A discussion about the airline industry, airline employees, and all things related

While it wasn't on your list, I was pleasantly surprised on a Horizon Air flight between YEG and SEA and they served free beer and wine - twice. Not bad for an under two-hour flight when American charges $5.00 for basically a box of crackers in lieu of a lunch or 'snack'.

Yeah, I've heard that Horizon offers free drinks on their flights. Unfortuntely they don't go to any of my destinations.

And I think airlines are starting to learn that customer service will keep people coming back.

So will the free drinks and better service take you back to flying on Horizon?

I'd say I haven't seen a great level of service in my recent travels. I've done Southwest and Delta lately. Now, clearly on SW my expectations are different than for Delta. Basically, SW was what I expected: not bad, but not good either. That's the deal. I expected a higher standard on Delta, and whoa did they miss the bar. Everyone was cranky and even though the most full flight was only 50-60% full, I got a "when we get to it" when I asked for a refill on my diet Coke.

Free booze certainly won't lessen my desire to fly Horizon. Mostly, though, I think it just makes me more resentful of the whole pay-for-your-snack crap that some of the legacy carriers are forcing on us.

One thing I would add regarding service. Since I've been in the US, I have always lived in small towns that are serviced by commuter lines. It would be nice if the level of service that companies like United Express, American Eagle or Continental Express would be closer to the level of the 'parent' company. Interacting with counter assistance folk from these puddle jumper companies is like dealing with burn-outs at McDonalds.

It seems like I just got lucky on my segments from what I am hearing.

Of the legacy carriers, Continental has to be the best - their flight attendants are usually helpful and they still serve meals at meal times on a 2 1/2 flight in coach! I fly about 200K a year and became a fan of CO after being shocked and disapponted by the awful service on Delta (abandoned them after being Platinum for 4 concurrent years). Cotninental FC offers soup + salad or sandwich at lunch time, or soup + pasta or rice dish in the evening. The transcons (SAN/LAX/SFO-EWR)in FC still have printed menus and 4 choices! And the meals in coach are not bad - turkey sandwich, chips and chocolate bar or salad, cheeseburger or pizza and chocolate bar in coach for L/D or cereal with yogurt + banana in the morning. and they still give you the canin coach without asking for it (or come through frequently enough. No digging of rcash for some snack boxes that have shelf lives of 6 months. (DL served me a granola bar in FC on an 8 am flight in FC from DTW to SLC.... I was embarrassed for them)

Thanks for the comment about CO. I flew them once several years ago and really liked them but unfortuntely they don't have a big operation where I fly most.

I think that they have happier flight attendants because the company actually does care about their employees unlike some other carriers.

Fresh food, printed menus and choices are always nice!