1p, I have seen the buttonholes once this year ( and posted this, some of us are clued in!) but they are probably being introduced gradually as the buttonhole free linen is 'retired'. I worked the 931 a day behind you, too bad! No buttonholes in the linen I saw yesterday either. You people have me looking for buttonholes and furiously heating up nuts, what next?

UA 906 SFO-ORD 1/17: No buttonholes. Disappointment verging on despair -- strangely, considering my thoughtless choices while dressing that morning (entirely devoid of buttons). I can only attribute it to the emotional roller coaster that is this thread.

I did notice, in my breathless fumbling search, that the "napkin" and the "tablecloth" were identical linens, and that they both had a border (hem?) of about 1cm, and had the UA logo/name embroidered in one corner (white on white, hard to spot).

I confess that prior to discovering this thread, I was pretty buttonhole-agnostic, and it's only recently that I have made a study of UA table linen. But I do seem to recall that the buttonhole napkins had a very thin (maybe 3mm) embroidered border, rather than the folded over hem.

So maybe it's just a case of someone mixing up some part numbers? Could it be that all along UA's "napkin" spec has included buttonholes, but that we've been getting "tablecloths" wrapped around the silverware, disguised as "napkins"? Foul, foul deception - it hath the primal eldest curse upon it. A pox on the party responsible, and all their generations.

What compensation do you think is appropriate?

Compensation? I think we're going to need some group counseling. Where's Bob Newhart when we need him. I'm chanelling Mr. Carlin (sp?) at this very moment.

Yes. :eek: Slow down when scrolling, people.

Yes, actually it was a purser on a flight a few years ago^. And I have been doing it ever since, up until my return flight yesterday. Both linens had button holes!

My technique was to use the metal fork to create a couple of small "pilot" holes, and then use the knife to make one nice button hole. As you might expect, this got considerably easier with the return of metal knives ~last March!

No buttonholes on 940 on the 12th or 941 today. However, it does sound like MauiUAflyer's technique will work even on them - if applied somewhat more aggressively.

Saw the buttonhole napkin first time on 1/1 SFO->FRA flight. It looks like a slit in one of the corner with neat stitches around the cut. I would have missed it or don't know what's that for if I didn't read about this thread.:p

My first buttonholes since reintroduction!..... SFO-LHR Jan 20. I'm flying LHR-ORD in a week's time: will be interested to see what happens then.

Buttonholes on my FRA-IAD UA 917 today - at least up in the penthouse.

I "installed" the napkin (we were having a dish that had a cooked tomato ingredient) and the FA looked and said, "Oh, how neat. I hadn't even noticed the buttonholes." How soon they forget.

And it is not just United! Earlier this month I did a Trans-Atlantic on American in Business Class, and their napkins had buttonholes. Then last week I was on a Delta trans-Atlantic in Business Class ATL-STR, and noticed that they also now have buttonholes in their napkins (and, less functionally, parquet floors in the Business Class lavatory).

I wonder if someone did a study or some such that's responsible for the sudden move to buttonholes?

Daringdoo received a buttonhole napkin on last night's UA947 IAD-LAX...unfortunately it was in her tablecloth.

I guess they need to work on the napkin/tablecloth sorting process.

Same experience here, sitting right behind you two. :)

I swapped the tablecloth for the napkin so I could get the full buttonhole experience. Ah, the simple things...

I flew Thai Airways in November LAX-BKK just to get the full buttonhole experience again. Very nice. I'll return to UA for Asian trips only when I hear that it's systemwide again.

1/24 SYD-SFO in C - no buttonholes
2/3 SYD-LAX in C - BUTTONHOLES! :)

i've had them on all my ps and Intl C flights lately. hooray!

It's still inconsistent. Buttonholes ORD-LHR, no buttonholes LHR-ORD last week. Presumably all the linens will get systematized eventually.