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General discussion of UA's inflight service (Domestic / Int値, all cabins) {Archive}

Old May 11, 2022, 1:38 pm
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Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This us an archive thread, the active thread is General discussion of UA's inflight service (Domestic / International, all cabins)
previous thread: COVID Era UA inflight service changes


Thread is for general discussion of the state of UA in-flight service / catering, comparison to other carriers, past UA offerings and concerns with management decisions.

For a specific post about a recent in-flight food, use the appropriate Let's Eat .... thread.

The current Onboard Service descriptions by UA.com

Long-haul international premium cabin dining
North America, Caribbean and Latin America premium cabin dining
United Economy dining

Since the UA website is extremely vague, I'm looking for a few volunteers to submit data, and I will summarize to complete the wiki. kind regards, phkc070408

Domestic Under 300 Miles

Sample 1
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?

Sample 2
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?

Sample 3
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?

Sample 4
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?

Sample 5
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?


Domestic Over 300 Miles Under 800 Miles

Sample 1
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?

Sample 2
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?

Sample 3
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?

Sample 4
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?

Sample 5
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Bagged Snack? Yes/No
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?

Domestic Over 800 Miles

Sample 1
Route? Morning or Afternoon or Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket?

Sample 2
Route? Morning or Afternoon or Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket?

Sample 3
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening/. or Late Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket?

Sample 4
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Late Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket?

Sample 5
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Late Evening?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Served Snacked? Yes/No. Hot/Cold. What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket?

P-Tcon

Sample 1
Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket/Pre-Arrival?
Any other notes of relevance?

​​​​​​​Sample 2
​​​​​​​Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket/Pre-Arrival?
Any other notes of relevance?

​​​​​​​Sample 3
​​​​​​​Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket/Pre-Arrival?
Any other notes of relevance?

​​​​​​​Sample 4
​​​​​​​Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket/Pre-Arrival?
Any other notes of relevance?

​​​​​​​Sample 5
​​​​​​​Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Snack Basket/Pre-Arrival?
Any other notes of relevance?

Polaris USA - Europe

​​​​​​​Sample 1
​​​​​​​Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Menu?
Hot Towels?
First Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Appetizer / Desert Info:
Snack Basket/Mid-Flight Snack?
Arrival Meal? Short Description.
Any other notes of relevance?

​​​​​​​Sample 2
​​​​​​​Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Menu?
​​​​​​​Hot Towels?
First Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Appetizer / Desert Info:
Snack Basket/Mid-Flight Snack?
Arrival Meal? Short Description.
Any other notes of relevance?

​​​​​​​Sample 3
​​​​​​​Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Menu?
​​​​​​​Hot Towels?
First Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Appetizer / Desert Info:
Snack Basket/Mid-Flight Snack?
Arrival Meal? Short Description.
Any other notes of relevance?

​​​​​​​Sample 4
​​​​​​​Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Menu?
​​​​​​​Hot Towels?
First Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Appetizer / Desert Info:
Snack Basket/Mid-Flight Snack?
Arrival Meal? Short Description.
Any other notes of relevance?

​​​​​​​Sample 5
​​​​​​​Route? Morning or Afternoon/Evening or Red-Eye?
PDB - Yes/No? What was offered?
Menu?
​​​​​​​Hot Towels?
First Meal Served? Yes/No. Short description.
Appetizer / Desert Info:
Snack Basket/Mid-Flight Snack?
Arrival Meal? Short Description.
Any other notes of relevance?

Related thread: How bad does onboard catering need to get before UA invests in improving it?
​​​​​​​

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General discussion of UA's inflight service (Domestic / Int値, all cabins) {Archive}

Old Dec 7, 2022, 2:06 pm
  #1936  
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Originally Posted by CMK10
Yep the food on United is way worse than American. American has a real snack basket on shorter flights (PHL-ORD wouldn't have gotten a meal on AA either but you'd have had a choice of 7 or 8 snack items) and the hot meals on AA are way better than UA right now. It's frankly embarassing.
GS next to me on 2h40min EWR-ORD scheduled in dinner hours, during the "snack" service (consists of pretzel or stroopwafel): "Could I have two stroopwafels please?" FA: blank stare, "OK."

World-class offering.
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Old Dec 7, 2022, 2:19 pm
  #1937  
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Originally Posted by fumje
GS next to me on 2h40min EWR-ORD scheduled in dinner hours, during the "snack" service (consists of pretzel or stroopwafel): "Could I have two stroopwafels please?" FA: blank stare, "OK."

World-class offering.
I was assuming the punchline here was "no" - so apparently being a GS does have some great benefits.
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Old Dec 7, 2022, 2:22 pm
  #1938  
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Originally Posted by fumje
GS next to me on 2h40min EWR-ORD scheduled in dinner hours, during the "snack" service (consists of pretzel or stroopwafel): "Could I have two stroopwafels please?" FA: blank stare, "OK."

World-class offering.
Yep. No other airlines are this stingy... it's almost like getting an extra packet of stroopwafel or having the entire can of seltzer water come out of the FA's pocket.

On the other hand, I do see UA has trained its FAs well on penny pinching so shareholders can be happy.
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Old Dec 7, 2022, 6:25 pm
  #1939  
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Originally Posted by Repooc17
On the other hand, I do see UA has trained its FAs well on penny pinching so shareholders can be happy.
Maybe I am missing your point, but what did the F/A do wrong or to be stingy, as you seem to be implying?

Passenger asked for something; F/A said OK.
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Old Dec 7, 2022, 8:55 pm
  #1940  
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Originally Posted by Bear96
Maybe I am missing your point, but what did the F/A do wrong or to be stingy, as you seem to be implying?

Passenger asked for something; F/A said OK.
Here is how other carriers would react, would you like to have another bag of snack?

I wasn't talking that specific example, but in general of UA FAs. I have lost count how many times I have been refused to have the can of seltzer water after the initial pour to the cup. What are we rationing here?

There should be a meal on this route up front, but are you really surprised for a doggie bag for 2 plus years, and now just (1) snack. Asking for a second one is like getting a colonoscopy.
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Old Dec 7, 2022, 10:53 pm
  #1941  
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Originally Posted by Repooc17
Here is how other carriers would react, would you like to have another bag of snack?

I wasn't talking that specific example, but in general of UA FAs. I have lost count how many times I have been refused to have the can of seltzer water after the initial pour to the cup. What are we rationing here?

There should be a meal on this route up front, but are you really surprised for a doggie bag for 2 plus years, and now just (1) snack. Asking for a second one is like getting a colonoscopy.
Guess we should be happy that they don't also serve the prep drink as an accompaniment...

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Old Dec 7, 2022, 11:13 pm
  #1942  
 
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Originally Posted by Repooc17

I wasn't talking that specific example, but in general of UA FAs. I have lost count how many times I have been refused to have the can of seltzer water after the initial pour to the cup. What are we rationing here?
In 30+ years I’ve never been refused a can. Ever.
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Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 8, 2022 at 10:35 am Reason: Discuss the issue, not the posters
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Old Dec 8, 2022, 5:12 am
  #1943  
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Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer
In 30+ years I’ve never been refused a can. Ever.
Me either.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 8, 2022 at 10:35 am Reason: quote updated to reflect Moderator edit
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Old Dec 8, 2022, 8:23 am
  #1944  
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I understand Repooc17 to be reporting encounters with surly FAs being stingy with the seltzer cans or snacks. As noted above and previously, I have had similar experiences. I'm sure many have not. I have also had experiences with generous FAs. None of those negate each other. I appreciate when I receive generous service, and I am dissatisfied when the service is curmudgeonly.
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Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 8, 2022 at 10:34 am Reason: Discuss the issue, not the posters
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Old Dec 8, 2022, 9:54 am
  #1945  
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This year I have 36 segments on UA, 35 on AS, 19 on AA, 14 on WN, and 6 on DL. While I've had some good service experiences on UA (including the really excellent FA on my aisle SFO-HNL last weekend), overall UA's inflight service continues to be noticably worse than the others, with FAs who don't seem to like their jobs, don't like interacting with passengers, and do the bare minimum. Of course, this has been a common complaint with UA (and on this forum) for many years. It's a matter of the service culture and open disgruntlement with UA management dating back literally decades. It seems to get passed on to each new generation of FAs.
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Old Dec 8, 2022, 12:50 pm
  #1946  
 
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Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer
In 30+ years I致e never been refused a can. Ever.
I've never had to even ask for the can. It's always just been provided. Clearly not flying enough apparently to run into the issues of only getting a cup pour instead of the full can..
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Old Dec 8, 2022, 2:47 pm
  #1947  
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Originally Posted by LINDEGR
Refugee from AA here. I decided to try UA and see how it compared. Flew PHL-ORD-YVR and was shocked at the lack of food for 7-8 hours of flying in F.
That's your fault. You should have routed via DEN or SFO.

Originally Posted by fumje
GS next to me on 2h40min EWR-ORD scheduled in dinner hours, during the "snack" service (consists of pretzel or stroopwafel): "Could I have two stroopwafels please?" FA: blank stare, "OK."
World-class offering.
Was recently in UA F and the guy next to me declined dinner and then later asked "Can I have something from the snack basket?" FA: blank stare. "Huh?" "Like do you have a basket with chips and cookies and things?" FA: blank stare. I wanted to ask him if he was normally a Delta flyer.

In a related matter - anyone have luck in domestic F getting served the meal later in the flight? I asked the FA who was taking orders (or verifying my preorder) if I could eat closer to landing, and she said yes she would tell the other FA who was serving. But of course as I'm sitting there after the drink service with my laptop trying to work, she comes over with my tray. I didn't want to make a fuss so I just cleared my stuff and ate.
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Old Dec 8, 2022, 4:34 pm
  #1948  
 
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Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer
In 30+ years I致e never been refused a can. Ever.
It is not an every time thing, but I have been denied a number of times over the years and usually the denial is accompanied either by a lecture or a roll of the eyes and a gruff no.
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Old Dec 8, 2022, 5:13 pm
  #1949  
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Originally Posted by fumje
I understand Repooc17 to be reporting encounters with surly FAs being stingy with the seltzer cans or snacks. As noted above and previously, I have had similar experiences. I'm sure many have not. I have also had experiences with generous FAs. None of those negate each other. I appreciate when I receive generous service, and I am dissatisfied when the service is curmudgeonly.
Certainly their are too many F/As With Attitude issues. But it seems odd when people claim almost all, or even most, of their interactions with F/As involve hostility.
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Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 8, 2022 at 5:39 pm Reason: discuss the issue, not the posters --- and the issue can not be the posters
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Old Dec 8, 2022, 5:30 pm
  #1950  
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Originally Posted by Bear96
Certainly their are too many F/As With Attitude issues. But it seems odd when people claim almost all, or even most. of their interactions with F/As involve hostility.
Did I comment anything about FA attitude?

More context: asked for the remaining portion of the poured can, and being told they are needed for other passengers. I count such as refusal. I have also been refused the same in F. I have written some of these occurrences on FT. Also when requesting for no ice but getting ice anyway - par for the course.

You may have always gotten your requests, but that does not mean other people share the same experience. Both can be true.
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Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 8, 2022 at 5:40 pm Reason: Quote updated to reflect Moderator edit
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