US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - United Upgrades 1st Class, while US Burns

From My United e-mail this AM:

"We are taking a step back in time to the days of more
luxurious air travel. By restoring travel amenities you may
have missed and introducing additional niceties, we hope to
make your future domestic United First(R) flights more
pleasurable.

Enjoy the following enhancements in United First:

<> Refresher towels on flights longer than 2 hours

<> Linen tray table liners during meals on flights longer
than 2.5 hours

<> Warmed, mixed nuts during lunch and dinner on flights
longer than 2.5 hours

<> Hot meals for lunch and dinner on flights longer
than 2.5 hours

<> After-dinner ice cream sundaes on flights longer
than 3.5 hours

Look for these service improvements when you fly United
First this year."

I guess if I cash any miles in I'll ASK to be put on United! Does everyone else think U has the worst domestic 1st Class in the industry?

Yes I would agree that US's first class ameneties (especially the plastic cups) are the worst in the industry. Also they have cut meals and other ameneties from short flights, although I don't know how unique they are in this regard. They have also made several service cutbacks on the shuttle while keeping prices stable/raising fares. These include:
*Often no Sam Adams bottled beer;
*Ellimination of lunch/dinner delli sandwich snack which was previously offered;
*Ellimination of the Fox News Now program previously shown on week day flights;
*Generally making the shuttle just like a main line flight, instead of a notch above which it used to be even in a 1 class configuration.
I remember the days of the Trump Shuttle when a high quality box lunch/sandwich snack was served on evry flight. Also the Pan Am Shuttle and DL Shuttle would serve snacks (including cheese and crackers) in a whicker type basket on evry flight. both shuttles offered bottled beer.
Now what I do if I have any time what so ever is shlep in BOS over to Legal Seafoods (in a different concourse) and get a chowder to bring on board for lunch/dinner.

*Ellimination of the Fox News Now program previously shown on week day flights;


This is actually a bonus IMNSHO! Fair and Balanced my *ss....

This is actually a bonus IMNSHO! Fair and Balanced my *ss....

I actually choked on my drink laughing at this one. :D

While maybe Fox News is not your number 1 choice at home, at least it would give you the 2-3 major headlines of the day. And it was cool that you had a real time same day news cast on the plane. I think it would get updated twice daily.

This is actually a bonus IMNSHO! Fair and Balanced my *ss....

Just like that other network that brought you Peter Arnett and the Tailwind report...

All opinions respected, but this is not OMNI :D

After seeing the positive changes at UA and flying AA for a year it has become really clear to me that US has very little to offer to me given my flying patterns and the competition. UA first was better than US first before this announcement now the difference will be even more pronounced. Similar at AA. And the shuttle, even with the new first class it cant compare to the train since most of my shuttle flights (almost all) are NY-DC not BOS. So I cancelled my shuttle tickets for early next month and rebooked on the train. I want that free Amtrak club membership!!

I flew US F class last year, and I was rater shocked at what was offered. Plastic cups for drinks, styrofoam cups for coffee. I would say they should re-brand it as Deluxe Economy, and not First Class!

I flew US F class last year, and I was rather shocked at what was offered. Plastic cups for drinks, styrofoam cups for coffee.

It's been said a thousand times. They can probably get away with the cheap-o FC service on a short hop from DCA to CLT or some other shorter/high frequency routes but to offer that level of service on a transcon REALLY negatively differentiates US from AA, DL, UA et al.

If all the other Big Six airlines still have it with in themselves to serve with glass cups, how can US get away with this? I don't like paper cups on the shorter routes unless I was paying dirt cheap rates which I'm not. I'm paying more for air travel than say 5 years ago. It seems too bad that US's customers let it get away with the plastic cups with little to no protest. Just a few letters sent to Consumer Affairs, they probably don't really care. But how could they stand alone in this degridation?

I think actions speak louder than words. We roaches can inundate Consumer Affairs with scathing missives about the lack of "class" in "first," but who really thinks this will effect any positive change? I don't anticipate a resumption of true first class service until or unless the high rev VFF's actually start sending in receipts for paid F on other carriers. Then -- and only then -- will US get the picture.

It seems too bad that US's customers let it get away with the plastic cups with little to no protest.

The protest is not in their front yard where they can see it. The protest is the number of high-revenue flyers who silently walk from an inferior product. You'll never get a bad opinion of your grandmother if you ask one of your cousins. Ask the neighbor down the street and you're likely to get a more valid and candid response. Of course, you may not like what you hear....

leave my grandmother out of this

I'm sorry, I used to think that HP had reached the ultimate low regarding the F cabin, but US has replaced HP as the worst! EVEN HP, the low fare airline, has reintroduced REAL glassware and silverware in First, serves real meals, ie large salad with warmed chicken, and offers warmed nuts (even though in a plastic bag, still a nice touch).

If HP, (airline code used to stand for the only available meal in F, the infamous Hot Pocket) has been able to turn around their F product, than US should be able to as well! But no, even in Trans-atlantic business class, US still has the nerve to offer PLASTIC "silver"ware to business class customers!!! If a low fare carrier is offering a superior product to US, then what does this say about US?!?!?! :mad:

I flew transcon in UA First (outbound) and Business (return) last month, and it was awful. The FA didn't get the hot fudge exactly in the center of my sundae. :D