=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/chronicle/archive/2002/04= /03/FD102580.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, April 3, 2002 (SF Chronicle) Air fare/Once airlines fed you, now many don't. If you fail to fuel up, you= could be flying hungry. Kim Severson, Chronicle Staff Writer Sara Longworth, a 51-year-old frequent flyer from Concord, considers herself an average eater. She appreciates good food, but she's not picky. Unless she's in a metal tube at 30,000 feet. Then, she's very picky. The recently retired information technology expert has flown across the country so many times that she can't bear the thought of dropping her tray table for one more dish of mysteriously sauced pasta or one more ice-cold ham sandwich. "I've watched the food they serve deteriorate over the years. I went through a period where I thought, 'I'm just eating this because I'm bored.' Then I got to the point where I would just refuse the food or size up the cookie and maybe only eat that," she says. "Now, even when I'm traveling business class, I would rather have them forget the whole thing and lower the fares." She might well have her way -- at least the part about the food. Ever since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, when airlines radically changed their food policies, America's domestic air travelers have learned to ask an important question before they board: Is there a meal? Odds are, there isn't. Unless the flight is more than 3 1/2 or four hour= s, coach passengers get only a drink and a package of peanuts or pretzels. First- class food service is generally limited to flights of more than two hours. There are exceptions, especially in some of the competitive East Coast routes. But given that most people arrive at airports an hour or two early just to get through security, traveling by air now means a long stretch without a meal. In response, airline passengers are taking their culinary needs into their own hands. The number of onboard picnics has increased dramatically, flight attendants say. And if the trend sticks, the era of airline food service might soon become a charming piece of aviation history. COFFEE, TEA OR ? Airline food used to be a point of pride. In its heyday, in-flight meal service featured tins of caviar; tureens of soup and Chateaubriand carved seat- side. In the 1950s, free food was a selling point on airlines like TWA. In the 1960s, when Americans began traveling more, even coach meals were considered elegant. But by the 1980s, airline food had become a joke. In response, airlines began hiring professional chefs like Alice Waters of Chez Panisse and Bradley Ogden of One Market to try to improve airline food. It worked in some cases, but 1990s recessions cut into those efforts. In-flight dining has never seen such a radical change as the one that ca= me in the weeks following the terrorist attacks. Anyone who has flown recently will tell you it's a hit-and-miss world up there. During a three hour and 20 minute Delta flight from San Francisco to Dallas that left at 6:40 a.m., for example, coach passengers received just drinks and cookies. When food actually is served, it's bare-bones. Full meals with hot entre= es are a hard find. Passengers on Continental flights longer than 3 1/2 hours are handed a "snack basket" with a hot sandwich. On American Airlines, which is among the top spenders on food per passenger, many meals are given out in the form of the ubiquitous "bistro bag" -- a fancy name for a sack lunch. "We haven't had a lot of customer complaints," says Todd Burke, spokesperson for American Airlines. SAFE, BUT HUNGRY Frequent flyers like Ron Fell of San Francisco believe that security is more important than food. In fact, he says it's high time American air culture makes the leap to meal-free flying. "The idea of airlines still providing the awful stuff they've been servi= ng for the past two or three decades is arcane and not appreciated except by the most impressionable tourists," he says. U.S. airline executives are seriously considering the future of airline dining, which cost the industry $3.4 billion last year. While airline chefs are busy planning ice cream sundae service and smoked duck appetizers to lure back first-class passengers, executives are studying Southwest's peanut-only style of service and the fortunes of newcomer JetBlue Airways, which flies meal-free from Oakland to New York City three times a day. On average, food service makes up only about 1 percent of an airline's costs. That translates to just over $3 per passenger on food industry-wide, an average that analysts say has dropped by almost $1 in the last decade. Some airlines spend as much as $10 and others, like Southwest, spend around 25 cents, according to a Consumer Reports study. But the cost of in-flight service is not confined to the actual food. Flights with hot meals require additional attendants. Loading meals means more time on the ground. And kitchens take up space that could be filled with revenue-generating seats. Cutting food service means cutting jobs. Most airlines design menus, find sources for the food then turn the whole operation over to catering services. Sky Chef, the nation's largest air caterer with facilities in Oakland and near SFO, made 427 million meals last year. When the airlines cut back food after September 11, the company laid off almost a third of its employees. LEATHER, FEATHER OR FLIPPER? Eliminating in-flight food for good might be harder than it seems, however. Airlines have invested a lot of time and effort in designing ways to feed people decent food at high altitudes in cramped quarters -- something that's akin to throwing a dinner party for 200 in three hours using a kitchen the size of an armoire. Airline food service is also culturally ingrained. People like to be served when they fly. Any flight attendant will tell you the most common question they get after people board is, "Are we eating?" And heaven forbid if there is not enough food to go around. "From a flight attendant's perspective, it's hard to take when a customer complains if I don't have their first choice," says purser John Johnston of Alameda, a 13-year United veteran. "People need to have a little perspective. Before it was, 'Oh, my god. They're out of beef!' Now it's, 'Oh my god, he's lighting his shoe on fire!' " "People love to complain about airline food but the fact is everyone wan= ts it and if it's not there they complain even louder," says Christopher McGinnis, a national travel consultant and director of TravelSkills.com. He believ= es airlines might start luring people back with food because passengers won't stand for food-free flights for long. MISERLY SERVICE "I can see cutting some food service on short flights, but no food servi= ce on flights of three-plus hours, especially over meal times, seems to me a little Scrooge-like," says John Buchanan of Berkeley. His solution is to eat before he flies, and pack chips and candy bars in his brief case. "Now if I could just get the flight attendants to let me use the microwave on board, I might even take a Lean Cuisine or a packet of Hot Pockets." Not likely, says Joanne Westfall, who has been a flight attendant for 35 years. "There's no time and no facilities," she says. Kitchen galleys use convection ovens, not microwaves. And the equipment to heat food won't be loaded if no meal service is planned. Bay Area travelers who aren't packing their own meals are increasingly eating at the airport. In the lingo of airport managers, it's called increased "dwell time." Although air travel has only recently hit pre-September levels at the Oakland airport, food service is up by at least 20 percent, says Almir DaFonseca, the chef manager for Concessions Air 1. At the Bay Bridge Cafe, just beyond the security checkpoint, cooks used = to roast six to eight turkeys a day for freshly carved sandwiches. Since the change in airline food policies, that number has risen to 15. At Mineta San Jose International Airport, the food outlets beyond the security checkpoints say revenue is up 40 percent since Sept. 11 even though flights aren't back up to normal levels, says spokesman Steve Luckenbach. Hotels are taking advantage of the new food-free flights, too. Even befo= re Sept. 11, some hotel chains began offering meals to take on board planes. The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, for example, offers a Napa Valley picnic for $40 with fried chicken, baguette, sausages, homemade potato chips, Laurel Chenel's goat cheese and wine. But leave the wine with a friend. It's illegal to take your own alcohol on board. And don't feel bad when you pull out your picnic. Flight attendants actually encourage customers to bring their own food. "I'd rather see them have something decent to eat," flight attendant Westfall says. "When we give them minimal service they are moaning and groaning. Especially if they have a connecting flight and they get on an airplane and find out it's a pack of crackers again. Let me tell you, a planeful of hungry people is no fun." . Some sources for this story come from the Two Cents program, a pool of Chronicle readers. For information, e-mail twocents@sfchronicle.com. Buckle up and mind your manners First, leave the durian at home. And the smelly cheese. Those are just t= wo of the basics of onboard etiquette when you bring your own food. "These are basic courtesy issues," says Dana May Casperson of Santa Rosa, author of "Power Etiquette: What You Don't Know Can Kill Your Career." "The main thing to think about is how would you feel if you were sitting next to what you are bringing to eat?" Here are some considerations for packing an in-flight picnic. -- Consider the smell. That means avoid bringing items such as tuna fish sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, pickles and onion-laden salads. -- Avoid gas-producing food like beans. Need we say more? -- Avoid messy food. Don't bring anything slurpy, messy or so drippy you risk getting some on the people around you. -- Take napkins. Lots of them. There's always a chance of spills. -- Don't ask flight attendants to heat or prepare your food. It takes th= em away from their duties and they generally don't have the equipment anyway. -- Don't worry about bringing enough to share. However, it's nice to off= er some mints or sweets to the person who has just watched you consume a lovely roasted chicken lunch while they faced a little bag of airline-issued nuts. -- Leave the alcohol at home. Passengers are prohibited from bringing their own liquor on board. -- Clean up your mess. Dispose of your trash properly rather than dumping it in the seat pocket in front of you. GINGER FIVE-SPICE MUFFINS INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup wheat bran 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup light brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup low-fat milk 1/4 cup molasses 3 tablespoons canola oil 2 large eggs 1 carrot, peeled and finely grated 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fit paper liners into 12 muffin cups. Combine the oats, flour, bran, salt, five-spice, cinnamon, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk to combine well. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the milk, molasses, oil and eggs. Gently fold to combine, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the carrot and ginger. Ladle the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the tops look set and a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a muffin. Transfer the muffins (in their paper liners) to a rack to cool. Yields 12 muffins. PER MUFFIN: 205 calories, 4 g protein, 37 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 37 mg cholesterol, 361 mg sodium, 3 g fiber. QUINOA SALAD WITH LIME-HONEY VINAIGRETTE Quinoa is an ancient grain that's low in fat and high in protein, iron a= nd fiber. INGREDIENTS The Quinoa 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup diced onion 1 cup quinoa 2 cups water Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon powdered cardamom, or to taste 3/4 cup diced mango 3/4 cup diced jicama 1 cup cashew pieces 1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut The Vinaigrette Juice of 3 limes (about 1/4 cup) 1/3 cup peanut oil 3 tablespoons honey INSTRUCTIONS Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion and sweat over medium heat until limp and opaque. Stir in the quinoa and allow it to brown. Add the water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a full simmer. Reduce heat and slowly simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 10 minutes, until tender and a= ll the water is absorbed. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a bowl and add the cardamom, mango, jicama, cashews and coconut. Whisk together the lime juice, oil and honey. Pour over the salad and carefully stir to combine. Transfer to a container and refrigerate. Serves 4. PER SERVING: 745 calories, 12 g protein, 75 g carbohydrate, 47 g fat (12= g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 49 mg sodium, 7 g fiber. PLANE PEANUT PASTA SALAD INGREDIENTS 4 tablespoons salt 1/2 pound penne or other ridged pasta Canola oil as needed 1/2 eggplant, sliced, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick batons 1/2 red bell pepper, deribbed and cut into strips 1 zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick batons 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes 1/2 cup water, or as needed 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots 1/2 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped 1/2 tablespoon Asian sesame oil 1/2 cup chopped peanuts INSTRUCTIONS Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and then the pasta. Cook according to instructions on package. Drain. Rinse under cold tap water until cool. Drain again. Toss with a little canola oil to keep the pasta from sticking together. Set aside. Saute the eggplant in 1 tablespoon canola oil for about 5 minutes, until tender but not falling apart. Blanch the pepper and zucchini in a pot of boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold tap water until cool. Drain again. Heat a small amount of oil in a small saucepan. Add the ginger and garli= c. Stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, pepper flakes and water. Cook and stir until the peanut butter and honey are dissolved. Combine the pasta, carrots, scallions, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, dressing, the sesame oil and peanuts. Toss well. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until needed. Serves 4. PER SERVING: 525 calories, 18 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate, 24 g fat (4 g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 610 mg sodium, 7 g fiber. SUN-DRIED TOMATO HUMMUS FOR CRACKERS OR PITA INGREDIENTS 1 can (8 ounces) garbanzo beans 1/4 cup tahini paste 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained Salt to taste 2 teaspoons chopped parsley INSTRUCTIONS Combine the garbanzos, tahini, half of the olive oil and the garlic in a food processor. Blend well. With the machine running, slowly incorporate the cumin, cayenne, lemon juice, tomatoes and salt. Transfer to a container. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top and sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4. PER SERVING: 290 calories, 6 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 25 g fat (3 g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 145 mg sodium, 5 g fiber. E-mail Kim Severson at kseverson@sfchronicle.com.=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2002 SF Chronicle