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Free food just got an early departure.
Hawaiian Airlines just announced that complimentary meal service has hit some turbulence as the company will no longer be offering a free meal.
Those sitting in economy — of course — will be the ones hit hard. But travelers can still grab some grub, they just have to pay for it.
“Starting July 1, we’re transitioning away from the complimentary sandwich in Main Cabin on domestic transpacific flights and introducing a pre-order menu with meals available for purchase,” the company said in the FAQ portion of a press release.
The switch applies to all domestic transpacific flights, except for the long-haul flight between Honolulu and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Folks on that flight will see friendlier skies as free meals will still be served.
“Main Cabin guests on our Honolulu–New York City (JFK) route will continue to receive a complimentary meal,” the statement confirmed.
The move comes as Hawaiian steps up its onboard service with pre-order dining by popular Hawai‘i chefs. The typical Hot Pocket-esk sandwich will now be replaced with “elevated meals.”
Flyers will now see island-inspired dishes in the Main Cabin with a new onboard service program with flavors of Hawai‘i. And starting July 1, Main Cabiners on most flights between Hawai‘i and the US will need to pre-order meals.
These include crispy mochiko chicken with garlic noodles, barbecue teriyaki chicken bento on a bed of white rice and corned beef hash with eggs from Sheldon Simeon, a Maui-based chef, restaurateur and James Beard Award finalist.
Passengers on early flights will get a pretty sweet breakfast. These are for flights departing between 6 a.m. and 9:59 a.m.
One option is a French toast made with Hawaiian bread, eggs and Portuguese sausage for $15.99. For the same price, folks can score the fluffy pancakes filled with mashed bananas and served with scrambled eggs and Portuguese sausage featuring the spicy-K mayo and banana bread syrup.
Other choices include coconut overnight oats $10.99 and a cheesy omelet for $13.99.
For flights taking off between 10 a.m. – 8:29 p.m., chefs are dishing up some top-tier meals.
At $15.99, the grilled chicken bánh mì sandwich comes with French bread from Honolulu’s La Tour Bakehouse and is filled with lemongrass-grilled chicken thigh, pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro and jalapeño. a mac salad, spicy-K mayo, sweet teriyaki sauce and crunchy toppings bag is included.
The teriyaki cheeseburger has a teriyaki-marinated beef patty on a toasted teriyaki-glazed bun with American cheese and house-made pickles. The same sides are offered.
Just note that pre-order starts July 1 for Main Cabin guests on all domestic Hawaiian Airlines flights, excluding JFK. Choices can be made up to two weeks before departure and 20 hours prior to the flight.
For First Class guests, pre-select is already available. Plus, all First Class guests will get a meal regardless.
Passengers pinching pennies will still get complimentary treats throughout the flight, including a welcome beverage, a local snack and a “mahalo sweet treat” just before arrival.
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