Low Air Fare

By Deborah Cassell

Once you’ve stowed your cell phone, buckled your belt, settled into your seat and judged your nearest neighbor — worth talking to? — and your plane has reached the approved “cruising altitude,” it’s time for the flight attendants to bring out the drink cart and snacks.
Wait. Nowadays, snacks are practically extinct on all major airlines, despite the fact that you no longer can bring onboard food from home or through security. In fact, Southwest is one of the few still serving peanuts (King Nut Co.’s Kings Dry Roasted Peanuts, to be exact).
It’s also the only carrier offering free (yes, free) snack boxes. For example, a recent Southwest “Travel Snacks” container of “Great-tasting snacks from Nabisco” held 100% Whole Grain Fig Newtons, a 100 Calorie Pack of Wheat Thins and a package of Ritz Cracker Sandwiches. This savory offering might leave some sweet teeth unsatisfied, but it’s a heartier snack than most airlines provide.… Did I mention that it’s free? (Bonus: Travel Snacks also feature discounts and puzzles, such as a coupon for SeaWorld and a word search.)
If you haven’t flown the friendly skies lately, here’s a sampling of the low “fare” other airlines now are offering, at no additional cost, their high-paying passengers:
United: King Nut Co.’s Kings Fiesta Snack Mix (a blend of pretzels, roasted red pepper sesame sticks and BBQ soy nuts)
Delta: King Nut Co.’s Kings Snack Mix (mini pretzels, melba toast, peanuts and sesame sticks); King Nut Co.’s Kings Express Mix (mini pretzels, Cheddar corn sticks, honey-roasted sesame sticks and ranch bagel chips)
ATA: Fisher Cheddar Snack Mix
America West: King Nut Co.’s Kings Honey Roasted Peanuts
Editor’s Note: It’s been suggested that passengers with severe peanut allergies only fly on airlines that don’t serve the salty snack. These carriers include American, United, Northwest, Jet Blue, Spirit and ATA.