Changes to special meals (no more special meals on domestic flights after 10/1)
Aug 12, 2011, 10:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: BWI
Programs: AS MVP 75K, UA 1MM
Posts: 786
Changes to special meals (no more special meals on domestic flights after 10/1)
It is late, but this sort of "harmonization" makes my blood boil.
For more details, read the entire article on the United AFA's site:
http://www.unitedafa.org/news/details.aspx?id=6430
As a matter of convenience for the corporation and as part of the ongoing “harmonization” between the UA and CO subsidiaries, the company will be discontinuing low volume dietary meal categories.
In addition, special meals will no longer be available in any class on most domestic flights in addition to Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Special meals will be available in the premium cabins in select domestic markets to include flights from New York (JFK) & Newark (EWR) to/from San Francisco and Los Angeles as well as on flights to Hawaii.
Special meals will be available in the premium cabins in select domestic markets to include flights from New York (JFK) & Newark (EWR) to/from San Francisco and Los Angeles as well as on flights to Hawaii.
http://www.unitedafa.org/news/details.aspx?id=6430
Aug 13, 2011, 12:11 am
#4
Join Date: May 2006
Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF
Programs: COdbaUA 1K MM, AA EXP, Bonbon Gold, GHA Titanium, Hertz PC, NEXUS and GE
Posts: 5,839
This is a joke. Especially if CO's catering takes over, as they frequently only have red meat in the front on red eyes and only beef or pasta on others. If I can't order a special meal, I really don't want to be stuck hungry or with CO's awful, sickly sweet red sauce.
Aug 13, 2011, 6:46 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Greater DC
Programs: UA plus
Posts: 12,943
This is horrible, I've been on too many flights when the only thing offered is something I just dont eat, and the snack boxes have slid into total unhealthy and dislike categories, as well. Guess I don't have to wait to see if I clear, it's going to be buy something from inside the terminal across the board.
Aug 13, 2011, 6:52 am
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,916
CO did away with special meals I recall about 2-3 years ago - at least the ones i ordered on TATL. I think CO has been on course to sink back to mediocrity in the last few years after having risen to the top of the legacy pile which is really only a moderate compliment.
Aug 13, 2011, 6:53 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The unfortunate consequence of UDU/EUA freebies. UACO has to make a decision. Either improve the domestic F soft product and sell it as that or allow it to continue the slide and rename it E++. I would be thrilled so see a better F soft product, including special meals and am willing to pay for it.
Aug 13, 2011, 6:59 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: All over
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Posts: 10,839
Aug 13, 2011, 8:08 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: based out of LAX
Programs: UA 1K, AA Platinum, Hilton HHonors Diamond, National Executive, Starwood Gold
Posts: 701
I gave up on UA special meals some months ago they were SO bad. I still remember the white hockey puck that was supposed to be gluten free bread on my flight from NRT to LAX it looked and smelled mouldy and was hard as a rock you could use it for sports. Horrible horrible stuff. In contrast have had very nice special meals on AA, LH, and some other airlines. I still remember the little personal bottle of balsamic vinaigrette on my AA transcon from LAX to BOS. Stark contrast to the wilted lettuce and wilted lemon wedge on UA.
Aug 13, 2011, 8:28 am
#12
Used to be MBS PremExec
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Marriott Titanium w/Lifetime Plat, Hilton LIfetime ♢, National Exec, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,722
&%$# United.
$*@# Continental.
@#$* Smisek.
For some of us, a special-order meal is not a luxury, but a REQUIREMENT. If my wife eats anything containing gluten, she's perhaps hospital-bound, and at a minimum in bed for 3 days...She's on the 'severe' side of the scale with her Celiac Disease.
She flies weekly, often to the west coast (and is also a 1K). Often times, her special meal in flight is her only meal for the day. None of the airports she visits offer gluten-free items at the kiosks, and I don't have to tell any of you about how nearly impossible it is to bring many items through security. Gluten= wheat = breads, pastas, pizza, breaded-anything. It's not like she can pick up a sandwich at the airport or even a Whopper on her way to the airport.
I agree with one of the posters above, this is yet another byproduct of UDU. Since they're giving F away for free, they have no excuse to put any sort of a palatable soft product out there.
There are a lot of straws on the camel's back. Wonder how many more he can hold.
$*@# Continental.
@#$* Smisek.
For some of us, a special-order meal is not a luxury, but a REQUIREMENT. If my wife eats anything containing gluten, she's perhaps hospital-bound, and at a minimum in bed for 3 days...She's on the 'severe' side of the scale with her Celiac Disease.
She flies weekly, often to the west coast (and is also a 1K). Often times, her special meal in flight is her only meal for the day. None of the airports she visits offer gluten-free items at the kiosks, and I don't have to tell any of you about how nearly impossible it is to bring many items through security. Gluten= wheat = breads, pastas, pizza, breaded-anything. It's not like she can pick up a sandwich at the airport or even a Whopper on her way to the airport.
I agree with one of the posters above, this is yet another byproduct of UDU. Since they're giving F away for free, they have no excuse to put any sort of a palatable soft product out there.
There are a lot of straws on the camel's back. Wonder how many more he can hold.
Aug 13, 2011, 8:41 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: BNE/OOL temporarily-permanently at CAK/PIT
Programs: UA*1K & UA Club, National Ex. Elite, Hertz Pres. Circ., Amex Plat., CLEAR
Posts: 1,703
The unfortunate consequence of UDU/EUA freebies. UACO has to make a decision. Either improve the domestic F soft product and sell it as that or allow it to continue the slide and rename it E++. I would be thrilled so see a better F soft product, including special meals and am willing to pay for it.
CO/UA paid F class fares have been going up lately, which isn't going to boost the number of paid bookings. As far as I can tell, CO/UA is not interested in the domestic pre-paid F class passenger (other than p.s. flights). They would much rather upgrade an Elite for free or sell an upgrade at check-in for $50 or $200 or whatever.
US Airways recently improved their First Class meals (albeit they were horrifyingly bad before the improvements) and they've been unlimited for preferreds for over a decade.