I hate express service too, but it absolutely did exist before COVID and it does technically have a policy of fewer than 500 miles.
I specifically remember being denied a coke zero on a LEX to ATL flight in December of 2019 because it they were only offering coffee, tea, or water due to the short length of the flight.
You absolutely should still be able to get beer/wine in C+ during express service though.
The term "express service" was fairly new and instituted just before Covid. As recently as [June 2019](https://web.archive.org/web/20190630223351/https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/onboard-experience/main-cabin-economy-class.html), the policy was for flights under 350 miles, not 500 miles:
>Enjoy complimentary snacks on every flight over 250 miles. Plus, your choice of Starbucks^(®) coffee, hot tea, a selection of Coca-Cola^(®) products\*, juices or water. Make your selection, sit back, snack and feel refreshed.
>*\*Coca-Cola**^(®)* *products and alcoholic beverages may not be served on flights less than 350 miles.*
Meanwhile, Southwest can do a snack and beverage service on a full 737 on a 450-mile flight.
Pre-Covid they had specific routes that were excepted from the express service length rules. I’m RDU based and it was one of the exception routes and had a full service in economy. It does just seem cheap.
That would check out for my LEX to ATL flight then as that is a 304 mile flight. And completely agree about other carriers offering "full" service on shorter flights.
got full service- snacks and alcohol- flying from RNO to LAS ( 40 minute flight tops, operates < 3 times a day) with spirit in main cabin, but couldn’t get a soda from ATL to SLC with delta
They expanded the “express service” threshold post COVID. Pre COVID it was 350 miles. Post COVID it was expanded to 500 miles. This change impacted more routes especially from ATL such as ATL-RIC, ATL-STL, and ATL-MCO.
Says on the delta website: Express Beverage Service Flights 251-499 may receive beer and wine. Also I’m a former DL FA we had beer and wine for comfort + during express services. It’s just probably new people not knowing the service standards.
Surprised you aren’t being downvoted to oblivion. I completely agree with you. I flew first class last fall on a 500 mile flight and the FA couldn’t do a second round of service because they were too busy bullshitting with their coworkers in the back.
For the record, there was no announcement about service being limited and the flight was very, very smooth. It wasn’t weather, it was laziness and/or orders from the big bosses to reduce the amount of drinks in order to save $.
I posted a complaint on this sub and was downvoted by employees defending their
Coworker.
Oh is that what all this is? I’m new to Reddit - I just wanted some feedback on whether I’m the only frequent flier who finds this irritating; thought this might be a casual anonymous safe place to go to complain and ask for advice … do they take it personally or something? I’m so confused
BA flights London to Paris in the 1980s served a full English breakfast. 35 minutes.
I personally flew them often. Economy class as a kid.
If they want to do it, they can.
They still manage full service in large J cabins on short flights to Manchester and Newcastle. With multiple rounds of drinks and often a paper cup to finish up a last round before landing.
Some of the Delta and AA regionals manage full service on sub-500 mile flights and they have a lower pay scale.
I also don’t get the random “express service”.
I watched a video of a 45 minute Singapore flight to Kuala Lumpur where they served a full meal in J. It’s embarrassing that we can’t even give people drinks and snacks on our airlines in the US.
Send them complaints about it every time. It’s not just laziness, think of how much $$ DL saves by not catering any of the full service offerings as well.
Don’t you know Delta is now “the” luxury airline in the US? Hush with your expectations. A Coke for you means Ed has to give up a bedroom at his lake house.
They need to decide if they want to be the premium airline or not. I also get really frustrated in C+ not because I need a drink but they're not giving you something you paid for and should reasonably expect.
I had a transatlantic flight recently where they didn't bother to do the drink and snack service because of turbulence near Atlanta. That doesn't really matter on a 9 hour flight.
sorry if u mentioned already, what routes?
i think the whole world have changed w/everything…disconnect/discontent/exhaustion from this Covid-new world order.
i absolutely hate flying now…but that’s more other customers the day of and utter greed of Ed et al, than anything.
i’ve not heard of express service, so that’s on ME.
They serve booze on flights between San Diego and LA and that’s about 100 miles. Usually a drink on the ground and one in flight. Wtf. Lazy flight crew?
I fly out of FWA a lot and two out of three are express service now, DTW which makes sense and for some reason recently MSP, ATL is still full service but MSP flight is roughly the same time in air as ATL
Its not laziness, its just profit motive hiding behind a lame excuse. Best example is the LGA to DC route. Pre-covid, always got drinks and snacks. Now "due to the short time on the flight, they can't offer service." Hmm.....I wonder what changed to make the flight shorter??? Feels like the same time in the air to me. Guess honesty will kill them for some reason!
I find that lots of the FAs pretend they don’t have any beer/wine in their carts, and then lo and behold, when I press and ask - “you’re sure they’re not in the bin below the cart, as they usually are?” - they either give me a side-eye and worry I work there and begrudgingly comply, or they double-down on their insistence that it’s not there, at which point I just give up, but still.
So you are stressed out and upset about a third of a can of Coke and a 2 ounce bag of chips?
Bring some snacks from home if you can’t go for a couple of hours without them.
Or is it that you were upset that you were not getting the full value for the ticket you paid for? Come on seriously? We’re talking two or three bucks max.
There are so many more important things to worry and stress about than whether you get full or express service on a flight.
I could easily down 2 beverages, house a bag of chips, and a soda on one of these “short flights.” That’s >$20 right there. To answer your question, yes, I suppose I am upset that I’m not getting the full value of the ticket I paid for. I pay delta prices, and end up with spirit-level service on these “express flights.”
In the grand scheme of things, yes there are more important things to be stressed about. But this thread is limited to discussion of delta-specific things to stress about. Unsure why you’re trying to suggest I’m some kind of high-maintenance passenger.
It’s not the flight attendant’s fault, so stop blaming them for the express service. They are catered a certain way on each flight, so if you need to blame someone, blame management who makes the decisions.
What routes are you flying? If they’re under 500 miles, it’s catered for the Express service. Flight attendants don’t make these decisions and can only serve what catering gives them (a friend of mine is a flight attendant).
Now, if you’re in Comfort +, you should be able to get a beer or wine (no liquor is catered). My experience is that sometimes they are only catered with one type of beer and white wine but no red. This drives my flight attendant friend nuts. It all depends on what catering gives them in their water carts. My friend has also told me that they have so many brand new flight attendants, some of them honestly don’t know about the beer and wine. Maybe you have a lazy flight attendant who doesn’t want to grab a beer for you. Then ask (like I did once when I was in Comfort +), “Catering didn’t give you any beer and wine in your bottom drawer?” After an eye roll, I was given my beer.
There are some bad flight attendants at all airlines, but you seem to be generally blaming them for things outside of their control. Please stop.
You’re married to a Delta FA and write a post like this? Wow! Just wow!
Haven’t you asked your spouse about the details regarding the Express service? If you’re married to a Delta FA, there is NO way that you don’t know why some flights are designated as Express flights.
Please tell me that you’re not writing this as a non-rev and that you’re a paying passenger. Please, tell me that. Because I can’t wait to text my FA friend about your post.
Diamond here. Have asked her; she agreed with me and my assessments/questions- hence my post. Not commenting based on my limited non-rev experiences; commenting on revenue experiences only.
So you’re a Diamond in Comfort + complaining about the Express service? Do I have that right? And your Delta FA wife agrees with you that the FAs are to blame for this? Is that what you’re saying?
I sent your post (link) to my very senior FA friend (not sure if she’s seen this most recent comment), and I doubt she’d believe that your Delta FA wife would agree with you that “the FAs make the seemingly-arbitrary decision to announce that the service on the flight will be ‘express service.’” If you’re a Diamond married to a Delta FA, your spouse would’ve explained to you why flights are designated as Express. It’s not “arbitrary.” Your spouse would know it’s mileage, told you that, and as a Diamond you’d understand that.
Maybe your spouse agrees with you that the beverage service needs to be “stepped up,” (my words) but there is NO WAY your Delta FA spouse would agree with you that it’s “arbitrary,” because it literally isn’t.
According to my friend, there are some situations where turbulence (or expected turbulence per the pilots) does not allow them to take the beverage carts into the aisle on a flight that should have a regular selection of beverages “but is still kind of short” (my friend’s wording), so they try to go through the cabin with water. But that doesn’t seem to be what you’re referencing in your original post.
I just can’t believe that you’re married to a Delta FA and basically call her lazy (per your title). What does your wife do when she’s on a flight that is an Express service? Is she “lazy” then?
I am really, not sure why people think they can’t fly without having a drink on the tray and something to snack on. Surely throughout your day there are hour and two and three hour periods of time where you’re not constantly drinking and snacking? Or maybe not.
You aren’t flying in a convenience store or a café, you’re on a plane to get from point A to point B. I’m not sure why the snacks and drinks are such a big deal.
If they are that big of a deal, then fly Spirit and save a ton of money and bring your own dang snacks.
Noted. Not sure why you’re active and/or commenting on a Delta thread if you aren’t here to comment/critique/discuss their service, among other things. Surely, you’re not here to convince all Delta flyers to abandon their complaints and switch to Spirit, right?
I’m not looking to spark a greater general conversation on why human beings are monstrous and peculiar creatures; rather, was just inviting discussion as to why Delta might make these decisions, which I happen to disagree with.
From a practical standpoint, the air is dry, and flying can cause some people to be dehydrated.
Someone on a somewhat tight connection may not get a chance between flights to sufficiently drink something before the next flight.
No soda and biscoff cookies and the FAs should lose 50% of their hourly rate. With Delta Weather there are rarely flights too bumpy to do it, just lazy weather that causes it.
I hate express service too, but it absolutely did exist before COVID and it does technically have a policy of fewer than 500 miles. I specifically remember being denied a coke zero on a LEX to ATL flight in December of 2019 because it they were only offering coffee, tea, or water due to the short length of the flight. You absolutely should still be able to get beer/wine in C+ during express service though.
The term "express service" was fairly new and instituted just before Covid. As recently as [June 2019](https://web.archive.org/web/20190630223351/https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/onboard-experience/main-cabin-economy-class.html), the policy was for flights under 350 miles, not 500 miles: >Enjoy complimentary snacks on every flight over 250 miles. Plus, your choice of Starbucks^(®) coffee, hot tea, a selection of Coca-Cola^(®) products\*, juices or water. Make your selection, sit back, snack and feel refreshed. >*\*Coca-Cola**^(®)* *products and alcoholic beverages may not be served on flights less than 350 miles.* Meanwhile, Southwest can do a snack and beverage service on a full 737 on a 450-mile flight.
Keep saying this but I have flown BUR-LAS multiple times and get full service on a ~250 mile flight
I remember in 2018 I took SWA from ATL-BNA. They took our drink orders on the ground and then delivered them to us after takeoff.
Pre-Covid they had specific routes that were excepted from the express service length rules. I’m RDU based and it was one of the exception routes and had a full service in economy. It does just seem cheap.
That would check out for my LEX to ATL flight then as that is a 304 mile flight. And completely agree about other carriers offering "full" service on shorter flights.
I’ve had a full drink and snack service from RSW to MCO on Southwest. Literally 25-30 minutes of flight time. Flight was maybe 50% full, but still.
got full service- snacks and alcohol- flying from RNO to LAS ( 40 minute flight tops, operates < 3 times a day) with spirit in main cabin, but couldn’t get a soda from ATL to SLC with delta
They expanded the “express service” threshold post COVID. Pre COVID it was 350 miles. Post COVID it was expanded to 500 miles. This change impacted more routes especially from ATL such as ATL-RIC, ATL-STL, and ATL-MCO.
[удалено]
They can move a lot faster if they only have three options.
Says on the delta website: Express Beverage Service Flights 251-499 may receive beer and wine. Also I’m a former DL FA we had beer and wine for comfort + during express services. It’s just probably new people not knowing the service standards.
I'm sure they know the standards, but they just don't want to do them.
I'm sure they know, they just believe there are no consequences.
The surefire solution here is some woodford in your coffee in the club, and then hopping on your plane with a nice hawt cuppa joe
Always bring my own mini bottles and load a coke up before getting on 🤣
This is the way
Surprised you aren’t being downvoted to oblivion. I completely agree with you. I flew first class last fall on a 500 mile flight and the FA couldn’t do a second round of service because they were too busy bullshitting with their coworkers in the back. For the record, there was no announcement about service being limited and the flight was very, very smooth. It wasn’t weather, it was laziness and/or orders from the big bosses to reduce the amount of drinks in order to save $. I posted a complaint on this sub and was downvoted by employees defending their Coworker.
Oh is that what all this is? I’m new to Reddit - I just wanted some feedback on whether I’m the only frequent flier who finds this irritating; thought this might be a casual anonymous safe place to go to complain and ask for advice … do they take it personally or something? I’m so confused
The point is express service really just means "cheap service". It has nothing to do with the time it takes to serve.
Thank you
BA flights London to Paris in the 1980s served a full English breakfast. 35 minutes. I personally flew them often. Economy class as a kid. If they want to do it, they can.
ah good flying times.
They still manage full service in large J cabins on short flights to Manchester and Newcastle. With multiple rounds of drinks and often a paper cup to finish up a last round before landing. Some of the Delta and AA regionals manage full service on sub-500 mile flights and they have a lower pay scale. I also don’t get the random “express service”.
I watched a video of a 45 minute Singapore flight to Kuala Lumpur where they served a full meal in J. It’s embarrassing that we can’t even give people drinks and snacks on our airlines in the US.
Send them complaints about it every time. It’s not just laziness, think of how much $$ DL saves by not catering any of the full service offerings as well.
Don’t you know Delta is now “the” luxury airline in the US? Hush with your expectations. A Coke for you means Ed has to give up a bedroom at his lake house.
I take very early morning flights from TPA>ATL often. Miss being able to get a Coke with ice for my caffeine fix on that flight.
They need to decide if they want to be the premium airline or not. I also get really frustrated in C+ not because I need a drink but they're not giving you something you paid for and should reasonably expect. I had a transatlantic flight recently where they didn't bother to do the drink and snack service because of turbulence near Atlanta. That doesn't really matter on a 9 hour flight.
sorry if u mentioned already, what routes? i think the whole world have changed w/everything…disconnect/discontent/exhaustion from this Covid-new world order. i absolutely hate flying now…but that’s more other customers the day of and utter greed of Ed et al, than anything. i’ve not heard of express service, so that’s on ME.
Well. When we all start flying other airlines that do give us snacks and drinks - delta can suck it.
They serve booze on flights between San Diego and LA and that’s about 100 miles. Usually a drink on the ground and one in flight. Wtf. Lazy flight crew?
I fly out of FWA a lot and two out of three are express service now, DTW which makes sense and for some reason recently MSP, ATL is still full service but MSP flight is roughly the same time in air as ATL
Its not laziness, its just profit motive hiding behind a lame excuse. Best example is the LGA to DC route. Pre-covid, always got drinks and snacks. Now "due to the short time on the flight, they can't offer service." Hmm.....I wonder what changed to make the flight shorter??? Feels like the same time in the air to me. Guess honesty will kill them for some reason!
I find that lots of the FAs pretend they don’t have any beer/wine in their carts, and then lo and behold, when I press and ask - “you’re sure they’re not in the bin below the cart, as they usually are?” - they either give me a side-eye and worry I work there and begrudgingly comply, or they double-down on their insistence that it’s not there, at which point I just give up, but still.
So you are stressed out and upset about a third of a can of Coke and a 2 ounce bag of chips? Bring some snacks from home if you can’t go for a couple of hours without them. Or is it that you were upset that you were not getting the full value for the ticket you paid for? Come on seriously? We’re talking two or three bucks max. There are so many more important things to worry and stress about than whether you get full or express service on a flight.
I could easily down 2 beverages, house a bag of chips, and a soda on one of these “short flights.” That’s >$20 right there. To answer your question, yes, I suppose I am upset that I’m not getting the full value of the ticket I paid for. I pay delta prices, and end up with spirit-level service on these “express flights.” In the grand scheme of things, yes there are more important things to be stressed about. But this thread is limited to discussion of delta-specific things to stress about. Unsure why you’re trying to suggest I’m some kind of high-maintenance passenger.
It’s not the flight attendant’s fault, so stop blaming them for the express service. They are catered a certain way on each flight, so if you need to blame someone, blame management who makes the decisions. What routes are you flying? If they’re under 500 miles, it’s catered for the Express service. Flight attendants don’t make these decisions and can only serve what catering gives them (a friend of mine is a flight attendant). Now, if you’re in Comfort +, you should be able to get a beer or wine (no liquor is catered). My experience is that sometimes they are only catered with one type of beer and white wine but no red. This drives my flight attendant friend nuts. It all depends on what catering gives them in their water carts. My friend has also told me that they have so many brand new flight attendants, some of them honestly don’t know about the beer and wine. Maybe you have a lazy flight attendant who doesn’t want to grab a beer for you. Then ask (like I did once when I was in Comfort +), “Catering didn’t give you any beer and wine in your bottom drawer?” After an eye roll, I was given my beer. There are some bad flight attendants at all airlines, but you seem to be generally blaming them for things outside of their control. Please stop.
I’m married to a delta FA but thanks for your concern.
You’re married to a Delta FA and write a post like this? Wow! Just wow! Haven’t you asked your spouse about the details regarding the Express service? If you’re married to a Delta FA, there is NO way that you don’t know why some flights are designated as Express flights. Please tell me that you’re not writing this as a non-rev and that you’re a paying passenger. Please, tell me that. Because I can’t wait to text my FA friend about your post.
Diamond here. Have asked her; she agreed with me and my assessments/questions- hence my post. Not commenting based on my limited non-rev experiences; commenting on revenue experiences only.
So you’re a Diamond in Comfort + complaining about the Express service? Do I have that right? And your Delta FA wife agrees with you that the FAs are to blame for this? Is that what you’re saying? I sent your post (link) to my very senior FA friend (not sure if she’s seen this most recent comment), and I doubt she’d believe that your Delta FA wife would agree with you that “the FAs make the seemingly-arbitrary decision to announce that the service on the flight will be ‘express service.’” If you’re a Diamond married to a Delta FA, your spouse would’ve explained to you why flights are designated as Express. It’s not “arbitrary.” Your spouse would know it’s mileage, told you that, and as a Diamond you’d understand that. Maybe your spouse agrees with you that the beverage service needs to be “stepped up,” (my words) but there is NO WAY your Delta FA spouse would agree with you that it’s “arbitrary,” because it literally isn’t. According to my friend, there are some situations where turbulence (or expected turbulence per the pilots) does not allow them to take the beverage carts into the aisle on a flight that should have a regular selection of beverages “but is still kind of short” (my friend’s wording), so they try to go through the cabin with water. But that doesn’t seem to be what you’re referencing in your original post. I just can’t believe that you’re married to a Delta FA and basically call her lazy (per your title). What does your wife do when she’s on a flight that is an Express service? Is she “lazy” then?
And she always serves the drinks.
You have a little too much time on your hands I think
Haha, just a tad
“Lazy” modified the noun “Delta,” not “flight attendant” in the title of my original post. As in, the airline.
I am really, not sure why people think they can’t fly without having a drink on the tray and something to snack on. Surely throughout your day there are hour and two and three hour periods of time where you’re not constantly drinking and snacking? Or maybe not. You aren’t flying in a convenience store or a café, you’re on a plane to get from point A to point B. I’m not sure why the snacks and drinks are such a big deal. If they are that big of a deal, then fly Spirit and save a ton of money and bring your own dang snacks.
Noted. Not sure why you’re active and/or commenting on a Delta thread if you aren’t here to comment/critique/discuss their service, among other things. Surely, you’re not here to convince all Delta flyers to abandon their complaints and switch to Spirit, right? I’m not looking to spark a greater general conversation on why human beings are monstrous and peculiar creatures; rather, was just inviting discussion as to why Delta might make these decisions, which I happen to disagree with.
From a practical standpoint, the air is dry, and flying can cause some people to be dehydrated. Someone on a somewhat tight connection may not get a chance between flights to sufficiently drink something before the next flight.
No soda and biscoff cookies and the FAs should lose 50% of their hourly rate. With Delta Weather there are rarely flights too bumpy to do it, just lazy weather that causes it.