CPH-Flyer

Japan Airlines does that in Y. Yoshinoya, Moss Burger, KFC, and Soup Stock Tokyo, have been on the menu. They are very popular, and not too bad.

worldtrav

That would cost far more than UA is willing to pay, especially under the new leadership.

halls120

Fortunately TATLs are shorter than TPACs, so if you eat before departure and bring your own snacks, you'll be fine.

LangerhansCellHistiocytosis

depends on where though, SFO-FRA is almost as long as SFO-FUK. Also while the quality of UA’s meals are nothing to write home about the quantity is definitely sufficient to sustain pretty much anyone maybe except the rock or a bulimic on a binge.

CPH-Flyer

Comparing the to the likes of ANA, Emirates, Qatar, JAL does show a massive difference in the food presentation. But even looking at American there is a big difference. Probably not much in actual quality in the food, but I do find that AA's dishes look more appealing.

United seared fiah


AA seared fish


​​​​

cmd320

Don't worry AA also has some positively revolting looking dishes. I would estimate it’s a bit of a wash.

grapegrower

Been flying UA in Y from Sydney to USA (east/west coasts) on regular basis for last 20 years.
Can only remember a few completely inedible meals (usually breakfast before Sydney arrival), then again I don't expect Michelin star cuisine. Just happy to get from A to B in one piece at a good fare.....and this UA has done. And going without a meal, if the UA offering was so bad, for 14 hours across the Pacific is not the end of the world.
My European/Asia flights are always on SQ and Y meals are always good, especially the Asian selections.

dilanesp

That's a wonderful attitude!

I have to admit, though, while I sometimes call out what I see as gluttonous demands for food here ("why do we only get sandwiches or wraps at the end of a premium transcontinental flight a few hours after a gigantic multi-course meal and a trip to the UC for some snacks before the flight?"), 14 hours is a long time for me (and I advise folks to bring some snacks along on such a long flight), and while I think UA serves an adequate amount of food in Y on those flights, I can see how it would be insufficient for some appetites.

Bottom line, I think when the flights get that long, food takes on some importance for a lot of travelers, and legitimately so.

Polytonic

Am I the only one that thinks the United fish looks a bit better, at least, more appetizing anyway? I mean, sure, the choice of what appears to be cheese sauce on the UA dish might be a bit questionable, but the veggies look in fairly good condition, as does the rice. The AA dish on the other hand ... I suppose the fish does still look like fish, but it does look exceptionally soggy, and the potatoes (?) and the soup (?) look like mush to me.

PsiFighter37

At this point, I usually will just pick the chicken dish, mainly because it's hard to screw it up that much. I've had too many bad experiences with the short rib to bother with it again; fish is a total hit or miss; and the pasta dishes would make an Italian cry out of sheer horror.

CPH-Flyer

Quality wise the two meals are about the same, both leave a lot of room for improvement.

Appearance I would rate the AA meal more appealing. I'd say the look of the AA dish is reasonably par for the course for long haul.

seat38a

Does AA reheat everything in a single dish like UA does now?

CPH-Flyer

I don't think they do.

cerealmarketer

I recently had halibut on an LHR flight that was served in the big bowl used for the spicy asian chicken - presentation looked good there - but not sure what the rhyme or reason is to whether it's nicely presented in the bowl or bunched together in the casserole dish pmUA style.

Service on the high J 763 was surprisingly responsive and attentive - didn't feel the hurry or long delays.

spin88

I think there are few people who would agree with this view. Pay $1500+ (Y) or $3000-10,000 (J) and get served what UA serves. And I have some data to back up that your view is a distinct minority...

JD Power looked at international service ex-USA and released a report in December. It looked at flights to/from Europe/Asia and found this:

"Great food—the spicier the better—plus good customer service and a positive track record are the primary drivers of passenger satisfaction on international airline flights. In a stark departure from the price-driven culture of domestic airline customer behavior, the J.D. Power 2019 Airline International Destination Satisfaction Study,SM released today, finds that cost and fees are notably less important than in-flight services when it comes to delighting passengers on international flights."

adding further:

"“A low fare may be the best way to attract a first-time international passenger,” said Michael Taylor, Travel Intelligence Lead at J.D. Power, “but retaining passengers on routes to Europe and Asia is all about delighting customers with great in-flight experiences. One of the most powerful ways to do that is with food and beverage offerings that are unique to the airline’s culture and that manage to deliver flavor at altitude, where it has been proven that taste buds grow less sensitive.”

And:

"In-flight services—especially food and beverage—are key to passenger satisfaction: In-flight services, such as food and beverage and in-flight entertainment, are the primary drivers of passenger satisfaction among international travelers. On flights to Europe and Asia, more than half of the overall in-flight passenger experience is dictated by food and beverage. In-flight services are more important to passengers bound for Asia or Europe; whereas passenger satisfaction with long-haul flights within North America is more of a value proposition primarily driven by cost and fees."

And oh, United airlines is the absolute bottom for international travel ex-USA of the pacific carriers (I can't find the chart for the European carriers, perhaps someone can):

We can argue all we want about if it matters, but the leading customer satisfaction survey, one that is relentlessly promoted in advertisements, says United is LAST...

link is here: https://www.jdpower.com/business/pre...sfaction-study