View Poll Results: Mandatory Express Dining Service for East Coast TATL red-eye flights?
Is a good idea
106
40.77%
Prefer having a choice of regular or express
154
59.23%
Voters: 260. You may not vote on this poll
United Will Trial Mandatory New Express Dining Service Concept In Business Class
Apr 1, 2019, 12:08 pm
#76
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True of course, but this was a rebuttal against the point that meal (boarding/quantity/service) reductions seemed acceptable in light of a PL food offering on the ground before departure. On heavy traffic days or during network mayhem (like today), it is possible that multiple pax in J were not able to enjoy a PL meal even if they wanted to.
Apr 1, 2019, 12:21 pm
#77
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Apr 1, 2019, 12:28 pm
#78
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I get the mandatory express dining to get the cabin darker quick so people can get to sleep.
But it's a shame the new Polaris Lounge is not yet open at IAD as it could be pushed as a (better IMHO) replacement to the onboard food...think like what BA does for their evening F departing passengers.
I'd speculate the PL could offer better food options, better food quality, better booze
, and so on than an in-the-air-offering from UA.
But it's a shame the new Polaris Lounge is not yet open at IAD as it could be pushed as a (better IMHO) replacement to the onboard food...think like what BA does for their evening F departing passengers.
I'd speculate the PL could offer better food options, better food quality, better booze
, and so on than an in-the-air-offering from UA.
Apr 1, 2019, 1:19 pm
#79
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On a 7 hour late evening flight from IAD to these locations, it can be 2 hours before they get dinner served, cleaned up, and the lights turned down. Then as soon as 1.5 hours before landing they turn up the lights and try to serve breakfast. This leaves as little as 3.5 hours for decent sleep. Speeding up the first meal service on these flights is a good thing in my opinion.
Apr 1, 2019, 9:01 pm
#80
Join Date: Feb 2016
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These flights are just getting airborne, but I'm told that the galley packing says there's only Apple Pie instead of the usual three deserts. No Cheese mentioned on the paperwork. Only fudge, caramel, and whipped cream for the ice cream. Both pre-arrival options are cold options. (I wasn't there, but I trust my source)
What was that about no cuts to the food again?
What was that about no cuts to the food again?
Apr 1, 2019, 9:09 pm
#81
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These flights are just getting airborne, but I'm told that the galley packing says there's only Apple Pie instead of the usual three deserts. No Cheese mentioned on the paperwork. Only fudge, caramel, and whipped cream for the ice cream. Both pre-arrival options are cold options. (I wasn't there, but I trust my source)
Apr 1, 2019, 9:14 pm
#82
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Yup. PL only works for those who have time to use it.
I wonder if there's a business opportunity for the alliances to offer decent arrival options in Europe for early AM arrivals akin to LH's Welcome Lounges. Same issues as using the PL's on the outbound (1. the lounge actually needs to exist, and 2. the traveler has to have enough time to use the facility) but if one could dine before and after the flight, one could ideally get wheels-up to wheels-down sleep.
I wonder if there's a business opportunity for the alliances to offer decent arrival options in Europe for early AM arrivals akin to LH's Welcome Lounges. Same issues as using the PL's on the outbound (1. the lounge actually needs to exist, and 2. the traveler has to have enough time to use the facility) but if one could dine before and after the flight, one could ideally get wheels-up to wheels-down sleep.
Although, if your neighbor is eating away with their lights on bright and carrying loud conversations, it'd be hard to get a decent night's sleep, no matter what's in the amenity kits. And, as you mentioned, you have to have the time to use the lounges.
Apr 1, 2019, 9:32 pm
#83
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These flights are just getting airborne, but I'm told that the galley packing says there's only Apple Pie instead of the usual three deserts. No Cheese mentioned on the paperwork. Only fudge, caramel, and whipped cream for the ice cream. Both pre-arrival options are cold options. (I wasn't there, but I trust my source)
What was that about no cuts to the food again?
What was that about no cuts to the food again?
Apr 1, 2019, 9:50 pm
#84
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Yes they do. At T2 it’s for UA, AC and SA (only). And for covering the basics it’s very good (showers, decent breakfast including cooked). It closes at 2pm so it won’t work for the daytime flights and the second daily SFO, but for the red eyes it’s just fine.
Apr 1, 2019, 10:16 pm
#85
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If confirmed, I am hopeful you'll author a blog post to highlight the obvious (shameless, and continuing) cost-cutting... with all the Polaris platitudes coming from the less-informed aviation media, seemingly on tape delay, it's important to keep shining light on the drumbeat of reductions to the Polaris soft product. There's some cognitive dissonance here as United is mostly fawned over elsewhere for its alleged "premium transformation."
Apr 1, 2019, 11:18 pm
#86
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If confirmed, I am hopeful you'll author a blog post to highlight the obvious (shameless, and continuing) cost-cutting... with all the Polaris platitudes coming from the less-informed aviation media, seemingly on tape delay, it's important to keep shining light on the drumbeat of reductions to the Polaris soft product. There's some cognitive dissonance here as United is mostly fawned over elsewhere for its alleged "premium transformation."
Apr 1, 2019, 11:33 pm
#87
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These flights are just getting airborne, but I'm told that the galley packing says there's only Apple Pie instead of the usual three deserts. No Cheese mentioned on the paperwork. Only fudge, caramel, and whipped cream for the ice cream. Both pre-arrival options are cold options. (I wasn't there, but I trust my source)
What was that about no cuts to the food again?
What was that about no cuts to the food again?
Congratulations...you've been Kirby'd.
This will be an interesting process for crews - on one hand they will appreciate less cart work and faster meal service (like domestic F fast), on the other hand will they be embarrassed and humiliated to serve what amounts to a glorified domestic F/PS meal to people paying thousands for a ticket when they could have flown a better airline that takes better care of both passengers and crew?
Apr 2, 2019, 1:32 pm
#88
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Apr 2, 2019, 3:48 pm
#89
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mmmm hmmmm....I told y'all this would be the result.....and watch this become the standard systemwide....morning, noon, night, Europe or Asia. It will all be smaller portions, pre-plated, delivered on a tray by short-staffed crews, with commensurate reductions in portion size and choice. Good-bye midflight hot snacks, and goodbye to our old friend, the pre-arrival omelet.
Congratulations...you've been Kirby'd.
This will be an interesting process for crews - on one hand they will appreciate less cart work and faster meal service (like domestic F fast), on the other hand will they be embarrassed and humiliated to serve what amounts to a glorified domestic F/PS meal to people paying thousands for a ticket when they could have flown a better airline that takes better care of both passengers and crew?
Congratulations...you've been Kirby'd.
This will be an interesting process for crews - on one hand they will appreciate less cart work and faster meal service (like domestic F fast), on the other hand will they be embarrassed and humiliated to serve what amounts to a glorified domestic F/PS meal to people paying thousands for a ticket when they could have flown a better airline that takes better care of both passengers and crew?
I am surprised the poll here is so in the camp of this being a net negative.
Swiss seems to balance - one tray affair on the overnight but full meal on the day flights.
My favorite is still Air France at JFK - eat in the lounge and no meal boarded for you, those with no time get the service (which ultimately goes faster because so many eat it in the lounge)
Apr 2, 2019, 5:23 pm
#90
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No cheese, no choice of petit fours, no hot breakfast...
Now to confirm, hasn't IAD-FRA/LHR/LIS/DUB always had hot breakfast SINCE the Polaris transition in 12/2016? (I know it didn't before that...)