Airlines hope selling meals will fly

Airline food, long thought to be an oxymoron, especially by those riding back in coach, is about to change. For an added fee, travelers could be dining in the future on gourmet fare from Wolfgang Puck, deep-dish from Pizzeria Uno or a fat bagel sandwich from Einstein Bagels.

Major airlines are following the lead of low-cost carriers by testing meals for sale, trying to discover whether economy-class passengers will pay extra for upgraded, brand-name food in place of snacks and generic meals.

Early indications, airline representatives say, are that many passengers are willing to pony up for better food. That would help the cash-strapped airlines boost revenue. But passenger demand is hard to predict, and spoilage is a problem for the airlines, which could also face resentment from travelers who used to get airline meals at no extra charge.

Although no U.S. carrier has begun offering meals for sale on all routes, industry analysts say the practice could become common.

"We think this is the direction the industry is heading in," said US Airways spokeswoman Amy Kudwa. "Our goal is to deliver choices to passengers."

The idea first took flight overseas, with Australia's low-cost carrier Virgin Blue and Ireland's no-frills Ryanair. In this country, America West has tested the concept. Delta Air Lines is selling meals on its new low-cost carrier, Song. Major carriers such as Northwest Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways are trying meal sales on selected routes.

Some industry experts agree that selling meals can provide travelers with a convenience in an age when flying has become more and more stressful and uncomfortable.

"For those passengers who didn't bring food from home, or did not eat at the airport or pick up food before the flight, either intentionally or because of short connecting times or delayed flights, this will be a great benefit," said David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, a Washington consumer group.

It also can be an important source of revenue for the cash- strapped industry, which lost a record $11 billion last year. US Airways, which recently emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, sees it that way, according to Kudwa, who said the airline is selling food on selected flights to and from its Pittsburgh hub until May 31. The tests, she said, are being done on short flights on which meals are not usually served.

"We're selling breakfast for $7 and lunch and dinner for $10, and we are getting positive feedback," she said. Einstein Bagels provides the airline with delicatessen fare.

"They are generous meals," said Kudwa, who didn't disclose how many meals have been sold so far or how much revenue they have generated.

In addition to generating revenue over and above generally low coach fares, airlines can save money by selling meals to those passengers who want them, rather than rolling out full meals for all passengers, which raises operating costs.

On domestic transcontinental flights, which can last seven or eight hours, including stops, on low-cost carriers such as Southwest, selling food on board can provide some relief to fliers, said Stempler.

But it can also present an image problem for the major airlines, Stempler said.

"These carriers have historically charged a premium for a coach seat over discount carriers, on the grounds that they provide an enhanced product," he said. "The sale of food on board flights can remind passengers that meals were once included 'free' on these airlines and remind passengers . . . there is less of a difference between the two types of carriers."

Risk or not, business is looking up for caterers that provide airline food. Gate Gourmet of Memphis, Tenn., has provided on-board offerings for Northwest, while LSG Sky Chef of Texas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa German Airlines, recently agreed with celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck to sell Puck's signature dishes to its airline clients.

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