Passenger Trains > Delta Air Lines takes a page from the Gold Runner train service

Delta Air Lines will eliminate complimentary snacks and beverages for Main Cabin and Comfort+ (that's Main Cabin with
an inch more knee room, for an extra fare) passengers on flights under 350 miles from May 19, 2026; around 450 daily
routes will be affected.

Wow.  It is getting crazy up there!  Higher fares, fewer amenities, less service.  The airlines seem to be moving toward a two-tier model:  1) steerage; and 2) the beautiful people.
 

In fairness to Delta, they are also upgrading beverage service on the intermediate flights (350+ miles) which has been an "express" service in recent years. And if you buy a first-class ticket, you will still get full beverage service even on the shortest flight (as long as weather does not interfere).  RDU-ATL is 352 miles, so I'm not complaining. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/26 17:44 by ctillnc.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Delta Air Lines will eliminate complimentary
> snacks and beverages for Main Cabin and Comfort+
> (that's Main Cabin with
> an inch more knee room, for an extra fare)
> passengers on flights under 350 miles from May 19,
> 2026; around 450 daily
> routes will be affected.

Why not?  The flights will still be jammed.  People don't care.  Americans hate staying home and are desperate to go somewhere - anywhere.  They can still bring their way-overpriced food from the airport, that they can buy once they get past security.  And now the sky-waitresses will have even less to do during the flights.

For perspective, a flight on a jet of 350 miles or less would be under an hour.  That's less time than a trip on Amtrak's Hiawatha service as well as end-to-end travel times some commuter rail lines.

It is silly to compare Delta's food policy policy with the decision to provide greatly reduced food service on the Golden Runner given the much longer rail travel times through San Joaquin Valley (especially if the time riding connecting buses is also considered).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/26 19:19 by RuleG.

Many road trips have become more expensive with $5 (parts of Oregon, Nevada, etc) and sometimes $6 gasoline (California, in particular). I've had to rethink two trips I hoped to take.

That may push some business to Amtrak and the airlines.

Lackawanna,
I hear what you are saying but there are no longer good alternatives to travel no matter where you turn.
SAD!
Buses, trains, planes, automobiles, nothing is really good. Everything has turned to what a famous T.O. poster termed, "It is all crap now".
If my health holds out I'm going to try a trip from Philadelphia to visit my remaining sister in Phoenix. The last attempt was a total mess as the Amtrak website didn't recognize the connecting bus to Phoenix. I don't fly and I was attempting to visit our other sister before she passed from cancer. I didn't get to see her before she passed. There was no good feelings about the inability to book a trip on Amtrak.
I believe that whatever I do will be arranged through a "travel agent" whatever they are called today.
The big layover in Chicago is an issue. I'm 80 and a catching some zees in a rail station isn't on my list of must do's.
Gonut

 

Topfuel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And now the sky-waitresses will have
> even less to do during the flights.

I'm indifferent to Delta's decision. On my short NorCal <--> SoCal hops on Southwest, often under 350 miles, any actual or forecast of turbulence will cancel the drink service, and this has happened quite often. Sounds like a pragmatic decision by Delta.

Southwest's flight attendants, before and after the "assigned seat" era are busy folks. Hope you aren't implying they (all airlines) are lazy.

Anyway, it doesn't change my snarky opinion on the decline of society. Delta (or Amtrak) isn't the root cause.

350 mile flight is about 45 min.  Thats maybe 20 min to serve up to 150 ppl or so, and clean up.   not even practical

pdt Wrote:
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> 350 mile flight is about 45 min.  Thats maybe 20
> min to serve up to 150 ppl or so, and clean up. 
>  not even practical

Yeah, nobody is getting that these flights already lacked beverage service except for the possibility the crrew could come by with some water if they had time, which they didn't. I don't even know why Delta made an anouncement.

Gonut1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna,
> I hear what you are saying but there are no longer
> good alternatives to travel no matter where you
> turn.
> SAD!
> Buses, trains, planes, automobiles, nothing is
> really good. Everything has turned to what a
> famous T.O. poster termed, "It is all crap now".
> If my health holds out I'm going to try a trip
> from Philadelphia to visit my remaining sister in
> Phoenix. The last attempt was a total mess as the
> Amtrak website didn't recognize the connecting bus
> to Phoenix. I don't fly and I was attempting to
> visit our other sister before she passed from
> cancer. I didn't get to see her before she passed.
> There was no good feelings about the inability to
> book a trip on Amtrak.
> I believe that whatever I do will be arranged
> through a "travel agent" whatever they are called
> today.
> The big layover in Chicago is an issue. I'm 80 and
> a catching some zees in a rail station isn't on my
> list of must do's.
> Gonut
>
>  Amtrak no longer operates a Thruway bus between Phoenix and Flagstaff and hasn't for years. The service is provided by Greyhound and neither of them recognizes or promotes the service between Flag and PHX.  I'm also reasonably certain that Greyhound no longer stops at the Flagstaff Amtrak station.  Instead they use their own station across the tracks and about a block away.  

I get the operational side of things. It’s been a while, but flights between the Bay Area and LA basin didn’t leave a lot of time for service, the flight attendants had to rush. Burbank to Las Vegas was another one where you went up and then down with little time in between. Charlotte to Atlanta was another.

I don’t miss traveling for work - at least the riding in a bus in the sky portion.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone

I always make my travel decisions on whether or not a cup of soda and two crackers will be available for me during a 1.5 hour period. [sarcasm]

Give me clean, safe, on-time performance in reasonably comfortable settings and I will be happy. 

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Many road trips have become more expensive with $5
> (parts of Oregon, Nevada, etc) and sometimes $6
> gasoline (California, in particular). I've had to
> rethink two trips I hoped to take.

It's interesting that you mention that because I have been planning on making a road trip soon - possibly even one to go see Big Boy. I keep forgetting (seriously) about the gas prices.

> That may push some business to Amtrak and the airlines.

It is also pushing more business to Tesla. EV sales have more than doubled.
I had my teeth cleaned yesterday and the entire appointment was spent talking about Tesla. I'm pretty sure my hygienist will be scheduling a demo drive soon.

Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow.  It is getting crazy up there!  Higher
> fares, fewer amenities, less service.  The
> airlines seem to be moving toward a two-tier
> model:  1) steerage; and 2) the beautiful
> people.
>  
Normally, I would agree...but with an average stage length of flights in the US standing at about two and a half hours, why would anyone be so inclined to expect meals, drinks and peanuts in a bag?  Sitting in a seat for two hours?  Isn't that what most people do every night?  Get a grip, people...read a book, a magazine or something it's two hours, not two days!  Better yet, avoid the TSA and its descent into ridiculous...peanut butter as liquid?  Take the train!  Now to be fully transparent...35 years in the airlines, plenty of first class travel and plenty in steerage.  Nicer people in steerage, and you get there at the same time...with a lot more of your wallet intact to enjoy the new place. 

I suppose they measure mileage as the crow flies (in a straight line) ? 

If my health holds out I'm going to try a trip from Philadelphia to visit my remaining sister in Phoenix. The last attempt was a total mess as the Amtrak website didn't recognize the connecting bus to Phoenix.

The Sunset Limited has a shuttle from Maricopa to Phoenix and you connect via the Texas Eagle (Chicago/St. Louis/San Antonino). I've taken the shuttle several times and the driver stopped at my hotel and others if they are on the east side and on the shuttle's way to Phoenix Sky Harbor and the car rental area. Since it is evening (sometimes late evening) in Maricopa, that is the only way to cheaply get to the PHX metro area. Especially useful as most hotels to not have courtesy airport van service late at night.