I've shown you that expecting to get a new supplier is quite unreasonable based on the logistical evidence. If you want to ignore that evidence, fine.

I find it disappointing that you're trying to equate operating without a license, unsanitary conditions, and even a lack of hot water with a deadly infection at a very different facility. All of your examples are not even close to relevant.

Here's something that is:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedreed.../#63b08f3558a4

As you will see below, it is apparently not unreasonable to find another source.

Thanks for proving the point that UA is taking longer to resolve their incident than its competitors.

UA's incident happened in October. DL's incident in November. DL is back on line, UA isn't. Moreover, there's this from the DL board:

​​​​​​https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...a-has-not.html

and this:

Why was DL able to find an alternate source and UA unable to find an alternate source?

AA, DL back with Gate Gourmet at LAX after 2-months

Delta and American Airlines return to using catering company at LAX after listeria discovery - LA Times

Because Delta is the 32 best airline in the world ( ) United is 78th. http://www.airlinequality.com/info/t...airlines-2017/ (p.s. American is 74th) United gets 3 out of 10 stars from customers (http://www.airlinequality.com/airlin...ited-airlines/ ); Delta gets 5 out of 10 ( http://www.airlinequality.com/airlin...lta-air-lines/ )

I could look at other rankings, or NPS, or basically anything... Delta gets better reviews/rankings. And things like failing to provide meals (other than BOB) on flights from a hub for now months, with no explanation or effort to evidently fix the issue, is a good example of why United's brand and reputation is so trashed.

Just tell us up front there are issues and you a) can have a meal voucher to use in the terminal if you have time, b) expect BoB as your F meal, c) accept it as a 1st world problem and deal with it. Any (including c) is fine with me. Just acknowledge it and move on. That respect would be returned by your customers. Hoping we won't notice and not sharing the truth until it is too late (on the plane) is disingenuous.

1) Remember that we're talking LAX versus DEN. At DEN, UA would serve more meals than all other carriers combined, and it wouldn't be close. Do you think there's an alternate facility ready to pick up the largest demand at the airport? It's crazy to think so. At LAX, there is undoubtedly many times more capacity at the airport for meals, and each airline only has a minority share of the demand. If one facility has problems, one would expect there to be a much greater chance of alternative capacity available given enough time. But even then, the meer existence of other vendors doesn't guarantee options.

2) Take a look at the AA thread. You think those are "solutions"? Everything was messed up there. From J meals to BOB to even drinks. It wasn't just BOB substitutions for F. Sometimes it was no food period. And the timelines are interestingly similar. Only in the past week do things appear to be partially back for both carriers. The starting and ending dates are almost the same. So we can say that both UA and AA did well, did poorly, or were merely average, but it's not okay to say one carrier did significantly better than another.

DL's side of the LAX facility was not shut down in the same manner, and it was still within health standards when DL made adjustments. DL waited two weeks before they suspended use, possibly to have an alternate available first, but that's speculating. But that begs the question of why they continued to use the LAX hot kitchen for two more weeks after the scare. That's concerning. Now which carrier appears to be thinking about money and not its customers?

You continue comparing apples to oranges. When things are compared apples to apples, a different conclusion emerges.

I thought we were talkin' bout pineapple fruit cups??? :confused:

Just like the ones we got in the school cafeteria. First Class All The Way!!!

United is cheap. Let me say it again, United is cheap.

United has bungled this whole thing. The lack of communication and failure to even admit the catering is sub-par is a glaring indicator of how United thinks about these things. And there are absolutely ways to have quickly implemented a better interim solution, regardless of how much posting is done to the contrary.

I have great compassion for the DEN Catering staff. I was privileged to spend a day with them last year, and it is a world-class facility. I hope they get back up to speed quickly, and all the staff are doing OK. I fear that they have been out of work for some time now, most likely without pay.

The challenge is that if United spent tens of millions of dollars FedEx catering in from another airport, which I’m not even sure is feasible, we’d get a huge thread on why United’s earning suck and accusations about management incompetence.

Substituting BOB is not cheap. The food is generally more expensive and there’s more handling costs involved due to a larger supply chain. I’m pretty confident United is burning a moderate amount of money on this whole situation, albeit not an amount to materially impact earnings.

There could be improved communication with customers on flights where a hot meal is replaced by the cheese plate.

Ultimately, if someone feels this is such a big deal they should go to the local media in Denver. This is the best course to get the “answers” you feel are deserved.

"Improved"? "Improved"? How's bout "ANY COMMUNICATION"!!!

A few on here find multiple reasons/excuses that UA isn't about to spend anything to serve proper food to f/c passengers, and are getting more heated up than the slop being served.

Again, it is lack of "COMMUNICATIONS" to paying customers that has most reasonable posters ticked! Not if UA can afford to rent an airplane to bring proper food to DEN.

Just come out with it and tell us what in the hell is going on!!!:mad:

Perhaps some of their planes have a few loose wing nuts, and it's too expensive to locate them, so they just keep it a BIG secret, cause we can't handle the truth! How's bout that??:confused:

I think we have different interpretations of “improved.” Getting pissed off about semantics or things you can’t control serves no purpose.

There are several options for recourse: complain to United if the service is not up to your expectations and get compensation (logical), fly through other hubs (not unreasonable), or complain on FlyerTalk but change nothing about your behavior (illogical).

Right. Because the only solution costs 10s of Millions of dollars. :rolleyes:

I love when "solutions" are presented as binary choices.

United can either spend 10s of Millions of Dollars to address their catering shortfalls, or throw BOB Economy food at their First Class customers.
United can either communicate in a condescending & disingenuous manner, or not communicate at all.
Customers can either accept substandard service, or just stop complaining.

Wouldn't you agree that United's handling of this matter on the PR level has been an abject failure?