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As airlines continue to go out of business and slash budgets at rapid rates, the free snack foods are often the first to get cut. And forget honey-roasted peanuts - now, with fears of peanut allergies, many airlines have switched to boring ol' pretzels, in fear of getting sued by the parents of allergic toddlers, or - gulp - nothing at all!Over the weekend, I flew Midwest Airlines, one I'd never ridden before. (I swear, Midwest didn't pay me to endorse them).
When I stepped on my first Midwest flight, I smelled the familiar smells - recirculated air, extra lemon-y bathroom deodorizer - but there was a hint of something magical in the air. Something...chocolately. I quickly shrugged it off and proceeded to pass out in my seat.
An hour into the flight, a stewardess came down the aisle offering the ubiquitous free drink (and by the way, has anyone noticed that, as airlines used to give you an entire can of juice/soda/seltzer, now they only give you about a third of a can, in a tiny plastic cup half-filled with ice?), I accepted, and then noticed another stewardess following closely behind. I squinted to see her passing out something to each passenger. Was it...could it be?! Yes, it was! Warm, freshly-baked (okay, microwaved) chocolate-chip cookies. TWO of them.
My mouth must have dropped open, because the guy next to me looked over and said, "Never flown Midwest? Yeah, this is the best part of the flight."
I nodded and scarfed down the two cookies. Needless to say, they were delicious, and there were two more waiting for me on my connecting flight.
So, sure airport security is ultra-annoying, and crying kids grate on your nerves, and airplane seats are cramped and uncomfortable. But somehow, all of these things fall by the wayside as you bite into a big, warm, gooey cookie. (Or...4).
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7-03-2008 @10:52AM Chris said... Yeah, my friends have been flying Midwest for some time now and told me about their cookies, which I experienced for the first time when I flew to visit them in Milwaukee. They even sell their cookie dough in one local grocery chain in the Milwaukee area and another in the Kansas City area. I picked up a box on my way home from MKE the last time I was out there and they are sitting happily in my freezer, ready to pop into the oven so I can enjoy their chocolatey chip goodness when the mood strikes.
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7-03-2008 @11:59AM Kevin said... Airlines could stand to learn a few things from hotels. Like warm cookies.
The "give you a cup, not the can" thing is inconsistent, even a given airline. Last week I flew United, both ways the plane was full, but the (busy, rushed?) stewardess handed me a can of soda and a cup of ice.
I did pay a few extra bucks for United's "Economy Plus", but doubt this was a factor. I will say the extra legroom was well worth the cost. Still a narrow seat, but more legroom than I could use.
(P.S. I bring my own peanuts.)
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7-03-2008 @11:59AM rebekah.turner said... I only fly Midwest. Most comfortable seating, best flights I have ever had. They also sell their cookies in frozen packages and they are delicious warmed up in the oven.
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7-03-2008 @11:58AM arex said... hahah.. I love *cheap* thrills. I was on a Horizon/Alaska Air flight last week and to my shock, they served Jones Soda and a mini snack! If you want, they'll even serve you a microbrew for *free*! That made my day real good.
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7-03-2008 @11:58AM Bear Silber said... Best thing I've ever had on an airplane by far is Gü. I had it coming back from London on Virgin Atlantic. They are chocolate pudding pods. So good! I had at least 3 of them (it was a long flight).
Check out their website:
http://www.gupuds.com/
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7-03-2008 @11:58AM Katie said... Yes, Midwest is a great airline. I live near Chicago and whenever possible, I fly Midwest. The cookies are a wonderful touch.
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7-03-2008 @1:03PM slashfood_com said... I heart Midwest.
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7-03-2008 @9:07PM kasey said... Japan Airlines (JAL) feeds you CONSTANTLY! I always go on a plane expecting to either 1. bring my own snacks or 2. hoard what little they give me, rationing little bits to myself as I go along. But there was sushi as a snack, then the regular airline meal, rice crackers, and haagen daz icecream! Seriously, on the return flight, I ended up not eating a lot of it because I was pretty full. Between all the food and the stewardesses walking up and down to advertise duty-free items, they never get a break.
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7-03-2008 @9:08PM johnmc said... Ahh in-flight cookies. Aloha used to do this too. Also, JetBlue gives you a full can (part of their Happy Jetting thing) and they're Flight Attendants, not Stewardesses - the male FAs get upset at the former term.
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7-03-2008 @9:08PM Kat Kinsman said... I recently ordered the Todd English-crafted breakfast croissant on a Delta flight. Bad move. The $6 croissant was layered with cheddar, turkey bacon and apples and slathered with apple butter. Sickeningly cloying and salty and inharmonious. Eaten separately, the ingredients were palatable -- apples crispy, cheese sharp, bacon not floppy -- but together a trainwreck.
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7-03-2008 @9:07PM feriorrenna said... I gotta say as one being allergic to peanuts I'm not sorry to see them go. Just the smell sends my poor lungs into seizing and my throats swells - makes for even unhappier traveling than planes tend to be. Reminds me of the time the guy who brought his own peanut M&Ms informed me he would continue to eat them because they were his and he could do as he wished on a flight to Dallas. I was very sick by the time we arrived. People are awesome. :P
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7-04-2008 @3:48AM food4thought said... I am an adult who is deathly allergic to peanuts. There is a reason parents of children with peanut allergies are over reactive, the severe anaphylactic reaction can cause severe swelling and death if not treated quickly. It exists and is serious. Warm cookies sound like a wonderful alternative.
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7-05-2008 @6:52AM Max said... I got a feeling you better hurry. The fuel crisis has Midwest whithering away. :
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7-06-2008 @1:21AM Kitt said... Midwest is a great airline. Back when they served actual meals on flights, they use real china, silverware and linen, and offered complimentary mini-bottles of wine. Those were the good old days.
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