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COVID Era UA inflight service changes {Archive}

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Old Apr 18, 2020, 1:31 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...ll-cabins.html


Updated posting July 2020 - Ice, tea and coffee returns and some small food enhancements.
Safety updates to inflight dining
Your safety and the safety of our employees is our highest priority. To try and further limit potential exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) on board, we’re temporarily adjusting our inflight service as of March 29 and will be moving to primarily pre-packaged foods and sealed beverages. Preorder meals and food for purchase will not be available. We’re also unable to offer special meals except for Kosher meals on flights to and from Tel Aviv.

Beverage changes for all flights
We will be offering sealed beverages on all flights. If you’re on a flight under 1 hour, you’ll receive beverages on request. We’ll also offer coffee and tea on domestic flights departing before 9:45 a.m. and on all international and premium transcontinental flights. Non-alcoholic beverages are complimentary, and alcoholic beverages are complimentary in premium cabins. Wine and beer are also complimentary in United Economy® on long-haul international flights.

Food changes for domestic flights
We won't have snacks available in United Economy for flights under 2 hours and 20 minutes or in United First® for flights under 1 hour. As always, you're welcome to bring snacks on board. For flights between 1 hour and 2 hours and 20 minutes in United First, you'll receive an "all-in-one" snack bag with a wrapped sanitizer wipe, 8.5-ounce bottled water and two snacks.

For flights 2 hours and 20 minutes or longer, you'll receive an "all-in-one" snack bag with a wrapped sanitizer wipe, 8.5-ounce bottled water and two snacks in United Economy. In the premium cabin, you'll be offered a snack box.

Food changes for premium transcontinental flights
If you're flying in United Economy or Economy Plus®, you'll receive an "all-in-one" snack bag with a wrapped sanitizer wipe, 8.5-ounce bottled water and two snacks. Customers in the premium cabin will receive their meal with their entrée choice covered and will be offered a packaged snack for pre-arrival.

Food changes for international flights
In United Economy®, you’ll receive an entrée, a snack and packaged dessert, as well as pre-packed mid-flight and pre-arrival items on select flights. Everything is served packaged or covered for you to unwrap.

In United Premium Plus® and United Polaris® business class, your entrée, dessert and bread will be served together. Everything is served packaged or covered for you to unwrap. You’ll receive a pre-packaged snack for midflight and a fresh packaged meal for pre-arrival on select flights.
orignal posting
Safety updates to inflight dining
Your safety and the safety of our employees is our highest priority. To try and further limit potential exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) on board, we’re temporarily adjusting our inflight service as of March 29 and will be moving to primarily pre-packaged foods and sealed beverages. Preorder meals and food for purchase will not be available. We’re also unable to offer special meals except for Kosher meals on flights to and from Tel Aviv.

Beverage changes for all flights
We will only offer sealed beverages and we will no longer offer ice, coffee and tea service, and poured alcohol. Instead of pouring you water from a large bottle, we’ll provide sealed individual water bottles. In premium cabins, we will offer beer and individual wines. Flights under 2 hours and 20 minutes will only have beverages on request.

Food changes for domestic flights
For flights under 2 hours and 20 minutes, we will not offer a snack service in any cabin. As always, you’re welcome to bring snacks on board.

For flights over 2 hours and 20 minutes, you will receive your choice of pretzels, a stroopwafel or cookies in United Economy®. In the premium cabin, you’ll be offered a snackbox.

Food changes for premium transcontinental flights
If you’re flying in United Economy or Economy Plus®, you’ll be offered a snack choice. Customers in the premium cabin will receive their packaged meal with their entrée choice covered and will be offered a packaged snack for pre-arrival.

Food changes for international flights
In United Economy®, you’ll receive an entrée, a snack and packaged dessert, as well as pre-packed mid-flight and pre-arrival items on select flights. Everything is served packaged or covered for you to unwrap.

In United Premium Plus® and United Polaris® business class, your entrée, dessert and bread will be served together. Everything is served packaged or covered for you to unwrap. You’ll receive a pre-packaged snack for midflight and a fresh packaged meal for pre-arrival.


crew meals, covered by contract, appear minimally changed
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COVID Era UA inflight service changes {Archive}

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Old Sep 25, 2021, 6:26 pm
  #2281  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Programs: UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 300
Originally Posted by MatthewLAX
Have not tired it. Please post a picture if you do order it.
no grain bowl available. Had to get the burger which was quite bad.
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Old Sep 25, 2021, 11:44 pm
  #2282  
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Originally Posted by azfanboy
no grain bowl available. Had to get the burger which was quite bad.
What made it bad?
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Old Sep 27, 2021, 5:56 pm
  #2283  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: United Premier Platinum
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Is bringing your own glassware onboard officially allowed (as in they’ll refill your glass with champagne), or should you be prepared to pour for yourself?
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Old Sep 27, 2021, 8:07 pm
  #2284  
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Originally Posted by N104UA
I prefer the grapes, I am not a fan of melon (which is usually 50% of all mixed fruit) so I approve of this change.
My only concern is that the optics of a 2/3 empty bowl will look bad and they will shrink the bowl to compensate.
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Old Sep 27, 2021, 9:11 pm
  #2285  
 
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Originally Posted by uastarflyer
My only concern is that the optics of a 2/3 empty bowl will look bad and they will shrink the bowl to compensate.
Especially since they have nut ramekins they currently aren't using
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Old Sep 27, 2021, 11:08 pm
  #2286  
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Originally Posted by mcrw00
Especially since they have nut ramekins they currently aren't using
"Oooh, look - one grape!"

David
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Old Sep 28, 2021, 6:23 am
  #2287  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
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Originally Posted by DELee
"Oooh, look - one grape!"

David
Fast forward to 2022 when you're getting slices of a grape

Originally Posted by mcrw00
Is bringing your own glassware onboard officially allowed (as in they’ll refill your glass with champagne), or should you be prepared to pour for yourself?
I've not had any issues bringing my own glass on board - flight attendants used to comment on it (positively) but not much reaction to it lately - must be more common now...
You may occasionally get a 'stickler' FA who follows every exact rule & process and will serve a refill in plastic - just pour into glass and trash one more plastic cup.
SPN Lifer likes this.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 28, 2021 at 11:22 am Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
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Old Sep 28, 2021, 8:04 am
  #2288  
 
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Originally Posted by Dyce
Fast forward to 2022 when you're getting slices of a grape
Don't give them any ideas!!

Originally Posted by Dyce
I've not had any issues bringing my own glass on board - flight attendants used to comment on it (positively) but not much reaction to it lately - must be more common now...
You may occasionally get a 'stickler' FA who follows every exact rule & process and will serve a refill in plastic - just pour into glass and trash one more plastic cup.
But you're GS - they probably don't want to offend you, right?

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 28, 2021 at 11:22 am Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
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Old Sep 28, 2021, 8:19 am
  #2289  
DEN
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Golden, CO USA
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Originally Posted by DELee
"Oooh, look - one grape!"

David
I recall, not that long ago, when I’d marvel at getting a whole, unblemished cashew in my ramekin……

DEN
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Old Sep 28, 2021, 11:58 am
  #2290  
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Originally Posted by DEN
I recall, not that long ago, when I’d marvel at getting a whole, unblemished cashew in my ramekin……

DEN
And warm, too!

David
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Old Sep 28, 2021, 2:41 pm
  #2291  
 
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Originally Posted by DEN
I recall, not that long ago, when I’d marvel at getting a whole, unblemished cashew in my ramekin……

DEN
Quality control fail.
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Old Sep 29, 2021, 7:16 am
  #2292  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Programs: UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 300
It felt and tasted very stale.
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Old Oct 2, 2021, 9:26 pm
  #2293  
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On premium routes (e.g. NY->SFO/LAX), UA is falling behind its closest competitors, even grading on the Covid curve. Just got into SF on Delta's refurbished 764 out of JFK, no comparison. Better lounge experience, better inflight services (that short-rib I ordered was perfect; also no plastics in sight unless you are counting the tray), attentive crew, which is something DL has been known for.

Too many times, UA has taken their customers for granted
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Old Oct 3, 2021, 10:12 pm
  #2294  
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Originally Posted by Repooc17
Just got into SF on Delta's refurbished 764 out of JFK, no comparison. Better lounge experience,
That's an awfully low bar if we're talking about UA at EWR
Originally Posted by Repooc17
Too many times, UA has taken their customers for granted
Yes, after initially managing covid better than AA or DL, it's really starting to feel like UA has missed the pivot. Policies that made good business sense 12-18 months ago now feel like arrogance and unnecessary disregard for the passenger experience.
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Old Oct 5, 2021, 3:58 am
  #2295  
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Originally Posted by dilanesp
Looks to me like a ton of delicious food.
To me, looks like a cafeteria tray thrown together by a lunch lady at a boarding school.

Originally Posted by N104UA
I have had that meal and it tastes really good as well. Ya the visualization is not the greatest however I will take a good meal plated poorly over an nicely plated meal that tastes bad.
Originally Posted by narvik
Completely agree....but we do tend to set our expectations pretty low when boarding UA flights, just so we don't get too disappointed with Polaris Business' catering.
If courses were presented in a normal fashion, and all the food was served at the corrects temps, I would have been much more satisfied. Throwing everything at once is just poor service by any measure.

Remember when courses meant we could have a cocktail with the warmed nuts, a change of beverage / wine for the different courses? Bread that was actually warmed, edible, and dare I say it...tasty? Have we all forgotten the garlic bread out of Narita? Real sundaes instead of cardboard pails of low quality melted slop?

None of this is any less safe with COVID. United is just not even trying now.
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