JonasCLT

I've been flying short hops out of IAD (under 500 miles) weekly for about 5 months now. I'm usually on a 6 AM flight and appreciate a little food when I'm upgraded (which actually has been most of the time lately). The FAs generally gladly gave me an AM snack box when I requested it and would occasionally pass them out without asking.

This morning I requested one and was flat out refused by the FA stating "you can purchase one as they are not complimentary in first on flights under 700 miles or 2 hours." I subsequently emailed 1k Voice which confirmed this as the official policy. I found it interested they actually confirmed this, but it was nice they at least gave me a concrete answer.

Has anyone else received pushback or denials getting snack boxes in first on short UX flights? I flat out refuse to eat the snack mix despite them sourcing it a few miles from my childhood hometown so without a snack box the only value of first over coach is the slightly larger seat.

mherdeg

Haha, yes, having grown up a 6 mile drive away from King Nut Company, I find a bit of nostalgia in every express flight.

johnden

Honestly, does that matter? I value the snack box at $2-3 USD. I can grab a much higher quality bagel/pastry/snack mix in the terminal for $3, etc.

If you are paying 1.5-4x the economy price for F, I don't see an issue with either buying a snack box on board or breakfast in the terminal. It isn't that much of a difference.

We have (myself included) developed a bad habit of overvaluing a few dollars in food. Short-haul F has always been about the seat, service and prestige. Long-haul the meal is a mini-event, but same deal, paying 2-10x the Y price for a few dollars in food.

DavidRS4

I think its another example of United devaluing first class (even more). First they make the seats smaller on the new 737 and now they don't even give food on short flights?

BB2220

You can always refuse the upgrade and stay in coach. Then everything stays the same and you won't have anything to complain about

EmailKid

You obviously don't live in one of the flyover states

OK, neither do I, I've just been passing through on and off for the last 30 years or so

DFW gets mostly UX service, and even on midcons all you get in FC is a sorry snack box and drinks without having to hand over drink chits

OK, you don't have to beg for FAs to take your chits, they usually keep your drinks filled in FC ^

Col Ronson

People have a right to complain, considering AA and DL offer actual meals and not snack boxes on their express flights. Like you said, the value of a snack box is $2-$3 so its pretty pathetic UA can't cough up that cost for their first class passengers except on flights over 2 hours lol. One only need to google images "American Eagle first class meal" or "Delta connection first class meal" to see food options superior to even mainline UA meals.

SwisherTown

The "first class meal" is available on flights over 3:30 hrs (or some select city pairs all over 500 miles). For a 500 mile flight you get a fig bar or a pretzel or a cookie.

mgcsinc

It had never even occurred to me to demand F meal service on a flight with no F meal.

EmailKid

Not sure about AA, but it is my understanding that DL has WiFi on their RJs.

sbm12

DL has it on 70+ seat planes. AA just signed a contract to add it to theirs, similar to UA's plan.

None have it on the 50-seaters.

eng3

My thoughts exactly. I guess I should try asking for food on flights that dont offer it. I mean they offer it for sale in Y, so maybe they dont mind giving it away in F

demkr

I only took two UX flights this year, and I asked on the second one and received a Savory box. It's downright insulting the "premium cabin" PM Box and AM Box have so little food compared to the ones they serve in coach.

They'll be switching to meals on longer UX flights later this year, but in the meantime the least they can do is serve us something that's served in coach.

JBord

Or more precisely, to demand free Y meal service on a flight with no complimentary meal in any seating class.

I have no problem paying for a snack box in this scenario, but I will say sometimes they are only offered to Y and not F, which doesn't make sense. I shouldn't have to stop a FA to beg her to sell me one.

DWooderson

Agreed. I think the snack boxes are garbage anyway, but they should still be offered to FC unless they're already serving something more substantial on the flight.