Changes to special meals (no more special meals on domestic flights after 10/1)
Jun 10, 2012, 11:14 am
#136
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton GLD, Marriott Plat, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 2,872
As a lacto-ovo vegetarian (non-vegan), I've gotten used to limited options. But I can usually find something to eat regardless of where I'm traveling since I'm not that picky. And there's always eggs and cheese in every culture! I'm fairly strict, however. No broth or fish sauce for me. And I have great sympathy for vegans...
United has apparently eliminated special meals altogether for most USA domestic flights, though p.s. still has them. The snack boxes have a few vegetarian choices, thankfully, but they're limited for vegans. Alas, the new United won't substitute a snack box for a first class meal anymore, so I've often had to pay for a box in F.
The domestic breakfast offerings always include cereal and yogurt. But the hot option (either omelet or sandwich) always has meat and cheese cooked into it. Thankfully, the cereal is less popular so I've always been able to get it even in the back row of first.
Lunch and dinner is another story altogether. The salad has chicken or shrimp. Although it's on the side, they always bring it on the tray even when I specifically ask for them not to. And the dressing is often (80%+) Caesar, complete with anchovies, with no substitute. Once, a helpful FA fetched me a nice balsamic from coach. But it's usually dry leaves or nothing. The too-common pepper soup is apparently made with chicken. So buy before you board, even in F.
Internationally, I've had great luck with the Hindu/Indian vegetarian meal. It's always available and united has always loaded it for me, even when I didn't all to confirm. But I still recommend calling ahead! One nice thing about a special meal is it's served early. This is very nice on international overnight flights since I can eat and get to sleep sooner.
I wish I knew how to make suggestions to United about meals. Stocking a non-fish vegan dressing like balsamic would be a great start. Separating the meat from the salads (and keeping it separate) would be even better.
And, vegetarian or not, a bit more variety in first would be nice. I fly weekly, and it's amazing to see the exact same meal on every flight!
United has apparently eliminated special meals altogether for most USA domestic flights, though p.s. still has them. The snack boxes have a few vegetarian choices, thankfully, but they're limited for vegans. Alas, the new United won't substitute a snack box for a first class meal anymore, so I've often had to pay for a box in F.
The domestic breakfast offerings always include cereal and yogurt. But the hot option (either omelet or sandwich) always has meat and cheese cooked into it. Thankfully, the cereal is less popular so I've always been able to get it even in the back row of first.
Lunch and dinner is another story altogether. The salad has chicken or shrimp. Although it's on the side, they always bring it on the tray even when I specifically ask for them not to. And the dressing is often (80%+) Caesar, complete with anchovies, with no substitute. Once, a helpful FA fetched me a nice balsamic from coach. But it's usually dry leaves or nothing. The too-common pepper soup is apparently made with chicken. So buy before you board, even in F.
Internationally, I've had great luck with the Hindu/Indian vegetarian meal. It's always available and united has always loaded it for me, even when I didn't all to confirm. But I still recommend calling ahead! One nice thing about a special meal is it's served early. This is very nice on international overnight flights since I can eat and get to sleep sooner.
I wish I knew how to make suggestions to United about meals. Stocking a non-fish vegan dressing like balsamic would be a great start. Separating the meat from the salads (and keeping it separate) would be even better.
And, vegetarian or not, a bit more variety in first would be nice. I fly weekly, and it's amazing to see the exact same meal on every flight!
Jun 11, 2012, 4:31 am
#137
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: UA 1k, SPG Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, PC Plat
Posts: 484
Indeed, with domestic special meals a thing of the past, there should always be at least one real option suitable to vegetarians, and it can be the same option that meets rough (but uncertified) criteria for those that don't eat pork or beef.
There is sometimes a decent pasta dish for dinner, but lunch is really limited to dry leaves!
And yes, we should at least have the option for a tapas box or fruit and cheese plate when no choice meeting dietary restrictions is catered.
There is sometimes a decent pasta dish for dinner, but lunch is really limited to dry leaves!
And yes, we should at least have the option for a tapas box or fruit and cheese plate when no choice meeting dietary restrictions is catered.
Jun 11, 2012, 8:22 am
#138
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Ohio
Programs: HHonors Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Gold, United 1K
Posts: 190
Does anyone know a real/official/effective way to contact United about this? Or shall we just talk to each other on FlyerTalk and hope our wishes are granted? 
Jun 11, 2012, 11:29 pm
#139
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Left Coast
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM, HH Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold (UA comp)
Posts: 1,354
BTW, I see FAs giving out boxes to C and F pax all the time; maybe it is not set in stone, but it does happen, esp when you look sad and hungry when you "suddenly" hear that there is no veggie meal. Still, a box is not a great meal subst, so I agree that we should be heard.
Jun 30, 2012, 9:12 pm
#140
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: IAH & HOU
Programs: UA GS & Marriott Titanium
Posts: 443
Special meals in BF
If you order a special meal in BF, is it an entirely different meal than what is catered for regular BF? IE, with a vegetarian meal, would they load different apps etc? I assume they don't load a coach special meal for BF pax. Also, can one opt out of the special meal and order off the menu if the selection sounds better and meets the dietary restriction? I am referring to flights in BF between the US and Europe. Thanks!
Jul 1, 2012, 12:56 am
#141
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton GLD, Marriott Plat, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 2,872
Jul 1, 2012, 8:01 am
#143
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York NY
Programs: UA Gold, CO Plat, CO Million Miler
Posts: 2,617
It seems to me if you're asking them to cater a special meal for you and then you deciding you don't want it is more than just impolite. You've asked them to incur an unnecessary cost, and then depending on where you're sitting, you may have deprived someone else of their first choice of a meal, perhaps because you've jumped in front of them, perhaps because they've loaded one less regular meal. How would your friend feel if you were going to their house for dinner and asked them for a special meal because you were on a diet or something, and then when you got there you said that you didn't want the special meal they prepared because what they were serving to everyone else looked more appealing.
Jul 1, 2012, 8:29 am
#144
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: IAH & HOU
Programs: UA GS & Marriott Titanium
Posts: 443
An airline meal choice is not at all similar to going to a friend's house for dinner. Not even close. I'm assuming if they load one less regular meal, then I will not be allowed to pick off of the menu. If I'm allowed to choose, then I will assume they catered enough.
Jul 1, 2012, 9:40 am
#145
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA1K MM, BA Gold, Hyatt LT Globalist, Bonvoy LTE, IHG Diam, HH Gold, Amtrak Sel Exec
Posts: 3,170
It seems to me if you're asking them to cater a special meal for you, and then you deciding you don't want it is more than just impolite. You've asked them to incur an unnecessary cost, and then depending on where you're sitting, you may have deprived someone else of their first choice of a meal, perhaps because you've jumped in front of them, perhaps because they've loaded one less regular meal. How would your friend feel if you were going to their house for dinner and asked them for a special meal because you were on a diet or something, and then when you got there you said that you didn't want the special meal they prepared because what they were serving to everyone else looked more appealing.
as a vegetarian for religious reasons who flies several hundred thousand miles a year, this is really difficult -- often the special meals are pretty terrible, but at the same time i'm never sure if a regular choice will actually meet my dietary restriction (even if an airline typically caters a vegetarian choice). so i always order the special meal and if a regular choice looks better, i will request them to give it to me if there are leftovers. if the flight attendant chooses to block one of those meals for me rather than giving it as a choice to the other passengers further down the queue, that's his or her choice (though i would maintain that given the revenue/profit i bring to the airline its probably in the airline's best interest to give me what i want :-))
in addition, the airline is not my friend, so i feel no guilt at the additional cost / inconvenience the airline incurs in dealing with my desire to eat well.
Jul 2, 2012, 6:01 pm
#146
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA - Executive Platinum, UA- 1k
Posts: 10
United Airlines: Special Meals
Over the past 24 hours, I have attempted to book first class flights between ORD to HNL, and order Special Meals.
Each time I attempted to order Special Meals, I was informed by United.com, or and Agent, that United no longer offered Special Meals.
After six telephone calls, I was able to speak to a Supervisor who was able to determine that United has a computer program problem. It appears that the computer has prevented the Special Meal orders from many U.S. Airports. In total I spent more than three hours on the telephone, as each time the Agent put me on hold and attempted to reach someone who could confirm whether United had changed its meal policy. United.com shows that United offers Special Meals between the Continental United States and HNL, but, the computer said otherwise. Only the Supervisor knew, after his investigation, that United had a computer problem.
Each time I attempted to order Special Meals, I was informed by United.com, or and Agent, that United no longer offered Special Meals.
After six telephone calls, I was able to speak to a Supervisor who was able to determine that United has a computer program problem. It appears that the computer has prevented the Special Meal orders from many U.S. Airports. In total I spent more than three hours on the telephone, as each time the Agent put me on hold and attempted to reach someone who could confirm whether United had changed its meal policy. United.com shows that United offers Special Meals between the Continental United States and HNL, but, the computer said otherwise. Only the Supervisor knew, after his investigation, that United had a computer problem.
Jul 2, 2012, 6:19 pm
#148
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA - Executive Platinum, UA- 1k
Posts: 10
United said that it cannot do anything until it fixes the computer problem. United estimates it will have the computer problem fixed tomorrow. The error shows up on the screen which list available flights, on the right side, below the Meal: line.
Jul 13, 2012, 1:58 pm
#149
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,358
It seems to me if you're asking them to cater a special meal for you and then you deciding you don't want it is more than just impolite. You've asked them to incur an unnecessary cost, and then depending on where you're sitting, you may have deprived someone else of their first choice of a meal, perhaps because you've jumped in front of them, perhaps because they've loaded one less regular meal. How would your friend feel if you were going to their house for dinner and asked them for a special meal because you were on a diet or something, and then when you got there you said that you didn't want the special meal they prepared because what they were serving to everyone else looked more appealing.
-
-
Aug 3, 2012, 3:43 am
#150
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 36
No more special meals on UA?
I just flew ORD-FRA with a gluten-free meal confirmed long in advance, and during the flight the FA told me that UA doesn't do special meals at all anymore. If that's true, United is really throwing its customers with food allergies under a bus. I'm returning LHR-IAH-SEA with a tight connection, and that is going to be no fun at all with no food.
She also said that this has been the case for at least a year, but that's not right, because I had no trouble in February. Anyone know what the current policy is and when it changed? I saw an earlier thread that mentioned discontinuing special meals for specific arrival/departure cities, but ORD and FRA weren't on the list.
As an aside, it also seems that there's no more complimentary wine in TATL economy -- when did that change? I was going to try to get 1MM on UA, but the way things are going, UA's international offerings are so much worse than the competition that I don't think I can justify flying them again.
She also said that this has been the case for at least a year, but that's not right, because I had no trouble in February. Anyone know what the current policy is and when it changed? I saw an earlier thread that mentioned discontinuing special meals for specific arrival/departure cities, but ORD and FRA weren't on the list.
As an aside, it also seems that there's no more complimentary wine in TATL economy -- when did that change? I was going to try to get 1MM on UA, but the way things are going, UA's international offerings are so much worse than the competition that I don't think I can justify flying them again.