America West to Test Onboard Food Sales

America West Airlines will sell food to passengers in the coach sections of some flights in a three-week test starting Monday as a way to offer the service without raising fares.

The America West Holdings Corp. unit will offer food ranging from $3 snack boxes to $10 chicken Kiev, a spokeswoman said. The sales will be on about a dozen flights of 2 1/2 to three hours in the first week, the same number of flights of three to four hours the second week and about 10 flights longer than four hours the final week.

Phoenix-based America West and other carriers reduced food service on many flights to trim costs as travel demand slumped after the terrorist attacks. The carrier already offers free food service to first-class passengers as well as to coach travelers on some flights and will continue to do so, the spokeswoman said.