Travelers hungry for more

Fliers in the cheap seats need to wake up and smell the coffee, and then dig into their pockets for some loose change if they actually want to purchase a beverage.

This appears to be the consensus among airline insiders now, with most agreeing that the days of free meals in economy class are over.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the major airlines have cut spending on in-flight food by 30 per cent since 1999, a change that has not gone unnoticed by flyers.

Unless paying for first-class tickets or traveling internationally, airline passengers are now unlikely to be offered a proper meal. Rather, coach-class travelers can opt to pay between $3 and $5 for a selection of salads, sandwiches, and snack boxes.

Passengers on short-haul flights have been faring even worse, with many airlines now offering little more than peanuts or pretzels.

The airlines admit that these cuts are designed purely to reduce costs. "By eliminating complimentary food we were able to save $30 million in our food and beverage budget each year," Tim McMahan, a food planning and development manager at American (a unit of AMR Corp), told the Los Angeles Times.

The speed with which travellers have accepted these changes, with many passengers obediently handing over small change for American Airlines' infamous $1 soda, interests airline watchers.

According to market research, cheap flights and convenience matter more to fliers than perks, suggesting that many travelers will happily forgo complimentary pillows and peanuts for low-cost airline tickets.

Meanwhile, those with a lingering affection for airline food will have to splash out on first-class airline tickets. Passengers at the front of the plane will still able to tuck into complimentary seared salmon and fine wines.

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