Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 23, 1995                   TAG: 9505240021
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BROWN BAG CUISINE HITS THE MAJOR AIRLINES

After scaling back on in-flight meals in recent years, some airlines are going a step further: sack lunches.

Rather than getting a full meal served at your seat, passengers are handed a bag breakfast or lunch as they board their coach-class flights.

And flight attendants only serve drinks.

For major airlines such as American Airlines and Delta, it's another way to cut costs and compete with upstart, no-frills carriers.

So far, there's been no revolt by passengers.

Last week on an American Airlines 11:25 a.m. flight from Miami to Houston, each lunch bag contained a turkey and cheese sandwich, a plastic container of water, a cookie and chips. ``It's not a bad idea,'' said passenger Mike Phillips. ``But it's airline food - the quality is the same either way.''