When it comes to airplane meals, I'm afraid most people's first reaction is-it tastes terrible. Some netizens even ridiculed: The difference between airlines is that the way to eat is different.

But nowadays, there are fewer and fewer such unpalatable meals.

Recently, Tianjin Airlines issued a "Warm Tips on Differentiated Customization Service of Tianjin Airlines Domestic Flights" (hereinafter referred to as "Tips") in official website, one of which caused heated discussion:

Except for the exclusive economy class, other economy class passengers will no longer enjoy free meals. At the same time, there is no free checked baggage allowance for tickets with a discount of less than 40% in economy class (excluding).

Is the era of free plane meals coming to an end?

Many airlines have cancelled free meals.

Recently, the "Tips" issued by Tianjin Airlines shows that Tianjin Airlines will fully launch differentiated services for domestic flights:

From the flight date of 201810128 October (inclusive), free checked baggage services of different amounts will be provided for passengers who purchase different types of air tickets.

Passengers can purchase the excess baggage allowance according to their own needs through Tianjin Airlines official website and the check-in counter. At the same time, except for the exclusive economy class, other economy class passengers will no longer enjoy free meals and can buy them if necessary.

In fact, Tianjin Airlines is not the first airline to cancel free meals. Xiang Peng Airlines, China United Airlines, Spring Airlines, Western Airlines and many other airlines have cancelled free meals and drinks for ordinary air tickets:

Xiang Peng Airlines proposed a few years ago that all economy class flights do not provide free meals, and only some flights provide paid meals in economy class.

China United Airlines proposed that since March 29th, 20 15 (based on the actual flight date), ordinary air tickets do not include free meals and drinks, except those included in the air ticket products or purchased by passengers separately.

Spring Airlines also pointed out in official website that free meals are not provided on flights (except for business seats).

In addition, Western Airlines cancelled free meals as early as 20 15.

Will free meals on the plane become a trend in the future? Li Xiaojin, director of civil aviation university of china Air Transport Economic Research Institute, told the reporter that Tianjin Airlines mainly takes short-haul routes. From the demand of market consumption, passengers on short-haul routes may be more willing to pursue low prices, while passengers on long-haul routes may pay more attention to service. Therefore, some airlines, such as Air China and China Southern Airlines, which mainly take long-haul routes, may not consider canceling free meals.

Do passengers really need free plane meals?

The reporter consulted the China Civil Aviation Passenger and Luggage Domestic Transportation Rules (hereinafter referred to as the Rules) and found that Article 56 of the Rules stipulates:

During air flight, the carrier shall provide passengers with drinks or meals according to the flight time.

However, it is not clear in the Rules whether the carrier provides drinks or meals to passengers with compensation or without compensation.

Some professionals also believe that the existence of airplane meals is very embarrassing. The article published in the third issue of Civil Aviation Management 20 16 points out that:

Limited by aviation safety and cabin conditions, the ingredients and types of airplane meals are limited. In addition, airline catering needs to be prepared in advance, and it is difficult to maintain a good taste because it is stored in the cold storage and heated in the cabin oven.

In addition, it is impossible to accurately understand the needs of passengers, resulting in the waste of plane meals. Even in some cases, both flight segments are at meal time, but the interval is short. Some passengers eat two meals in a row, and some passengers have no food. All these will bring extra costs or troubles to airlines.

So, do passengers really need free plane meals?

The article points out that replacement itself is a derivative demand, and free meal is a derivative demand of derivative demand. Passengers may not really need it, and there are certain assumptions that airlines provide meals. Leisure customers are highly price-sensitive, so if the catering cost is converted into lower fares, it may be more popular.

Zhang Ju, who often travels by air, told reporters that the quality of airplane meals is uneven, and he prefers to bring fast food on the plane. It would be better if the price of air tickets is reduced and free meals are not provided.

So it is hard to say that plane meals are the real needs of passengers.

Domestic airlines have begun to take the road of not providing free plane meals. What about abroad?

The above article pointed out that consulting the data of American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, the world's first and second largest airlines, did not find the relevant provisions for providing meals and drinks services to passengers on normal flights. Official website offers paid catering reservations.

As for low-cost airlines, Southwest Airlines and Ryanair Europe are two distinctive and successful low-cost airlines.

According to the customer service commitment implemented by Southwest Airlines in June 2065438+2006, the cabin services provided by Southwest Airlines are simple and clear: free coffee, soft drinks and juice, bagged peanuts and pretzels; Free cocktails, beer and red wine; No flights provide or sell meals that need to be prepared in advance. If passengers really need it, please take it with you.

The advantage of Southwest Airlines is to reduce the operating costs of dining cars, meals, personnel, systems, fuel and so on, and correspondingly reduce fares; Because the purchase, distribution and distribution of meals are cancelled accordingly, the operation efficiency is improved and the operation risk is reduced; Flight attendants can spend more time providing services that passengers really need.

20 15- 10 the research results released by the international air transport association at the global passenger transport conference show that most of the time, passengers choose flights based on price and convenient routes, that is, it is difficult for airlines to make profits just by pleasing passengers.

The price of plane meals alone is not high.

Airlines have cancelled free meals one after another, and some netizens worry that they can only eat instant noodles on the plane in the future. Some people even ridiculed: "I have already compiled the picture of the old altar sauerkraut noodles flying to the sky ..."

Although some airlines cancel free meals, they generally provide reservation service. So, can ordinary passengers afford plane meals?

Taking Tianjin Airlines as an example, official website of Tianjin Airlines listed 12 kinds of meals, including eight kinds of meals such as table braised pork rice, Kung Pao chicken rice and spicy beef fillet rice, all of which were priced in 37 yuan. The relatively rich package prices of Chuanfu Impression, Qilu Classic, Cantonese Restaurant and Healthy Vegetarian are all in 99 yuan. For example, Qilu classic set meal includes braised beef, diced chicken with sauce, vegetarian eggplant and polished rice.

The price of curry beef rice, mushroom chicken rice, scrambled eggs with tomatoes and other staple foods provided by Western Airlines is also 32~37 yuan/serving (including one drink).

From the price point of view alone, airplane meals are similar to high-speed rail meals. Li Xiaojin believes that some customers will still be willing to pay for this price.

At the same time, Li Xiaojin explained that the boundary between low-cost airlines and full-service airlines is becoming increasingly blurred. Everyone is watching the market. Low-cost airlines are studying the market demand and trying to find a balance between cost and service.

"Eating on the plane consumes oil, and the cost is relatively high. We have calculated that the meal fee is equivalent to 3% to 5% of the fare. " Li Xiaojin said.

The reporter checked the 20 17 annual report of HNA Holdings and found that last year, the company realized 71690,000 passengers, and the meal cost was152.3 billion yuan, accounting for 2.94% of the total cost.

Li Xiaojin believes that there is room for the cancellation of meal fares, especially the highly competitive routes, which are also a substitute for passengers.

However, according to the report of The New York Times 20 17, some American airlines moved the cancelled free meals back to the cabin.

In this regard, Li Xiaojin believes that airlines may re-provide services by canceling free meals, mainly depending on the income after the price and passenger flow change in two cases. If the passenger flow does not increase and the income does not increase after the cancellation of meals, airlines can choose to continue to provide free meals.

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