‘Shrinkflation' hits luxe airport lounges — travel expert slams major airline for notable change

New York Post

30-04-2025

As if harried travelers didn't have enough on their plates.
'Shrinkflation' has apparently taken to the skies: American Airlines is being accused of only offering puny plates at its frequent-flyer lounges, presumably to cut back on culinary expenses.
'They want to make sure that customers eat less, or at least take less, in order to control food costs,' declared flight expert Gary Leff while dishing on the stingy measure in a recent piece for travel site View From the Wing. 'And they do this with very small plates.'
The Post reached out to American Airlines for comment.
The forced portion-control policy is allegedly offered at the AA Admirals Clubs, luxury lounges that feature various amenities, including personal travel assistance, shower suites and a full buffet.
4 'They (the plates) don't hold much food, and they don't do a great job of holding it in,' flight expert Gary Leff declared.
YouTube/Ryan's Reviews and Overviews
Day passes run flyers $79 or 7,900 AAdvantage miles while annual membership costs range from $850 (or 85,000 AAdvantage miles) for an individual and $1,600 (160,000 AAdvantage miles) for a household.
Despite their supposed ritzy reputations, the airport refuges seemingly skimp on serving sizes, per Leff, who said that the 'plates are so small that it's almost impossible not to make a mess.'
'They don't hold much food, and they don't do a great job of holding it in,' the fussy flyer warned. 'If you pick up food using tongs and place it in the plates, some items like salad invariably fall onto the ground.'
4 Leff ripped American Airlines over the stingy shift.
Instagram/garyleff
AA's so-called minimalist dish policy is especially problematic given that the lounges offer the same plates no matter if they're serving salad or supersized sausages.
Leff cited a submission from one reader who pointed out that the American Airlines Admirals Club in Charlotte 'is now serving full-size brats,' but the plates 'aren't any bigger and they don't fit.'
Included was a photo of the titanic tubesteak with both ends jutting off the dish.
4 The Admirals Club (pictured) offers members the chance to 'fill up on a variety of premium food and enjoy hearty regional dishes,' per the site.
Alex – stock.adobe.com
4 'They want to make sure that customers eat less, or at least take less, in order to control food costs,' declared Leff. 'And they do this with very small plates.'
Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The travel expert said that AA's diminutive dish doesn't exhibit the basic functions of a plate, which include keeping food off a table surface, grouping items together and providing 'a flat, often decorative space to arrange food attractively.'
But don't try hauling their complimentary vittles off in a to-go bag — Admirals Club members are prohibited from taking food, drink or periodicals away from the premises, per the lounge guidelines.
Leff attributed AA's one-size-fits-all approach to the carrier's strategy to, in the words of CEO Robert Isom during a 2022 speech, 'never spend a dollar more than we need to.'
He quipped that the airline could try and realize its recently announced mission of providing a more 'premium experience' and invest in dishware rather than just the food — which he noted was nothing to write home about either.
Leff isn't the only one railing against dish shrinkage — Redditors have also ripped the paltry portions at the Admiral's Club.
In 2022, one aggrieved air passenger wondered, 'Anyone else notice that the plates in the Admirals Club are now half the size?'
'Been in CLT [Charlotte Douglas International Airport], DFW [Dallas Fort Worth International Airport] and ATL [Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport] this week, and all have moved to the half-sized plates that hold two meatballs and six noodles (still need to confirm cheese cube capacity)?' they added.
'Maybe they are trying to discourage food waste, but I think it may increase cleaning costs bc I saw people dropping food from the tiny plates more often,' said another.
This comes as products from toilet paper to Costco cookies are reportedly being affected by so-called 'shrinkflation,' which occurs when a product's size or value is decreased yet still offered at the same retail price.