United cutting first class meal service on flights less than 900 miles? (now "snack")
Aug 19, 2024 | 7:27 am
#378
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT/NY
Programs: UA Plat/1.5MM, AA PltPro, B6 M4 25for25, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 7,230
Looks like UA is at it again. Sorry if this has already been posted, but with the major W24/25 update last night it looks like all coast to coast red-eyes have changed from Dinner to Snack. I checked SFO-BOS and SFO-EWR and early as well as late red-eyes got dinner removed.
checked 10/27 and a few dates around that
checked 10/27 and a few dates around that
Sep 18, 2024 | 11:18 pm
#379
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: PNW
Programs: AS, DL
Posts: 37
Meal on sub 900 mile flight?
Sorry if this has already been answered, but I have an upcoming United flight from MKE-DEN which clocks in at 895 or 896 miles depending on which website you use. I know about the 900 mile rule, and ORD-DEN (similar length) isn’t listed as a meal flight, but United clearly shows this as a meal flight in first. My flight is 3 days away and I can’t seem to select a meal. Has anyone taken this route, and if so did they serve a meal or let you preorder? Thanks!
Sep 19, 2024 | 8:15 am
#380
Flyertalk Evangelist, Moderator: United Airlines MileagePlus
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL DM, UA Nostalgist, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 16,045
I am not sure about the specific flight, but the meal code just being "Meal" (see this in the GDS too) is new to me... normally it identifies the meal as well (Breakfast, Lunch, etc.). The Meal designation is distinct from Snack or Refreshments (none) and so would be indicative of a meal, but the change suggests something is off in the UA computer on this.
Sep 19, 2024 | 9:11 am
#381
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 7,120
Sorry if this has already been answered, but I have an upcoming United flight from MKE-DEN which clocks in at 895 or 896 miles depending on which website you use. I know about the 900 mile rule, and ORD-DEN (similar length) isn’t listed as a meal flight, but United clearly shows this as a meal flight in first. My flight is 3 days away and I can’t seem to select a meal. Has anyone taken this route, and if so did they serve a meal or let you preorder? Thanks!
) I'm too afraid to search for LAX-DEN on 10/1 to see if there is a pattern!
Sep 19, 2024 | 9:13 am
#382
Flyertalk Evangelist, Moderator: United Airlines MileagePlus
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL DM, UA Nostalgist, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 16,045
Sep 19, 2024 | 9:20 am
#383
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: DL PM, OZ Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,026
Sorry if this has already been answered, but I have an upcoming United flight from MKE-DEN which clocks in at 895 or 896 miles depending on which website you use. I know about the 900 mile rule, and ORD-DEN (similar length) isn’t listed as a meal flight, but United clearly shows this as a meal flight in first. My flight is 3 days away and I can’t seem to select a meal. Has anyone taken this route, and if so did they serve a meal or let you preorder? Thanks!
Sep 19, 2024 | 9:23 am
#384
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: OZ Diamond, TK Elite, UA Refugee
Posts: 10,983
Sep 19, 2024 | 9:24 am
#385
Flyertalk Evangelist, Moderator: United Airlines MileagePlus
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL DM, UA Nostalgist, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 16,045
Actually that's a good point - if memory serves, PQM from DEN was usually based on distance from Stapleton.
Sep 19, 2024 | 10:13 am
#386
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 12,778
I suppose it's possible they do have some old distances still logged for less common cities, but I think it's more likely there's something else funny going on with the meal coding.
Sep 19, 2024 | 11:05 am
#387
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium, LTP; IHG Platinum
Posts: 7,909
I searched ORD-DEN for Oct. 1. It says "snack." According to GCM, ORD-DEN is 8 miles shorter than MKE-DEN, but both of them are under 900 miles.
Sep 19, 2024 | 11:06 am
#388
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: United 1K, *wood LT Plat
Posts: 907
Forgot which route (long enough that it would have been a meal in the past) and the FA was selling snack boxes in F and explicitly offered me one for free as I was a 1K (I believe because I could get it free in coach).
Oct 12, 2024 | 2:01 am
#390
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: PNW
Programs: AS, DL
Posts: 37
Sorry I forgot to circle back to this sooner, but I can confirm that there was no meal on the MKE-DEN flight, just the snack basket--despite what the website shows. I suspect the Stapleton theory is correct.