Cheapskate Airlines

DH and I are in Europe right now. We flew from Houston to Gatwick
earlier this month. I was astounded that wine was not free on an
international flight. I guess Continental is trying to save money. Last
year we flew to Sydney on United and wine and beer were free. I thought
all international flights from the US had free wine. I guess I was wrong.

Within Europe we flew on Air France from Paris to Budapest and the wine
was free. Hooray for Air France.

We flew from Amsterdam to Madrid and changed planes for Seville
on Iberia today. Not only wasn't the wine free, there was a charge for
water. That's about as cheap as I've ever seen. They didn't even offer a
little cup of water or a cup of coffee. Bottles of water at 1,50 Euros I
don't remember how much coffee was. DH paid 2,50 Euro for a diet Coke.

The fight to Seville was business class so we got a snack of three
teeny-weeny stale sandwiches and the sodas were free.

We have only one more in-Europe flight an that's from Seville to
Barcelona. We are taking a trans-Atlantic cruise back to the US. The
wine won't be free but the cost of th cruise (12 days) is less than the
airfare would have been from Barcelona to the US.

"Janet wilder" wrote in message
...
DH and I are in Europe right now. We flew from Houston to Gatwick earlier
this month. I was astounded that wine was not free on an international
flight. I guess Continental is trying to save money. Last year we flew to
Sydney on United and wine and beer were free. I thought all international
flights from the US had free wine. I guess I was wrong.

Most U.S. based Airlines charge for alcoholic drinks in steerage on
Transatlantic flights and have done so for several years. I don't know of
any European scheduled carriers who charge for drinks on Intercontinental
flights but some Charter Airlines do. And drinks are free on most, but not
all, domestic and international flights in Europe except for the low cost
Airlines.

Within Europe we flew on Air France from Paris to Budapest and the wine
was free. Hooray for Air France.

It is about all that it does have going for it!


We flew from Amsterdam to Madrid and changed planes for Seville
on Iberia today. Not only wasn't the wine free, there was a charge for
water. That's about as cheap as I've ever seen. They didn't even offer a
little cup of water or a cup of coffee. Bottles of water at 1,50 Euros I
don't remember how much coffee was. DH paid 2,50 Euro for a diet Coke.

Iberia is now a low-cost Airline. If you want an example of a really low
low-cost Airline look at Ryanair, which charges you to check a bag and also
to check-in in person. (You must check-in in person if you want to check a
bag). Rumour has it that soon they will charge 5 Euros for a key to open the
lavatory door.

What or who is DH?

--
JohnT

On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:29:52 -0500, Janet wilder
wrote:

DH and I are in Europe right now. We flew from Houston to Gatwick
earlier this month. I was astounded that wine was not free on an
international flight. I guess Continental is trying to save money. Last
year we flew to Sydney on United and wine and beer were free. I thought
all international flights from the US had free wine. I guess I was wrong.

It's been that way for a long while now. All you need to do is check
with whatever airline you're flying on for what they do and adjust
accordingly.


Within Europe we flew on Air France from Paris to Budapest and the wine
was free. Hooray for Air France.

That's because they have a wine culture in France.


We flew from Amsterdam to Madrid and changed planes for Seville
on Iberia today. Not only wasn't the wine free, there was a charge for
water. That's about as cheap as I've ever seen. They didn't even offer a
little cup of water or a cup of coffee. Bottles of water at 1,50 Euros I
don't remember how much coffee was. DH paid 2,50 Euro for a diet Coke.

This is more the norm in Europe these days.


The fight to Seville was business class so we got a snack of three
teeny-weeny stale sandwiches and the sodas were free.

Inter-European business class is a complete joke. I wouldn't pay one
cent extra for it.


We have only one more in-Europe flight an that's from Seville to
Barcelona. We are taking a trans-Atlantic cruise back to the US. The
wine won't be free but the cost of th cruise (12 days) is less than the
airfare would have been from Barcelona to the US.

Because, no doubt, you are taking a repositioning cruise I would
guess.

On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:35:28 -0000, "JohnT"
wrote:

"Janet wilder" wrote in message
.. .
DH and I are in Europe right now. We flew from Houston to Gatwick earlier
this month. I was astounded that wine was not free on an international
flight. I guess Continental is trying to save money. Last year we flew to
Sydney on United and wine and beer were free. I thought all international
flights from the US had free wine. I guess I was wrong.

Most U.S. based Airlines charge for alcoholic drinks in steerage on
Transatlantic flights and have done so for several years. I don't know of
any European scheduled carriers who charge for drinks on Intercontinental
flights but some Charter Airlines do. And drinks are free on most, but not
all, domestic and international flights in Europe except for the low cost
Airlines.

SAS serves you one drink in economy, then you pay for the rest.


Within Europe we flew on Air France from Paris to Budapest and the wine
was free. Hooray for Air France.

It is about all that it does have going for it!


We flew from Amsterdam to Madrid and changed planes for Seville
on Iberia today. Not only wasn't the wine free, there was a charge for
water. That's about as cheap as I've ever seen. They didn't even offer a
little cup of water or a cup of coffee. Bottles of water at 1,50 Euros I
don't remember how much coffee was. DH paid 2,50 Euro for a diet Coke.

Iberia is now a low-cost Airline. If you want an example of a really low
low-cost Airline look at Ryanair, which charges you to check a bag and also
to check-in in person. (You must check-in in person if you want to check a
bag). Rumour has it that soon they will charge 5 Euros for a key to open the
lavatory door.

What or who is DH?

John Kulp wrote:

Inter-European business class is a complete joke. I wouldn't pay one
cent extra for it.

Several years ago my colleague was flying to Taiwan on United Business
class. There's a bar in the United business class lounge at SFO. This
guy was used to flying the Asian carriers where the lounges all have
complimentary beverages. Not United. He had all plastic with him, and
they'd only take cash at the bar.

From then on he insisted on using one of the Asian carriers, Singapore.
JAL, EVA, Cathay, and ANA. I try to use Asian carriers that don't use
Airbus planes on their routes to SFO. It's always a pain to be on an
Airbus plane because they're so poorly made.

"SMS" wrote in message
...
It's always a pain to be on an
Airbus plane because they're so poorly made.

You do realise that Boeing and Airbus craft are largely made by the same
outsourced contractors from France and the US to India and China, don't you?

Cheers,
George W Russell
Bangalore

JohnT wrote:

What or who is DH?


Usenet speak for darling husband

John Kulp wrote:


Because, no doubt, you are taking a repositioning cruise I would
guess.

we are

"Janet wilder" wrote in message
...
JohnT wrote:

What or who is DH?


Usenet speak for darling husband


It is presumably an exclusively American acronym. I had assumed from the
context of the posting that it meant "Desperate Housewife".
--
JohnT

On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:32:00 -0000, "JohnT"
wrote:

"Janet wilder" wrote in message
.. .
JohnT wrote:

What or who is DH?


Usenet speak for darling husband


It is presumably an exclusively American acronym. I had assumed from the
context of the posting that it meant "Desperate Housewife".

Which is also an American acronym. And TV show with an "s" at the
end.