goalie

I do

anon2k2

DL serves a meal in F on SEA<>LAX and SFO. They even serve a small sandwich wrap or continental breakfast in economy on those flights. Not trying to be a DL marketer, every airline has its strong and weak points. Like cancelling 4,000 flights nationwide because of thunderstorms in Atlanta...

bocastephen

Interesting question. At this point I would say it's less about loyalty for me and more about being somewhat trapped. MP is the best out of UA/DL/AA - for now - and international upgrades are important to me. I've invested countless amounts of time and money in Continental (where I was happy) and now United (where I am ambivalent), and don't want to cash out and start over with an inferior program.

I guess you can say I'm here for Mileage Plus, not for the airline or its product. Once I hit my 100k for 2017, I will treat myself as a free-agent and probably move my paid domestic F dollars to DL where miles don't matter, but product does (and the F fares are generally cheaper). Credit card points from Chase and Amex are a wonderfully liberating tool. UA offers little to no incentive for me to keep going after 100K - useless RPU? No thanks.

As to meals - I would expect UA to provide a meal in F on *every* flight of 2hrs or more throughout the day and night PLUS a snack basket after the meal. Breakfast should run from 5A through 1030A, lunch from 1030A through 3P and dinner from 3P through the redeye departures.

*Every* flight of 90 minutes to 2hrs should receive a cold snack plate - sandwich, fruit cup, small salad, and dessert PLUS a snack basket.

Only flights under 90 minutes where there is little practical opportunity to handle plates and trays, should any of us ever see a snack basket as the primary or only inflight service.

Waldofriend

Just booked a flight from YVR-LAX departing at 2PM with a travel time listed of 3 hours 9 minutes. They list 'Refreshments' under Meal - but they probably figure everyone will head to In-N-Out as soon as they land at LAX so why bother? Interestingly, AirCanada has a 2:15 departure to LAX and their website says 'meal'.

paule123

I think I've done 3 redeye trips in paid F recently, 4-5 hours each, and just served the snack basket. Really lame... and no more Toblerone. Bring back the PMCO style cold deli plate!!

They also need to upgauge the wine glasses to the larger stemless tumblers like DL uses. It's a PITA to be waiting on the FA to refill my thimble every 5 minutes.

lhrsfo

It's easy to serve a meal in 90 minutes and most airlines do. It's common to see decent meals, albeit usually cold, on 60 minute flights.

blueman2

I used to get a very nice meal from FRA to STR on LH. 40 minutes scheduled flight, less than 30 minutes airtime. It can be done. Still do not understand why, but it can be done.

BTW, my SAV to IAD flight in F (about 2 hours) had a great snack basket including stroopwafel!!!!

BBSHOPSINGER

Many years ago - when airlines were first starting to sell non-refundable fares, but most companies were still paying for refundable fares - I was just starting to travel a little bit for business. I flew from STL-ORD on an automatic upgrade and experienced first class for the first time (on TWA). They served a full meal on this 50-minute flight, and I was really impressed.

A few weeks later I had to travel for a quick trip west on Continental, and again had a special automatic upgrade fare. I was excited about flying first again. But with Continental, the only difference between First and Coach was the size of the seats. They didn't even have snacks. I don't even recall them providing any in-flight service of any kind. Big difference between the two airlines.

televisor

BA used to serve a (hot) british breakfast on GLA-LHR. To the entire aircraft (all economy since it was a domestic). That's 345 miles, which is longer than FRA-STR, but still impressive.

pushmyredbutton

Flew SFO-LAS and was served a hot muffin, even though I was expecting a snack basket.

How does that work in?

rittenhousesq

On early morning flights, they give you a warm muffin rather than the snack basket.

DELee

05/09/17: LAX-SFO - warm muffin

fly747first

Yes, but DL's meals, while featuring amazing presentation after they partnered with an italian designer, aren't really that great and DL doesn't even offer warm nuts or real dessert on most flights with meal service within the US.

qukslvr619

It's interesting you mention this because I can remember my first flight with CO in 1998 and IAHSTL at that time was mainline and about 2x a day. IAHSTL AM flights used to offer beverage service and that was it. No cookies, no bischoffs, nothing. Granted the flight duration was about 1:30 but this was when CO was riding high as one of the better airlines at the time. Wasn't until a year or so later that they finally expanded meal service, albeit cold plates, onto these flights.....and 2001 came, everything went to ERJs and it was all downhill from there.

fumje

This is sort of a digression from the topic, but does UA make an effort to fill the basket with food items all made in the US? It appears to be the case, which is an interesting push. Wonder if that even includes the bananas.