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COVID Era UA inflight service changes {Archive}

Old Apr 18, 2020, 1:31 pm
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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, were 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. Were 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 youre on a flight under 1 hour, youll receive beverages on request. Well 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 entre choice covered and will be offered a packaged snack for pre-arrival.

Food changes for international flights
In United Economy, youll receive an entre, 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 entre, dessert and bread will be served together. Everything is served packaged or covered for you to unwrap. Youll 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, were 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. Were 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, well 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, youre 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, youll be offered a snackbox.

Food changes for premium transcontinental flights
If youre flying in United Economy or Economy Plus, youll be offered a snack choice. Customers in the premium cabin will receive their packaged meal with their entre choice covered and will be offered a packaged snack for pre-arrival.

Food changes for international flights
In United Economy, youll receive an entre, 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 entre, dessert and bread will be served together. Everything is served packaged or covered for you to unwrap. Youll 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}

Old Jun 29, 2020, 8:39 am
  #466  
 
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Originally Posted by Bear96
Door-to-door it is surely at least as fast to drive?)
Not everyone drives.
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Old Jun 29, 2020, 8:45 am
  #467  
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Originally Posted by Bear96
OK I'm sorry but why would you subject yourself to a trip like this?

If I had to go from somewhere in the Raleigh area to somewhere in the Atlanta area for work I might briefly consider nonstops on Delta, but that's about it. Door-to-door it is surely at least as fast to drive? (Especially when factoring in the probability of airline delays.)
Thats a 6+ hour drive. Personally thats way beyond my threshold of 2 hours.
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Old Jun 29, 2020, 8:54 am
  #468  
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Originally Posted by Bear96
OK I'm sorry but why would you subject yourself to a trip like this?

If I had to go from somewhere in the Raleigh area to somewhere in the Atlanta area for work I might briefly consider nonstops on Delta, but that's about it. Door-to-door it is surely at least as fast to drive? (Especially when factoring in the probability of airline delays.)
DL isnt a viable option many times especially if you have somewhat last minute travel due to their seat blocking theyre only filling main cabin to 60% and many flights are either sold out or ridiculously expensive.
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Old Jun 29, 2020, 10:06 am
  #469  
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Originally Posted by DELee
Ouch. What were the Express carriers?

David
Mesa

Originally Posted by Bear96
OK I'm sorry but why would you subject yourself to a trip like this?

If I had to go from somewhere in the Raleigh area to somewhere in the Atlanta area for work I might briefly consider nonstops on Delta, but that's about it. Door-to-door it is surely at least as fast to drive? (Especially when factoring in the probability of airline delays.)
All due respect but I live in Raleigh and regularly commute to Atlanta for work, I do think I know what the best options are for me. Pre-COVID Delta had 9-10 flights a day. During June they're down to 3 and because they're capping seats the prices are ridiculous. RDU-IAD-ATL was one third the price of RDU-ATL. It's a 5hr46 drive each way. Driving time is dead time for me and it's exhausting and tiring and billing my clients the IRS mileage rate plus gas and parking would not thrill them. I'd rather fly RDU-IAD-ATL which takes five hours and I can use Wifi and relax then fly home on a nonstop the next day over driving close to 12 hours round trip.
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Old Jun 29, 2020, 11:00 am
  #470  
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I couldn't find any recent reports on UA so I'll be asking this question.

I am scheduled to fly MCO-LAX with UA, the upcoming month. We're currently booked in Y+ but due to my travel companion, an auto CPU was requested.
If we are upgraded to First, are we going to receive a snack-box as the WIKI states?

If I'm not wrong AA and DL serve a hot meal on flights over 2200 miles in F but it's surprising that UA didn't follow this norm and downgraded their service.

Is there anyone who's flown a flight over 2000-2200 miles within the USA with UA but not on a premium transcon and got a snack-box in DF?
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Old Jun 29, 2020, 11:13 am
  #471  
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Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
If I'm not wrong AA and DL serve a hot meal on flights over 2200 miles in F but it's surprising that UA didn't follow this norm and downgraded their service.
There is no service on any domestic DL flights in F. Snackbox and water only.

UA's stated service standard right now is snackbox and limited drink selection; I believe that's held except for p.s. sporadically losing the meals it claimed to have sometimes. AA as far as I know still has regular meal service.
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Old Jun 29, 2020, 11:20 am
  #472  
 
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So slight change in direction, what's the deal with the plane lavatories? Do they clean them better? Ask pax to shut like before flushing? What with aerosolized fecal covid they sound like the hardest risk to. Adage on a long flight.
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Old Jun 29, 2020, 12:45 pm
  #473  
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Originally Posted by Welltended3
So slight change in direction, what's the deal with the plane lavatories? Do they clean them better? Ask pax to shut like before flushing? What with aerosolized fecal covid they sound like the hardest risk to. Adage on a long flight.
To be realistic, there is little chance their cleaning contractors are doing anything different while turning around an aircraft, especially at an outstation, so we should assume the aircraft cleaning of July 2020 is exactly the same as the aircraft cleaning of July 2019, just with some marketing gibberish to make us think it's different.

Even if they did an enhanced cleaning of the lavatories, once someone goes in there to use it, it's no longer clean - so when using the lavatory, there are simple steps to take to keep yourself safe, whether it's from coronavirus, norovirus, the flu, cold or anything else -

1. wear a mask in the lavatory
2. wear shoes in the lavatory (or slippers if you're in Polaris) - I am shocked at how many idiots I've seen go in there with their socks or bare feet and step in puddles of pee
3. wash your hands thoroughly after your business with lots and lots of soap and water
4. use papertowel to grab faucet handles, toilet seat, the door lock and handle, toilet flush lever, and then flush as you are leaving the lav and then carefully stuff your papertowel into the trash - touch NOTHING in there with your bare hands
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Old Jun 29, 2020, 9:32 pm
  #474  
 
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My "breakfast" in PremiumPlus on flight #91 TLV-EWR was a tiny sandwich and a small water.

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Old Jun 30, 2020, 1:41 am
  #475  
 
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Pathetic. Vote with your wallet and fly the competition.
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Old Jun 30, 2020, 7:00 am
  #476  
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Will they still give hot water for infant bottles? Flying J internationally next week.
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Old Jun 30, 2020, 7:04 am
  #477  
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Originally Posted by acr113
My "breakfast" in PremiumPlus on flight #91 TLV-EWR was a tiny sandwich and a small water.
That looks positively tragic.
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Old Jun 30, 2020, 3:46 pm
  #478  
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Originally Posted by bocastephen
[ W]hen using the lavatory, there are simple steps to take to keep yourself safe, whether it's from coronavirus, norovirus, the flu, cold or anything else -
I raise or lower the toilet seat with my shod feet.
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Old Jun 30, 2020, 6:50 pm
  #479  
 
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thats my pre-COVID process
Originally Posted by bocastephen
To be realistic, there is little chance their cleaning contractors are doing anything different while turning around an aircraft, especially at an outstation, so we should assume the aircraft cleaning of July 2020 is exactly the same as the aircraft cleaning of July 2019, just with some marketing gibberish to make us think it's different.

Even if they did an enhanced cleaning of the lavatories, once someone goes in there to use it, it's no longer clean - so when using the lavatory, there are simple steps to take to keep yourself safe, whether it's from coronavirus, norovirus, the flu, cold or anything else -

1. wear a mask in the lavatory
2. wear shoes in the lavatory (or slippers if you're in Polaris) - I am shocked at how many idiots I've seen go in there with their socks or bare feet and step in puddles of pee
3. wash your hands thoroughly after your business with lots and lots of soap and water
4. use papertowel to grab faucet handles, toilet seat, the door lock and handle, toilet flush lever, and then flush as you are leaving the lav and then carefully stuff your papertowel into the trash - touch NOTHING in there with your bare hands
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Old Jun 30, 2020, 8:03 pm
  #480  
 
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Originally Posted by Plane-is-home
thats my pre-COVID process

Agree. Ive even thought about disposable shoes. Locals (Flip flops) are cheap, less than $5.
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