Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) is testing offering free meals in coach.
The airline announced that it is offering meals in some cross country flights around the country as a test to see how well this idea does. The flights that will offer meals include trips to and from New York that are leaving to or arriving at Los Angeles or San Francisco.
The move could become a permanent fixture if travelers happen to enjoy these meals. Serving food on a plane is always risky because there are a number of meats and fish dishes that either go dry or get mushy once you make them microwave-ready and heat them up.
Additionally, some cooked vegetables and sides such as certain rice plates don’t hold up well when transporting them into planes. Delta also has to consider that certain dishes are better suited for being in flight as there are certain foods that are undesirable since they affect one’s digestion negatively while in flight.
“Testing meals on Transcon flights is part of our commitment to be thoughtful about our offerings and make decisions based on customers’ needs,” Allison Ausband, Delta’s SVP for In-Flight Service said.
She added that the company is constantly seeking for new ways to make the flight experience more enjoyable for passengers. If successful, the move could help to set a trend for all airlines when it comes to coach class services.
DAL shares surged 0.7% Friday.
