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Changes to special meals (no more special meals on domestic flights after 10/1)

Changes to special meals (no more special meals on domestic flights after 10/1)

Old Aug 15, 2011, 7:54 pm
  #61  
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Originally Posted by UAGuy2
If it keeps costs down for the rest of us, ....
self serving much? This fascinates me as there is nowhere where these changes will result is lower costs for you, the passenger. It's another addition to the bottom line, the same place where every frivolous fee is added in. Exactly where are you getting there is anything in this for you?

Curious, given the me first and only approach of the post, Do you also believe profiling is okay because they'll go for the Muslim or black dude and skip you?
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Old Aug 15, 2011, 8:15 pm
  #62  
 
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Seems they should at least maintain the special meal option for paid F. I mean, those are the only folks who matter anymore, right?
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Old Aug 15, 2011, 11:30 pm
  #63  
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The AVML/HNML on UA is actually decent. Not too long ago they were served up on all mainline flights of 3+ hours. Very disappointed they're pulled from all domestic flights.

The logic of "it isn't for me, so who gives a about you" is absurd. Personally, I'd be fine if they eliminated all alcoholic drinks from F (or charged, say, $30, for them). That would be some real cost savings. Right?

Last edited by iluv2fly; Aug 16, 2011 at 2:58 am Reason: language
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 5:57 am
  #64  
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Originally Posted by uastarflyer
The AVML/HNML on UA is actually decent. Not too long ago they were served up on all mainline flights of 3+ hours. Very disappointed they're pulled from all domestic flights.

The logic of "it isn't for me, so who gives a about you" is absurd. Personally, I'd be fine if they eliminated all alcoholic drinks from F (or charged, say, $30, for them). That would be some real cost savings. Right?
Alcoholic drinks are a basic service nearly universally desired. Exotic meals for people is much more narrowly tailored service that matters to a vocal but small and relatively unimportant minority.

And yes, I support all manner of cutbacks and increases for services I don't care about in favor of keeping the benefits and servicesthat matter to me. That is in fact perfectly rational behavior. I care about the things I care about. You care about the things you care about. They don't have to be the same.
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 6:30 am
  #65  
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Originally Posted by hobo13
Seems they should at least maintain the special meal option for paid F. I mean, those are the only folks who matter anymore, right?
Personally, I would be OK if they simply offered the snack boxes for free as an unadvertised alternative to the meal if a passenger asks for them. Most of the packaged foods are vegetarian, kosher and/or halal.

Originally Posted by mahasamatman
I suspect part of the reason to discontinue the special meals is all the people who would order them for the sole reason of getting compensation when they weren't loaded (just read the compensation thread).
This is easy to fix: don't offer obscene compensation for special meals.

Last edited by iluv2fly; Aug 16, 2011 at 9:21 am Reason: merge
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 7:42 am
  #66  
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Originally Posted by UAGuy2
Alcoholic drinks are a basic service nearly universally desired. Exotic meals for people is much more narrowly tailored service that matters to a vocal but small and relatively unimportant minority.

And yes, I support all manner of cutbacks and increases for services I don't care about in favor of keeping the benefits and servicesthat matter to me. That is in fact perfectly rational behavior. I care about the things I care about. You care about the things you care about. They don't have to be the same.
so I guess you would be AOK with just 1 brand of beer, 1 brand of scotch and maybe only scotch and no vodka, bourbon etc etc. Since by narrowing it down Im sure it would save a heck of alot of $$ as it would speed everything up

also a limit of 1 drink per passeneger everything over that the person must shell out the $$, and while we are at it lets go SASs way and charge as well for soft drinks other then water and make it either a Cola or diet cola thats it.

I agree with You and no sense in Tailoring to exotic drinks for a small minority number of people, since most people dont drink or at least if they had to pony up that $6 or $7 that is charged
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 9:10 am
  #67  
 
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I guess I am left with no option but to toss my non-special meal at the video of the young Mr. Burns (A/K/A Smisek) that I am subjected to at the start of every flight.

joking aside, I am willing to pay a enhancement fee to still have access to special meals. too bad that is not an option.

Last edited by Dr_wanderlust; Aug 16, 2011 at 9:15 am
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 9:37 am
  #68  
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Originally Posted by craz
so I guess you would be AOK with just 1 brand of beer, 1 brand of scotch and maybe only scotch and no vodka, bourbon etc etc. Since by narrowing it down Im sure it would save a heck of alot of $$ as it would speed everything up

also a limit of 1 drink per passeneger everything over that the person must shell out the $$, and while we are at it lets go SASs way and charge as well for soft drinks other then water and make it either a Cola or diet cola thats it.

I agree with You and no sense in Tailoring to exotic drinks for a small minority number of people, since most people dont drink or at least if they had to pony up that $6 or $7 that is charged
Nope. Demand for all the various alcohols is broad and deep. Demand for the special meals is narrow and shallow.
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 9:55 am
  #69  
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Originally Posted by UAGuy2
Alcoholic drinks are a basic service nearly universally desired.
No, that would be water. Truly a life or death need.

Remember, you brought up this ridiculous angle. So let's follow it through.

Jeffrey already charges for a couple of drinks in F. He should just turn it into a cash bar. That stuff costs money after all, certainly more than boarding selection B v. selection A (given every passenger gets a tray in the baseline).

Veggie food tends to be cheaper too. So make that the new baseline. You can always bring something additional onto the aircraft, right?
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 10:04 am
  #70  
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Originally Posted by UAGuy2
Nope. Demand for all the various alcohols is broad and deep. Demand for the special meals is narrow and shallow.
Got the stats to follow that up? Doubtful.
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 8:53 pm
  #71  
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It is also going to happen on international flights. I flew from Shanghai to ORD yesterday in first class and had a terrible Hindu meal--no appetizer or desert and barely edible food. Hindu is almost always edible and sometimes really good. The flight attendant came over to ask about my meal indicating that United had "changed caterers" since the merger, and there had been complaints about special meals. I added mine to her list. She said that most categories of special meals were going to be discontinued in First and Business. By the way, we had pretzel packages instead of nuts in First on this flight.
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 10:15 pm
  #72  
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Originally Posted by PPM
It is also going to happen on international flights. I flew from Shanghai to ORD yesterday in first class and had a terrible Hindu meal--no appetizer or desert and barely edible food. Hindu is almost always edible and sometimes really good.
That's why I usually pick that one!

The flight attendant came over to ask about my meal indicating that United had "changed caterers" since the merger, and there had been complaints about special meals. I added mine to her list. She said that most categories of special meals were going to be discontinued in First and Business. By the way, we had pretzel packages instead of nuts in First on this flight.
Something is off all around. My Int'l flights during May/June I got normal Hindu meals, no change from the past. Perhaps they are changing catering at certain stations and haven't gone through all of them. I did not get the typical yellow card with the meal out of IAD though.

What I'm suggesting is that it might be a PVG issue mixed in with Jeffrey's idiocy.
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Old Aug 16, 2011, 11:02 pm
  #73  
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I think the CS folks haven't been informed or are just confused. Here is the response I received after writing in with the AFA link.

Thank you for contacting us and sharing your interest in the successful combination of UAL and Continental. I am sorry for any confusion however we are still going to offer 3 different types of vegetarian meals on many flights. I have given you a direct link to our webpage below. You can see which routes Special meals are available in United First and United Business for flights with meal service, there are exceptions on flights to or from select cities. On that same page you will also be able to click on the vegetarian meal link and see which meal would work best for you.

http://www.united.com/page/middlepag...,51499,00.html

United's senior leadership reviews 1K member's feedback on a regular basis, so it's important for us to know how these changes feel from your point of view. Your comments let us know what we need to consider in order to earn your future friendship and support and will help us evaluate decisions that impact your choice of airlines. It has been my pleasure to serve you.
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Old Aug 17, 2011, 3:18 pm
  #74  
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Just rec'd a news you can snooze e-mail from CO with among other things, a reference to the special meal changes I will not like...

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Old Aug 17, 2011, 11:11 pm
  #75  
 
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Why doesn't UA make a single "Healthy Choice" Special Meal that is both Diabetic Friendly, and Low in Fat, Cholesterol, Sodium and Calorie? Here's what it could look like bellow. In order to promote it, the current monthl'y selections should be profiled on united.com and it should be available as a pre-ordered BYOB option.

* Prohibited
Sugars, syrups, jams, pies, chocolate, soft drink (sugared), sweetened cereals, sweetened yogurts
Added salt and garlic salt, monosodium glutamate, baking soda (powder)
Fried and fatty foods, animal fats, fatty meat, smoked/cured/salted/canned meat/fish/poultry, sausages/sausage meat, gravy, liver, nuts, biscuits, alcohol, butter, full cream dairy products, cream cheese, cheese, mayonnaise, salad dressings, , salty fish, curred meats, sausages/sausage meat,
* Restricted
Liver, egg yolk, low-fat cheese
* Allowed
Lean meat/fish/poultry (without skin), egg whites, dried beans and peas, sunflower/olive oil margarine, fresh fruits and vegetables, water-packed canned fruit. skim milk, rice, potatoes, whole grain bread, pasta, sugar free/fat free foods, dietary jams/preserves, dietary salad dressing

Last edited by cslusarc; Aug 19, 2011 at 1:08 am
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