US Airways Dividend Miles - Those meals on trans-atlantic flights: why bother?

Flew PHL-CDG yesterday. I normally fly domestic/Carribean, so this was my first US flight to Europe. The flight was fine overall, and I didn't even expect to be fed, so this really isn't a complaint as much as it is a "huh???".

I was given a choice of pasta and chicken. I ordered the pasta. It was the worst pasta I have ever had (and I've eaten some pasta!). The pasta was so over-cooked that it had the consistency of mashed potatoes. It had little sauce, too.

Hoping for something salvageable, I opened the side dish: pasta salad! It was mediocre, at best -- but that's not the point. The point is: who serves pasta as a side dish and a main course?

The complete lack of thought and quality makes me wonder: why does US even bother to serve meals?

I was given a choice of pasta and chicken. I ordered the pasta. It was the worst pasta I have ever had (and I've eaten some pasta!). The pasta was so over-cooked that it had the consistency of mashed potatoes. It had little sauce, too.

Hoping for something salvageable, I opened the side dish: pasta salad! It was mediocre, at best -- but that's not the point. The point is: who serves pasta as a side dish and a main course?

Hah - I wonder if the chicken would have come with a side of chicken salad?

I actually liked US' economy-class pasta dishes on the few times I've had them - they've been excessively salty but otherwise good. UA's on the other hand, was absolutely terrible last week heading to MUC.

Was this the big trip with the g/f? I'm assuming you didn't upgrade... Did you at least enjoy the Envoy lounge and get some food and drink there?

Once again, US cannot win.

If they serve airline food, it's not good enough because it's typical airline food.

If they yanked the food and served nothing -- or charged for higher quality food either on the plane or through a fare hike -- the same people would be complaining about what a "rip off" it is.

So wonder of wonders, they ignore criticism on this point altogether.

If they serve airline food, it's not good enough because it's typical airline food.

If they yanked the food and served nothing -- or charged for higher quality food either on the plane or through a fare hike -- the same people would be complaining about what a "rip off" it is.

What I was served on my flight was not typical airline food. I've had plenty of meals on other airlines (in coach) and the food varies from surprisingly good to mediocre. I'll accept mediocre in coach anytime. But what I was served on my flight was just horrible. I'm not expecting gourmet meals -- but when the food is worse than Chef-Boy-R-Dee, I have to draw the line. :)

If they yanked the food and served nothing -- or charged for higher quality food either on the plane or through a fare hike -- the same people would be complaining about what a "rip off" it is.

There is a small problem--their competition serves food. Many (including myself) tend to believe that it's better food, even in the back. So long as the competition is delivering said food at an equal or lower price point, the question naturally becomes "why can't US do it?"

So wonder of wonders, they ignore criticism on this point altogether.

If you believe what Team Tempe puts out, that's not true. Or, if it is, I can't help but wonder why they've made public statements to the effect that they are trying to improve the food in both coach and Envoy over the pond.

Allow me to quote what LCC had to say to it's preferred VFFs on the subject (http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/aboutus/pressroom/service_enhancements.aspx?c=eml_dm_prefnewsletter_ 05102007_fleettxt&Redir=Email):

Through the fall, we'll be making a series of upgrades to your onboard experience, especially on our transcontinental and transatlantic flights. Here are some of the things we'll be doing:

Transatlantic Envoy Class

* Better meals, snacks and wine
* Fully-adjustable seats on our Boeing fleet (near lie-flat on B767s) with adjustable headrests, 60" pitch and 110 volt AC power
* New personal video and audio entertainment devices with on-demand entertainment options (B757s and B767s)
* Refreshed cabin interior with new sidewalls, dividers, overhead bin doors, lavatories and carpet on our Boeing fleet
* Improved in-flight service procedures to enhance the overall experience

Transatlantic Economy Class

* Better meals and snacks
* Test premium wine for sale by the glass
* New leather seats (B757s and B767s)
* New LCD flat screens and digital media file servers for better video and audio entertainment (B757s and B767s)
* Refreshed cabin interior with new sidewalls, dividers, overhead bin doors, lavatories and carpet on our Boeing Fleet


So do they ignore all criticism? What they say would indicate not. Did they execute with any degree of acumen to fix the problem? The jury (at least according to the OP and others) is still out.

I'd submit that chicken pasta with a side of pasta salad is not a well executed upgrade, even by "airline food" standards. YMMV. It could be that Tempe has a very relative view of "better." YMM still V.

US can win, if Team Tempe is serious about trying.

Once again, US cannot win.

If they serve airline food, it's not good enough because it's typical airline food.

If they yanked the food and served nothing -- or charged for higher quality food either on the plane or through a fare hike -- the same people would be complaining about what a "rip off" it is.

So wonder of wonders, they ignore criticism on this point altogether.

While I agree that US cannot win with some posters (and cannot do wrong by others), a review of tommyleo's posts will remind you that he is certainly neither of those, but instead provides objective viewpoints, both positive and negative, when deserved. ;)

Exactly. The worst point brought up is the pasta entree served with a side of pasta salad.

That's comparable to the vegetarian meal someone posted about on UA in C I believe. The starter was an unappealing salad and the main course included a larger portion of the same salad. Ridiculous.

Exactly. The worst point brought up is the pasta entree served with a side of pasta salad.

That's comparable to the vegetarian meal someone posted about on UA in C I believe. The starter was an unappealing salad and the main course included a larger portion of the same salad. Ridiculous.

That vegetarian meal is actually worse than what I got pasta-wise. At least I got two different kinds of pasta. :D

US can win, if Team Tempe is serious about trying.

I remember seeing a photo in About US showing the taste testing of the new meals, so it does appear they are serious.

Although, addressing the OP's point, I once suggested that US charge an extra 20 dollars or so for a premium meal and I also remember having the pasta salad thrown back at me. ;) Airline food is what it is, and although I never liked the pasta dishes, it amazes me to see my seatmates sucking it down.

The complete lack of thought and quality makes me wonder: why does US even bother to serve meals?Probably because they have to compete with all the Euro carriers who do.

Their "breakfast" is also incredible...

The meals sound the same as what they were serving in Dec. I did 2 MR's, for both (PHL-MUC), the choice was 'pasta' or 'beef.' Since I don't eat beef (let alone airplane beef), I opted for the 'pasta' and got the pasta with a teaspoon of red sauce, together with the side of pasta salad. On the next MR, PHL-MUC, I again got the pasta, but the side was something like a hummus with pita crackers (an improvement). On that return (FRA-PHL), the choices were pasta or chicken. I should have stuck with the safe pasta....I got the chicken; it tasted fine going down, but not so good coming up the next day.

I agree, I'd rather pay for a half decent meal, rather than what they served in coach. Very odd. Plus that strange bearclaw thing before landing in Europe; of course I ate it since I was hungry, but it really tasted bad.

What I was served on my flight was not typical airline food. I've had plenty of meals on other airlines (in coach) and the food varies from surprisingly good to mediocre. I'll accept mediocre in coach anytime. But what I was served on my flight was just horrible. I'm not expecting gourmet meals -- but when the food is worse than Chef-Boy-R-Dee, I have to draw the line. :)

Order the low-sodium option. It's always miles ahead of the standard Y fare.

Order the low-sodium option. It's always miles ahead of the standard Y fare.

Now there's a good idea. Do I need to call in, or can it be done online? Also, are there any other "special meal" options?

Now there's a good idea. Do I need to call in, or can it be done online? Also, are there any other "special meal" options?

I've done it at booking both online and on the phone. I don't see a place to enter the selection on the site today.

A dissenting opinion does not a complainer make.

I agree with Tommyleo who suggests that the US TA coach menu is in general, underwhelming. I long ago learn to mostly avoid the pasta on LGW and MAD flights. Likewise I characterize the chicken as unremarkable though I will say that I feel the problem lies more with the outbound catering. I recently have some chicken which wasn't half bad on the LGW-PHL return. As to Envoy, the food is better than coach, and sometimes it's very good. But the experience is an uneven one which you can overlook as you relax and recline and keep the wine flowing.

As CB4 notes, US is not operating in a vacuum. There are other airlines out there and the menu product varies. The point is that some other carriers do indeed put forward a good coach menu ( BA comes to my mind from personal experience as a carrier who offered good coach food fare, though I speak some 2 years past & only assume that BA continues to do a good job). US says they have a new product. We judge them according to their words and promises made. What's wrong with doing so?

I'd like to think that most of the folks here are savvy travelers who understand how to balance expectations with aviation reality ( which means things don't always work out when you fly ). Indeed attributes such as food and decor are aesthetic entities about which not everyone will agree. But the OP's remarks address issues of quality as well as asking that his pasta not feel like mashed potatoes. Don't promise what you're not going to deliver.

Order the low-sodium option. It's always miles ahead of the standard Y fare.

Just curious. What sort of food fare do they serve with the low sodium menu? I'm always looking for other options.

Barry

fwiw, I've flown LH, US, and CO across the pond in 07. And as far as economy food goes, they're all equally horrible. At least LH gets you liquored up to ease the pain a bit (but their food can be horrible. Don't ever order the turkey :rolleyes:).

You're better off eating before you get on the plane if you can.

I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience with the food in coach on the transatlantic flights. Not that it would excuse US for the poor quality of the OPs meal but it hardly seems fair to crucify US for one bad meal. However, if this is more common rather than the exception that's a different story...

I flew to LGW in June and from what I remember, the meal wasn't great but I don't remember having a similar experience as the OP either. YMMV.

fwiw, I've flown LH, US, and CO across the pond in 07. And as far as economy food goes, they're all equally horrible. At least LH gets you liquored up to ease the pain a bit (but their food can be horrible. Don't ever order the turkey :rolleyes:).

You're better off eating before you get on the plane if you can.


Have to agree on this point - and add AA to the list as well. I flew AA ZRH-JFK a few days ago on a worn out 767-300, and actually prefer the US Economy meals, as shocking as that may be.

The AA meal was served on a smaller half size tray with some incinerated chicken and soggy potato squares, and accompanied by a sour cabbage slaw and a one inch square of dried out carrot cake. Also AA does not serve any peanuts/pretzels with the drink service, even on Trans Atlantic.

Luckily we had planned in advance and brought along some fresh sandwiches from a cafe at the ZRH airport... I had actually expected more from AA. Just goes to show the grass isn't always greener... Especially the condition of this 767, which had no working reading lights in the aft coach cabin, broken headrests, magical dinging call bells for 9 hours, and an inop movie monitor.

Had flown over to Europe in US Envoy to FRA, so the return was quite the opposite experience!

I'm lactose intolerant so I ordered a non-lactose meal for my PHL-MAD flight on US a couple weeks ago. The regular dinner was a choice of chicken or pasta. I got white rice with carrots and grean beans. Although I was disappointed there was no meat, it would have been fine, but it had absolutely NO flavor at all. The salt and pepper helped a little. The side salad included ranch dressing made with milk. Ugh.

On the return I got the rice, carrots, and green beans dish again but with a chicken breast on top. This time it had flavor and wasn't bad. It came with a cous-cous salad thing and a fruit cup. The regular lunch was a choice of chicken or cheese lasagna.

The regular snack before landing was a ham and swiss (I think) sandwich on a french roll. I got a turkey cucumber sandwich on white bread. It was small, but good.

US's list of special meals looks quite extensive (compared to UA). I think you have to call to request it; I don't think you can request it online.

I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience with the food in coach on the transatlantic flights. Not that it would excuse US for the poor quality of the OPs meal but it hardly seems fair to crucify US for one bad meal. However, if this is more common rather than the exception that's a different story...
Meals are hit-or-miss (in my experience). The best advice is to eat before you get on the plane and then hope for the best.

I better get a good meal to FRA and back from FRA today/tomorrow :) or else I'm calling the sandcastle and tell them their "promised improvements" aren't working...

This might make me receive a little bit of flaming, but I'll ask nonetheless. I'm flying PHL-MAD in a couple weeks and I've read about the food and it doesn't sound too promising. So, I was thinking about ordering maybe the Moslem meal. Hummus can't be screwed up too badly, I'd hope. Anyway...if they don't load my meal, I would probably get some compensation, right? I know on UA this normally results in $100+ in compensation. Anyone have any experience with having special meals unavailable and any compensation they received?

Chris

Anyway...if they don't load my meal, I would probably get some compensation, right? I know on UA this normally results in $100+ in compensation. Anyone have any experience with having special meals unavailable and any compensation they received?

Chris

I wouldn't count on compensation - if you receive any, it'll be that much nicer. US isn't like UA in that regard. It's no wonder UA isn't a stellar financial performer when they're giving out $400 for a light that doesn't turn off or $100+ for a wrong meal loaded.

That said, I'm flying UA in a week and you can bet I'll be ordering a special meal. I'm all for $100 vouchers... :D

Meal to FRA was decent we had a choice between

Filet Mignon (I chose this meal and it was just perfect)

Seared Halibut

Tricolor Pasta

Meal from FRA to PHL

Beef Bourgonsis (Chose this meal...OVERCOOKED...)

Sheared Tilapia

Cold Pasta w/ Pasta salad.