I promised to complain less in 2013, especially since I rung in the new year a beach in Waikiki. So, I will not whine that our bags did not make it all the way home with us. Yet I cannot help but complain about the following:
Our United flight did not serve any food even though it was a non-stop from Honolulu to Newark. 9.5 hours plus another for a delay in Honolulu, and the flight attendant did not seem enthused about us buying the over-priced and under-nourished snack packs, not to mention any chance of buying a hot breakfast sandwich. The personnel announced that there would not be any heated meals for the economy folks--that is, we could not buy the breakfast sandwich--due to the timing of the flight.
Um, it is a non-stop, red-eye flight--what is wrong with the timing of letting folks get breakfast? I fly plenty of redeye's to Europe, and one usually gets both dinner and breakfast on thsoe. Sure. I know that United and the other American airlines are facing budgetary problems, but I am not even complaining about having to pay. Not being able to buy is the problem. Since we had a short connection time (just made the next plane), we could not eat at Newark. Of course, this is a first world problem if there ever was one, and I have to say that the United folks were great in pretty much every other way (handling our lost baggage claims on both ends of the trip, for instance). But this policy of not feeding people on a nine hour flight is ridiculous.
Even more ridiculous than having to turn off my iPad--the downside of relying on e-books for trips.... especially when the delays on the tarmac go on and on.
Still, it was a great trip, so consider this my last whine until the next one.
It's also ridiculous not to get food included when the price of the tickets to Hawaii was greater than many tickets to Europe. Somehow the airlines have this idea that they no longer need to provide even snacks (for example, pretzels) on domestic flights.
ReplyDeleteI think there is a lot of competition on the European trips & European airlines provide food, so the American airlines do so as well.
I have learned to expect no food on US flights and instead bring my own, even if it is sandwiches from Starbucks. I will say that the San Francisco airport did have great food, but, even with a 2.5 hour layover, our luggage still missed the connection!
Pack food. It is way cheaper, more convenient, guaranteed to be there, and takes up little space in a carry-on. I keep a few granola bars, some trail mix, a pack of gum (to reduce ear popping) and some flavor mixes to add to the usually less than tasty airport fountain water (I bring my own bottle, of course), all packed into a plastic bag. Granted, it's no bacon, egg, and cheese, but the money and convenience taste every bit as good to me.
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