$1 Freeze-Dried Pasta is a New First Class Meal Choice at American Airlines

by Anthony Losanno
MOM 3 Cheese Pasta

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Airlines making cost cuts is nothing new. For years, I’ve complained about the steady decline of the catering in United’s Polaris cabin and it seems like when margins are off that food is the first thing on the chopping block. American Airlines seems to have reached a new low when it comes to what is served in its premium cabin: shelf-stable macaroni and cheese that flight attendants add water to and then serve.

As @JonNYC shared on X, M.O.M. 3-Cheese Pasta will be served on some domestic flights. This is not an Economy Class meal, let alone what should be served in First Class. This is to assist in cities where the airline does not have a catering contract, but there has to be something more appealing that could be served and still maintain a premium feel, no?

I have so many issues with this new offering. One, I don’t trust the water in airplane tanks and would never drink coffee or tea on a plane. These will likely be served unmixed and will certainly not make passengers feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. How about a box with a piece of fruit, some nuts, and a granola bar versus this war-time ration?

Gary at View from the Wing points out that these cost around $1.19 and that is not taking into account any bulk discount. Please don’t get any ideas, Mr. Kirby. I don’t want to see Ramen Noodles on a United flight anytime soon.

Anthony’s Take: Anyone that says First Class travel in the United States is not what it used to be is absolutely correct. The question now is, where is the bottom and how fast will the carriers race to get there?

(Featured Image Credit: Meal of the Moment.)

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2 comments

Christian February 9, 2024 - 4:44 am

Your basic premise is pretty irrefutable. I do disagree somewhat on your distrust of the water aboard flights. VFTW has covered this ad nauseam but if there was even a one hundredth of one percent of flights in the USA that had such contaminated water it would be all over the news because so many people would be getting sick.

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PackerT February 9, 2024 - 7:14 am

I mean let’s be fair, first AA is basically a low cost carrier trying to play as a legacy airline. And second, Delta was first to make a cheap nasty snack box a first class meal during Covid and it lasted til well after the pandemic was winding down with no excuse other than being cheap for not returning meals to first class services. United and Alaska were still serving actual meals during that time.

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