Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

United Changes to Inflight Service

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web
Wow, go United! Way to one-up USAirs!
 
UA Drops Free Snacks

United Airlines to drop free snacks


George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 20, 2008


(08-19) 17:54 PDT -- It has come to this: Beginning Sept. 2, United Airlines will no longer hand out complimentary pretzels and cookies to economy class fliers across North America.
The airline is also dropping complimentary meals in domestic business class, effective Oct. 1, except for premium transcontinental flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles to New York. And it's expanding the BOB, or buy-on-board, food offerings.
Oh, and the BOB prices are going up, also Oct. 1.
The adjustments are outlined in an internal United Airlines memo that was distributed to flight attendants Monday and obtained by The Chronicle. The changes are all in the name of the "cost reduction and revenue-generating opportunities" United is focused on, the memo reads.
"In the wake of high fuel prices and a challenging economic environment, we must continue to examine every aspect of our business and find new ways to improve our day-to-day operations through efficiencies that still meet our customers' expectations," reads the memo, titled "Catering Changes Provide Value and Options."
"These are difficult but necessary changes," said United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski, in Chicago. "We are looking at everything we need to do to offset fuel prices, which are still skyrocketing."
Also planned: Doing away with meals and going to buy-on-board in international economy class on flights from Washington-Dulles to Europe.
The airline industry is in economic quicksand, given sky-high fuel prices and a tumbling economy, but at least one analyst wonders if service reductions will further alienate passengers disgruntled by the flying experience as it is.
"These moves are flat-out stupid," said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst at Forrester Research in San Francisco. "The savings they will get doing away with lunch in business class - they will lose more than that when corporations yank business.
"The challenging thing about business is that whether things are good or bad, you have to invest in your product for the sake of keeping customers and to make it harder for competitors to catch up with you. This does nothing to encourage people to pay more because you give more. They really make me question whether the inmates have taken control of the asylum."
Also in the memo: There will be fewer flight attendants in the domestic business class cabin because of doing away with the complimentary lunch, and the pre-arrival snack given out on the premium transcontinental flight will be history, also Oct. 1.
"We'll monitor customer feedback," said Urbanski. "The industry is changing."
 
I have never read a memo that was so cleverly, and so professionally, written - that basically says that they are going to treat their customers like crap.
 
Idiots is right. Why would someone chose United over other carriers now. These flights leave before dinner time. What an excellent way to drive peole away from flying them period. On westbounds, United is asking to buy or skip two meals. What if they run out of food on a 8 hr flight? How unpleasant is that? If you are connecting from other cities you probably barely managed to squeeze in a bagel and a coffee prior to flying on Yonited. Good job.
 
I have never read a memo that was so cleverly, and so professionally, written - that basically says that they are going to treat their customers like crap.

They already are....

I just flew to the US on United for the 2nd time this year and the whole process was absolutely horrible. The meal service was on par with a high school cafeteria lunch ladies and they lost my bag again. My ticket was only $9000 so maybe my expectations were just too high.
 
BLAH BLAH BLAH.....



We have been "going out of business" for over FIVE years now.

"It's the end of United"

"Probably won't last much longer"

"CAL is looking to buy some parts in a fire sale"

"Yonited is gonna be in Chap 7 soon I am told"

"Delta has more cash in the bank"

"Emirates is hiring!"

"USAirways....ITS GONNA HAPPEN"



BOTTOM LINE----GLENN MUST GO~!
 

Latest resources

Back
Top