Coach class meal on Delta

[therese]

I generally bring my own food when I fly, as I find the usual airline food truly hideous, and if I'm flying east across the Atlantic I'm hoping to sleep, so want to eat early and then take a sleeping pill. But this time I didn't really have time to get anything, and didn't want the potential hassle of arguing with somebody about whether or not some component of the meal might be considered a liquid or a gel.

So I called Delta and asked for a special meal. There are several options, and I chose "cold seafood", figuring that the absolute worst would be fake crab or not great shrimp. What I ended up with pretty amazing---certainly the best food I've been served in coach in the last two decades. Salmon (baked or broiled, and a little on the dry side, but still fine), red jacket potatoes in dill dressing, cucumbers, and roma tomatoes. The potatoes were a little undercooked, but the perfect tomato made up for that.

Delta also offers one complimentary alcoholic beverage, served at the same time as meal service. Drinks ordered before or after are $5 or 4€. I'd seen mention of this on the Delta web site a little while ago, but when I asked the Delta reservationist from whom I requested the special meal he was entirely unaware of it.

As typically occurs, my meal was served at the very beginning of meal service, so no waiting for the trundling cart of unappetizing nasties to wend its way down the aisle towards me.

[Swisskaese]

Are non-alcoholic drinks still free?

[wattacetti]

Are non-alcoholic drinks still free?

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Yes.

Alcoholic ones are free when one flies Air Canada across the Atlantic.

[scubadoo97]

Are non-alcoholic drinks still free?

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Just wait. The US airlines are not going to do this right now for fear of looking to greedy in the face of new regulations, but I bet anything in the near future they will charge for sodas. Since you can't bring any liquid on the plane they have a new source of revenue.

[therese]

Are non-alcoholic drinks still free?

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Yes.

Alcoholic ones are free when one flies Air Canada across the Atlantic.

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Yes, non-alcoholic beverages are free on Delta, regardless of class or type of flight (though some very short flights have a limited selection). Until a few years ago all transatlantic flights included pretty much unlimited free alcohol (though quality wasn't great in coach), but a few years ago U.S.-based airlines started charging in transatlantic coach the way they've done for a long time on domestic flights. European carriers continue to offer free alcohol, and these days some people will choose European carriers for this reason (and it sure as hell isn't because of the food).

This particular flight had coach and "Business Elite" classes, no first class. The flight attendant actually set up a cart across the aisle to keep those of us in cheap seats from sneaking up and using one of their really cool WCs, and used the cart to open wines and pour drinks. Based on the amounts she was pouring I'm surprised that any of them managed to stagger off the plane.

I've not heard that other U.S. carriers are offering any complimentary alcohol in coach, but then I fly almost exclusively Delta, so will have to rely eG collective experience re other airlines. Anybody?

[therese]

Are non-alcoholic drinks still free?

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Just wait. The US airlines are not going to do this right now for fear of looking to greedy in the face of new regulations, but I bet anything in the near future they will charge for sodas. Since you can't bring any liquid on the plane they have a new source of revenue.

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I doubt this will happen, particularly on long haul flights. U.S. airlines are interested in staying in business, and there is a limit as to how uncomfortable you can make people before they revolt. Our flight was delayed on the ground in Atlanta about 30 minutes after anticipated take off as there was a mechanical issue with the air-conditioning that might have meant our having to change to new equipment had it not been resolved. Delta flight attendants brought around glasses of water within 10 minutes of the delay being announced, and it wasn't even all that stuffy on the plane. Everybody played nice and we all got to Italy.

On the other, I wouldn't mind paying a dollar for a soft drink or juice so long as I could get water for free. And I wouldn't mind paying $8 or $10 dollars for a nice glass of wine.

[Daniel]

Are non-alcoholic drinks still free?

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Just wait. The US airlines are not going to do this right now for fear of looking to greedy in the face of new regulations, but I bet anything in the near future they will charge for sodas. Since you can't bring any liquid on the plane they have a new source of revenue.

←

I doubt this will happen, particularly on long haul flights. U.S. airlines are interested in staying in business, and there is a limit as to how uncomfortable you can make people before they revolt. Our flight was delayed on the ground in Atlanta about 30 minutes after anticipated take off as there was a mechanical issue with the air-conditioning that might have meant our having to change to new equipment had it not been resolved. Delta flight attendants brought around glasses of water within 10 minutes of the delay being announced, and it wasn't even all that stuffy on the plane. Everybody played nice and we all got to Italy.

On the other, I wouldn't mind paying a dollar for a soft drink or juice so long as I could get water for free. And I wouldn't mind paying $8 or $10 dollars for a nice glass of wine.

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I was just on a flight to vegas a few weeks ago and we were delayed on the ground for 5 and a half hours.. They brought around water twice and would not serve other drinks or food or water a third time.. It was horrible.. First bad experience with jet blue..

[therese]

Return flight from Milan to Atlanta yesterday. My request for "cold seafood meal" made a week earlier was honored. Just in case I'd also brought along a sandwich of prosciutto crudo, and since I'd had very little for breakfast and the 11:00 departure was pushed back a little it came in very handy.

As usual, my meal arrived well in advance of usual food service, and this time featured cold grilled shrimp with pasta salad. I despise pasta salad, so just had the shrimp and fruit. The remainder of the plate featured small mixed salads that had been stored unwrapped in low humidity, so were really more liked salad fossils. These salads were also featured on the other diners plates, and they also had some sort of cookie dessert instead of my fruit.

My snack at the end of the flight was tuna with mayonnaise on a sort of baguettte, and a stroopwaffel for dessert.

Free alcoholic beverage with the meal (white wine, South African, not too bad) and the flight attendant "bought" me a beer with my tuna sandwich (which is to say that she waived the usual charge). Comfortable, uneventful flight all around, except for the delay out of Malpensa which meant that we had to wait for a disembarkation gate in Atlanta.