Do you remember when they gave you the entire can of coke on an airplane?

[Butterbean]

None of this pour you a cupful jazz, they just cracked open that can of diet coke (or in my case, that bottle of Tab...omg who here is old enough to have been a Tab drinker?) and handed it over. Remember when the pilot used to comment on what landmarks or points of interest you were flying over? Ah, those were the days.

Just trying to lighten the mood.

[hobbit709]

1. And they didn't charge you for it either.

[Butterbean]

6. Truth. Nor did they charge you for luggage. n/t

[xtraxritical]

39. I remember when everyone on the plane got choices of dinners

including fillet mignon.

[yurbud]

45. was that on a Ford Trimotor?

[quinnox]

2. yes, when I was a kid

and I also got full meals on the airplane. They weren't bad either. At least, not to a kids palate. They would wheel the pop/refreshments up the aisle in a cart.

[awoke_in_2003]

53. I have flown twice in my life...

once was around 76 from Birmingham to Cleveland. I chose a ham and cheese croissant and fries- both were good. My second flight was in 02 from Dallas to Montreal. All they had was small bags of nuts.

[johnp3907]

3. I always get the whole can.

When they ask what I want I say: "Diet Coke, please. Can I have the whole can?"

[Butterbean]

5. Get out, really? I didn't know you could do that. n/t

[johnp3907]

18. Yeah, I heard someone do it once a long time ago.

So I've done it ever since. No one's ever said "No."

[pnwmom]

21. It's easier for them because otherwise you'll probably just ask for a second glass anyway.

[Nay]

84. Yep. I've done it. too. All you have to do is ask. God knows the amount they pour over

all that ice won't even wet your whistle.

[FSogol]

11. Same here, I just ask. n/t

[Jenoch]

40. I do the same and have never been refused, mostly on Delta.

Once years ago I got quite dehydrated on a flight, I had a window seat, and they gave me about 4 ounces of soda with ice. They also never came by again and here I am without a bottle of water. Ever since I always buy a $4 bottle of water at the airport and almost never open it up onboard.

I read that Frontier is now charging $1.99 for a can of soda in economy.

[Mariana]

49. $4 bottle of water? No way.

Bring an empty water bottle through security, and fill it up at a bubbler once you get inside.

[spinbaby]

55. Laguaria has bottle-filling stations

I thought that was a good idea--bring your own bottle and fill it once you get through security.

[Jenoch]

61. I've seen people do that, but so far, I have not remembered to bring one along.

[Mariana]

65. I always bring plenty of food, too.

I've never had a problem going through security with an empty bottle and packaged food. For some reason, flying always makes me very hungry, even on short flights. And I've been diverted and delayed enough times to know that I better have some extra provisions with me.

[Jenoch]

66. I usually just have some kind

of granola bars or something just as easy to eat.

Ever since the 'egg salad sandwich' incident of '05 (somebody actually brought on board and ate an egg salad sandwich next to me while we were waiting to take off. I couldn't even turn on the little overhead venilation), I don't eat much on flights.

On flights from home, I usually eat before going to the airport. At other times, I get something to eat in the airport before boarding. I just don't like to eat a sandwich or something sitting next to some stranger.

[CincyDem]

4. I got a whole can of coke this weekend on Delta without asking.

And a can of club soda for my better half.

No commentary on landmarks yet, but we can hope.

[Butterbean]

9. Well dang. I flew the hell out of some Delta last month

on multiple legs of an international trip, and not once did I get the can. Of course, all my flights were booked solid, so that may have been part of it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. The ONE good thing about the NWA-Delta merger is that Delta serves Coke

which I like better than Pepsi (which NWA served). Always got a full can of it on NWA, though.

[CincyDem]

57. Delta + Coke = Atlanta

I heard it was only 2004 when they stopped the policy of throwing you off the plane if you asked for a Pepsi.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

62. NWA didn't serve peanuts because of passenger allergies. After the merger,

Delta served them as snacks on all flights, allergies be damned, because peanuts come from Georgia. I recall there was a bit of an uproar from former NWA people, so I don't know if they are still doing it.

[Jenoch]

67. Delta still offers peanuts or cookies, at least they did on my last Delta flight in February.

I usually get the Speculoos cookies because I like them. The odd thing about the Delta peanuts is that they are packaged in Ohio.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

70. I love those cookies!

[Jenoch]

72. I found something similar at Aldi, but still not as good as the Biscoff brand.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

73. I've found Biscoff cookies at a few grocery stores

and, of all places, Walgreen's.

[Travis_0004]

76. They do offer peanuts.

I had some on a flight yesterday.

[CincyDem]

86. Yep. Definately offer peanuts.

When my old company instituted a policy that the FF miles you picked up traveling company business had to be "returned" to the company, everyone started taking the peanuts and mailing them to the HR VP. This is a company of 100k+ folks with probably 2-3k traveling at any given time. He got a lot of peanuts.

Not sure if it influenced the decision but it did get reversed after about a year.

Not sure where we would have ended up is there were no peanuts to use.

[geek tragedy]

7. On some airlines, for international flights, they actually

feed you. Sometimes twice if it's a long flight.

[FSogol]

12. I flew Taca Airlines (Peru) recently on a trip. They have full service just like

US companies had in the 70s. Very nice.

[geek tragedy]

14. That's the airline we flew for Costa Rica

until they dropped the direct flight into San Jose.

[enlightenment]

20. Virgin Atlantic

feeds passengers like they were baby birds on Las Vegas/London flights - snack/dinner/tea/snack/breakfast (usually just a hot breakfast sandwich).

I think they haul out the food to make sure the inmates don't get too restless. You may be cramped and uncomfortable and contemplating violence to the person in front of you who has reclined their seat into your lap . . . but you're not hungry.

[geek tragedy]

26. I've always wondered if, since the tickets run between $500 and $1000, if it

wouldn't make sense to spend $10 to feed people decently and make them think they're getting white glove treatment.

[enlightenment]

46. I'm never sure how much it actually costs to fly anywhere -

the prices are all over the place.

As for the food, well, it's airline food and though it won't kill you, putting it on a china plate is like putting lipstick on a pig. I'm more impressed with the attitude that goes with the service, really.

I recall one flight where the attendants (Virgin) - obviously bored - stationed themselves at various points in the aisles and started lobbing packaged snacks (sweet rolls and the like). They'd pull one out, then holler "blueberry cream cheese bagel" or "cheese danish" - hands would go up and they'd toss the packet to the person.

It was a bit shocking at first, but became increasingly amusing. Everyone was laughing by the time it was finished - and everyone got a snack.

Not white glove, certainly, but a pleasant interlude toward the end of a long flight.

I'll pay a little more to fly an airline that recalls I'm a human being who is - like them - stuck in a skinny metal tube 32,000 feet in the air.

[geek tragedy]

47. Food's gependent on where you fly out of, imo.

Best food I've had on an airplane is flying back from Italy.

Flying to Central America, notsomuch.

[ProfessorGAC]

28. I Used To Fly To England and Europe A Lot

Always got dinner and light breakfast just before landing. And i'm not talking 30 years ago. Even in coach.

For a while, since i went so often, i used FF miles to upgrade to business class, just for the extra room to get some sleep before landing. They feed you there of course, but i think it's a different menu. Not first class, but pretty nice.
GAC

[woodsprite]

34. Daughter just flew Air Berlin NYC/Italy and paid 14 euros for dinner, but breakfast was included.

The menu had dinner selections from 5 euros to 18 euros. She said dinner was chicken teriyaki w/ corn and breakfast was a hard boiled egg, something that looked like german potato salad (oil based dressing) and some kind of small sausage on the way going over. She said breakfast coming home was some kind of ham wrap w/ lettuce, corn and carrots and a dab of the potato salad again. Sounded like AB got a deal on corn because it seemed to be a side or ingredient in almost everything they offered.

[Art_from_Ark]

98. My trans-Pacific flights have included 2 meals and a snack

Some airlines offer free wine and beer to economy class trans-Pacific passengers as well, while others charge for potent potables.

[HappyMe]

8. Yeah.

You used to get actual food on longer flights too. It wasn't half bad either.

[truebluegreen]

13. Disagree! Airplane food was legendary and awful, even in the 60s-70s...

although I did fly on Air New Zealand in the mid-70s and the food was better than what I ate at home.

[HappyMe]

16. Maybe I was just so damn

happy to be flying somewhere, it tasted good to me.

[truebluegreen]

23. Yeah, flying used to be fun.

Nowadays I think I'd rather take a train...but not to NZ I wonder if their food is still good?

[HappyMe]

27. I took the train from NYC to WI.

I like it a lot. The food was very good. The train staff is very friendly and helpful. The other passengers were interesting and nice. There weren't any of the scowling faces you see on planes these days.

[truebluegreen]

33. I think I'm going to try it, next time I take a long trip.

How long did that journey take?

[HappyMe]

36. 2 days.

It was very pleasant. We may plan a long trip out west or up into Canada for next year. If you are going clear across the country, get one of the little rooms. It may seem pricey, but all your meals are included.

[truebluegreen]

60. Thank you!

I was going to ask about that--the seating or the little rooms. I was thinking about going all the way across on the Canadian Pacific--always wanted to do that and it's too long to sit in a car and drive.

[politicat]

97. Go for a roomette if you'll be on the train for more than 10 hours.

The roomettes have a power point so if you need to recharge a phone/computer/device, you can. There aren't many power points available in coach (none at seats, few in the obs car or lounge.)

If you have absolutely no need for power, however, the coach seats are comfortable and have great leg room.

[Skittles]

56. it tasted fine to anyone who understood a plane isn't a five-star restaurant

[Mojorabbit]

25. Some was but a flight to Portugal in the 70's and 80's

guaranteed you a wonderful meal.

[truebluegreen]

29. Yes, I think the longer international flights

did a much better job...I still remember the roast lamb with mint sauce and baby red potatoes...shocking they would serve lamb on Air NZ

[Whisp]

10. I remember having steak on a flight

and this was not first class. Real cutlery, steak potatoes, fixings. I think we even had free booze, up to a limit. That part I'm not sure tho.

Now it's those gawd awful packages of salted styrofoam chips and stuff.

[kestrel91316]

37. Way back c1975 I had a fabulous airline meal on the OLD Frontier Arilines, flying from

Denver into Phoenix. It was lunch: Restaurant quality turkey sandwich on a really fresh kaiser roll with leaf lettuce and a real tomato; extremely fresh, nice tossed green salad; other stuff on the side and dessert (I forget exactly what), and a small bottle of Mateus rose wine. Stainless cutlery, cloth napkin, the works, and all in coach on a short flight.

It's definitely been all downhill since then.

[Jenoch]

69. What a spread for such a short flight.

These days they might not even get the beverage cart out.

[kestrel91316]

79. Nope, they'd just run down the aisle tossing peanut packs.

[Grammy23]

74. On a flight to Rome in 2002 we had a dinner that was quite nice.

Entrée was steak and we had some kind of potatoes and another side dish. Bread. Dessert AND Wine! The flight attendants roamed throughout the plane during much of that flight pouring water from a 2 or 3 liter bottle for anyone still awake. (This went on from shortly after dinner, during the movie and then in the middle of the night.)

The next morning, we got some kind of egg dish, bread and maybe even sausage? Lukewarm coffee. Well, we can't have EVERYTHING, especially in coach.

That was the last time I remember getting real food that could pass for a meal. A few times since then I have gotten a sandwich, apple and cookies. There was also a period of time when I got pretzels in a tiny bag. Peanuts were out. Then suddenly, peanuts came back and in some recent flights I have been given the choice between pretzels and peanuts.

[reformist2]

15. They're slowly moving to the "feeding chickens" model...

I can picture them standing in the front throwing out corn chips.

[Butterbean]

19. ROFL! n/t

[Maven]

17. Jimmy, do you like movies about gladiators?

[Butterbean]

22. Oh lawd. LOL.

[roamer65]

82. Oh stewardess, I speak jive.

Classic movie lol.

[Butterbean]

87. Oh man that made me snort out loud. LOL. n/t

[JustAnotherGen]

24. Yes

And Air France also gives you a little bottle of wine to have with your dinner.

[petronius]

30. Horizon Air gives complimentary beer and wine - that's enough to make it

my go-to carrier up and down the West Coast...



(SkyWest as well, I think, at least when you book through Alaska.)

[friendlyFRIEND]

31. So I'm on this Russian Ilyushin IL-86

in the late 90's

Flying a little 3 hour jump into the Urals.

After boarding the plane through a stairway in the belly (the only commercial aircraft with this configuration)

I probably paid, I don't know... maybe $70USD for the flight. They gave us a choice of 3 different entrees. I was stunned to see them bring a full sized dinner tray with bread, jellies, butter and metal utensils. The entree was inside an Aluminum container with a foil lid. I peeled back the lid and found restaurant quality food. In addition I was offered Vodka or wine.

So back to the topic of cheap basterd domestic airlines, they have a limited number of cans onboard. If they give away 50 cans of Pepsi they may not have enough for the next person who asks for one. This is why on a partially filled plane frequently they will give you a full can even today. Of course it also depends on the FA and your own attitude. Treat the FA right and they will treat you right back.

[kestrel91316]

41. What's a "partially filled plane"?? I haven't seen anything less than full in decades.

[friendlyFRIEND]

44. 20-30 people on a wide body jet.

Fwiw, I was on a A319 3 weeks ago with 18 passengers. Was awesome. FA were giving away tons of snacks and taking their time chatting with passengers.

Virgin America... great airline.

[Travis_0004]

77. I was on a plane yesterday with probably 30 open seats.

It was a MD88 that seated about 150, so it was only about 75% full.

Window seat, on a exit row, with nobody sitting next to me makes for a great flight.

[Jenoch]

71. About the same time I

took a flight in a Russian Yakovlev Yak-42. We went up the tail just like the old 727s. I was not impressed with the plane, but the food was great. They served what would now be called a charcuterie plate with various sausages and sliced cold roast pork, and bread, fresh fruit and red wine. It was much better than the lasagna I remember on U.S. flights back in the day.

[friendlyFRIEND]

81. I've seen Yak-42 parked on Russian airfields

but have never flown on one. I like planes... I need to fly on an A380 and a B787 to keep my list going

[Jenoch]

91. If I were you, I'd skip the YAK-42.

A few of them have crashed in recent years. Remember the plane that crashed in Belarus and killed an entire Russian hockey team?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/world/europe/08russia.html?_r=ai


I too would like to take a flight on the A380. That would certainly be an excuse to go to Austrailia.

[friendlyFRIEND]

92. yeh I remember that...

Problem with the A380 is that obviously it only makes long hauls which are big $$.

[Ms. Toad]

89. Different from my experience -

on Aeroflot in the late 80s.

They passed a basket of rolls down the rows, and dipped whatever the food was (chicken, I think) from a big community pot and passed the plates (or maybe bowls) down the rows to the recipients.

And - best yet - when you walked out if you had a bag that stuck out at all when you hit the back of the seat with it it collapsed forward.

[friendlyFRIEND]

90. lmao... thats great! Was probably yummy too

unless it was borscht, I can't stand borscht.

[Ms. Toad]

93. Not bad -

Although I tend to like less grease and more seasoning than most Russian food.

The swimsuits were even better. They lost our luggage. It took a side stop in Poland. So my spouse and I had one extra shirt between us (and once we left Moscow, we couldn't get it back until we returned nearly 2 weeks later since we had to go through customs at the port of entry). Everything else got washed overnight.

They did finally get us some money to purchase replacement luggage - not that there was anything to purchase. When we got to Tashkent, it was so hot we really wanted to go swimming - so we bought the only swimsuits we could find. Every woman wore a bikini - no matter what body shape (or state of pregnancy). And apparently they only make them in size DD - and we're both sub-A. But, never fear, they were free-standing and filled with about a gallon of water every time we went underwater.

[friendlyFRIEND]

95. hehehehe

It's adventures like that that we remember for a lifetime!

[whathehell]

32. Hell, I remember when they gave you an entire meal, a blanket and a pillow! n/t

[SomethingFishy]

35. Just ask for the can they will give it to you...

[onenote]

38. Yes. It was just last week.

[brooklynite]

42. Anyone complaining about the "good old days" of flying should remember two things...

...the REALLY good old days (1960's and 70's) came with Government regulated high ticket prices that most people couldn't afford.

Under deregulation, airlines have found that, unlike restaurants or hotels, airlines can fundamentally appeal to customers by only one metric: price. And since the airlines aren't making a lot of money, they've been forced to cut whatever expenses they can to keep fares as low as possible.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

54. Who deregulated the airlines. Some will believe that it was Reagan.

[Mr.Bill]

59. It happened while Carter was president. n/t

[Butterbean]

63. Just trying to lighten the mood. In the "good old days" to which I'm referring

I was about 5-9 years old. When Carter was in office, I was ummmmmm...7. I remember my mom taking us to somewhere in the middle of nowhere Georgia to watch Anwar Sadat get off a helicopter to meet Pres. Carter. How's that for ancient history? LOL.

[Nevernose]

78. That's about how old I was when I first met Carter.

He was running for reelection at the time. Mostly I just remember the place, because a family friend lived behind the hotel and took me fishing for bream sometimes, and a lot of people in suits. And there's a picture of me standing with President Carter.

Fast forward 25 years, his son is running for senator in Nevada, and my kid (10 at the time) gets her picture taken with former President Carter at a campaign event for volunteers. My kid was old enough to remember it, and that time so was I!

[Jenoch]

75. I remember

an airline back in the "good old days" where they served free champaign to anyone over 21.

Western Airlines, "It's the oooooonly way to fly!".

[SummerSnow]

43. I remember that well.And yes I was Tab drinker.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

50. Southwest I usually order 'CAN OF....' and have no issues...

only time is if they're running low on supplies and am told 'after everyone gets their first order in'.

No probs.

[Wheezy]

52. I flew Delta on my birthday this year

and the flight crew offered me a free bloody mary (which I sadly turned down as I was on my way to a business meeting) and gave me a blueberry muffin from first class -- one of the flight attendants downloaded a candle app on his phone and they sang happy birthday to me.

Nice things happen sometimes.

[Butterbean]

64. Aw, that's sweet. n/t

[Initech]

58. Tetridge Farm Remembers

[HipChick]

68. They still do...Just ask for it..

I think there is only time I was refused..

[Historic NY]

80. I remember the little glass bottles, you could collect a bunch of them..

for later medicinal use.

[Marrah_G]

83. Thank you to those flying Delta!

You are contributing to my future household and retirement. My guy has worked for them for 30 years now

[RB TexLa]

85. When I get on a plane I get on wanting one thing, to get off in another city. I don't get on it

looking at the employees thinking "You are to serve me, now serve me."

[Butterbean]

88. The op was not intended in that spirit at all. n/t

[Matariki]

94. Do you remember when it took our ancestors 4 months to get from NYC to San Francisco?

I'll take the half cup of soda, thanks



http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/goldenspike.htm

[Matariki]

96. And speaking of modern, first world problems...

I read a journal entry from one of my ancestor's experiences on a trans-Atlantic ship immigrating to America. They wrote about the 'wormy drinking water', weevils in the ship bread, and a nasty ship crew & captain (if a person complained, they'd likely have an accidental fall overboard).