren’t doing it out of the kindness of their greedy hearts, they are doing it because food manufactures are looking for ways to market new products. So not only do the airlines get the snacks for free, but they get a fee to allow their customers to try these new products. This is being creative and hopefully the bean counters at the airlines will figure out a way to make it more comfortable on airplanes.
Because if they don’t and enjoy millions in profit, folks will get really upset at them and they won’t have many happy customers.
Salvatore Johnson says
February 1, 2016 at 11:15 pmI love it, this is nothing more than United or Delta getting free food from someone who probably pays them a fee so that people will see there product. It’s really funny they make it sound like they are doing us a favor, but in reality they get paid so that people will see the food.
Just look at what is given away, it’s all new products that you have never seen on the marketplace. It’s nothing that the airlines are paying for so that they please passengers.
It’s all about making a buck and the airlines are making bucks with this “give away”
Mitchell Teixeira says
February 1, 2016 at 8:33 pmI think this is a way to “give back” some of the fuel savings without letting prices slip
Greg Z says
February 1, 2016 at 4:43 pmFree is good!
Christian says
February 1, 2016 at 2:26 pmHey, I’ll take improvements, however small, where I can get them.