Jan 21, 2019, 2:25 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Related threads
2019 Let's Eat - United First, United Business, & Premium Transcon Service
2019 Let's Eat - Economy Class (Domestic & International)
And the 2018 thread is here: 2018 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
2019 Let's Eat - United First, United Business, & Premium Transcon Service
2019 Let's Eat - Economy Class (Domestic & International)
And the 2018 thread is here: 2018 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
2019 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
Feb 15, 2019, 3:41 pm
#196
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Various tier levels of frequent flyer/hotel plans received for bellyaching about minor flaws in the service I received.
Posts: 610
My experiences on recent TATLs from IAD were similar to "globetraveler's":
-The entire process was discombobulated. On both the inbound and outbound the f/as acted as if it was their first flight. The outbound f/as were running around like their hair was on fire, and even then it took between 30 and 45 minutes between services. On the inbound the f/a serving me couldn't find the seats on his menu chart and got every single person in his section's meal wrong.
-The entree presentation is just awful. It looks like a TV dinner. By the time I got my entree on the outbound, it was pretty much cold. On my inbound the green beans were actually burned to the casserole, while the meat was lukewarm. There was spilled sauce all over the outside of the casserole.
-I was told that they were "out" of the wine that I'd asked for, and only had one kind of red. What kind of red was it? I was told it was "the red kind" :/
-On the inbound the dessert cart was rolled out immediately after the entrees had been served. It was as if the f/as either really wanted to go to sleep, or they knew that by the time they got to the back folks would be done and ready.
-Rather than setting up a nice inflight snack area where one was designed to be set up in the front of the cabin, the f/as stored all of the table cloths and spare slippers, along with their half drunk water bottles. They did set up a cart in the mid-galley, but it only had left over cheese and desserts. About 3/4 through the flight they added extra water bottles.
-My traveling companion, who rarely flies with me, and is easily impressed, said "I can't believe anyone would pay $9,000 for this. The food is like cafeteria food, and it's like we're bothering them to be here."
-The entire process was discombobulated. On both the inbound and outbound the f/as acted as if it was their first flight. The outbound f/as were running around like their hair was on fire, and even then it took between 30 and 45 minutes between services. On the inbound the f/a serving me couldn't find the seats on his menu chart and got every single person in his section's meal wrong.
-The entree presentation is just awful. It looks like a TV dinner. By the time I got my entree on the outbound, it was pretty much cold. On my inbound the green beans were actually burned to the casserole, while the meat was lukewarm. There was spilled sauce all over the outside of the casserole.
-I was told that they were "out" of the wine that I'd asked for, and only had one kind of red. What kind of red was it? I was told it was "the red kind" :/
-On the inbound the dessert cart was rolled out immediately after the entrees had been served. It was as if the f/as either really wanted to go to sleep, or they knew that by the time they got to the back folks would be done and ready.
-Rather than setting up a nice inflight snack area where one was designed to be set up in the front of the cabin, the f/as stored all of the table cloths and spare slippers, along with their half drunk water bottles. They did set up a cart in the mid-galley, but it only had left over cheese and desserts. About 3/4 through the flight they added extra water bottles.
-My traveling companion, who rarely flies with me, and is easily impressed, said "I can't believe anyone would pay $9,000 for this. The food is like cafeteria food, and it's like we're bothering them to be here."
Feb 15, 2019, 3:55 pm
#197
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Port St Lucie, FL, UA1K since 1994 and 3mm, Delta 1mm
Programs: Marriott Titanium Life, Hilton Gold
Posts: 566
I had today an excellent meal of roast port and potatoes. Fresh salad and some cheesecake for desert. Excellent choice of wines. Very attentive service. Flight attendants came through the aisle several times with water and soft drinks and was asked if I wanted anything from the galley. Great flight experience on LH....
Feb 15, 2019, 3:57 pm
#198
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,920
I had today an excellent meal of roast port and potatoes. Fresh salad and some cheesecake for desert. Excellent choice of wines. Very attentive service. Flight attendants came through the aisle several times with water and soft drinks and was asked if I wanted anything from the galley. Great flight experience on LH....
Feb 15, 2019, 4:03 pm
#199
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Global Services 1MM,, AA Exec Plat. Hilton Honors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 606
I had today an excellent meal of roast port and potatoes. Fresh salad and some cheesecake for desert. Excellent choice of wines. Very attentive service. Flight attendants came through the aisle several times with water and soft drinks and was asked if I wanted anything from the galley. Great flight experience on LH....
Who the **LL is running UA on board catering and wine selections?? Especially given that 90% of the time their Polaris fares are higher than that of their intl (IE. better service) carriers...
Feb 17, 2019, 8:59 am
#200
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Mileage Plus Global Services 2MM
Posts: 1,200
Not to take this OT, but I can hear the "well, you wanted a comfy lie-flat to sleep on and nothing else was nearly as important" excuse from UA. While that is true in the macro view, it was never intended to be at the EXCLUSION of all other J services like meals, beverages, and FA's that give service and not running around feeling grossly overworked.
One of the big benefits of the PL was to "have your meal here and sleep on the plane". I do a lot of TPAC out of SFO. Frankly, the food at the PL is not very good or sufficient to "make up for" the reduced J service in flight. The buffet in the morning is at the level of the other UC's with fruit, bread and no hot options (unless you do sit down) which everyone certainly can't do based on timing/capacity. The afternoon/evening offerings are not much better.
If UA wants to "enhance" the on-board meal and beverage service, then they better roll back the food in the PL to the levels enjoyed at opening. Just my opinion.
One of the big benefits of the PL was to "have your meal here and sleep on the plane". I do a lot of TPAC out of SFO. Frankly, the food at the PL is not very good or sufficient to "make up for" the reduced J service in flight. The buffet in the morning is at the level of the other UC's with fruit, bread and no hot options (unless you do sit down) which everyone certainly can't do based on timing/capacity. The afternoon/evening offerings are not much better.
If UA wants to "enhance" the on-board meal and beverage service, then they better roll back the food in the PL to the levels enjoyed at opening. Just my opinion.
Feb 17, 2019, 11:28 am
#201
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
Feb 17, 2019, 12:00 pm
#202
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 60
My experiences on recent TATLs from IAD were similar to "globetraveler's":
-The entire process was discombobulated. On both the inbound and outbound the f/as acted as if it was their first flight. The outbound f/as were running around like their hair was on fire, and even then it took between 30 and 45 minutes between services. On the inbound the f/a serving me couldn't find the seats on his menu chart and got every single person in his section's meal wrong.
-The entree presentation is just awful. It looks like a TV dinner. By the time I got my entree on the outbound, it was pretty much cold. On my inbound the green beans were actually burned to the casserole, while the meat was lukewarm. There was spilled sauce all over the outside of the casserole.
-I was told that they were "out" of the wine that I'd asked for, and only had one kind of red. What kind of red was it? I was told it was "the red kind" :/
-On the inbound the dessert cart was rolled out immediately after the entrees had been served. It was as if the f/as either really wanted to go to sleep, or they knew that by the time they got to the back folks would be done and ready.
-Rather than setting up a nice inflight snack area where one was designed to be set up in the front of the cabin, the f/as stored all of the table cloths and spare slippers, along with their half drunk water bottles. They did set up a cart in the mid-galley, but it only had left over cheese and desserts. About 3/4 through the flight they added extra water bottles.
-My traveling companion, who rarely flies with me, and is easily impressed, said "I can't believe anyone would pay $9,000 for this. The food is like cafeteria food, and it's like we're bothering them to be here."
-The entire process was discombobulated. On both the inbound and outbound the f/as acted as if it was their first flight. The outbound f/as were running around like their hair was on fire, and even then it took between 30 and 45 minutes between services. On the inbound the f/a serving me couldn't find the seats on his menu chart and got every single person in his section's meal wrong.
-The entree presentation is just awful. It looks like a TV dinner. By the time I got my entree on the outbound, it was pretty much cold. On my inbound the green beans were actually burned to the casserole, while the meat was lukewarm. There was spilled sauce all over the outside of the casserole.
-I was told that they were "out" of the wine that I'd asked for, and only had one kind of red. What kind of red was it? I was told it was "the red kind" :/
-On the inbound the dessert cart was rolled out immediately after the entrees had been served. It was as if the f/as either really wanted to go to sleep, or they knew that by the time they got to the back folks would be done and ready.
-Rather than setting up a nice inflight snack area where one was designed to be set up in the front of the cabin, the f/as stored all of the table cloths and spare slippers, along with their half drunk water bottles. They did set up a cart in the mid-galley, but it only had left over cheese and desserts. About 3/4 through the flight they added extra water bottles.
-My traveling companion, who rarely flies with me, and is easily impressed, said "I can't believe anyone would pay $9,000 for this. The food is like cafeteria food, and it's like we're bothering them to be here."
Feb 17, 2019, 12:13 pm
#203
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,503
CDG-ORD 17 Feb 1140 am departure
Had the Thai curry chicken (not the same as spicy chicken fka Asian fusion noodle soup). Quite tasty. Came in a bowl so this post-enhancement service was not different from pre-. This is my second post-enhancement flight and I'm not quite getting the hysteria on here but maybe I've just had two good crews. The beef stew midflight snack was offered as a third option for pre-arrival. Thumbs up to that.
Last edited by st530; Feb 17, 2019 at 3:15 pm
Feb 18, 2019, 9:57 am
#204
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: UA GS ,QF Plat
Posts: 686
is important and what I really pay for and value, this is what I base my purchasing decisions on.
Feb 18, 2019, 7:37 pm
#205
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,350
Had the Thai curry chicken (not the same as spicy chicken fka Asian fusion noodle soup). Quite tasty. Came in a bowl so this post-enhancement service was not different from pre-. This is my second post-enhancement flight and I'm not quite getting the hysteria on here but maybe I've just had two good crews. The beef stew midflight snack was offered as a third option for pre-arrival. Thumbs up to that.
Looks like we had the exact same menu based on the desserts. My only "complaints" on this flight were that the warm nuts were a soft soggy mess, and they either forgot to or chose not to hand out the usual half-damp refreshing towel at the start of the service. Other than that, I'm 2 for 2 on the 77W since the changes.
Feb 18, 2019, 8:38 pm
#206
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Platinum Elite, National Executive, United Gold
Posts: 1,181
I had a perfectly serviceable cannelloni and fruit plate on a recent flight ex-Brazil. The ice cream used in the sundae was awful though, tasted like whey protein powder...
Feb 19, 2019, 10:32 pm
#207
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
Question: is the "clear" plate plastic or glass? It looks more like plastic, IMHO, from the photos.
Feb 19, 2019, 10:39 pm
#208
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Feb 20, 2019, 3:30 pm
#209
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
Feb 20, 2019, 3:58 pm
#210
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,920
I hope internet travel bloggers can write about the latest round of meal downgrades in the Polaris cabin. I don't think customer emails will make much of a difference because there is no public exposures.
Someone had suggested in an earlier post that TPG should do a piece but it seems TPG may not be objective based on the number of exclusive coverages that UA has granted to TPG in the past couple of years.
Someone had suggested in an earlier post that TPG should do a piece but it seems TPG may not be objective based on the number of exclusive coverages that UA has granted to TPG in the past couple of years.
Let's see if United maintains the status quo in hopes that our expectations just get dulled further.