Onboard meal purchase?

[bunnyfoo]

I think Air Canada is charging for meals ... I was checking out fares for May and when you go to the page where it confirms which flights you've selected, under meal service for YYZ to MCO it says on board meal purchase. I thought only passengers on short domestic flights had to purchase meals... :confused: I noticed the ticket prices haven't come down :rolleyes: :p

I also went back checked my the dates for my Sept/Oct trip and it says that onboard meal purchase as well *sigh*:( I wonder if this applies to passengers to who have already purchased tickets or booked Aeroplan tickets.

[mbb]

Selections are "inspired by" the menus from The Keg, Montana's type restaurants...if I remember correctly.

But DH just reminded me that we did eat on our last flight from Montreal to MCO..."Chicken or Beef"

Maybe you can purchase additional food...I do remember that there were nachos and salsa for $7 or so...

Sorry I wasn't more help!!!
:sunny:

[bunnyfoo]

I was surprised because I was sure that I when I was checking airfare a couple of days ago the meals were included. It doesn't really matter much to me because I usually just eat the fruit plate. My DBF wasn't too impressed but I told him that he'll have more room when we go to Boma :laughing:

[mom_rules]

Must be a new thing-we had quite a nice breakfast on our way to Orlando and a nice supper on our way back in April. I'll have to check into this for our Oct trip (won't matter much to us-short trip and we can always grab some danish at the airport).

[mom_rules]

Here's the official "word": "Effective August 1, the onboard restaurant service will be on medium haul domestic flights (duration of between 1hr45 min. to 3hr30 min.) in Canada on routes between Toronto and cities such as: Charlottetown / Halifax / Moncton / Thunder Bay / Winnipeg / Saskatoon / St. John’s / Deer Lake / Gander / Fredericton / Saint John, Montreal to St. John’s (NF) / Winnipeg, and Calgary and Winnipeg. Current snack and meal service will continue on all other flights.

As of May 13 Onboard Restaurant Service will be offered on the following flights:
Between Ottawa and Chicago
Between Toronto and Minneapolis / Fort Lauderdale / New Orleans / Tampa / Miami
Between Vancouver and Anchorage
Between Halifax and Orlando
Between Montreal and Fort Lauderdale / Miami

The program has the potential to expand throughout our North American network.

We are making a concerted effort to notify our customers on these flights in advance through mass media, notices on our website, communication with travel agents, as well as at the airport with check-in, Express Check-in and departure gate signage as well as boarding lounge announcements. For bookings after August 1 Air Canada’s online reservations system will automatically indicate if the flight offers the onboard restaurant service. This will also be indicated on e-ticket receipts after August 1.

Complimentary non-alcoholic beverage service in Hospitality Service will continue, as will the current alcoholic beverage service."

[minnie56]

But we just got back from NYC on AC and there was the offer to purchase a meal. We were upgraded to Executive class and didn't even get a meal there. We were offered cheesies:rolleyes: potato chips etc...On a short flight such as this we didn't mind though anyway.

We flew to Las Vegas in April and Orlando in December and back January and we had a meal and were not charged.Maybe just flights under 3 hours duration or so?

[mom_rules]

I just checked ours-the way to MCO it's "onboard purchase"-breakfast the way back is "complimentary-lunch". I guess it depends on your flight?!

[Amberle3]

I know that AC is moving to make all of their meals for purchase only.

My only theory on why some routes are showing as having meal service is perhaps those routes are codeshares and actually operated by another carrier (like United) and therefore have whatever services that carrier normally offers. Although I was pretty sure that the US airlines didn't offer meals anymore either. So who knows.

Last time my DF was on a flight with meal service, he was offered "chicken or beef". He asked if he'd be able to tell the difference between the two and the FA paused, and then said "no". So no meal service might be a good thing.

Drive everyone crazy, buy burgers or a pizza and bring it on board with you.

[Scratch42]

Our flight down has been change to meal purchase plus we leave at 8:45 am! So we leave an hour and half early!

As for the flight back, they have not decided, and she advised that I also watch for a time change. As long as I can make it to the Premium Outlet Mall before heading home, I'm ok with that!LOL

Scratch
pirate:

[bunnyfoo]

Thanks for the info mom_rules! :p


Originally posted by Amberle3
Last time my DF was on a flight with meal service, he was offered "chicken or beef". He asked if he'd be able to tell the difference between the two and the FA paused, and then said "no". So no meal service might be a good thing.

Hahahahaha!! That's too funny :rotfl:

[SKFamily]

We don't even have the option on our flight, and both leave over lunch. So we'll be some of the annoying ones bringing it with us... sorry guys, pretzels don't cut it for lunch on a long day! ;)

[CdnDisneyNut]

Originally posted by Scratch42
Our flight down has been change to meal purchase plus we leave at 8:45 am! So we leave an hour and half early!

As for the flight back, they have not decided, and she advised that I also watch for a time change. As long as I can make it to the Premium Outlet Mall before heading home, I'm ok with that!LOL

Scratch
pirate:

Scratch

Looks like we are the same flight down. Make sure I will have breakfast before I leave the house.
My return flight time (19:15) has not changed and is still states meals are complementary. Will have to check up from time to time.

[mom_rules]

Looks like AC also reducing # of flights-watch your schedules. Originally when I booked there were 3 flights in either direction-Now there are only two-Looks like the early a.m. flight was either full or removed. Earliest one now on our date is 8:45 am. Coming home-there used to be a 2:15 flight and a 7:15pm flight-now it's early a.m. or 12:15 latest.
Anyone know what's going on?

[Amberle3]

It's not unusual at all for airlines to reduce flights or adjust flight schedules. NW is the worst offender for that - usually have to check at least once a week to make sure that clients' flights haven't changed.

I have tickets on AC in December that they changed the flights there and back - resulting in not enough connecting time on the way back (30 minutes is NOT enough time to get through customs and to the correct departure gate in Vancouver!). Took about an hour on the phone to get it all straightened out. Happens often enough that AC even has a schedule change department.

It's also quite likely that reducing flights is part of the current restructuring that AC is going through - makes more sense to take 2 full planes than 3 half empty planes. If the seats on the current flights sell out consistently then they'll look at increasing the runs again.

[minnie56]

I recently booked a flight to Mco in August (9th-17th) and notice that my meal on the way there is "onboard purchase" (Dep 0845) and return is complimentary (Dep 1215). I will go into The Maple Leaf Lounge before hand and ensure I fill up with enough nibbles to last me!;)

I also noted the fares going up and down every day for the whole week I was checking. They are now up...and thankfully I booked on a low day.I wanted the econo fare as the Tango fare only gives me 250 aeroplan miles and this was the one they were messing with the most it seemed.

Playing games I guess......

[Scratch42]

Originally posted by CdnDisneyNut
Scratch

Looks like we are the same flight down. Make sure I will have breakfast before I leave the house.
My return flight time (19:15) has not changed and is still states meals are complementary. Will have to check up from time to time.

Hey Mike, See you at the Airport!

Are you doing MNSSHP?

We come back on the Wednesday and hoping it's not one of those 7:00 am flights! No time for shopping which will very much upset me!

Scratch

pirate:

[Belle2002]

Wow,
I am so glad I'm flying west jet to California this fall. I know they don't feed you, but you get free snacks and free drinks which is fine. we also got to take advantage of their introductory fares which were dirt cheap ($72 each way Calgary to LA) It was going to cost more than double on AC and no food!! I wonder if you will still get free drinks on AC? I know when they were using the Tango service you got nothing unless you paid. You couldn't even get a free glass of water, you had to buy an over priced bottle and all of there food was very expensive. At least with west jet and jetsgo it's public knowledge they don't feed you which is part of why there flights are cheaper, but what is AC going to do?
Crazy, I know:bounce:

[CdnDisneyNut]

Originally posted by Scratch42

Hey Mike, See you at the Airport!

Are you doing MNSSHP?

Scratch

pirate:

Don't think so. I did it on my last trip (2002). Figured it would be more crowed with it being Halloween night Still have time to change my mind before it sells out.

[mom_rules]

Apparently non-alcoholic beverages are still complimentary (so far) on AC (unlike Air Transat-DD had a 7 hour flight and had to pay for a coke and water!)

[CdnDisneyNut]

Both ways now say "onboard putchase"
:(

[mom_rules]

So far I still have one of each.

[bunnyfoo]

My ticket now says onboard purchase for both ways as well...

[AngelStar]

I'm so confused. Where are you guys checking to see if it's still complimentary or onboard purchase.

We are leaving July 25th 8:45am for MCO and coming back Aug 8th 12:15pm. We just got our tickets and documents from the Children's Wish Foundation on Thursday and when they ordered the tickets - early June - it shows breakfast on the way down and "Meal" on the way back.

Is this supposed to change? And where to check status?? :confused:

[CdnDisneyNut]

I went to Air Canada's web site and started to book the trip with the same date and flight time. Before booking the flight it states if the meals are free or purchase.

[AngelStar]

Thanks! Okay, I'll try that and see what happens. :)

[AngelStar]

Glad I checked this board out beforehand. Looks like both of ours have changed to purchase-only meals. :(

So they can just change it whenever they want to, even if you've already got the tickets? That's so frustrating.

We have to be at the actual check-in at 5:45am or earlier for our 8:45 flight because of special wish trips' pre-boarding and now we've all got to have breakfast beforehand, cause I'm sure we can't afford meals for our whole family. Same thing when we return, but then it will be lunch (which is pretty impossible since we are leaving the DCL ship after a 6am breakfast and going directly to MCO). Boy, this really is annoying. :mad:

At least, we're prepared!

Btw, can we still get water/soda pop/juice for free? Or is that purchase too? Are snacks given on board for free even if they are purchase meal flights?

[Scratch42]

Well it looks like both our flights are now On Board Purchase!

I checked the menus and I think they are cheaper than buying at the airport, at least at Pearson!

Scratch
pirate:

[CdnDisneyNut]

Just checked my flight itinerary on destina. It now staying meal purchase on the way down an no meals on the trip down
They have now entered my assigned seats. Looks like they made a mistake I am in row 03 (right in the middle of executive class:bounce: )

[bunnyfoo]

Originally posted by CdnDisneyNut
They have now entered my assigned seats. Looks like they made a mistake I am in row 03 (right in the middle of executive class:bounce: )

I like those kinds of mistakes :p

[Scratch42]

type of flight we had down over Easter!

There were no differences!

Scratch
pirate:

[mom_rules]

You're right Scratch-our Easter flights did not have a first class (it was almost like a charter airline). As a matter of fact, when I checked out our seat assignment against the aircraft seating plan our row wasn't even listed. I did call ahead and they assured me that we did have a seat and the online seating plan was a general one.
As you know, we did have seats, although we did move DD and her GF to an exit row when we checked in.

[SKFamily]

We flew Calgary - LAX on July 6th and had sandwiches as our complimentary snack, (left at 12:20 PM) as well as juice, pop, water etc. On our way back July 13, also a lunch hour flight, we were informed meals were "on board purchase". $12 CDN for a ham sandwich, salad, chips and an apple. The other option was a strawberry salad - those were the only two. Drinks were still complimentary. The sandwich/salad was ok, but I would not normally have paid $12 for it.

One thing - they are cash only. A couple of people on our flight were unprepared for buying a meal in flight and only had credit cards. The flight staff managed to scrounge up some nuts for them instead.

[CdnDisneyNut]

Originally posted by CdnDisneyNut
Just checked my flight itinerary on destina. It now staying meal purchase on the way down an no meals on the trip down
They have now entered my assigned seats. Looks like they made a mistake I am in row 03 (right in the middle of executive class:bounce: )

They caught heir error.
Got an e-mail from them today.
Changed me to row 18 now.
:(

[SkylarKD]

At least the food's pretty good! I had a turkey sandwich that was great, and it came with mini Kit-Kat bars. We have also had the 'two-bite brownies' (mmmmm). Also, the chicken strips the man sitting next to us had smelled really good.