Kevincm

Well this smacks of saving a few pennies along the lines doesn't it?

I'm with ajamieson. Cheap. Pure and simple. And if any other carrier tried this they'd be laughed out of the park (I can't imagine LH, BD, BA, would try this little game ... US maybe but it depends what Doggie wants to do) .

Shifting to a BOB product may make simple economics for UA, but what is that price in reputation? A lot more than a few pennies I would wager!

Yes - there is an argument of "if they're 40000 feet in the air, we'll sell it to them and they'll buy it. And you're free not too". It's argument, I'll give you that. But it does nothing to 1) show that United is a company that cares about its pax, 2) show United understands how things are in this downturn and 3) to show United as a positive differential during this time.

Yes - there is a 100% mileage on flights. But I'm sorry to say that miles alone do not make a total product - rather the pre flight, ground, in-air, and arrival experience make a flight.

I know UA is looking a brand new business paradigms, but annoying Y class customers isn't a good way to about it.

Annoying your domestic C class pax isn't that intelligent too.

Personally, I'd just shift all flights to ORD and take the extra cost on the chin. But make sure UA works for every penny....

AEpilot76

It's not a joke, it is posted in the "onboard updates" section of the UAL employee website..

The BOB transatlantic is going to get interesting because like most BOB flights they won't fully cater the plane (at least one BOB for each passenger). So what happens when people realize they won't be getting a second meal and start buying 2 or 3 of each and they run out??

flyinryan

This news comes as oil prices fall to ~$110/bbl and the dollar strengthens. But, United always had brilliant timing anyway.

My goodness, but this company SO deserves Chapter 7. Just blow it up, already. I have about 250,000 banked miles, and I don't even want them anymore.

The executive management team is a joke.
The employees are sick of it, and increasingly, are taking it out on the paying customers.
United has about the longest, slowest product rollout in airline history with the new int'l C/F product. Then, they spent a zillion $$ on a slate of TV commercials that don't even show the product!
The cutbacks (errr, enhancements,) seem to be coming, more and more, every week.

Sad. But blow it up anyway. I just don't think it's worth saving anymore.

JohnnyJet

Well, by that token looking at IAD-LHR on .bomb they're still showing Lunch & Breakfast in Y in mid -October.

In addition, just checked my p.s. flight booked for October 12th and it's still showing Breakfast and Snack

jcs17

Aside from US and maybe AA, no. I brought up Continental because they will most likely be the beneficiaries of a UAL liquidation.

pallensf

In reading all of this long thread, and soon to become even longer...LOL; I am simply nonplussing at the HORROR of UA's strategies!

It is always something bad on an ongoing basis, if not daily.

I too have received a Gold status match on CO., however it's difficult for me as they no longer provide the once beloved SFO-HNL route that I frequently booked.

And as far as the PS flts; well, that's a whole lot of BS. It saddens me deeply to see them advertise a "premium service" that really is not premium at all, save for the seat.

Ok, I am sure to vent more later, but need to get ready to do errands...

Aloha,

Patrick

United757

In september ORD-EWR flights show a snack but in december EWR-ORD flights show lunch or dinner in first class. Weird. And from ORD-SFO in Business Class (C) it shows dinner listed for the meal still and breakfast. This is all the way into January.

Condition One

Wow, I've never questioned my loyalty to UA until I saw this new "enhancement". Time to start looking at CO.

Converse34

Actually, BD already sell snacks and drinks onboard their transatlantic in Y. Yes, they still give meals, but they def try and pitch those pringles.

as219

Is there any chance that a severe enough backlash will get UA to reverse this?

DogHead

Yes I could. As much as I could about pax who'd end up in Ted's E- on paid intl F or C ticket.

stupidhead

What ship? I paid $400 more to fly Asiana over United a couple months ago.

While United continues to bleed red ink, this 19 year old who has A LOT of flying ahead of him will continue giving his money to foreign carriers and jetBlue and Continental*.

*Once they're officially in the Star Alliance

ORDflyr

I agree, but if United reduces its own capacity could they not justify raising their fares? If the service were to remain the same, I would purchase the ORD - SFO Y roundtrip on United for a good deal more than I would spend for a LCC.

So why try to compete with the LCCs by having a high number of available seats for a low cost?

cesco.g

Good point! Caught my attention as well, but fearing it will be both ways.

European pax, such as those generally flying LH and LX out of Germany and Switzerland will be steaming. ZRH-IAD for example easily turns into a 10 hrs flight gate-to-gate, which would have nor complementary food service.
Not gonna fly with those customers!

snic

Running out of food - one of the big irritations of flying in coach. I was with my daughter not long ago; we had booked an aisle and a middle. Flight was packed, and the guy in the middle seat gratefully took the aisle. He also took the VERY LAST fresh food BOB .

Do you think they will increase the number of meals per flight since they are also almost doubling the price? Somehow I don't think so.