In-flight passenger service to Hawaii is waning fast as airlines can cut corners in order to make more money. A recent internal memo from American Airlines to its flight attendants brought this to mind. Thanks to JonNYC on X (Twitter) for finding it and sharing what was to be confidential. Here’s what told its flight attendants:
“Part of our commitment to ensuring a consistent customer experience, please refrain from offering Premium Cabin amenities/service items (i.e. pillows, blankets, amenity kits, and certain food items) to customers who are not seated in a Premium Cabin.”
American Airlines
Sign of the times – service on flights to Hawaii is largely a thing of the past.
The latitude of flight attendants to provide excellence and anything unique in service is clearly waning too. Since we talk a lot with flight crews, we’ve heard of multiple occasions how the decline in what they can offer us is even embarrassing for the crew. With that said, on United, the flight attendants were able to issue a credit for both the wrong meal or for pouring a beverage all over editor Jeff, on two recent flights.
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Here’s one example of service from United. The photo above shows the only in-flight snack that was offered on our United Airlines flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles last week. The only thing! The flight attendant literally cringed in embarrassment as she kindly handed them out. We all laughed about it. The solo half-melted (as you can see) cookie (a strange quinoa/chocolate concoction) weighed in at just 1/4 ounce. That’s right, 7 grams. And it was already falling apart when we opened the bag.
And it doesn’t stop with only economy class being dismal service.
Beat of Hawaii is flying back and forth between the mainland and Hawaii this week, and we’ll only tease that we have pretty fascinating reviews, even for us. There is a lot of good and a lot to be desired. We are flying in economy this time.
But several weeks ago, Beat of Hawaii also flew first class on United Airlines between the mainland and Hawaii. And while the flight attendants were personable and kind, there, too, the service offerings were terrible. The only exceptions we have found are on widebody flights in premium cabins, such as the amazing flight we had on Hawaiian, last year.
We thought Southwest Hawaii snack pack was bad, but now it excels.
In actuality, looking back, the Southwest snack pack was quite good. It was also followed up by a generous brownie/cookie dessert that was 2.5 times larger than the United Airlines cookie in the lead photo. For more details, see that Southwest Hawaii review.
So too, in its own way, is the Hawaiian Airlines economy “meal” generous. They provides on trans-Pacific flights and it’s pictured below from that review. Meal might be an overly generous term to use, but it’s still way better than many of the other airlines.
Alaska Airlines, in our opinion, has some of the best in-flight food available for purchase starting at $7.50, and includes their signature fruit and cheese platter.
What passengers can do now.
Flight attendants have told us to write to the airline and complain. We continue to bring our own food on board as backup, and water too. Jeff does that in first class as well, and that saved him on the recent Delta flight to Hawaii. Our initial thought was if the airlines want to reduce in-flight service, we should ask them to stop promoting largely bogus credit card offers in flight. That way, both passengers and airlines have something to cut.
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It would be a nice Aloha for Alaska to allow transfer of Hawaiian miles to Alaska miles. Hoping they consider it. Mahalo🌺
Hawaii has nothing to offer the world but close proximity to the mainland. The have zero economy without tourism and continually complain about tourists and then overcharge for everything. Karma Hawaii and yours just ran out. Go the vsbi..superior
Our recent flight from Hawaii to Denver had served almost inedible food, very disappointing 😞
Last year I flew first class on Delta to Kona. The only service was a snack literally pitched to me. Additionally the seat was extremely uncomfortable. The flight was from Seattle and one of the worst I have ever had. Though I have thousands of frequent flier miles I decided that I would not fly DAL again to Hawaii. It’s disgusting how little the airlines give you for your money.
Not valued.
Patty G
If you want to cut service, then cut prices , Simple
We always pay for the better seats. They are now costing more than 200 average from Nashville. Going home lady year they started to hand out crackers and cokes and when they got to our row, 3 rows down they said they ran out. We’re were starving. Thank goodness I had a few things in my purse. This trip we only got what economy was offered. With the cost of tickets you would think Anerican could go to Costco and buy crackers, right? It amazes me the ticket prices. We always fly American and have a credit card though them. The only people I see that gets good service is first class. They always have food and nice meals.
The suggestion to “write and complain” is ok, but the only complaints the airlines would listen to would have to come from frequent first class flyers, in other words, those who have little to complain about. Airlines have made it clear, they don’t care about economy passengers.
Domestic air travel has become a commodity almost like catching a bus ride. Your objective is to get from point A to point B in the least possible time with a modicum of convenience.
You are not expecting a pleasurable ride with entertainment. Those days are long gone.
The goal of the flight attendants are to maintain good order during the flight.
We recently flew to Hawaii from Boise to Seattle to Honolulu on Alaska Airlines. The food we purchased ahead of time was terrible. The flight crew was rude & seemed like they wanted to be any place but on that flight. On the return flight it was worse. To start flight was delayed twice then cancelled. Our replacement flight did not have our pre-ordered meals transferred so we had no food on a 6.5 hour flight. The flight crew actually made an announcement that we should not use the call button uness it was an emergency . Basically “don’t bother us” . We then were flown to Portland instead of Seattle we arrived at midnight & no services or food at airport until 5am &again our flight was cancelled we sat in that airport until 8am
I just flew from Las Vegas to Honolulu on Hawaiian. No meal like last year and no Mai tai.
There are no meals on HA red eyes. And the mai tais are part of the meal service.
Aloha from Green Bay Wisconsin. I remember our first flight to Honolulu in 1990. Was in the army and got transferred to Schofield Barracks. We flew Northwest Orient. Coach, with 2 kids. No problem though as there was plenty of space for my long legs. Prior to landing, we got a 2 pack of Caramacs candy. (hooked me on them and been eating them for the past 33 years). I’ve been to Hawaii over 20 times since and nobody does that anymore. Service on the airlines has been going down hill fast. On a recent flight on American, my (first class) dinner was still frozen and I sent it back. No replacement. I asked the FA if there was another meal and he offered me a meal to purchase! United or Delta are much better.
You get what you pay for. The fact that flights to Hawaii are dirt cheap compared to what they were 20 years ago when adjusted for inflation shows you exactly what the flying public wants. Low fares. Bring your own food on the plane, it certainly not worth hundreds of dollars. American, United and even southwest do a fantastic job in keeping fairs down to Hawaii and everywhere else. I don’t need a $400 sandwich, thank you very much.
My flight from East coast was Not dirt cheap. And I find it horrible that one has to buy another 20 bucks or so worth of crap to bring on the plane. If the gate is changed, then one does not have time to buy water to bring on the plane. I have to have liquids on a long flight, and so worried there will not be enough water for that long haul.
Well said. I have to chuckle when I read comments from people who live in one of the wealthiest and most obese countries in the world complaining about how safe and modern transpacific flights, which really cost a pittance, don’t serve food meeting their expectations. Somebody even commented that they were “starving.“. Get a grip people, grab a snack at the airport and enjoy the flight instead of worrying about trying to scarf down food. When you arrive at your destinations go visit a nice restaurant.
I am not a fussy eater, but those “pockets” offered on Hawaiian are barely edible. Give me the Southwest “snack” any day. Fortunately, I pack my own food no matter who I fly. Hawaiian used to treat us so well. Now, they are barely courteous.
You’re questioning service on Hawaiian air travel when you run a Hawaiian travel site mostly devoted to finding the cheapest airfares to Hawaii.
Before internet you visited a travel agent wearing your finest cloths to book a once in a lifetime trip to Hawaii. You never argued with the price, because it was what it was.
On travel day you also wore your best, kept your shoes on and everyone was courteous to one another.
Today you go on the internet, including myself, and grind for cheapest flight, lowest cost for rental car and accommodations.
People dress like slobs don’t wear shoes and don’t get me started about hygiene.
You get what you pay if you want all the perks fly first class if not stay in the seat you paid for.
We are paying way more for economy than your quote”way before the internet”…..so your suggestion is null! The blame for the inappropriate behavior should be focused on the parents who do nothing to educate or raise their kids properly anymore!
I have always flown on Hawaiian Airlines. Last week on both my flights to Honolulu and back I didn’t get a cookie. Seems like a small item to complain about but it was just one of many problems on this trip. After I got home I realized they didn’t hand out the Shutterfly coupon either.
Perhaps we have flown Hawaiian too often. I don’t recall the last time they did the Shutterfly coupon announcement. I Know we Always hear the announcement about the BOH Hawaiian Mastercard.
What you are seeing might be a symptom of an increasing disease that inflicts the modern travel experience far beyond just air travel. The hyper commercialized travel experience. 30 years ago it was exciting — life changing — to go somewhere like Hawaii, Japan, or Europe. And fly there first class, wow! Today, many of the cities that define these places are simply theme parks with shallow tourist experiences, where often the locals are deeply unhappy and want out, and the actual cultures are dying off slowly. Maybe we all have to rediscover again what it means to travel. And travel less often, but spend more on going there, stay much longer and truly engage with a place.
Prior to deregulation, air fares were exorbitant and flying was for the wealthy. It was also dangerous, and planes were filled with smoke. The flying public wants low fares, which means airlines. Give them exactly what they want and nothing extra. If you want perks, it’s available but you just have to pay for it. Regardless. First class today is far more luxurious than anything in the past. So stop the complaining. If you want a low fair, you can get it. If you want a $400 meal, you can get it as well. The airlines are flexible.
What a great post! Insightful with good advice.
Totally agree. My first flight to Hawaii was in 1972 and you never saw people wearing PJ’s or experienced boorish behavior.
As a long term flyer, glad to be retired now and Not flying, I have seen the excitement of flying with salad, shrimp cocktail, filet mignon, baked potato and Hagen Das ice cream cart with all the toppings to the dismal lack of any concern. But, to Hades with you should you now ask for a glass of water.
Those traveling do it to themselves. Laying like cattle being driven. They allow to be treated as low-lifes. There can be a number of significant changes and reversals the majority of people Not accepting the current service. substantial protests are everywhere, but not airlines.
Recent flight mainland to OGG and two passengers on our 1/2 empty Alaska flight jumped to exit row seats because they were empty and had more leg room. They did not stay unnoticed long as the flight attendant soon arrived and very politely and professionally explained they were sitting in premium (?) seats. Never seen that before, but BOH reporting makes it clear this is industry wide. On another note, return to mainland on Alaska First Class (we splurged) was best service and food since before pandemic. Our thought: “First Class service is worth it again!”
Hi Maleko.
Thanks for your reporting. We have more Alaska Airlines to Hawaii reviews upcoming.
Aloha.
We’ve experienced the same with Alaska. We fly premium class mostly, first class when we splurge. We’ve always had excellent service. And, I can usually get several small bottles of Buffalo Trace (free) to make the flight more pleasurable. 😊
Aloha guys. Since I only fly Hawaiian, I am aware of the credit card promo that they always try to get people interested in. Do they also do that on the other Hawaiian flights on other airlines? I also bring my own food. It’s more delicious than their “bag sandwich”. I do take the chips and cooky though. Can’t wait to read more of your reviews. They’re great and informative. Mahalo and see you soon.
Hi Debra.
Thank you. We’re with you on the food. Yes American does and so does United.
Aloha.
So does Alaska….
This seems to be the trend not only for airlines but hospitality as well. Increasing prices and declining service.
Gone are the days when “customer service” actually meant something. Gone are the days when you had a pillow and blanket waiting for you in your economy seat, and also a free headset. Female flight attendants on United to Hawaii wore mu muus while the gents wore Hawaiian shirts. And when you arrived in Honolulu, you were greeted by wahine’s and bare-chested kane’s who put leis around your neck. I remember the old Frontier Airlines (definitely not the new version) from 40 or so years ago- one class with lots of leg room, standard dinner was steak and lobster, standard breakfast was steak and eggs. Ah, the good old days.
Hi Rob.
Thanks for that flash back. The FA’s in United handed out free headsets willingly and seemed genuinely pleased to have anything they could provide customers. The FA’s were great.
OK, I get cutting the costs, but there is No reason to cut the aloha spirit. It doesn’t cost a thing to be nice. Flying to Hawaii these days is no different than flying to Newark. 🙁
Aloha BOH,
We are leaving for Maui on 11/10 for a week and are flying SW airlines, our first time on that airline to Maui. We have flown SW many times on the mainland and like the lower cost fares. Very interested to see how this long flight compares to other trips we’ve taken on Alaska and Hawaiian airlines. Thanks for the review of your experiences – always helpful!
Pam
Hi Pam.
Based on their own experiences, we’d say you’re in for a pleasant surprise. Have a great trip.
Aloha.
Aloha Gents, You guys are brave. I will say that I have a frequent flyer membership , and the only “consumable” I enjoy is the liquor, and if i could bring my own I would…The biggest annoyance is paying organized crime prices for water inside “security”, but we won’t touch the restaurants inside “security”. “Air travel” is actually a Latin phrase, loosely translated means agonizing…
Mahalo
Hi Gerry.
You made us both laugh. Thanks for that. The water cost $6 which was insulting. Next time hope to remember to bring an empty container and fill it at the airport.
Aloha.
Insane! Bring an empty water bottle and fill it once inside TSA check-point. Then use it throughout your trip. (This from someone whose son’s income relies on you guys who buy bottled water.)
If it’s one thing I have learned in all the years of travel is to lower your expectations and create your own reality. Bringing your own F and B is smart. I bring my own amenities and make my own first class. A cashmere throw and noise canceling wireless headphones are my must haves along with a non messy food item and a bottle of water. Be prepared and the five hours go by a lot faster. Alaska is the nicest airline in my experience the first class is great and the food is pretty good!
I recently was on a nonstop ORD-HNL flight on United and was shocked by the amount of food they served and did not serve. On this flight, it’s considered a morning run, so they served breakfast. This consisted of a hard mango, bread, and a protein bar.
Seven hours later, the flight attendants went around again and served beverages by which time I was getting hungry. Thinking there would be a second service, I noted that the FAs were walking up with meals – but this was for the Econ Plus folks only. At the end of the flight, they handed out these little Biscoff cookies that were bite-sized. We were told that this was a promotion, and people grabbed a bunch because, frankly, we were all hungry. Yes, service has indeed deteriorated.
Hi Stan.
Thanks for your reporting. We’ve got United economy and Premium Plus reviews upcoming, and as you called it, a very long breakfast run.
Aloha.
Those quinoa chocolate “cookies” actually taste good though.
That is the best laugh I’ve had all day!
I love Hawaiian airlines – and that being said, I Always take my own food …. typically sandwich chips fruit on the way to Hawaii – and a plate lunch for dinner on the return flight. Gone are the “meal” days on airlines!
I just flew nonstop on the United EWR-HNL-EWR route that’s being terminated next April. The food on the way out to HNL in Premium Plus was pretty good but they didn’t give us the advertised amenity kits. The food in Polaris last night coming home was terrible. But, I got the new United Hawaii route amenity kit with all Hawaiian made products and gorgeous Christie Shinn artwork on the bag. So a win in both directions for me.The FAs in both directions were wonderful as always though.
Hi Jennifer.
Thanks for your reporting. Our recent experiences on Polaris included quite good food by airline standards. International Polaris was even better.
Aloha.
It would be nice if airports had space for food trucks that offer Plate lunches to carry on board.