Originally Posted by
halls120
On my last TATL, my Y fare was 1915.00 R/T. I upgraded both legs at purchase, which cost me $575.00 and 40000 miles. So while I don't expect a restaurant quality meal, I do expect more than no PDB, cold nuts, a cold piece of tasteless bread, and 2 tablespoons of frozen "gelato" for dessert. UA's *A partners can offer it, why can't UA?
When Polaris was rolled out, the soft product was far better than anything AA and DL offered, and on par with the *A airlines. Now, it's a sad joke. Except for the wine - it is actually improved over the swill they served pre-COVID.
Here is what I think - better meals and drinks are a thing of the past and never coming - could be wrong, but I don't think so. What you get today is likely to last into the far future. Sure, the glassware and plastic will come back (probably when the FAA mask mandates go away) - and maybe some small perceived improvements - but that is about it.
Here is why - the leisure market will never be a large driver of profits for the US Big 3 in the international market. Leisure travel might be driving the market today but the airlines aren't going to pivot to the market as a long term strategy.
They need business travel to come back - maybe sometime 2022 or maybe 2023 - or international travel is going to become more of a niche market. And if you are going to bet on business travel - which I think the US airlines have no choice - they are going to rely on corporate contracts.
And if you are going to woo corporate travel departments - you are going to pitch:
1) Volume Discounts 2) Hard Product = Employee Sleep 3) The Route with JV partners who come along for the ride 3) A Lounge for privacy/work before a flight 4) FF benefits/upgrades/status to Executives and a distant 5th if brought up at all is going to be onboard food/drink. It just isn't a good look to many corporate travel departments to be pitched high end alcohol and a gourmet in the sky. Let's face it Tim Cook is not going to step on a UA plane.
Originally Posted by
dilanesp
I flew roundtrips to Hawaii and Colombia recently, and the food in the front cabin was delicious on every meal flight. Not just "decent". Delicious.
You must've been on a afternoon/evening flight out of Hawaii - I broke down recently and had the egg quiche thing and it was truly awful and incredibly dry even with that red sauce - but glad you enjoyed it. I wish they had the scrambled eggs they have on the mainland flights.