If you’re flying on American Airlines out of Philadelphia this summer, you might be in for a surprise on shorter flights: beverage service on flights under 900 miles may include water only.
American Airlines Slashes Beverage Service After Catering Woes In Philadelphia – Will Other Hubs Follow?
A Live And Let’s Fly reader sent me the following report:
Flew PHL-JAX 6/24/2024, FA announcement:
- New beverage policy on flights 900 and under
- Orange Juice, Apple Juice, Water, Coffee/Tea
- No ice, no soda, no alcohol (including beer/wine)
- Ice provided from 1st class, if available
Sure enough, seated in economy, only the above beverages offered. During the announcement of the new policy, FA’s were noticeably annoyed by the policy and provided the email address to CS@ AA to complain. Appalling service change, so odd…cheap.
That would be quite a change, if true. So I did some digging and thanks to the ever-resourceful JonNYC, I found an answer: yes, Ameican AIrlines is cutting beverages…but only out of Philadelphia (PHL)…and only temporarily.
Flight told to take off with bare basics catering if needed
PHL: flights under 900 miles told to do same for now— unclear end date.
“Stress” on catering both places (and for I know, maybe others)
— 🇺🇦 JonNYC 🇺🇦 (@xJonNYC) June 28, 2024
Live And Let’s Fly reviewed the following memo circulated to AA flight attendants:
The catering team in PHL is under significant stress and is challenged to provision all flights with catering as scheduled. To try and mitigate the issue, the catering team will make their primary focus flights with a stage length equal to or greater than 900 miles and ensure that those flights receive the full catering plan. Supplemental catering will be provided on flights of less than 900 miles. Supplemental catering consists of minimal provisioning to include crew meals (when scheduled), water and ice. Please do not delay a flight to request extra catering.
American makes clear this is short-term change. JonNYC mentioned Charlotte (CLT) as well, but CLT was not mentioned in the memo I reviewed. Even so, be prepared for limited to no catering, including food and beverage service, out of Charlotte as well.
What kind of “stress” is the catering team under?
Commentary:
“Re: catering
Absolutely pathetic that every other station with 3rd party catering (gate gourmet, sky chefs, etc) is capable of delivering a standard catering product, but CLT PHL and DFW cannot where AA owns/employs the catering/commissary.”— 🇺🇦 JonNYC 🇺🇦 (@xJonNYC) June 29, 2024
That’s not a good look concerning third-party catering at other stations do not seem to be having any trouble.
Bottom line: be prepared for more limited beverages this summer out of Philadelphia and potentially other AA hubs. Based on the memo, you might get nothing more than water to drink.
