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COVID Era UA inflight service changes {Archive}

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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, 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 Feb 14, 2021, 3:10 pm
  #1291  
 
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Originally Posted by iflyabunch
Yes, I agree with you. I would describe the taste as adequate, probably just fine in a mimosa, but not too bad on it's own. Definitely drinkable.
Agreed, very drinkable and much better in my opinion than the big-bottle proseccos available in F pre-Covid.
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Old Feb 14, 2021, 11:39 pm
  #1292  
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Originally Posted by Bear96
Well, enjoy that while it lasts, I guess.

For how long do you think an airline can keep offering full F service with three cabin crew members for one passenger, and remain in business?
For as long as the Japanese government decides to keep them in business. Having a world class product with service delivery that is the envy of virtually every other global carrier is a badge of honor, and unlike US culture which doesn't even comprehend the purpose of this level of service, NH premium services will remain on key global prestige routes with very little variance regardless of the bleeding unless/until the floor falls out of the industry altogether.

So if you want to enjoy it, you can - on ANA - just not on United.
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Old Feb 15, 2021, 12:51 am
  #1293  
 
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Originally Posted by bocastephen
For as long as the Japanese government decides to keep them in business. Having a world class product with service delivery that is the envy of virtually every other global carrier is a badge of honor, and unlike US culture which doesn't even comprehend the purpose of this level of service, NH premium services will remain on key global prestige routes with very little variance regardless of the bleeding unless/until the floor falls out of the industry altogether.

So if you want to enjoy it, you can - on ANA - just not on United.
Japan is showing little appetite for propping up ANA. I doubt they can afford to do so and in my opinion the future of ANA is in doubt
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Old Feb 16, 2021, 6:25 am
  #1294  
 
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Originally Posted by Bear96
Well, enjoy that while it lasts, I guess.

For how long do you think an airline can keep offering full F service with three cabin crew members for one passenger, and remain in business?
ANA has always protected their F cabins unlike UA. I have flown solo in ANA F dozens of times over the last decade, well before COVID.

Further, JAL is funded by the Japanese government. ANA receives no funding - it is a private for profit business and a public company.

Unlike America with UA and AA, the Japanese government hasn’t been handing out bailout money to airlines.

Sorry to burst your bubble here folks, but ANA just operates a better product and has been doing it for decades.
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Old Feb 22, 2021, 3:29 pm
  #1295  
 
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Pleasantly surprised that the hot sandwich was offered on an 11PM departure to MCO, normally it would have been snack basket/box only.
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Old Feb 22, 2021, 4:25 pm
  #1296  
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UA 438 TPA-EWR 1030-1312 737-800:



Choice of Tapas Box or the tomato sandwich which I did see warmed up. Plenty of drink refills too

UA 3508 EWR-RDU 1445-1631 EMB-175:

Snack bags with bottled water, pretzels and Biscoff as well as drinks with refills.
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Old Feb 23, 2021, 11:36 am
  #1297  
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Anyone else notice the tapas box has lost its cheese spread, and the Rustic Bakery crackers have been downsized by 0.1oz?
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Old Feb 24, 2021, 6:55 am
  #1298  
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Isn't there another version of the box with salami?
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Old Feb 24, 2021, 7:24 am
  #1299  
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Originally Posted by Repooc17
Isn't there another version of the box with salami?
The Classic box sometimes has salami. But it sometimes doesn't. The contents seem to change most frequently for that one.
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Old Feb 24, 2021, 7:35 am
  #1300  
 
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Originally Posted by fumje
Anyone else notice the tapas box has lost its cheese spread, and the Rustic Bakery crackers have been downsized by 0.1oz?
I noticed that the last few boxes and thought maybe I was just crazy. My last 2 boxes also didn't include the ginger candy. That was never a huge thing for me but losing the cheese is a fair amount of the box's food content and on a long enough flight that can really be a big deal with nothing else available.
SPN Lifer likes this.
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Old Feb 24, 2021, 8:28 am
  #1301  
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Originally Posted by catbox9
I noticed that the last few boxes and thought maybe I was just crazy. My last 2 boxes also didn't include the ginger candy. That was never a huge thing for me but losing the cheese is a fair amount of the box's food content and on a long enough flight that can really be a big deal with nothing else available.
My thoughts exactly!

I had to go through my very exciting old photos of tapas boxes to figure out what it used to have. I think the front of the box has a faintly printed list of items inside, and cheese is no longer on the list.
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Old Feb 24, 2021, 10:00 am
  #1302  
 
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Originally Posted by Repooc17
Isn't there another version of the box with salami?
Originally Posted by fumje
The Classic box sometimes has salami. But it sometimes doesn't. The contents seem to change most frequently for that one.
The Select box has salami too, at least the version that I got on IAH-LAX yesterday.
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Old Feb 24, 2021, 10:24 am
  #1303  
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Yech. We're down to analyzing the variation of contents of UA's snack boxes.

David
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Old Feb 24, 2021, 4:05 pm
  #1304  
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Originally Posted by DELee
Yech. We're down to analyzing the variation of contents of UA's snack boxes.

David
What else are we going to do? Be wistful for the days when we complained about the buffalo chicken mac?
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Old Feb 24, 2021, 4:23 pm
  #1305  
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Originally Posted by CMK10
What else are we going to do? Be wistful for the days when we complained about the buffalo chicken mac?
I just hope we don't down to the point that we're counting the number of almonds in a packet. This is truly sad.

David
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