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Frontier Drops Signature Chocolate Chip Cookie
Frontier Airlines
will stop serving complimentary chocolate chip cookies as of May 1. While this news may be good for our waistline, we're sad to see the small perk go.
The cookie was a symbol of the "best care in the air" service of the former Midwest Airlines, the Milwaukee BizTimes reported. The airline was acquired by Indianapolis-based Republic Airways Holdings Inc. and merged into Denver-based Frontier Airlines in 2009.
The airline has suffered mightily of late, cutting jobs and eliminating several routes.
"The company determined that offering a free perishable snack did not align with our low-cost business model," said Frontier spokeswoman Lindsey Carpenter.
Beginning May 1, Frontier will offer complimentary Pepperidge Farms Goldfish crackers and Barnum's Animal Crackers for Ascent, Summit, Classic and Classic Plus customers, as well as unaccompanied minors.
"The new animal snack options are non-perishable, run less risk of waste, are a better value and align better with the Frontier brand," Carpenter said.
Yes, but they're not nearly as tasty.
[Flickr via Scorpions and Centaurs]
will stop serving complimentary chocolate chip cookies as of May 1. While this news may be good for our waistline, we're sad to see the small perk go.The cookie was a symbol of the "best care in the air" service of the former Midwest Airlines, the Milwaukee BizTimes reported. The airline was acquired by Indianapolis-based Republic Airways Holdings Inc. and merged into Denver-based Frontier Airlines in 2009.
The airline has suffered mightily of late, cutting jobs and eliminating several routes.
"The company determined that offering a free perishable snack did not align with our low-cost business model," said Frontier spokeswoman Lindsey Carpenter.
Beginning May 1, Frontier will offer complimentary Pepperidge Farms Goldfish crackers and Barnum's Animal Crackers for Ascent, Summit, Classic and Classic Plus customers, as well as unaccompanied minors.
"The new animal snack options are non-perishable, run less risk of waste, are a better value and align better with the Frontier brand," Carpenter said.
Yes, but they're not nearly as tasty.
[Flickr via Scorpions and Centaurs]
Filed under: Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
walkerhds Apr 4th 2012 7:18AM
Southwest will probably start flying in soon. Midway and MSP are the closest points now, MKE can't be far behind.
Pete Apr 3rd 2012 10:45PM
Soon they will be removing the bathrooms and you will haft to pee in a cup and hold it till the end of the flight.
Sharlene Apr 3rd 2012 11:28PM
Hmmm. A certain fast food chain used to sell Choc. chip cookies and 'animal' crackers, (in the shape of their characters), and they charged the same price as far as I remember.
Craig Apr 4th 2012 9:41AM
What gets me is that for YEARS these cookies have been `fresh-baked onboard', and now they're suddenly perishable?! How? Count how many people get on the plane, and make that many f'ing cookies!
GUS MAESTRALES Apr 3rd 2012 11:44PM
IF the airlines would implement towing their aircraft to the runway for takeoff they would save millions and millions of dollars in fuel cost but something so easy to do and to figure out is not what they are about. How much fuel can you imagine that they waste when they are in long lines for takeoff. In some cases they have to taxi back to get more fuel becausse they have used so much waiting in line that they would be short for their flight. I could design a system that would work so well at the major airports. I thought about this 20 years ago and some places in Europe are expermenting with the idea. I'm a pilot of 40 plus years in privatge jets and it hurts when I can't take off right away upon arriving at the runway. Maybe then they could serve steak instead of the cookie. ha ha
TT Apr 3rd 2012 11:51PM
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Pam Miller Apr 3rd 2012 11:59PM
Like others have commented....nothing like the old Midwest Airlines out there. I will never fly Frontier...they do not distinguish themselves in any manner and they are not the cheapest so why bother? Midwest was wonderful...could fly out of Mitchell (just a short 90 min. trip for us in the NW and North part of Chicagoland who would like to avoid O'Hare and its problems, had wider seats which allowed normal sized people and obese people to be comfortable and not suffer from deep vein thrombosis for a reasonable price (you have to be 5'3 and a toothpick to find any comfort in most airline seats unless you can afford business or first class), at one time had good food and the freshly baked cookie. You would be surprised how a nice, yummy, warm, chocolatey cookie can soothe many whiners, complainers, and grumps. Business execs...listen up...the way to succeed is not just holding the line on costs but CUSTOMER SERVICE...that is too often overlooked. Bye bye Frontier...your demise cannot come soon enough.
lorina frank Apr 4th 2012 12:10AM
I'm going to be making chocolate chip cookies for my dad's birthday on Halloween and I got mini cookie cutters in the shape of halloween stuff.
http://superslimberrysite.com/
Marc Apr 4th 2012 6:50AM
I think they've lost their cookies.
mallie Apr 4th 2012 7:42AM
If it would reduce the price of flying, passengers should consider packing their own snacks and letting the airlines stick to the job of flying.
Meredith Apr 5th 2012 4:04PM
From first-hand experience I would like to offer some insight to the cookie melting away from Frontier flights. While it may seem a minimal cost to the passengers it is actually quite expensive...here's why:
Cookies are made and par baked at a company and sold to the airline.
Cold storage is required.
Transportation to the aircraft requires labor, special equipment, and security checks.
Ovens are required on the planes and sometimes flight attendants burn themselves handling the cookies.
Extra napkins are needed for serving the cookies creating extra trash to be removed upon landing which required more time to turn the aircraft around.
Dropped cookies, cookies placed in seat back pockets, and that that are stepped on and smashed into the carpeting require extra clean up time. Sometimes, chocolate remains on the seat that is missed but ultimately ends up on a business suit or shirt and a cleaning voucher/reimbursement is offered.
By the time the passenger consumes the cookie the airline has spent a tremendous amount of money to make it available to each passenger. All cookies not served end up in the trash creating a waste of money that is not recoverable.
I loved the smell of the cookies and the smiles on the passengers faces as they ate them as much as anyone. Seeing Midwest Airlines go out of business was heart-breaking for many reasons. Including watching dedicated employees, flight attendants and pilots end up in the unemployment lines. Many losing their houses, cars, and children's opportunity for a college education went right down the drain. All after working for the company for many years and taking the loss overnight after suffering through furlough after furlough since 9/11.
Boxed snacks have a much longer shelf life, can be stored onsite at the airport if needed in room temperature, and require less employee handling and lower the risk of injuries.
Sadly, that is how the cookie crumbles in the business world. Southwest Airlines has always been a successful airline due to the their business plan of no hub and spoke routing. They recognize their employees as valuable assets not disposable human flesh, and the results are obvious. They are a good airline and tough competition to all others. Their arrival into MKE and DEN makes it tough to compete with. Those that do have to cut costs anyway possible to stay aloft.
We should keep in mind, the more airlines that go under the day will come when the price of flying will be out of sight because no competition equals expensive airfares. Doubt me? Check out flying into cities other than ANC in Alaska where Alaska Airlines is the ONLY airline you can fly on. I can fly from ANC to DEN on Frontier for less than I can fly from KTN to SIT...two cities within the same state. I try to fly all the airlines when possible to help them all just a little.