username

It seems now that UA has reduced the catering of the snack basket. In the past, it seems the would cater a lot of extra stuff even on the sUA 320s. I would see FAs taking out 2 trays of wrapped stuff from the cart and put them in the basket. People would get 2 or 3 items and things still don't run out.

Now, on planes with more seats in F (738/739), it seems there is just enough for 1 piece for each passenger and some can get 2. Last night, the FA was strictly enforcing one piece per person the first round rule.

My questions:

1 - has the catered amount remained the same for all the domestic F cabin planes and the problem is really caused by more setas on the 738s and 739s?

2 - what do they do with unfinished stuff? I have even seen Y passengers being offered the extra stuff. I am sure FAs would eat them too. If they get put back in the cart, do they get re-used?

3 - would there be a way to cater more and figure out a way to not waste the extras?

Thanks.

Hadrian35

Make the snacks even more unappealing, no one eats anything, snack basket gets cut entirely.

LilAbner

I've never seen them restrict how much any passenger can take out of the basket, and there always seems to be plenty to go around, on my flights.

Having said that, there have reports that much of this stuff is often stashed in purses and other secret places, and then taken to the rear galley for consumption.

Inferring that perhaps "United" is being frugal, as of late, and reigning in catering this crap probably isn't warranted, until it is factually proven, or more reports surface of UA being chincy with their Chiquita's, chocolate, nuts, or chips.

On my flight from IAH - LAS several days ago, about an hour before landing, BOB boxes (all 3 varieties) were offered to ALL f/c passengers for FREE!!!

emcsweeney

I was on a 739 recently, where the FA went back several times to re-fill the basket, and kept coming around. I finally had to tell the FA to stop bothering me.

Hadrian35

Yeah, snark aside, I haven't seen the cocoa being locked up in the clubs, FA's not giving the can on request, or any other restrictions on snacks being imposed. I'm not saying anecdotal experiences aren't true, just that they are anecdotal which makes me wonder if employees aren't going above and beyond what they are supposed to do in some misguided attempt to save the company money. I've seen it before when the memo comes out to look for ways to eliminate waste and then some moron starts suggesting that the company should stop providing a water cooler, as if that was truly overhead of any significance.

bmwe92fan

Was on a A320 last night from ORD and snack box assortment was limited, but plentiful. It seems to me to be more related to how the plane was catered at a particular station than a corporate decision - but most of my flights are long haul international so haven't really noticed much difference as I'm usually in a half comtose state on the next short haul flight in the US...

EDIT: I really want those biscuits back - you know, the dark ones that are more like cookies. They are ADDICTING...

exwannabe

We all need our daily dose of trans fatty acids.

mahasamatman

Same here, including 737s (which the OP seems to have trouble with). To the OP - if you see this happening on your flights, I'd say it's most likely that the crew is taking the remaining food home.

username

It was very strange. It was out of IAH - after 9PM departure about 2.5 hours flying time and 3 hours block time.

I was in row 3. By the time it got to me, I would say 40% of the basket was still there. I wanted 1 banana and 1 cookie. She said 1 per person. She then continued to the rest of the plane (other side of row 3 and 1 more row). She then came right back from the back to offer whatever she had left.

She never made more trips. Later, I looked in the galley when I went to the lav, there was no sign of the basket.

I am on this flight from time to time - once they didn't even do the snack basket. I have also heard FAs in F complaining about this and also not given as many extra dinner rolls for meal service, which did not seem to be all the time.

I guess look a the bright side, at least she did not snap my hand when I reached out for the 2nd item

mahasamatman

In that case, I can see one other possibility. Perhaps they just cater the snacks in the morning and they have to last all day?

Plane-is-home

I had experiences both ways. Basket going around several times and always restocked and basket going around once and crew loading the rest into bags or eating it.

username

I don't think that is the case. I think they refresh them for each flight. I have always seen them coming in on a saran-wrapped tray.

LilAbner

I've also seen them covered by a tray linen as they are being swiftly taken to the rear galley!

username

Maybe I should write to 1kvoice asking how many pieces I am allowed to have

sinoflyer

Isn't it funny that on UA, we have to think twice about taking more than 1 item from the snack basket? I usually like to have the pop chips, a banana, and the Toblerone. I try not to be bashful about taking them all at once (nor should I be), but with how stingy UA has become lately, sometimes I detect a frowning stare from the FA. Perhaps FAs are put into a difficult spot because UA simply doesn't cater the flights consistently, but it's hardly worthy of an aspiring "four-star" airline to nickle and dime the junk food that they pass around, in F no less.