Interesting question . . .

Yup.

While this would be a very practical policy, that's not at all how I read this change.

Why would mgmt care-- aren't they all NRPSX? :confused:

For those traveling IAD>EU>IAD, you might want to write to UA WHQ... asking if they will refund the portion of the fare the contained the cost of food.

I would - merely to get the message back to them that this affecting

Its a shame - I always wanted to visit Washington DC. I best route by ORD from now onwards.

Simple thought... its a change of contract of the stated product so surely they've broken their own conditions of carriage and provision of it if you've booked before this announcement was made?

The cost of the stamp exceeds the cost (or at least the value) of the food...

The CoC says they'll get you there, and really nothing else.

Of all the changes, this is the one that disturbs me the most.

Charging Y transatlantic passengers for a meal that's arguably better than the current hot meal offered...seems fairly inevitable and consistent with charging for alcohol. Although my bet is UA is "hedging" this move by limiting it to IAD first to see if other carriers match. I don't think UA will expand it to ORD until AA matches....which my guess is will happen in a matter of time.

But I think that having plasticware and no drink refills, not to mention crappy Y class wine, in a domestic premium cabin completely compromises United's branding of the premium cabin experience. Functionally, I'm sure many of us would prefer an Intl-C seat with Y service than a domestic F seat with F service, but from a branding point of view the new 3 class service comes across as tacky and cheap. I feel sorry for the F/As who will need to explain these service modifications to customers.

Perhaps we're wrong in assuming that the drink service will be modified...but seems like if UA is going to minimum staffing, there won't be dedicated F/As in C.

Hope the non revs enjoy their meal and attentive service up in 3 class F! Maybe it would lessen the pain if elites were allowed Y->F upgrades on 3 cabin (non PS) domestic flights.

Some are concluding that C gets free BOB. That should be interesting for accounting. On paper, it may appear that every C pax took a BOB. In reality, any BOB that a C pax didn't want is now 'sold' in E, and the $ from that goes you know where. Unless they get the cashless system going.

It's just airline food. I can't see quitting UA over this. I care much more about things like redemption amounts going up(other carriers currently doing this) and elite bonuses going away(US). Sure, we all have our own lines, and for many I guess this crossed it. But as another FTer so eloquently put it, gate gourmet is gate gourmet is gate gourmet.(except when it's skychef :D)

In the "why you fly UA" thread, I don't recall anyone saying they fly UA for INTL Y food or transcon C food. But I guess many are willing to ditch UA for the lack thereof.

It's an inevitable race to the bottom for the domestic carriers. I'll stay with UA until they drop the things that keep me flying with them.

Looks like intra-Europe styled business class has arrived in the States.

C class nonsense aside (is this how United wants its Business product to be known?), it's interesting that the response is so much stronger about the elimination of free meals in transatlantic market when you compare it to the response to the elimination of free meals in the domestic market. Back when BOB was first introduced, people weren't nearly as vocal about it.

Part of me wonders if UA will roll back its decision to eliminate plate meal service in Business as a way to pacify flyers and get what it really wanted (to eliminate free hot meals in economy on transatlantic).

BTW, coming up next, get ready to start paying a la carte fees to accrue Mileage Plus miles for flights on United.

Higher award and upgrade mileage levels (and possibly upgrade copays) are probably not far away either.

I just don't know who to switch to being based in SFO (flying intra CA, transcons, TATL and TPAC) since Virgin America doesn't have any partner airlines yet and no plans for an elite program.

Cheap .......s.

I guess I won't go out of my way now to fly three class aircraft on transcons.

I will be provocative, despite the fact I only post infrequently on this forum.

Would this all really be necessary if C and F pax actually paid for their seats?

(Buying food in business class?? Really? :confused:)

Print My Itineraries now!
 

Anyone with a domestic C class booking for Oct and beyond should print the screen in "My Itineraries" that shows Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. This could be useful when filing a complaint at the appropriate time.

Cheers,

-Cyborg

Actually, this appears to be the opposite of intra-European business class. For UA, the seats up front will still be superior to those in the back, but the meal offering is pathetic. Meanwhile, on intra-European flights, the seats up front are often indistinguishable or nearly indistinguishable from what's behind the curtain, but you can usually count on a proper meal.

LH business class customers flying on a LH-coded-UA-operated plane having to pay for a meal on the LH-coded TATL flight would be an interesting show.

FAA minimum staffing is one FA per 50 seats or fraction thereof; many airplanes have more doors than FAs.

I was just browsing around in October / November for flights and schedules.

Seems as though I can't find any 3 class offerings on SFO-IAD during that time anyway! Maybe this whole catering thing is moot for me.

Still though, hello VX for a while.

I guess I`ll be experiencing CO then.
Good to know they fly out from Oslo.....though too bad it`s a 757:td:

will the FAMs and employees flying in C stand for this???

Do the Union rules allow for this :p