Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Official UNITED policy for meal preferences is to prioritize in the following order: (as of late 2023)
The proper way is to take orders front-to-back, and apply priority in the galley afterwards. Some FAs may still hop around the cabin seeking GS and 1Ks and take their orders first.
With the sharp increase in passengers pre-ordering meals, front-to-back ordering is now predominant.
Previous thread: Current UA Process for Prioritizing Meal Orders in Premium Cabins [ARCHIVE]
- Pre-orders
- Global Services members
- 1K members
- All other revenue passengers from front to back (no difference between $$$ or mileage or upgraders)
- Non-Revs
The proper way is to take orders front-to-back, and apply priority in the galley afterwards. Some FAs may still hop around the cabin seeking GS and 1Ks and take their orders first.
With the sharp increase in passengers pre-ordering meals, front-to-back ordering is now predominant.
Previous thread: Current UA Process for Prioritizing Meal Orders in Premium Cabins [ARCHIVE]
Current UA Process for Prioritizing Meal Orders in Premium Cabins
#106
Moderator: United Airlines
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Is that due to the high number of 1K/GS on the route?? or you know / believe lower, non-elites getting your choice?
Are there too few of what you prefer to cover the GS/1Ks
#107
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always gotten my 1st choice since the policy was implemented. Can't think of more than 2 instances where I needed to remind the crew of meal priority (and last time that happened is many years ago)
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
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At the end of the day, as I have alluded to yesterday, I have given up on all thing soft product from United, whether it's the food, FAs, or the ground experience at EWR/SFO. My expectations of United doing anything customer friendly is really low.
#109
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
I can't even remember any flight in many years they've even bothered asking a GS or 1K for a second choice - because it is a given they will get first choice.
#110
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
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Posts: 42,201
I was responding to the OP regarding "rarely" being BS - too many times in the past 12 months I have heard from FA: "are you joining us for (breakfast/lunch/dinner)? We have _______. <-no choices. A recent example, I was on a flight just over a week ago, and the passenger diagonal to me was given a choice, apparently he got the last of the available chicken; meanwhile, I was only presented with the pasta dish, and nothing else.
At the end of the day, as I have alluded to yesterday, I have given up on all thing soft product from United, whether it's the food, FAs, or the ground experience at EWR/SFO. My expectations of United doing anything customer friendly is really low.
At the end of the day, as I have alluded to yesterday, I have given up on all thing soft product from United, whether it's the food, FAs, or the ground experience at EWR/SFO. My expectations of United doing anything customer friendly is really low.
I would send in a complaint every time this happens to deliver the hint that pre-order should be standard on every premium transcon, immediately.
#111
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,020
BS?
Fly between EWR and SFO often, and your stance will quickly change to rarely also. With potential 1K/GS spread out over up to 60 seats, FAs don't want to walk back and forth to hit highest elite groups first, so they'd take orders row by row. If you happen to be sitting in the back rows, too bad.
Fly between EWR and SFO often, and your stance will quickly change to rarely also. With potential 1K/GS spread out over up to 60 seats, FAs don't want to walk back and forth to hit highest elite groups first, so they'd take orders row by row. If you happen to be sitting in the back rows, too bad.
#112
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NYC, LON
Programs: *
Posts: 2,771
It has literally been years since I've not seen a GS or 1K get their choice of meal - well well before pandemic.
I can't even remember any flight in many years they've even bothered asking a GS or 1K for a second choice - because it is a given they will get first choice.
I can't even remember any flight in many years they've even bothered asking a GS or 1K for a second choice - because it is a given they will get first choice.
Agree
#113
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Transcon flights between NY and SF/LA are really the only routes I'd travel on a regular basis (weekly, sometimes multiple times in a week, on all carriers). You don't have to believe me, but I am only providing my experience. I have never claimed once my experience is the case systemwide.
#114
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,453
Twice in the last month I was asked for a second choice. Remember also that in bigger cabins meal orders are sometimes taken before boarding is complete. It is perfectly feasible that a 1K/GS boards late and assuming the FAs had already done their 1K/GS rounds then some choices may be done by time they get to the late boarding GS/1K. Asking everyone for two choices would solve the problem of a late boarding GS not getting their choice.
#115
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Transcon flights between NY and SF/LA are really the only routes I'd travel on a regular basis (weekly, sometimes multiple times in a week, on all carriers). You don't have to believe me, but I am only providing my experience. I have never claimed once my experience is the case systemwide.
#116
formerly 1984SW
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,058
From this recent batch of posts, it sounds like the F/As are not using an app on their UA-issued iPhone to take orders? If they were, there would be absolutely no reason to hop around the cabin, and even if they started taking orders before boarding was complete, the late-boarding GS/1Ks would get their due priority.
#117
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From this recent batch of posts, it sounds like the F/As are not using an app on their UA-issued iPhone to take orders? If they were, there would be absolutely no reason to hop around the cabin, and even if they started taking orders before boarding was complete, the late-boarding GS/1Ks would get their due priority.
#118
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,453
From this recent batch of posts, it sounds like the F/As are not using an app on their UA-issued iPhone to take orders? If they were, there would be absolutely no reason to hop around the cabin, and even if they started taking orders before boarding was complete, the late-boarding GS/1Ks would get their due priority.
I boarded late and politely reminded her that I'm a 1K when she told me that they only had the ragu available, which caused confusion as I wasn't showing up as a 1K on her app. She even showed me the app, and I immediately spotted that she had the manifest from her previous flight loaded. Oops. She then had to go around to many passengers apologizing that the chicken they had just ordered was suddenly "no longer available" and that they'd have to make do with the ragu instead (it was a 781 so there could've easily been 10+ orders that were messed up because of wrongly located GS/1K pax).
#119
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Location: Honolulu Harbor
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A couple of years ago, I flew w/ a FA who had the wrong paper manifest in her hands. I told her I wasn't who she said I was. She said I was and showed me the "proof". I noticed (and pointed out) the manifest was from previous flight.
#120
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
Is there a particular order that Polaris preferences are taken? Down the left aisle, up the right aisle? Specifically a 777 IAHEZE.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jun 21, 2022 at 12:27 am Reason: Moved to subject thread