Dec 2, 2013, 10:00 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
As of the last update from an inside source, the meal choice prioritization policy is to prioritize in this order:
1. Global Services
2. Premier 1K
3. All other revenue passengers
4. Nonrevs
This prioritization is done in the galley, after taking orders. If you saw a flight crew take orders front to back, but did not see any GS/1K passengers denied their first choice, you have not witnessed a violation of the policy. Indeed, taking orders front to back is correct under the policy.
Post #30
Hi, UA-NYC,
Yes, your assertion is accurate. Premier 1K will still be prioritized as you stated, but again, this is to be done in the galley.
-UA Insider
1. Global Services
2. Premier 1K
3. All other revenue passengers
4. Nonrevs
This prioritization is done in the galley, after taking orders. If you saw a flight crew take orders front to back, but did not see any GS/1K passengers denied their first choice, you have not witnessed a violation of the policy. Indeed, taking orders front to back is correct under the policy.
Post #30
Hi everyone,
As several of you have mentioned, there has been no procedure change to prioritizing premium cabin meal orders.
As a reminder, our standard procedure is to take meal orders from front to back of the cabin and ask for a second choice in case your first choice is not available. After meal orders are taken, our inflight crew will prioritize meal orders in the galley. This way, we can streamline the order-taking processes while eliminating skipping around the cabin for order-taking.
-UA Insider
As several of you have mentioned, there has been no procedure change to prioritizing premium cabin meal orders.
As a reminder, our standard procedure is to take meal orders from front to back of the cabin and ask for a second choice in case your first choice is not available. After meal orders are taken, our inflight crew will prioritize meal orders in the galley. This way, we can streamline the order-taking processes while eliminating skipping around the cabin for order-taking.
-UA Insider
Yes, your assertion is accurate. Premier 1K will still be prioritized as you stated, but again, this is to be done in the galley.
-UA Insider
Current UA Process for Prioritizing Meal Orders in Premium Cabins [ARCHIVE]
Dec 1, 2012, 2:38 am
#106
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SFO and OAK
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Dec 1, 2012, 4:39 am
#107
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,617
That said, ^^ to United for listening to their customers!
Dec 1, 2012, 5:09 am
#108
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: LAS ORD
Programs: AA Pro (mostly B6) OZ♦ (flying BR/UA), BA Silver Hyatt LT, Wynn Black, Cosmo Plat, Mlife Noir
Posts: 5,992
Dec 1, 2012, 5:27 am
#109
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
I just had a "snack box" comped to me 2 nights ago. No big deal & I even offered to pay. Was on a PS red eye & can't stand that cold cous cous snack. Walked back to Y and asked for a snack box, took out my wallet & the FA refused to take my money.
Dec 1, 2012, 6:24 am
#110
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
The sad thing here is that, apart from pmUA intercontinental flights in C, international and domestic premium class meals have deteriorated to the point where it's barely worth worrying about meal choice.
Dec 1, 2012, 6:27 am
#111
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
To those who are still in doubt, this is confirmed. The alert email was sent out on Nov 27th to all FAs. The priority is as follow.
1/ Global Services (GS): our invitation-only membership program exclusively for our top members.
2/ Premier 1K customers (1K): 100,000 Premier qualifying miles or 120 Premier qualifying segments.
3/ All other revenue customers
4/ Pass riders
The effective date is Nov 30th. Cheers.
1/ Global Services (GS): our invitation-only membership program exclusively for our top members.
2/ Premier 1K customers (1K): 100,000 Premier qualifying miles or 120 Premier qualifying segments.
3/ All other revenue customers
4/ Pass riders
The effective date is Nov 30th. Cheers.
That was a policy violation. The FA probably just did it as a CS gesture, and will probably play dumb if their inventory comes out as off. But unless the policy has changed, AFAIK, they are not allowed to do this.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Dec 1, 2012 at 7:56 am Reason: off-topic
Dec 1, 2012, 6:37 am
#112
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: United Premier Gold, AirBerlin Gold, Starwood Gold, Avis Preferred, CBP Global Entry
Posts: 497
1K Meal orders to be prioritized again
I really don't understand this "all elites are equal" mentality, on board or at the airport. They're clearly not, otherwise we'd only have two tiers: elite and non-elite.
Dec 1, 2012, 6:52 am
#113
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sunshine State
Programs: UA2MM AND 1K, HYATT GLOBALIST, AVIS PRES CLUB.
Posts: 97
Well said. And which 1K will get a choice over the next? Are we then going to prioritize by status, then fare class paid, then time of check-in, then age of your first born child? Really?
Dec 1, 2012, 6:54 am
#114
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AADULtArer
Posts: 5,693
Whining about getting your choice of airline food of any kind is like choosing the colour of your colonoscopy probe.....go to a restaurant or cook food yourself for fine cuisine....airplanes are for travel, not dining.
Dec 1, 2012, 7:14 am
#115
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Colorado
Programs: United MM (formerly 1K), Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 551
It appears (to me) that they have only started to see the light as their financial picture has worsened. Perhaps this add-back means they are really in trouble this quarter. I know I haven't flown them in a month. It feels fairly refreshing.
Dec 1, 2012, 7:27 am
#116
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Colorado
Programs: United MM (formerly 1K), Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 551
Apparently, those people who pay for economy and fly enough to be upgraded appear to be more profitable for the airline than those who occasionally buy a first class ticket. just saying...
Dec 1, 2012, 7:52 am
#117
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Location: Bay Area, CA
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I would guess that most paid F pax are time-sensitive customers buying on schedule and availability of an F cabin. Aside from a few markets with direct competition (e.g., LAX-JFK), usually one carrier is the only game in town, or at a minimum, one carrier is significantly dominant and will have the best schedule.
That same guy in SFO who booked UA SFO-IAH because they're the only game in town, will be on AA next week because they're the only ones going SFO-MIA, and on DL the week after because they're the only ones going SFO-ATL.
They're not picking an airline that works for them for the year, they're picking a flight that works for them today. That guy may not care too much for US, but if he's going SFO-CLT, he'll be on US.
Elite customers, however, can be much more finicky, because they can move the whole customer relationship to another carrier with one decisive move. Also, that Elite may be flying UA in markets where UA is not the most efficient in order to maintain their status and the relationship.
The paid F pax is not going to go SFO-DEN-ATL with DEN-ATL on an RJ. They're taking DL. That Elite, however, may very well fly the UA route that takes more time, is more prone to a delay, and is on the junk equipment over flying DL with no status (not to mention flying DL may jeopardize his ability to requalify for his UA status due to the lost opportunity).
Recall that the F pax is also not needing status for their trip. They bought the big seat, they get free bags, they get priority checkin and security, all with their ticket. Many of the perks that status members get wouldn't do that F guy any good anyway. That's why he can afford to be transient.
The VFF, OTOH, needs the status perks to avoid the masses. The airline needs the VFF to maintain that repeat business.
Dec 1, 2012, 8:51 am
#118
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,029
So all meal choices are the same and none are worse than others? I bet if you are offered a choice of meals, you select one over the other, so there is a difference and you do have preferences. Or do you not eat anything on a plane? The discussion is about choices of food ON A PLANE. Eating at a restaurant or at home isn't an option at 30,000'.
Dec 1, 2012, 8:57 am
#119
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Dec 1, 2012, 9:10 am
#120
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,867
Where you sit doesn't necessarily make a difference, and you will likely be taken care of anyway, not just dumped back into Y. I would go with your favorite seat.