"Thru-Galley" leaves little food choice and even ice...
Mar 17, 2018, 12:10 am
#1
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Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,963
"Thru-Galley" leaves little food choice and even ice...
I never realized this practice existed for mainline aircraft until recently when I am taking more short hop flights into a UA hub. It seems the way it works is UA caters a flight that leaves a hub but skips/reduces catering at the non-hub if the next flight is a short flight into a hub. For example, ORD-PHX-SFO - there is no or little catering at PHX.
The first time, even on a 7 AM departure of a plane that had overnighted and sitting in the first row in Y, my snack choice was not available. The 2nd time, Y ran out of ice. I could see most of the ice has melted in the cart. FAs said this is called thru-galley.
Obviously this is done to save money but kind of bad from both a customer service and maybe even health point of view... What is their algorithm for determining when this is done? Thanks.
The first time, even on a 7 AM departure of a plane that had overnighted and sitting in the first row in Y, my snack choice was not available. The 2nd time, Y ran out of ice. I could see most of the ice has melted in the cart. FAs said this is called thru-galley.
Obviously this is done to save money but kind of bad from both a customer service and maybe even health point of view... What is their algorithm for determining when this is done? Thanks.
Mar 17, 2018, 5:02 am
#2
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I never realized this practice existed for mainline aircraft until recently when I am taking more short hop flights into a UA hub. It seems the way it works is UA caters a flight that leaves a hub but skips/reduces catering at the non-hub if the next flight is a short flight into a hub. For example, ORD-PHX-SFO - there is no or little catering at PHX.
The first time, even on a 7 AM departure of a plane that had overnighted and sitting in the first row in Y, my snack choice was not available. The 2nd time, Y ran out of ice. I could see most of the ice has melted in the cart. FAs said this is called thru-galley.
Obviously this is done to save money but kind of bad from both a customer service and maybe even health point of view... What is their algorithm for determining when this is done? Thanks.
The first time, even on a 7 AM departure of a plane that had overnighted and sitting in the first row in Y, my snack choice was not available. The 2nd time, Y ran out of ice. I could see most of the ice has melted in the cart. FAs said this is called thru-galley.
Obviously this is done to save money but kind of bad from both a customer service and maybe even health point of view... What is their algorithm for determining when this is done? Thanks.
But United has seemed to have lowered the amount of other stock they are putting in the airplanes overall. Last trip, I was in 1st leaving an outstation, and the liquor selection was comically out of stock. To the point that after my first 3 choices were found to be out, the FA actually pulled the plastic tray out of the trolley and brought to my seat so I could see what was left.
More cuts in a healthy economic environment. Nothing but greed and a focus on short-term stock valuations.
Mar 17, 2018, 7:29 am
#3
Join Date: May 2005
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It's been this way for decades. At certain airports, they simply don't pay for catering, so whatever they fly out with from the originating airport has to last for more than one flight.
Mar 17, 2018, 7:50 am
#4
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"Through" or "return" catering is common practice throughout the industry and is nothing new. But, it takes more QC by the catering contractor. UA's simply doesn't do that and the concept routinely fails.
Ice is always available and it is more than likely that if ice ran out, that the forward FA who should have grabbed it off the jet bridge, failed to do so. Again, sloppiness.
But, conceptually, this is fine. It is rarely a direct cost savings.
Ice is always available and it is more than likely that if ice ran out, that the forward FA who should have grabbed it off the jet bridge, failed to do so. Again, sloppiness.
But, conceptually, this is fine. It is rarely a direct cost savings.
Mar 17, 2018, 9:21 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Thru galleys (also known as "downline catering") happen at almost every outstation. Specifically, alcohol will only be boarded at hubs, long haul international destinations, and a few domestic outstations. At some stations, fresh food will be replenished, but the snack cart will not be (they're boarded separately). As you board the aircraft, take a moment to look into the front galley. One of the atlas carriers should have a yellow tag on it - that's the coffee carrier, and that only gets changed out when the alcohol does. The yellow tag is there to remind the downline caterers to leave it alone.
For most flights, there's rarely an issue. But if the inbound flight had a lot of drinkers, the out bound may end up suffering. Same for eaters.
That is not the policy for UAL mainline operations (I won't claim to know UAX rules, though). Ice is delivered to the a/c by ground staff.
For most flights, there's rarely an issue. But if the inbound flight had a lot of drinkers, the out bound may end up suffering. Same for eaters.
That is not the policy for UAL mainline operations (I won't claim to know UAX rules, though). Ice is delivered to the a/c by ground staff.
