mahasamatman

Only one reason. The bottom line.

flyerbaby19

Exactly. Folks on this board complain, but then choose UA over other options that do serve meals. All that will tell the competition is that folks don't really value the meals and they might eventually cut them as well.

mduell

I think you're about 10-15 minutes high there.

altbg

I started not caring about the snack basket when they stopped having the Popcorners Sweet Chili chips. Those were the best!

Air Houston

The snack basket has had really poor choices lately. I would much prefer a basic deli plate or even the cheese and cracker snack from coach.

timfountain

Really? I thought they were revolting! Seriously. I had heartburn for the next day or so. Only one, then never again. Yuck!

flyerbaby19

I've personally never once had an issue crossing the curtain to go backwards...only forwards

dmurphynj

Hahaha - the hate and loathing for the deli plate was amazingly strong around FT. I agree with you though; I liked it between flights, even the gherkin pickle.

Sometimes I feel really bad for the airlines; this is one of those things where no matter what they do, people hate it ....

qukslvr619

CO also didn't serve anything other than pretzels/nuts in F on flights that weren't scheduled for snack service. So we lost the snack plate, but we also got something more substantial on <1:30 flts. So IAHMSY, IAHOKC, etc weren't scheduled for snack service but would get a bag of pretzels.

That being said, the current iteration of the snack basket sucks....or maybe that its because I've had it so often that I just am burnt out. Pop Chips were decent but haven't seen them in years; pretzels ok but almost would prefer the snack mix passed out in Y. DL's F snack basket used to be better, but now it seems they are serving the same stuff as in Y with the only difference is that its in a basket offered by the FA.

catocony

Maybe it's me, but it's really hard to screw up a snack basket. UA does seem to try to do so however. Can they not get a tie-in with a major snack company to help defray costs or something? They try and get too fancy with the stuff. Just go with some small bags of Frito-Lay products, Hershey or Mars or Nestle chocolates, packs of Nabisco or Keebler cookies, Planters nuts, some bananas and apples for the more health conscience. If they want to go all out, have some bags of trail mix. If they started throwing in some beef jerkey sticks or even Slim Jims, that would do the trick.

I haven't been on Delta in a while but they used to have a snack basket like this. Animal crackers and easy snacks like that. Half the stuff in the UA snack basket is goofy to me.

goalie

Not looking forward to this on UA1773 PBI-EWR this Saturday (May 13) and the logic defies me as UA450 PBI-EWR (12:05-14:59) gets a lunch service and my flight (14:30-17:27) gets refreshments

rch4u

Who eats a meal between 2:30 and 5:27?

CruiserCLE

Many people, myself included. I prefer to eat multiple smaller meals throughout the day.

Also - think about the number of people on connections (like myself).. I always use TPA/MCO-IAD as an example. Many of those flights leave during a "traditional" meal window yet they get nothing other than the lousy basket. Even the 10pm bank, if you're like me and leaving your origin between 7-8 and coming right from the office, there's no time to eat dinner. You have a short connection in IAD, and land in MCO/TPA after midnight.. makes for a long evening. Yes, I bring granola bars, but a granola bar and bag of popcorn + banana (from the basket) is not a great dinner IMO.

I wish they would implement something like the Starbucks bistro boxes for flights of that 2:00-2:20 window. Would be nice to get some protein and actually be able to eat something more substantial.

artvandalay

Yup. Don't understand why anyone would choose UA on this route if inflight service is important, unless, of course, it's about "loyalty." Complaining to UA is a waste of time, because, as others so accurately point out, it's all about the bottom line. And apparently there are enough loyal UA customers--and other travelers--who think it's fine to serve a bag of chips, etc., when the competition serves "more."

PushingTin

DEN-Sna was a 'snack' but was a yougurt, fruit plate, muffin. The return flight was the basket of popcorn and Doritos. Really lame. And that was for a 6pm arrival in DEN. If I had thought about it, I would have asked for a snack box. 2.5 hour flight...