DON' T TAKE ICELAND AIR!!

lol!

On the other hand, the food and drink thing doesn't bother me, IF the planes run close to being on time, and if the PRICE is good and if staff are fairly ok, ( hey I don't expect them to fall over me with gratitude, just polite) . If flight on them was 100 dollars cheaper then airline that gives you crappy food then I would still take them since I consider all airline food pretty crappy and not worth 10 bucks. I bring my own usually. What was other criteria like, staff, price, etc. ?

I just flew them last month from Seattle to Iceland to Paris and they made it very clear on their website that they did not provide a meal. We brought our own food as did most of the people sitting around us. Water, pop, coffee, juice were provided free of charge. Don't remember about the headphones as we brought those also, but I know that other airlines charge for them also, plus each seat has their own personal movie screen. It was probably one of the more pleasant flights I have had in a long time and several hundred dollars cheaper than any other airlines. We also got seats in the exit rows for no additional cost which had quite a bit more legroom.

This thread should be on Trip Reports.

Did you read the description of the product you bought when you booked the ticket? It's all right here: http://www.icelandair.us/information/travel-guide/optional-service-and-fees/ If you want a meal on Iceland Air and don't want to pay on board, you can purchase Economy Comfort, which gives more legroom and an in flight meal/snack/headphones. Otherwise, if you are purchasing the super cheap fares and don't bring your own food/heaphones... well, then you pay. It's a whopping $20, if you decide to get it. The one thing I've got to say is that hot water is free and instant noodles from Uwajimaya is surprisingly good on a plane. Also, good luck finding any carrier that offers toothbrushes and booties to anyone outside of business class. Amenity kits are not handed out in economy.

I wondered if a meal was always served between N. America and Europe. I guess not. United serves a meal about an hour after takeoff, then snacks and a small meal shortly before landing when I fly SFO-LHR. All domestic flights I've been on in the past 10 years don't serve a meal, even if it's coast to coast (6 hrs). Usually lunch packs are available for about $7-10, but the choice is mostly junk food. I always take snacks with me.

That's great that you can choose a super cheap class and bring your own food, or pay more for economy comfort. We didn't have that option when we took Icelandic three years ago. Really enjoyed visiting Iceland, though.

The crap food that USAirways has served me on our trips to Europe would be better unloaded into the nearest trashcan rather than landing on my plate. Seriously, the best meal I ever had on USAirways was a Ham and Cheese Baguette with lettuce and tomato that we purchased in London Heathrow before takeoff. We were the envy of all the passengers sitting around us. Free airline food is usually just slop anyway. If you want something decent then buy it BEFORE you get on the plane.

Tim's comment is perfect. I long ago stopped expecting airline food, and when offered now I turn it down. I figure that if they offer food it just increased the fare, and it's still crap. On a recent flight to France my wife and I turned down dinner, and the flight attendant, not being surprised, said: "So you've eaten at this restaurant before."

Another hint for getting edible food on a plane: Order an ethnic meal for flights that offer meals. They can be hit or miss, but you know you'll end up with something more interesting than pasta with red sauce. On a flight out of NYC, my Kosher meal came with tuna rillet and a really good beef dish.

Andrea, I totally feel you. This happened to me with Iceland Air last year. I was SO pissed off. The problem is, when you buy these tickets off of Orbitz.com there is no description of the food so there was no way for me to notice ahead of time. I was standing in the queue to board and a woman mentioned how great it was that Iceland Air allowed 2 baggage pieces without extra pay, which is why there was no food. I was so shocked. I had about 3 minutes to run to a vendor and, well, the food in the airport there is very expensive!

Too bad about the IA grits. Used to take China Air to Asia quite often 10 years ago, and I thought I was dining at the Ritz! Don't know if they have cut back drastically like the other lines. But that was then, this is now. Sometimes we must remind ourselves that the airlines are like banks, computer manufacturers and TV stationsever aware of operating costs, making payroll and pleasing the stockholder. I think that ethnic meal idea might be workable. Recently, while flying Delta
(CDG to MSP), I looked longingly at the elderly Indian couple next to me as they addressed the very attractive trays of "ethnicity" handed them; the husband urged me to be patient, because "they will soon bring you something nice, too." It was something resembling a very tightly wrapped, simulated enchilada device that had a thick, dry crust. Could not detect from tasting or looking just what was inside. That smuggled-aboard cup of noodles with Delta's hot water might be a better idea next time.

I would be happy to take my couple hundred dollar savings and purchase my own food instead of the 'delightful' meals offered by most airlines. Also, I agree with others, if you do have a choice of food , often times ordering the vegetarian meal it is much better, plus you typically get served first.

I'm not a big fan of airlines, but I am somewhat sympathetic. If you go to great lengths to get the absolutely cheapest fare you can find, what do you expect? Of course they are going to be looking for ways to cut costs. That's what we are telling them we want.

This is fair warning to bring your own food. I appreciate that. Other airlines may follow suit. So, I will be aware. Thanks. The statement, "Don't take Iceland Air", is over the top.

"That smuggled-aboard cup of noodles with Delta's hot water might be a better idea next time." No need to "smuggle" anything. It is perfectly OK to bring your own food (as long as you aren't breaking any liquids rule).

"The problem is, when you buy these tickets off of Orbitz.com there is no description of the food so there was no way for me to notice ahead of time. " You won't find this on Orbitz or Cheapolocitedia etc.
But you should be able to go to the web site of the airline you will be flying and find there a description of what is provided on that flight meal-wise.

If you do bring your own food, please be considerate with the wrappings and leftovers. The only unpleasant flight we've had to Europe was a BA flight where there was no food because the food service was on strike. They gave us vouchers to purchase food at Heathrow. Not fun, when you have thousands of people all trying to do the same thing. But Starbucks Was up for the job, they just kept stocking the cold case with baguette sandwiches, good ones like chicken pesto. But some people brought the strangest stuff aboard, like hot food in takeout containers, and the plane got really messy with all the trash. Plus it was constantly noisy with all the wrapping and unwrapping and rustling of paper bags going on all the time, since there was no set meal time. We didn't get any sleep at all on that flight.

Why is this thread in the "To the West" section? Possibly the Transportation section, but really in "Trip Reports".

We've flown Icelandair twice, from Seattle to Paris and from Seattle to London, both via Reykjavik. It's about 7 hours from Seattle to Reykavik, overnight of course. I don't remember whether we bought their dinner food or brought our own, but their website specified what they offered for what price. Both times we got exit row seating for no additional cost (buying our tickets way early), smooth and pleasant flights, and the chance to clear Schengen passport control during a one-hour stopover in Iceland. For no additional fare we could have stayed longer in Iceland if we'd wanted to. And each time we saved about $1000 on roundtrip airfare vs. other carriers. Not a bad tradeoff for a stopover and, of course, no free food. Also, when volcanoes in Iceland prevented (two years in a row) our returning the same way, Icelandair speedily got us home on other airlines. We didn't fly Icelandair this year because we were 2 for 2 on volcanic correlation to our travels and wanted to see what would happen if we skipped Reykjavik. Sure enough, no eruption. And yes, this year Lufthansa fed us free while charging us a lot more. But I'd fly Icelandair again in a heartbeat if I weren't so suspicious about those volcanoes tracking our trips! ;)

Also, food for consumption on the plane often does not count toward your carry on limit (the one bag and one personal item). Check with your carrier, but that is the case with United and American. :)

Dick, tell me when you're travelling so I can plan on matching the time and getting "stuck" in France again due to a volcano. It happened to us 2 years ago and we got to spend 4 extra days in France. I'd be happy to do that again. And like you, my limited experience with Icelandair has been fine, and I'd be glad to fly it again if it works out. I don't even take food into consideration when choosing an airline. It's been many years since I've eaten anything on an airplane. Air France used to be quite good, with free Champagne. Even their food is pretty miserable now.

Bringing food on the plane....yes, you get to eat what you feel is way better than what they serve (I get a vegetarian meal and am always pleased)......but then you get stuck next to a smelly man with a smelly sandwich, only because for some reason you already have very bad motion sickness. It was the only time I actually lost my stomach on a plane. But really, he brought on what I think is a double onion sandwich. So there should be regulation as to what can be brought on a plane so that aroma toxicity does not take place. We are really in small spaces.
I guess there is power to reading the fine print writing in all kinds of flight situations. I guess I would have assumed they would have fed us on an international trip, because it is what we are used to. But really, if a flight is super cheap, you know there must have been some corners cut to make that fare cheap. Sorry you had a bad experience.

"but then you get stuck next to a smelly man with a smelly sandwich"
Yes, but I'll take my chances with a double onion sandwich over most airline food. The smell of the "cooked" airline meals in the rows in front and behind mine is often as bad as sitting near the lavatory. If only more people would special order a vegetarian meal like Kelly does it wouldn't be a problem.

I flew Icelandair for the first time in August this year while traveling between Seattle and Paris and thought they were wonderful. Even though I didn't purchase my tickets through the Icelandair website, I was fully aware of their policy regarding meals, headphones, etc. All it took was a quick a visit to their website, the information is readily available. I was really impressed with Icelandair when I arrived at SeaTac to leave for my trip without having chosen my seat assignment yet and figured I'd be stuck with a middle seat on both legs of my trip to Paris. Instead, they were able to give me window seats in exit rows for both flights to Paris, it was wonderful (I'm tall and extra leg room is a treat) and came with no extra charge to my economy fare. I would also like to add that while you may not get "free" food on board, the blankets on Icelandair are far more substantial and nice than blankets I've had on other economy flights with other airlines and they do give you complimentary bottled water and complimentary drinks (of the non-alcoholic variety) in the regular economy class. The drink cart came by at least twice on all the flight legs I had on Icelandair. And lastly...yes, they were on time and my checked luggage also arrived safe and sound.

Angela: "yes, they were on time and my checked luggage also arrived safe and sound." Frankly,that's all I care about anymore. I expect the seats to range from moderately uncomfortable to unbearable, the food to be nonexistent, friendly flight attendants (which still seems to be the rule despite the fact that they're all now underpaid and overworked), and hopefully some water. I just want them to get me there, and reasonably on time.

i did buy my ticket through orbitz and there was no indication that there was no meal provided. i did not check through the website b/c i have been on numerous intl. flights and they always provided food on trans oceanic flight... i.e. air new zealand and air berlin...economy class. i did not go w/ air iceland b/c it was cheaper, but because the route was more direct.

I don't get it. You saved money, flew a very safe and trusted airline with great service, and benefited from a more direct flight with an easy connection in Reykjavik, yet you want to dissuade others from flying Icelandair because of €5 baguettes and €2 headsets? I just flew with Icelandair 3 weeks ago, have flown with them before, will fly with them in the future, and will recommend them to anyone who asks. And I'll take that $200 in savings compared to everyone else and will spend €5 on a flippin' ham and cheese baguette (okay, it was pretty terrible actually, but the €3 oatmeal was fine). There are lots of things to complain about when it comes to flying, but this just isn't one of them as it relates to Icelandair. And just because you've flown on a few international flights doesn't really mean you have some unique perspective on the way things ought to be as far as service is concerned. I've flown on lots of airlines, and I'll rank Icelandair among the top on my own personal list of favorites. No, they're not Singapore or Emirates, but they're pretty darn good for transatlantic. BTW, Icelandair used to provide free food, but after the collapse of Iceland's economy and near collapse of the airline itself, a few changes were in order (just like in the U.S. and elsewhere). I just can't imagine paying $200 more so you can fly a worse airline just to get a free pile of crap to eat. Whatever. Whose fault is it for not spending one minute on Icelandair's website to quickly learn about connections, carry-on allowances, checked baggage allowances, food, etc. before clicking the buy button on orbitz? It's all right there. Weren't you mildly curious about some of these things? I say, "TAKE ICELANDAIR!!"

michael, read more carefully and you will see that i DID NOT save money by flying Iceland Air, but i chose it because the hours were more convenient. they were not the cheapest flight.

I have not yet flown Iceland Air, but would not hesitate to do so. I take my own noise-cancelling headphones (the plug is the same size), and I always carry whatever I need in the way of in-flight toiletries. I don't need an eye mask or a toothbrush or booties. And I always have something in the way of food with me, too. That's just part of what I, as an experienced traveler, do to make my flight more comfortable. Not having food without warning (although the warning was there if you looked at the airline website - something else I always do) is an inconveniece. But it is not in the same league with unexpectedly canceled or delayed flights, lost luggage, bad safety record, or terrible customer service/personnel. You said their schedule suited you better than your other options, in fact. I don't see your experience as a reason not to use the airline.

maybe i'll write orbitz because orbitz actually asks you what type of meal you'd prefer on the flight. with that being said, how would an orbitz customer realize that even though they are asking what meal you'd prefer, you do not get fed? had it not said anything about meals, i would have investigated. had we not started the flight in amsterdam and ended the flight in l.a. with stops in iceland and seattle, i might not have been as irritated. and had many other airlines not provided food on trans oceanic flight i wouldn't have been as shocked. for future reference, what other airlines don't feed you on trans oceanic flights?

Please sign me up for a "yes" vote for flying Icelandair. My wife and I have flown them and they are very professional, clean airplanes and have courteous flight attendants who are there for safety reasons and not particulary for being our servants. Thank you Icelandair for great service and we will be flying Icelandair again in May 2013.

So your gripe is actually with the third party, orbitz, as they didn't inform you of what you would be missing - not with the airline which makes it perfectly clear? But all those shouting capital letters and exclamation marks!!!! People who read and search this Helpline for years to come will think you are condemning and damning the airline which gave you the better schedule, and they probably won't read onto the second page where you say its actually orbitz that you are mad at. You can edit the title of your thread, you know... that way the true source of your ire would be identified.

i still think the airline stinks because they don't feed you on a trans oceanic flight. people say that's common. it hasn't been a problem in my multiple international flights before. i'm curious to hear which airlines don't feed you on a trans oceanic flight.

I flew with IcelandAir three consecutive summers - 2008, 09, 10 - and had a great experience. 2008 had typical airline food, which is to say, not great, but it filled a spot in the stomach. But that year you had to pay a fee to watch a movie. TV shows were free. in 09 they switched and made the media free but cut the food. We were unaware of the change and a little taken aback. Fortunately, we always travel with snacks to help make the trip more comfortable, so we were fine. It just wasn't a very balanced way to eat. In 2010 we came prepared with better snacks. In each case, we flew IcelandAir because it was the cheapest option for us - generally about $100pp cheaper than any alternative. The three trips involved 12 flights and every one of them was on time with a clean plane and pleasant service. I don't ask for more than that. In 2012, we chose a different airline - Aer Lingus - because for whatever reason, they were cheaper than IcelandAir. But I would be happy to fly with them again any time they offer the cheapest flight. Also, you have the chance to eat at the airport in Keflavik between flights if you wish.

Here is a hint... do some research before you hit buy. If inedible food is really important pick an airline that serves it. (I find most airline food not worth the hysteria OP does). And most of us routinely go 8 hours or so without food. It is called sleep. Unless you have a medical issue you won't die.

Well yes, seems complaint should be with Orbitz and not making it clear what the meal situation is. I don't bother eating airline food if I can avoid it, so sorry , can't sympathize too much with your need for airline food( it is so gross , what do you miss about it) but I do understand if you were not told by Orbitz you didn't have time to pack a meal, that would be annoying . Earphones are not free on Airtransat, but I don't care, I bring my own anyways, but even if they are 2 bucks, really does it matter. I fly by price usually and fewest stops, so any good combo of cheap and few stops wins me.

I never really had considered Icelandic as a transatlantic carrier, maybe never had any reason to do so but now knowing it provides hot meal service only at extra cost doesn't make that airline endearing to me. It had better have other incentives for me to choose Icelandic. Paying extra for wine/beer, headset for movies/music, snack box, I don't do on any flight, be it one hour or eleven hours. Luckily, direct flights from the West Coast are ca. ten hours since the wind is at your back...bearable without the meal but better with it .

For all those who say i shouldn't have assumed i'd be fed on a trans oceanic flight, i'm still waiting to hear what other major airlines, outside of budget ones such as Ryanair and Easyjet, charge for a meal on a trans oceanic flight. if you can't name any than maybe you are the ignorant customer who assumes you won't get fed on a trans oceanic flight when really the majority of flights prove otherwise.

Apart from my first trip, all the others have been with a major airline, and I've always assumed I would be fed a hot meal. I was and never charged extra. Actually that never occured to me. The last four trips I flew with British Airways. After the first time in 2009, I picked them again for their service, consistency, arr. time in London, professionalism. Since it's a ten hour flight, I expect a hot meal at no additional charge.

OK, so you were suprised (or in your words shocked) that you would have to pay a bit extra for a meal. What is the big deal with that? You could choose among several options to suit your taste. Is that really a reason to SHOUT!!!! that no one should fly on this airline, which actually has a good reputation for safety, reliability, and service? No.

SASHA, I DISAGREE WITH YOU!! lol !

Let me start this by saying that Andrea is correct; a lot of major airlines (I hesitate to say "most") do still offer complimentary meals on international flights of 6 hours or more. However, with the airline industry like it is today, I wouldn't assume that that will continue to be the case. One should never assume anything today. In any case, I don't think that whether or not the airline serves a "complimentary" meal is a good way to choose an airline. Many other factors that are much more important should be used. And I also think that to trash an airline (DON'T TAKE ICELAND AIR!!) for such a petty reason is uncalled for. I flew Iceland Air to Europe and back this summer and I was pleased with their service, crew, performance, etc. and would definitely fly them again. They were the cheapest flight I could find for my itinerary and saved me upwards of $200 over other airlines - decision made. I was aware that no free meal was offered and brought my own food onboard. Research is key, "know before you go" is my motto. Oh, and by the way, this post should be moved to "Transportation", it really has nothing to do with western Europe.

Andrea, A few years ago, United announced that they would stop offering free meals on their flights from Dulles to Europe. Instead, one would have to buy meals. They stated this would be a "benefit" to customers as they would be able to choose "better" meals for a fee. There were so many complaints, that United reversed its decision within weeks of the announcement. Most of the major airlines do still offer free meals on transatlantic flights, but after I got this announcement, I stopped assuming that they all did. I do understand your frustration; however, I think many of the strong reactions are due to the headline of this post. If the headline had stated, "Iceland Air charges for meals and headphones", I don't think there would have been such a strong reaction. Unfortunately, with all the airlines you now have to read the fine print before you buy and not assume that anything extra is included. Some charge for luggage, some for drinks, some for headphones, some for meals, etc. Ryanair charges to print a boarding pass. You have to factor these extra costs and inconveniences in and decide if the flight is still "worth it" to you. I don't like it either, but the airline industry is what it is.

Sashas and Nancys points are the point, its not that we all disagree that a transalantic flight should include a meal but that you actually think its enough of a reason to say "DONT TAKE ICELAND AIR". Avoiding an airline for such a petty reason is simply nitpicking. Some sympathize with you because you were not informed ( becuase you did not book directly with airline) but no one , and I mean no one seems to think its enough of a discouragment from using an airline IF all other things are satisfactory, service, on time, and safety.

Buy a decent set of head phones and a couple of sandwiches with the ticket savings on the flight. I assume at least it was somewhat cheaper than the flight that would feed you. But i do understand. I once got stranded with air Canada in Toronto for nearly 20 hours. When we finally got on a flight, exhausted, Hungary and somewhat angry the first thing they did was try and sell me a sandwich for $5, but all i had was a $100 bill and they wanted exact change. This was prior to 911 when you could voice your dissatisfaction robust and with colorful descriptive terms. I don't fly air Canada any more. I am In Hungary as we speak. Flew United on a short hop in the states then Luthansa to FRA and after a change, on to Budapest. Our first flight on United was canceled while we were driving to the airport but when we arrived to check baggage and get our boarding passes the staff had been notified to keep an eye out for us as the staff had taken the liberty to book us on not one but two backup options. They didn't want us to miss the Frankfurt connection. We had to run but we caught an earlier flight and made our connection in Houston thanks to this fine United staff. Both airlines had free food and really brilliant service.

Sasha, i'm not sure which airline i'll take next , but i'm not going to patronize an airline that doesn't provide standard service that other major carriers do. the flight was not the cheapest one and i only selected that flight because it was more convenient by a few hrs but not many. i still think it's wrong that over the course of a 17hr trip between amsterdam and los angeles there is no hot food provided when you've paid alot of money for the ticket. in addition, although people seem to be upset how i judged the airline and that i used capital letters, it served the purpose by catching people's attention, and it is my advice and my opinion. take it or leave it.

" if you can't name any than maybe you are the ignorant customer who assumes you won't get fed on a trans oceanic flight when really the majority of flights prove otherwise" Assuming you won't get fed (and taking your own food) isn't "ignorant", it is "prepared". If you get fed, so much the better.

i flew iceland air on my first trip to euroland. i paid to choose my seat and upon checking in, was not only not given the seat i had paid to choose, i was given a middle seat. i didnt realize this until i had stepped onto the plane and looked at my boarding pass to double check the row. fortunately, there were many many full empty rows on the plane so this didnt end up being a big issue. as far as the food and drink - i always bring my own drinks on flights and at the time, i had no clue that there are airlines still offering meals on transatlantic flights. so i didnt even realize i missed out. their seats are TINY. really really TINY. i will say this though, i am glad i took them because it made aerlingus seem like a luxury flight.

Yes, this topic has generalted a lot of interest, but to me it is because her reasons for flying Icelandair are so mysterious. She says "i chose it because the hours were more convenient. they were not the cheapest flight."
OK, makes sense, but I think it actually was the cheapest of the "reasonable" flights available. I was just checking prices for a trip to Paris we are considering for next spring. From Seattle , I found lots of flights on Kayak for $1277 to $1280, on American, British, even Lufthansa. But every single one of those involved a ridiculous return time of 24 hours or more, in other words a long (12 hours or more) layover in Frankfurt, Heathrow, etc. That is a waste of time, and I wouldn't even consider it myself. Scrolling past all those non-starters, the first possible flight one comes to ista da! Icelandair at $1323, and a reasonable flight time (14 or 15 hours) with one stop in each direction. The next level is the regular British Air flight at $1675, or $340 more. So I would say Icelandair IS the cheapest, at least of the reasonable options. Checking from LA, I found the same situation, with one exception. There were pages and pages of flights on American, etc. for $1221, all with a return flight time of 24 hours or more. Scroll past those and you come to a "multiple airlines" option for $1310. This uses a flight on Air New Zealand to Heathrow, and Air France or BA from there to Paris. The times are very reasonable. This must be a promotional thing by Air New Zealand or something, and it must not have been available when Andrea booked her flights. I guess my point is just that it probably WAS the cheapest of the reasonable flights, so paying an extra 6 or 10 euros for a meal is trivial, and not worth dissing the airline.

I'll concede that Andrea does make a good point when she says it's just her opinion and that others can take it or leave it. It's sort of like Rick's advice – some of it just doesn't make sense, but he always says that it's just his opinion. You can agree or disagree. I disagree with her. As for the 50+ replies, it's just a slow week in the weather department. Nothing but upper 70s and sunny every day in Iowa. Lovely but boring. :)

Ah, but shouting "Don't Take Iceland Air!!!" is not an opinion, it is an imperative, an order not to be disregarded. I understand she does not like the airline after this experience, but I wonder where she will find better, for the price.

"Over 50 posts telling a woman how stupid she is for stating an opinion contrary to ours." As usual, James creates his own reality. In fact, no one (at least that I can recall) has said anything so blatantly James-like as "stupid". In fact, several people have offered some measure of sympathy for the loss of an expected "free" meal. The problem here is not that Andrea has an opinion. The problem is that Andrea's title suggests what everyone else's opinion ought to be as well. And yes, I suspect the popularity of this thread is mostly due to boredom over what else there is to comment on...

Michael: "Nothing but upper 70s and sunny every day in Iowa. Lovely but boring. :)" Did you give away a secret as to Iowa's microclimate? It sounds like the next San Diego. As to the original post, I'd be happy to fly an international airline that doesn't serve any food at all. I no longer touch airline food anyway, and would be happy not to have to smell what is wafting through the cabin as others are served.

Our family loves Icelandair! We saved $600 per person compared to Delta on the Minneapolis-Paris route. For our family of 5 that was an extra week in France. Plus they absolutely fawned over our three young kids. The staff were accommodating, professional and loved introducing Americans To Icelandic culture and customs. Paying 25 euros for ham sandwiches was a small price to pay. Fwiw.

There's one good reason for taking Icelandair that no one has mentioned: You want to go to Iceland.

Good point, Frank II. Robert: I was in San Diego again a couple of months ago, and the weather is great, but...I have always argued that Iowa is, perhaps, one of the most beautiful places to be this time of year. Nothing but blue skies, warm days, cool nights, non-existent humidity, the corn/soybean harvest in full swing, fall colors like you'll see nowhere else, Cyclone and Hawkeye football. It's hard to beat. Come here in a typical winter, however, and you'll want to leave ASAP...normally a frozen tundra (last year was an exception unless global warming has permanently changed our climate here).

Robert and Michael, I'm in San Diego right now, and the weather is great, ...I have always argued that San Diego is, perhaps, one of the most beautiful places to be this time of year or any time of year for that matter. Nothing but blue skies, warm days, cool nights, non-existent humidity, the avocado harvest in full swing, fall colors like you'll see nowhere else if you drive up to Julian in the mountains, Charger and Aztec football. It's hard to beat. Come here in a typical winter, however, and you'll want to stay...normally temperatures in the 60-70's, however if one desires snow it is a half hour drive to the mountains, no where else I know of can one go to the beach in the morning and go to snow in the afternoon.

Orange County?

Seattle. I've done it- a a ski in the morning, beach in the afternoon.

Andrea - I just flew round trip Seattle to Amsterdam in June via Iceland Air. My true destination was Switzerland, but I wanted to visit Iceland. There was no comparison in the cost of Iceland Air vs. all other carriers to stop in Iceland. The difference was more than $1000 more with anyone else. That said, yes, it was disappointing to spend 7 hours on a flight where I had to buy a meal. And, they only fly 757s, single aisle planes, so it was a tad claustrophobic. But, otherwise, they were polite, efficient and treated their passengers well. Since Los Angeles is not one of there destinations (Denver is the farthest west they fly in the US except for Seattle) I can only wonder why you chose them instead of another major carrier like Delta, United, etc. that could have provided you a more direct flight A little research would have saved you a lot of anger, which is not warranted.

I had to laugh at this thread. My husband and I flew Icelandair in September. We loved stopping in Iceland for 3 days at no additional cost and were prepared for the "no meals for free" policy. The funny comes in on the flight home. We just assumed all airlines had the same policy and we were flying home on American air miles. We bought sandwiches in the Paris airport so that we would not starve on the flight only to be given 2 meals on the flight from Paris to Boston. (and free alcohol). Obviously, we did not need our sandwiches. They were confiscated at customs in Boston (because they had bacon on them) I would fly both of these airlines again, I am all about cheap fares and Iceland air tends to be the lowest price from Seattle to Europe.

Sam, what were you doing on Feb. 10th of this year? one thing's for sure, you weren't sitting next to me, in L.A., researching return flights for July from Amsterdam to L.A., so you don't know how much research I did, or what flights were available on which carriers then. Since you seem to have time on your hands to troll a message board and topic that was last discussed 3 weeks ago, why don't YOU do research and provide a list of major airline carriers, in addition to Iceland Air, who do not provide meals on trans-oceanic flights. HINT: Connie pointed out that American Airlines is not one of them, as they provide 2 meals, and neither is Air Berlin, who provided us with 2 meals also from LAX to Zurich. Maybe when you see how short that list is, you'll understand why I, and many others on the flight, were so irritated and suprised by the sub standard service Iceland Air provided, or maybe...you'll never get it.

I just returned from Paris on Air France. The flights were great. The food was horrible. I should have brought my own, as I could not find much on the tray that I could even eat! I have taken British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, much the same awful food. Get me here safely and I will
bring my own food and snacks!! Happy Travels!!

Okay, we get it. You're really angry that Icelandair made you spend $10 and buy a meal. We get it you're really angry that Expedia didn't warn you about this. Okay,we get it you don't want anyone else to take Icelandair because you didn't get a free meal. It's been about a month. Is it really worth it to your health to keep up the anger and stress it causes? Over a stupid airline meal that probably wouldn't have been that good anyway? For your own sake, let it go. If this is the worse thing that ever happened to you in your travels consider yourself lucky.

Frank, agreed! ( :

I will never get it Andrea, you didn't get a meal.. thats it.. you haven't complained about anything else regarding the flight, just you didn't get a meal,, my goodness, that is so much anger about what most of us really think is a big nothing. Its a meal. It would have cost you what, ten bucks to buy a meal,, its such a non issue.

I just flew with them last month and can tell you that prices on their menu range from €3 for oatmeal to around €5 for a ham and cheese baguette up to around €12 or so for a chicken entrée. So, yes, it's hardly going to break the budget. Prices are also listed in krónur, so maybe that's how it seemed like a bad deal (you know – that baguette is like 5 million krónur – I can never figure it out). :)

Responding to the comment of one poster, it's true that you must pay extra $$ to buy any snacks or food on Iceland Air. However, for us, flying Iceland Air is well worth it because they are MUCH MORE affordable than any of the other airlines. We flew Iceland Air last October 2012 from Seattle to Europe. And we plan to fly again from Seattle to Europe again....the savings for 3 of us is $1,200. (ALL the other airlines were at least $400 MORE per person.) If we're saving $1,200 in airfare, I am more than willing to pay some $$ for food, snacks. And I bring my own earphones to listen to the movies. And they have an excellent safety record, so no compromising there either.

Love iceland air from Minneapolis and will continue to use. We did not get fed last year on our trip to France, but their rates and service make up for that inconvenience. J&D

Please people! It's been six months! Let sleeping dogs lie...