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UA78 NRT-EWR (16 April 2019) -- Skipped 2nd Meal Service due to turbulence

UA78 NRT-EWR (16 April 2019) -- Skipped 2nd Meal Service due to turbulence

Old Apr 18, 2019, 7:15 pm
  #76  
 
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I don't think you are really missing anything with that second meal of breakfast. I usually skip it as it is so unappetizinig.
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 3:26 am
  #77  
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Originally Posted by dilanesp
I am really shocked at the number of people here who seem to think that meal service should go on when the flight attendants think it is unsafe.

It's not a restaurant with wings. Getting you there safely trumps any other concern.
There's a difference between safety and what the OP described, fwiw.
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 1:50 pm
  #78  
 
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Originally Posted by dilanesp
I am really shocked at the number of people here who seem to think that meal service should go on when the flight attendants think it is unsafe.

.
The operational word is think. It all depends on what the crew think as opposed to a more objective metric. The same way the FA can deboard a passenger if they think the passenger is a risk. Very likely the treshold for safety and 'thinking' it is unsafe varies from airline to airline, pilot to pilot, and FA to FA. I have seen the opposite where FAs have continued meal service in moderate turbulence, holding on to things to stop being thrown to the side, rest of us belted up and I wondered should they not be cancelling the meal service for their safety. There will be some over zealous purser that cancels service at the slightest excuse and there will be the stubborn ones that see it as a slight if they do, then there are those in between.

Ability to cancel meals is a form of power and authority crew have over passengers and seems to me that the OP's crew were quite happy to wield that power. Some FAs are not and even if they have to would do so apologetically and offer some consolation. And some times the decision is wrong but few of these power seekers are modest enough to admit they (for whatever reason) got it wrong so they may choose to see it through regardless of what transpires subsequently. A simple announcement prelanding that the turbulence did not turn out bad as we projected and sorry you missed your meal service, but we had made the decision to safeguard safety would have gone a long way to appease the passengers.
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 1:51 pm
  #79  
 
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Originally Posted by bocastephen
They do...on any codeshares operated by EVA
Don't forget codeshares on LH booked into F. I booked GlobalFirst on UA and all I got was a FCT

-James
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 3:33 pm
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Originally Posted by ani90
Ability to cancel meals is a form of power and authority crew have over passengers and seems to me that the OP's crew were quite happy to wield that power. Some FAs are not and even if they have to would do so apologetically and offer some consolation. And some times the decision is wrong but few of these power seekers are modest enough to admit they (for whatever reason) got it wrong so they may choose to see it through regardless of what transpires subsequently. A simple announcement prelanding that the turbulence did not turn out bad as we projected and sorry you missed your meal service, but we had made the decision to safeguard safety would have gone a long way to appease the passengers.
^

Had exactly the same feeling on a domestic flight this week. Just after doors closed, the captain came on the PA in real power trip fashion and announced no drink/food service on the whole flight due to severe turbulence. And ordered us to remain seated and buckled up at all times, like telling inmates of a boot camp.

The cabin crew then repeated the orders in the same hostile style.

On the whole (fairly short) flight, not a single chop. People were waiting for an apology and/or explanation. Of course, we did not hear anything from the crew.
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 3:34 pm
  #81  
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Originally Posted by j2simpso
Don't forget codeshares on LH booked into F. I booked GlobalFirst on UA and all I got was a FCT

-James
Oh, United Global First - don't forget the upgraded catering, consisting of a sewing thimble of soup
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 4:37 pm
  #82  
 
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Originally Posted by ani90
The operational word is think. It all depends on what the crew think as opposed to a more objective metric. The same way the FA can deboard a passenger if they think the passenger is a risk. Very likely the treshold for safety and 'thinking' it is unsafe varies from airline to airline, pilot to pilot, and FA to FA. I have seen the opposite where FAs have continued meal service in moderate turbulence, holding on to things to stop being thrown to the side, rest of us belted up and I wondered should they not be cancelling the meal service for their safety. There will be some over zealous purser that cancels service at the slightest excuse and there will be the stubborn ones that see it as a slight if they do, then there are those in between.

Ability to cancel meals is a form of power and authority crew have over passengers and seems to me that the OP's crew were quite happy to wield that power. Some FAs are not and even if they have to would do so apologetically and offer some consolation. And some times the decision is wrong but few of these power seekers are modest enough to admit they (for whatever reason) got it wrong so they may choose to see it through regardless of what transpires subsequently. A simple announcement prelanding that the turbulence did not turn out bad as we projected and sorry you missed your meal service, but we had made the decision to safeguard safety would have gone a long way to appease the passengers.
FA's know more than we do about safety. It's not a power contest. It's their call.
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 5:59 pm
  #83  
 
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Doesn't seem like much of a loss, mainly because the meal is so inappropriate in the first place. NEVER am I interested in having a breakfast on a flight at 3pm local time or whatever time it is when such a flight from NRT is heading towards the east coast. The science shows clearly that jet lag can be reduced the sooner that passenger acclimates to the destination time zone. So besides being gross, serving breakfast at 3pm just prolongs jet lag.
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 7:51 pm
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Originally Posted by dilanesp
FA's know more than we do about safety. It's not a power contest. It's their call.
We are saying the same thing - the FAs always know best and always know more than the passenger - therein lies the problem and the source of thee power trips. Not many other examples where the consumer paying for the goods has less rights than the person providing the goods and where the consumer paying has to accept everything the provider says or does. It is not a power contest at all - all the power lies squarely with the FA and crew and they can surely do as they wish. Just as with law enforcement, there are numerous examples where this power is abused.

Maybe an apology or eating humble pie and admitting there was no massive turbulence as you said and sorry we did not serve your meal - but no that would be a slight on one's ego and power...
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 8:16 pm
  #85  
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I’d say forget the food. I’d walk up and ask for another round of booze. Problem solved
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 8:43 pm
  #86  
 
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Here in SE Asia where turbulence is a common occurrence I've had a number of flights where they will announce prior to take off that they will not be serving hot drinks "due to weather conditions" . The flights have turned out relatively uneventful and the flight attendants still get up to serve meals and water. Agree with others that the threshold for US airlines to turn on the seatbelt sign or reduce service is low. If the flight attendants were up, there's no good reason they couldn't sling a croissant at the business class passengers at a minimum.
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Old Apr 21, 2019, 1:09 am
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Originally Posted by ani90
Maybe an apology or eating humble pie and admitting there was no massive turbulence as you said and sorry we did not serve your meal - but no that would be a slight on one's ego and power...
Thats also all I would ask for. No more, but also no less.

After all, United advertises things like "A wide selection of complimentary inflight beverages is available throughout your flight" for domestic first and not "drinks will be served if we feel like it".

Safety is always the top priority in aviation, no doubt about that. But on my flight the FAs seemed just too happy they didn't have to get up and serve drinks/food. There is a big difference between saying "As you folks heard from the captain, there will be no service today" (as they did) or "we are sorry we won't be able to provide any drink/food service today".

Fly the friendly skies ...

Last edited by worldclubber; Apr 22, 2019 at 2:40 am Reason: punctuation had disappeared
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Old Apr 21, 2019, 1:56 am
  #88  
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Originally Posted by Miggles
Doesn't seem like much of a loss, mainly because the meal is so inappropriate in the first place. NEVER am I interested in having a breakfast on a flight at 3pm local time or whatever time it is when such a flight from NRT is heading towards the east coast. The science shows clearly that jet lag can be reduced the sooner that passenger acclimates to the destination time zone. So besides being gross, serving breakfast at 3pm just prolongs jet lag.
Yeah, wish that UA would serve a lunch snack instead of breakfast. Same on the flights arriving into Asia in the late afternoon / evening: it makes little sense to have breakfast at what will be 4pm local time, even if a lot of the plane napped prior to that meal. Reminds me of the (meager) snack they used to serve on NRT-BKK prior to arrival: it was a pathetic meal, but at least it wasn't breakfast for an 11pm arrival!
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Old Apr 21, 2019, 3:12 am
  #89  
 
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Originally Posted by Miggles
Doesn't seem like much of a loss, mainly because the meal is so inappropriate in the first place. NEVER am I interested in having a breakfast on a flight at 3pm local time or whatever time it is when such a flight from NRT is heading towards the east coast. The science shows clearly that jet lag can be reduced the sooner that passenger acclimates to the destination time zone. So besides being gross, serving breakfast at 3pm just prolongs jet lag.
That may be your opinion, and of course you can decline a second meal service, but there may be others who are expecting a second pre-arrival meal.
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Old Apr 21, 2019, 5:24 am
  #90  
 
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I'm probably in the minority but I actually enjoy the pre-arrival "breakfast" served at 2 or 3pm, especially if it's catered ex-USA and of the tasty Southwest variety.
It offers plenty variety with the egg, potatoes, etc. and is light enough with the additional fruit and Yoghurt. Oftentimes it is also the last meal of the day for me.
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