As someone who rarely flies paid premium classes, I agree that paid F should give priority over upgraders such as myself. I recently flew FRA-SFO on an upgraded Q fare and my seatmate was full fare with no status. I was asked only about my first choice, he was asked also about a second choice (he finally got his first choice). I thought that was rather unfair.

In the particular case related by the OP, it's likely that the 7 UGS were also on paid F, and since status would then be the tie-breaker, he wouldn't have had his meal choice either.

The problem is the attitude of the FA (You're just a 1K so you get what's leftover), not that on this particular flight the OP didn't get his meal choice.

I understand the meal choices are taken by status, but it seems like a truly full fare F class ticket should be able to get some sort of preference on his meal. Although who's to say the other passengers were not full fare as well?

Here's a plan that would add a lot to goodwill and not much to cost.

Pack enough FC mealsto give each FC customer a choice. Reduce the number of E meals by the number of extra FC meals packed.

Now you can tell everyone that in UA FC they always get a choice of meals. And, you can give out a few FC meals to E customers, likely by status. And the cost? That equals the cost difference between a FC meal and and E meal (maybe $5 each, if that) times the number of FC seats.

My guess is if they got 1 extra FC customer every 10 flights from this, they would break even or make money.

Interesting meal selection process WEN KOA-LAX. I am in 5B and the FA passes me a post-it "Welcome aboard Mr. Hawkxp. Your meal choice will be X or Y". I point at one and she knods. As far as I could tell, I was the only pax to be passed a note. The only 1K out of 24?????.

They had run out of first choice by row 5. I heard her apologize to row 6 and ask if they had diet problems with the non-choice, with the offer to work out an exchange

Mountain Trader, interesting idea, but how would it work on domestic flights? Y gets BOB or nothing, so would they dish the FC meals out for free or sell them? At what price? Same as BOB or more? I think your suggestion could solve the meal choice problem in F and/or C, but it would create new ones too.

You can have my meal, just pass me another drink.

Benny, I agree with you, even though I am a GS - you are right, it does take the joy of being a 1k (which I am as well).

On thing that I do, if it's a full flight is approach the f/a before take off and say very nicely - I know it's a full flight, but if there's something other than fruit for my stomach, I would appreciate it - I would bet the f/a would take care of you.

You paid full fare AND sat in the 1st row?!?!

Best wishes,
UG

Sounds good to me, though Tennen points out the potential complications. I guess one way around the complications is to offer the left-over meals to UGS or whoever has highest status in Y (but, sigh, potentially even more complications).

Maybe another alternative would be to simply have enough of both options on the flight, or at least on the smaller planes with just 12 F passengers? Would this cost much more? And would there be storage space for the extra meals?

I would venture to guess that the FA actually did phrase it more eloquently.

I wouldn't make that assumption on UA.

Just a guess, not an assumption.

I think that when unfortunate events happen to frequent travelers, it puts us in a bad mood and causes us to remember all aspects of the event in a more negative light. (e.g. not only was my priority-tagged luggage the last to come out, but hey, these scuff marks on my suitcase weren't there before this trip--or were they? Gosh, UA bag handling sucks.)

You do like making these anti-UA comments, though, don't you?

I've just experienced the same thing on a paid F ticket from San Fran to Orlando (connecting from int'l first).

The meal options were down to one by the time the FA reached us and she said "we have braised beef left for you". I asked why there are never enough meals left for me to get a choice as it's not cheap fare or special offer and she said...."look, it's nothing to do with me, will you be eating today or not?"

Charming.

I've often wondered how many 1Ks there are out there. Mostly when I am pondering why things that seem so easy to fix remain unattended to, or new ideas fall on deaf ears. Is this number correct?

Geee.. I feel like the only Marxist in a convention of Oil Company Executives.

I like the front to back/back to front system.

The FA's don't need to hopscotch all over the cabin.

It's fair and equitable across the First Class, regardless of how one got there.

It's clear to everyone in the cabin, without knowing if the other person was paying/UGS/the FA's special friend ( that last never happens, of course ).

I see the problem as the lack of "extra" meals to cover demand in 1st, and less availability of domestic 1st class seats in general, given reduction of flights, 319/320 configurations and increased RJ/TED flights ( on 4 hour MIA-DEN flights, ugh ) Less Seats = More Filled = Less extra meals available should they run out of one. I've seen 747's turn into multiple 319/320's.... all flights combined with total less Bus/1st seats. And 757's/737's turn into RJs.

As far as 1K devaluation... I see it less THAT as a problem, than UA's strategy of attracting customers via the FF program benefits has worked TOO well... they need to expand their service capabilities to MATCH the expanded 1k+ population... to maintain the FF's loyalty. Hence the increase in recent theads concerning issues with domestic Upgrade availability, meal service, saver award availability, etc.

Hopefully UA will fix some of these issues as it comes out of bankruptcy, along with expanding the fleet with new planes. I'm just afraid airlines (not just UA) have got hooked on all these cost cutting measures and lots of very full flights.

Otherwise... I can see this same discussion being held in a couple of years over the inability of 1P's to get into ECO+, behind the paying Y/B, paid upgrade folk, UGS's ( pl: UGSi? ) and 1Ks.

Fruit plate please.