JC5280

I second this opinion. There's plenty of opinions on here. But I am also amazed at the fuss over airline food which costs the airline less than a can of dog food. I have never understood the focus on meal vs. no meal on a plane. I know the preservative level of that food is sky high. It's really bad for you. I learned this from a girl i knew who worked at WHQ who handled catering planning. For those of us business travelers who can expense food, you are likely much better off eating elsewhere from a health and financial standpoint.

But I have summed it up, and of course this is only my opinion, that the airline meal is one of the last remaining elements of "glamour" in first class now. It's the concept of being served. Service doesn't really exist on US carriers in the back of the plane anymore. So I think as Americans we just are thirsty for service and glamour. That's why upgrades are so important these days to so many travelers.

gengar

As I mentioned previously in this thread, I don't bother with the onboard meals on domestics (I previously used this fact to claim I can offer an unbiased viewpoint on meal priority). However, I know plenty of frequent flyers who choose to sit further up specifically to ensure meal choice. While IMO all the food offered is awful, I acknowledge that some people may feel that some offerings are much worse than others.

Picky? No. I just object to you unfairly representing my posts, which is something I don't think is too much to ask.

Also, it's very possible to be an elite who mostly buys F and still not make GS, especially for someone who only flies domestic routes. This is very common for work travel that allows F - one of the companies I used to work for had a ton of 1Ps who flew nothing but paid F on UA, and they never came anywhere close to GS consideration. And I'd be honestly embarrassed for UA if they were treating upgraded 1Ks better.


While true, you'd have to get a much larger sample to make a case for anything specific to 1Ks. I've already posted in this thread that I approve of a system where full fare F pax outrank upgraded 1Ks, and several other posters have signaled approval of policy that's at least similar.

You seem to like recklessly throwing out the "overentitled" label on PMUA elites, but I'm sure you'll find many examples of what you feel to be "overentitled" elites with respect to certain policies/procedures on any given airline.

Michael D

Paying $10k for Intl First, you deserve much better fare than what is offered/presented. Fly biz and then spend less than a thousand bucks having a real gourmet meal when you land.

As others have said, first choice or second it really doesn't matter. The food on planes is not something to get excited about, imo, even in Intl First.

chinatraderjmr

No, no. I do see your point & it is a good one. However, I was impressed with my dinky little DL flight. Do I plan to switch from UA to DL? No. But I will certainly take them again and as a customer w no status, ill pay for my F seat. I may only fly them 4-5 times over then next year but those 4-5 flights in full F equals probably more $$ then many spend to make status. I would think any airline would want to impress a "one off" F passenger with the hope of getting repeat business. I got my first choice & ill fly DL again. It's only a stupid meal & it's such an insignificant part of flying that its hardly worth mentioning. The point to me is more the principle of the whole meal / status thing. I would hope any airline is smart enough to treat a full F passenger at least as well as a status passenger. pmUA had it exactly right with the old " ****" system. Full fare got 4 ****. The same as a 1K. Now how hard is that?

Beerman92

Thank you!

Then United's PRASM would be doing A LOT better than it has so far this year.

Now there is a good idea!

UA-NYC

Sure, there are always some, and that's perfectly their right - it is a fair argument that one with high loyalty to a company might deserve better treatment than a one off (good) customer. Take a poll - I bet the majority won't have any problem with it.

Since you think this benefit isn't a big deal, if you're in the last row of a C/F cabin and the FA comes to you first, are you going to say "just give me whatever is left after everyone else orders?"

halls120

Exactly. MsHalls120 and I have a rotation of local restaurants we frequent. I tip very well on those occasions, because the service is worth it, and because that tipping means we don't wait for a table, and our glasses are always filled, and our waitpersons are very attentive. Yes, all customers should be treated well, but frequent customers ought to be given a little lagniappe in exchange for that loyalty.

I was once on a flight where there were so many GS that I didn't get my choice. The world didn't end, my flight wasn't ruined, and I didn't demand compensation for that egregious slight. I understood the situation, and was fine with it, because I understood why United prioritized GS passengers over me.

Seat 1F

I fly on AA a whole lot and there is no-where near the sense of gimme gimme gimme as there is on UA with some of the PMUA flyers. Even the tone on the FT boards is different. This morning I wake to see some PMUA folks on here are still seriously arguing that an upgraded 1K should get priority meal preference over an F passenger that paid for the service....yet you refer to me as being reckless?

My opinion is that many of the PMUA flyers are/were over-entitled. Some of the views expressed by PMUA flyers on this thread and many other threads perfectly support my beliefs. I'm not sure what other conclusion one can reach with this evidence available for all to see?

channa

Maybe that's because AA does a good job at taking care of its EXPs.

If US does to AA what CO did to UA, then maybe the tone will change quickly over there as well.

Recall the UA board was not like that pre-3/3. Sure, there were complaints here and there (some more significant than others), but the anti-company venom really started to fly on 3/3, which was, for all practical purposes, the end of United. I'm not saying that's bad, it's just a normal side effect when a company with tens of thousands of loyal, frequent customers with a history of taking care of them, stops doing so and begins to antagonize those customers instead.

gengar

I agree with you that upgraded 1Ks shouldn't be above full fare passengers in priority. The difference between you and me is that I acknowledge an argument can reasonably be made that differs from my opinion, and I don't expand a vocal minority to try to represent "many" PMUA elites to make accusations about systemic behavior.

msimons

Instead of reinstating prioritizing, why didn't UA add meal selection to their mobile app ?
Ideally selection could be done in time for everyone to get their choice, but if not it could prioritize for FA's.
Yes I know last minute upgrades would still have to choose, but could extend meal selection to the top five on the standby list.

channa

With AA doing meal selection, I'd be surprised if UA weren't looking at it.

Look at their technology, though. This is probably something that would take a months to a year to implement.

Maybe meal priority is just their attempt at a quick-fix.

Seat 1F

AA is offering pre-flight meal selection. In fact, many years ago PA offered pre-flight meal selection for a period of time....for Y class passengers. PA had something like 10 meal choices one could pick from. I believe the passenger had to call in their meal choice 24-48 hours in advance (remember this was before the Internet). I never availed myself of the service. I understand the FA's hated it as it complicated their delivery of the meal service. Also, I think there were loads of mistakes with requested meals not being loaded. It will be interesting to see how well this works at AA.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

It's amusing that people keep saying this in this thread, but in reality every single one of you will indicate a preference. I can guarantee you do not tell the FA, "I'll take either one. I don't care which one I get".

walkerci

Why can't we select our meal choice 24 hours in advance?

How tough can that be?