Nasty at 3000 Feet

I'm sorry, but airlines should just admit their failure in the food department. We all know that the food sucks. And, paying for it doesn't make it taste any better.

Case in point: The incredibly disgusting "snack box" that my colleague Kurt attempted to consume on a cross-country trip on American Airlines to SF a few weeks back. He just couldn't. Really. It was too nasty. I mean this boy is from Chattanooga. He's probably eaten possum. And, heck, we just celebrated his b-day with surprise 6-pack of Coors Light and two flavors of pork rinds. And, yet, he just couldn't stomach the "snack box."

And, so it amazes me when airlines continue to tout their culinary offerings, as with this lovely press release from American Airlines:

American launched its main-cabin food-for-sale program on Feb. 1, 2005. American offers food for sale on selected domestic routes longer than three hours and on transcontinental and Hawaii flights. American's decision to expand the program is based on positive feedback the carrier received from its inflight surveys. Among the findings:

* Nearly 80 percent of passengers surveyed reported that the snack boxes currently available are a "good value."

* More than 90 percent of flight attendants reported the service ran smoothly and some reported selling out of snacks and sandwiches because the option is so popular.

Who the hell took this survey?????