chsb

AA is expanding BOB options starting next year. Here's the article.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/16274457.htm

brp

I kinda thought he'd been eating too much

Cheers.

BOSnomad

Bottled water will be sold for $2, but beverages remain free.

Now it's all perfectly clear.

justageek

Well, we all predicted that the TSA prohibition on bringing water through the checkpoint would eventually be exploited by the airlines to make $$$ by selling bottled water on board... and we were right. Talk about opportunism. Maybe this is why the airlines have never opposed the TSA ban on bringing water through the checkpoint.

A couple of the new food options look promising, but I think selling bottled water is going to persuade even more people that the "free" water comes out of the aircraft tanks (which I suppose will benefit the airline, since then more people will buy the bottled water to avoid the negative health effects of drinking the water from the tanks!).

ESpen36

Will F/J pax be able to get free bottles of water? Even on non-AFS/IFS flights where there is no "personal water service?"

I wonder if there will be weight/fuel-consumption issues involved in carrying a couple of drink carts full of water bottles so that they have enough on board to sell to a good many pax (vs. the snack boxes which are bulky but weigh close to nothing).

brp

Given that water can now be purchased airside and brought on board the plane, it doesn't seem like the airlines are in a unique position to sell this item, i.e. it's not like they have a captive audience. Of course, it would be nice to be able to take this through security...but there are some options.

Cheers.

justageek

Instead of competing with Costco, the airline is now competing with the outrageously overpriced airside vendors. "Unique position"? No. But the TSA has created a huge profit opportunity for the airlines.

queenladyk

Per the article "It’s the airline’s latest attempt to boost revenues from sources other than airline tickets, a strategy that has helped bolster it’s financial performance in the last year. During the third quarter, for example, revenues from sources other than passengers and cargo rose by about $39 million, more than 13 percent."

I wonder how much really comes from the BOB? But I guess every little bit helps.

Another question - I wonder if AA ever floated the idea of charging people as an "option" when they buy their tickets for meal. I heard that a while ago that they were doing that somewhere but I didn't think it was that bad of an idea.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

The food choices are a nice addition when stuck in C on longer flights. Assuming that the $2 bottom is of some decent size, I would much rather BOB than buy at foodcourt/vendors. I will be glad to see the nasty $4 snack boxes go, no one seems to buying them anyway-and for good reason.

georgehf

I thought that you were talking about Bora Bora

Hayden

Would it be possible for BOB to be more like SWISS's version, where there are seatback pocket menus with a variety of choices, including good coffee, good sandwiches, etc.? I know it's often difficult to cater US breads and baked goods that are of the quality that SWISS seems able to provide, but the menu concept seems to work well and reduces the flight attendants' need to repeat what they've got. It also provides an opportunity for SWISS to make money selling chocolate and other items that, I'd think, could be snack cart profit centers.

Perhaps it works better there, because most folks are coming off of the trains, which mostly have cart service, rather than being used to (on some level) hot meal service being included in the price of an airline ticket.

Also, SWISS seems able to run this service even on quite short flights (e.g., ZRH-MXP), which most US airlines view as "just about enough time for an abbreviated beverage service."

Maybe the typical AA passenger really is into the junk food that makes up most of the current snack boxes (so maybe "good bread" is missing the mark)--but perhaps they could adapt to fit what I want.

-Hayden

tommy777

Good news! The AA snack box is the worst in the biz..

Compared to the old days, there's nothing in the galleys anymore, the weight of a couple carts will not affect the fuel consumption more than one passenger.
When UA sold deli sandwiches on longer domestic flights, they were a lot more popular than the snack boxes, they ran out of sandwiches on most flights.

I'm sure the bottles they sell will be large and you won't get a water bottle for free in F. I'm sure they will let you buy one.

Or you can just ask the FA in F for more water

cingmot

Isn't it usually?

Torgen

Didn't Air Canada start doing that? Pay extra for a meal, or save a few bucks by not checking luggage or not getting frequent flyer miles?

pushback

The article says they tried to sell soft drinks but pax balked so they are still "free."

I say keep balking--all the way back to the point where they bring back "free" meals. Their revenue is up--we lived through the leans times with them and they with our support. Balk, balk, baaaaaalk!