America West tests selling food PHOENIX (AP) =97 Airline passengers have long used the boxed meals served on= =20 flights as a kind of entertainment, a source of jokes and small talk with=20 fellow passengers. But are they willing to pay for it? America West=20 Airlines is prepared to find out. In a move that might prompt other=20 cash-strapped airlines to join suit, the nation's eighth-largest carrier=20 will test a "Buy on Board" program starting Monday that allows passengers=20 to buy meals costing from $3 to $10. The meals initially will be sold on=20 about dozen flights a day for three weeks. If the experiment proves=20 successful, America West may begin selling meals on all flights longer than= =20 2.50 hours, said spokeswoman Janice Monahan. The menu will include a $3=20 snack box packed with cheese, crackers, nuts, beef jerky and cookies or ice= =20 cream. More expensive meals, up to the $10 Chicken Kiev with side dishes=20 and dessert, will be offered. "The program is designed to offset the cost=20 of providing food, not to make a profit," Monahan said. "We're trying to=20 meet customer needs without raising ticket prices." America West reported=20 its eighth straight quarterly loss in the fall of this year. Some airlines= =20 are considering a similar meal program. Northwest Airlines spokesman Kurt=20 Ebenhoch said the carrier is studying the idea of selling food aboard its=20 flights. Julie King, a spokeswoman for Continental Airlines, said the company is=20 reviewing the idea. The company is "figuring out what customers value and=20 are willing to pay for," King said. Other airlines, including Southwest,=20 United, Delta and American, said Thursday they have no immediate plans to=20 begin selling food. Southwest Airlines said it does not anticipate changing= =20 its offering of peanuts and drinks. "The majority of our passengers know=20 that if they're going to fly Southwest and they're hungry, they probably=20 should grab McDonald's before the flight," spokeswoman Angela Vargo said.=20 American Airlines spokeswoman Tara Batem said the carrier looked into the=20 idea of selling food but determined it would be less expensive to continue= =20 its current food service, which cost the company $778 million in 2001.=20 Airline consultant Michael Boyd said America West should be given credit=20 for trying to do things differently, but in the end, he doesn't think=20 passengers will applaud the effort. "It's a noble, worthwhile experiment," he said. "But I question whether it= =20 might send the wrong message and cheapen the experience." Boyd said some=20 airlines might jump at the chance to give away more food to attract America= =20 West customers. Others said the effort could improve airplane food. "When=20 you start selling something, it's got to be better," said industry analyst= =20 Terry Trippler. This is not the first time America West has tinkered with=20 in-flight meals. After the Sept. 11 attacks, the airline discontinued meals= =20 on all flights until December 2001, and currently serves meals only on=20 longer flights. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) : escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: http://www.hilofoodstores.com TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************