Continental Airlines said it will begin charging economy passengers for onboard meals this fall on most domestic and Canada routes and many Latin America flights.
The airline said it will continue to offer complimentary food in economy on intercontinental routes and on long-haul domestic flights over six hours.
"Our traditional free-food model has served us well for many years, but we need to change to reflect today's market and customer preferences," said Jim Compton, Continental’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer.
Continental had been a holdout among major U.S. airlines in offering free onboard meals.
