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Current UA Process for Prioritizing Meal Orders in Premium Cabins [ARCHIVE]

Old Dec 2, 2013, 10:00 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
As of the last update from an inside source, the meal choice prioritization policy is to prioritize in this order:

1. Global Services
2. Premier 1K
3. All other revenue passengers
4. Nonrevs

This prioritization is done in the galley, after taking orders. If you saw a flight crew take orders front to back, but did not see any GS/1K passengers denied their first choice, you have not witnessed a violation of the policy. Indeed, taking orders front to back is correct under the policy.

Post #30
Originally Posted by UA Insider
Hi everyone,

As several of you have mentioned, there has been no procedure change to prioritizing premium cabin meal orders.

As a reminder, our standard procedure is to take meal orders from front to back of the cabin and ask for a second choice in case your first choice is not available. After meal orders are taken, our inflight crew will prioritize meal orders in the galley. This way, we can streamline the order-taking processes while eliminating skipping around the cabin for order-taking.

-UA Insider
Originally Posted by UA Insider
Originally Posted by UA-NYC
Thanks! Is it still GS, then 1K, then everyone else front to back? As in, 1K hasn't been pulled from priority as some FAs have told us?
Hi, UA-NYC,

Yes, your assertion is accurate. Premier 1K will still be prioritized as you stated, but again, this is to be done in the galley.

-UA Insider
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Current UA Process for Prioritizing Meal Orders in Premium Cabins [ARCHIVE]

Old Jul 23, 2014, 3:26 pm
  #1546  
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Originally Posted by iluv2fly
Any update(s) on meal priority?
Don't know about any updates but goalie-dad flew UA990 SFO-CDG yesterday (7/22) in 3b-orders were taken front to back and he was told "since you're a 1k, we'll do our best to get you your first choice but it all depends on how many Global Services and other 1k passengers there are on board" (he did get his first choice)

Last edited by goalie; Jul 23, 2014 at 3:28 pm Reason: added flight number
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Old Jul 23, 2014, 3:34 pm
  #1547  
 
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Last 4 "meal" flights for 2 PAX:

SFO-PVR - front to back but did get our choices
PVR-SFO - front to back but did get our meal choices
MGA-IAH - front to back one of us didn't get our meal choice
IAH-SFO - front to back 2 didn't get meal choice

The only time I recall getting my meal choice in last year were both sUA on CDG-SFO and all p.s. flights
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Old Jul 25, 2014, 12:04 pm
  #1548  
 
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UA1612 EWR-DEN 7/25/14

FA skipped all over the cabin with the manifest and started telling people "I've only got the salad left" after about 11-12 people (guessing as I didn't count) were asked what they wanted. I was the last passenger to get their first choice. I was a little surprised I was that far down the pecking order as a 1K on a U fare.
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Old Jul 25, 2014, 6:44 pm
  #1549  
 
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UA 1669, IAH-DEN on 7/25 (still in air).

Flight attendant prioritized first class meal orders front to back after taking two GS orders. I was in the back and was stuck with shrimp salad, which I can't eat. I asked if 1Ks get prioritized first and she said absolutely not and that is the policy. She was the most horrible flight attendant I've had in years. She had 30 years with United and had a gigantic chip on her shoulder. What bugged me the most about this is I paid to upgrade because I was starving and needed dinner.

Maybe she realized she was wrong and it wasn't appropriate to yell at me - she stayed in the galley the rest of the flight.
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Old Jul 25, 2014, 6:44 pm
  #1550  
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Originally Posted by limey1K
.... I was a little surprised I was that far down the pecking order as a 1K on a U fare.
Fare should have not matter -- all 1Ks are the same, so it probably was more luck of the random walk.
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Old Jul 25, 2014, 7:04 pm
  #1551  
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Originally Posted by limey1K
I was a little surprised I was that far down the pecking order as a 1K on a U fare.
I'm a little surprised that you finally got upgraded given your recent streak! ^^
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Old Jul 26, 2014, 6:55 am
  #1552  
 
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I'm 1K and was seated in row 2 on a 737-900 recently. I noticed the flight attendant started taking orders from row 5 which I've never seen before. When he got to my row, he said they only had the beef left. I said that's fine but very politely asked if taking orders from the rear was a new procedure. He said that they take meal orders first for global services and 1K members because they're the highest elite levels. I replied - yes I know, I'm 1K. He got a very puzzled look on his face, looked again at this manifest, went to the galley to look at the manifest and then came back and sincerely apologized that it wasn't a good printout. He very nicely made sure I was OK with the beef, which I was, and again apologized profusely, also offered anything from the back if I wanted.

Also had another flight recently on an A319, was seated in row 2. Flight attendant delivered my drink after takeoff then whispered to me - would you prefer the shrimp salad or chicken wrap - and then took orders from the rest of the cabin
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Old Jul 26, 2014, 10:18 am
  #1553  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Fare should have not matter -- all 1Ks are the same, so it probably was more luck of the random walk.
That was my impression as well.
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Old Jul 26, 2014, 11:24 am
  #1554  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: EWR, NJ
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On my flight yesterday they jumped all over to take orders so they were doing by status. But on the outbound they went by row. It seems hit or miss.
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Old Jul 26, 2014, 11:26 am
  #1555  
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EWR-PUJ last Saturday: I was asked for my choice first then they went front --> back ^
Only 1K on a 739 leisure destination I guess
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Old Jul 26, 2014, 11:36 am
  #1556  
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Originally Posted by dogloverjb
On my flight yesterday they jumped all over to take orders so they were doing by status. But on the outbound they went by row. It seems hit or miss.
It's been noted here many times that it is not the order in which they ask, but in the order with which they prioritize. None of us have an issue with front to back or back to front if they sort it out in the galley.
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Old Jul 26, 2014, 12:06 pm
  #1557  
 
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Recent TPAC from Asia in GF. FAs followed the usual 4A--1A, then 1K--> 4K pattern, but followed it twice, once for GS orders, then again for all other orders and service. I've never seen them do this. I've also never heard them ask another GF passenger for a second meal choice. That really surprised me. (They also seemed to serve drinks and food in the same priority order, but after a few drinks it was hard to tell. They definitely didn't serve the cabin in the usual serial pattern...)
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Old Jul 26, 2014, 12:13 pm
  #1558  
 
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Originally Posted by USHPNWDLUA
after a few drinks it was hard to tell
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Old Jul 26, 2014, 12:15 pm
  #1559  
 
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Originally Posted by USHPNWDLUA
Recent TPAC from Asia in GF. FAs followed the usual 4A--1A, then 1K--> 4K pattern, but followed it twice, once for GS orders, then again for all other orders and service. I've never seen them do this. I've also never heard them ask another GF passenger for a second meal choice. That really surprised me. (They also seemed to serve drinks and food in the same priority order, but after a few drinks it was hard to tell. They definitely didn't serve the cabin in the usual serial pattern...)
But in the end its irrelevant for GF because its the same food as BF- as a GF passenger you can never not get your first choice
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Old Jul 26, 2014, 3:19 pm
  #1560  
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Originally Posted by USHPNWDLUA
Recent TPAC from Asia in GF. FAs followed the usual 4A--1A, then 1K--> 4K pattern, but followed it twice, once for GS orders, then again for all other orders and service. I've never seen them do this. I've also never heard them ask another GF passenger for a second meal choice. That really surprised me. (They also seemed to serve drinks and food in the same priority order, but after a few drinks it was hard to tell. They definitely didn't serve the cabin in the usual serial pattern...)
That's just odd. I wonder if they had less than 12 of one entree? On a ps flight the FA once mentioned they had only loaded something like four pastas.
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