airline food

flickr: Photo by alex-s

Add Continental to the list of airlines that are making customers pay for "perks" on flights. The airline announced yesterday that it will stop serving free food on most of its domestic flights.

 

Starting this fall, the airline will sell "a variety of high quality, healthy food choices" in economy class (menus and prices haven't been determined). The Big Kahunas sitting in first and business classes will still get free meals -- you know, the people who can better afford to pay for a meal.

It doesn't really bother me that I won't be getting a free meal when I fly. After all, the food really isn't that good. It's the principle of the thing. On most flights, we're now paying for amenities that used to be offered gratuitously -- pillows, luggage, headsets, leg room, movies. What's next, a fee for using the bathroom?

Continental pointed out that its main U.S. competitors already charge passengers for food -- and that some don't serve food at all. There used to be a time when companies strove to be better than their competitors. Seems like now their goal is to be just as bad.

Do you think certain things on flights should be included in the price of your ticket or do you think it's reasonable that passengers pay for all these "extras"?