Hawaiian airlines is cutting free in-flight meals, moving to pre-paid menu

[Oxman]

I can hear it now from the person next to you. "Can you please not eat that? I am (or my child) is allergic to that... bla bla bla...

https://www.wkrn.com/news/national/major-airline-is-cutting-free-in-flight-meals-moving-to-pre-paid-menu/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WKRN_News_2&fbclid=IwY2xjawSJFCRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFzSVJES0J5ZWFQektzOGJOc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvu7sducqDysp9OkOEwOHisB6VEw9vioc23Y397dyUAHEquQuYClnFIBylNN_aem_US54GbOTuR6LhPthwxukmQ

https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/content/our-services/in-flight-services/dining-and-drinks

Lunch & Dinner​

On flights departing between 10:00 a.m. - 8:29 p.m., pre-order meals like our Crispy Mochiko Chicken & Garlic Noodles.

Free meals on board Hawaiian Airlines flights will soon be a thing of the past. The airline has announced it will end complimentary service in main cabins in favor of a prepaid option.

Passengers will instead be able to preorder food from a Hawaii-inspired menu curated by Maui-based chef Sheldon Simeon. The program will launch July 1 with a curated set of offerings, with plans to expand the menu in the fall.

“By moving to a pre-order model, we’re expanding beyond a single standard meal to offer a broader menu that reflects how our guests want to dine today,” said Hawaiian Airlines Managing Director of Marketing Alisa Onishi.

Other buy-on-board products will remain the same, Onishi said, and the airline will continue to offer free snacks on board.

Prices for each meal range from $11 to $17.

According to the announcement, the menu features dishes such as crispy mochiko chicken with garlic noodles, barbecue teriyaki chicken bento, and corned beef hash with eggs.

New dishes will be announced throughout the year, and items will be rotated.

The meals will be prepared with fresh ingredients no more than 12 hours before each flight, according to the announcement.

Passengers will be able to order through the Alaska-Hawaiian mobile app or website two weeks in advance and up to 20 hours before departure.

Onishi said the airline started work on the change before its integration with Alaska Airlines and had always had Simeon in mind for the project.

 

[derg]

Onishi said the airline started work on the change before its integration with Alaska Airlines and had always had Simeon in mind for the project.

 

[NovemberEcho]

• like this is why I don’t book a US airline whenever possible.

 

[ChasenSFO]

It's nice they had them so long, of course the Redwood Logging Company is going to turn "Aloha" into "Pony Up".

I just hope the seats don't go slimline.

 

[MikeD]

First it was beards.

Then it was meals

Next it’s going to be…..

 

[///AMG]

It's nice they had them so long, of course the Redwood Logging Company is going to turn "Aloha" into "Pony Up".

I just hope the seats don't go slimline.

I think the notion that said company would buy other said company, who had been operating at a loss for some time, and just keep everything the same cost-wise is probably flawed. And I know that some changes company-wide are a result of current conditions, i.e. doubling of fuel costs compared to the original planning factors.

 

[scooter2525]

First it was beards.

Then it was meals

Next it’s going to be…..

Boxed beer.

 

[knot4u]

I know I've flown on Hawaiian a couple of times and I'm pretty sure they served food but I don't recall what it was. If I can't remember what I was served should I be upset? I wasn't in first class, maybe the experience up front was more memorable? Is their pricing going to cost more or less than the sandwich spot near the gates? If I'm pinching pennies as I travel to the islands I'll just leave a little room in my backpack for some food. Do you know what travels better than a hoagie? A burrito, breakfast, lunch or dinner, it's happy to wait until it's needed. Burritos are transportable food perfected.

 

[knot4u]

Boxed beer.

Is that a thing? I've seen boxes of wine but the closest thing I recall with beer was those party balls they used to sell.

 

[ChasenSFO]

I think the notion that said company would buy other said company, who had been operating at a loss for some time, and just keep everything the same cost-wise is probably flawed. And I know that some changes company-wide are a result of current conditions, i.e. doubling of fuel costs compared to the original planning factors.

That's all true, but I am against airlines taking their unique differentiation in customer experience (meals on HA, legroom on B6, free bags on WN, wine and beer on QX, ect) instead of, say, less $20 mil+ bonuses.

 

[knot4u]

That's all true, but I am against airlines taking their unique differentiation in customer experience (meals on HA, legroom on B6, free bags on WN, wine and beer on QX, ect) instead of, say, less $20 mil+ bonuses.

It's all about the stockholders. You might try to offer a premium experience but if it doesn't turn a profit immediately the board will change direction purely for self preservation. WN is an anomaly, they conquered the LC airline market, now they're looking at Delta and salivating.

 

[DropTank]

50 years of "about that AIRLINE food!"

Airlines: "Fine! No airline food."

News articles: "ZOMG WTF!!?"

If you weren't told about the food, you'd probably never notice and stuff your face with terminal food anyway.

*the space below is reserved for our comment on your lunch in the Yeti Cooler is better anyway*

 

[NovemberEcho]

50 years of "about that AIRLINE food!"

Airlines: "Fine! No airline food."

News articles: "ZOMG WTF!!?"

If you weren't told about the food, you'd probably never notice and stuff your face with terminal food anyway.

*the space below is reserved for our comment on your lunch in the Yeti Cooler is better anyway*

No now you just get to pay extra for most likely • airline food

 

[derg]

Yeah it's confusing. The zeitgeist loathes airline food. But then an airline pulls back from food and then there is much caterwauling.

Reminds me of some of my coworkers: "The Mad Dog SUCKS!" "Gross, I got awarded the mad dog" "They should PARK THAT PLANE!" "Oh it's terrible!"

Then the plane gets parked and now the same people grew wax nostalgic with variations of stickers like:

 

[Skåning]

Reminds me of some of my coworkers: "The Mad Dog SUCKS!" "Gross, I got awarded the mad dog" "They should PARK THAT PLANE!" "Oh it's terrible!"

Park the Guppy instead!

 

[Karnage]

Yeah it's confusing. The zeitgeist loathes airline food. But then an airline pulls back from food and then there is much caterwauling.

Reminds me of some of my coworkers: "The Mad Dog SUCKS!" "Gross, I got awarded the mad dog" "They should PARK THAT PLANE!" "Oh it's terrible!"

Then the plane gets parked and now the same people grew wax nostalgic with variations of stickers like:
View attachment 89832

And none of them bid 717 either...

 

[///AMG]

That's all true, but I am against airlines taking their unique differentiation in customer experience (meals on HA, legroom on B6, free bags on WN, wine and beer on QX, ect) instead of, say, less $20 mil+ bonuses.

100%

 

[derg]

No now you just get to pay extra for most likely • airline food

30 years ago: "Gross, ham salad sandwich"
Today: "Ham salad sandwich $12... Maybe, but then I have this half-rotted Chipotle rip-off Qdoba in my bag from yesterday I think I'll eat instead"

 

[NovemberEcho]

And none of them bid 717 either...

That’s because it’s terrible

 

[NovemberEcho]

30 years ago: "Gross, ham salad sandwich"
Today: "Ham salad sandwich $12... Maybe, but then I have this half-rotted Chipotle rip-off Qdoba in my bag from yesterday I think I'll eat instead"

I’ve been in enough non-US airlines to know that high quality airline food is possible, but here it takes a back seat to executive bonuses.