Swiss IAL to cut 3k jobs and fleet

[newswatcher]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3015334.stm

[MerchantVenturer]

Interesting concept - business class at the front with all the trimmings and budget/no frills elsewhere with pax paying for food and drink.

Does any other airline in Europe, or elsewhere for that matter, do this?

KLM in Europe are going that way. I flew AMS-GVA-AMS in economy earlier this month. The refreshment was one turkey or cheese bread roll, tea/coffee and soft drink. No alcohol in economy anymore with KLM in Europe, although they were still supplying it as part of the 'meal' on KLMCityhopper BRS-AMS-BRS.

This was ok on a one-hour flight AMS-GVA but the KLM service agent at Schipol confirmed that this would also be the refreshment on a three-hour plus flight, say Amsterdam-Athens.
In that case economy pax have the worst of both worlds: niggardly supply of food yet no opportunity to purchase more. You might see pax bringing their own picnic hampers on board.

Perhaps the Swiss plan is the way forward.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

In America, where even on 4-hour internal flight a bag of pretzels is your lunch, I have noticed a trend whereby people stock up with food at the gate and take it all on board to eat during the flight.