cova

Flew ORD-DCA today in F on UA. Last time I flew UA in F has been over 10 years.

I did not expect that food would be served, however I checked with an agent at the ORD RCC and she said that a snack was served and that meant either a sandwich or salad. I still wasn't sure - so I checked united.com and it said domestic snack is either a "snack basket" - ie bagged potato chips server in a basket and passed around the cabin if less than 7xx miles or a sandwich/salad if greater.

Being used to CO - who ignores the foods rules for time of day or distance based on high revenue routes - I thought maybe the RCC agent was right.

I then checked at the gate and sure enough the gate agent indicated a sandwich/salad was being served. I still did not believe it and I notice the monitors showing a "snack basket" (potato chips) being serverd in F.

Checked again with a different agent at the gate - and he indicated sandwich/salad - but I questioned him on the monitor sign - then he backed down to the potato chip basket.

Hence, I ordered a sandwich at Wolfgang's near the gate to bring on board.

Of course the potato chip basket was served. The FA commented (positively) about me bringing my own food in F. She indicated the GA before the flight closed, asked her what was being served in F.

The point here is that agents don't know what their company serves on the flight. Best to look at the monitors.

UA and CO need to get together on the definition of an F snack. CO is always the cold plate - a few slices of lunch meat, cheese and crackers, plus fruit and brownie. At least when CO says it is a snack F flight - you know what you are getting.