United Changes to Inflight Service

[ROSWELL41]

Another website is reporting that in a United company memo it has stated some 'revenue enhancements' to its inflight service. Some highlights: 1)Offering buy on board snacks to domestic business class customers. 2)Discontinuing meals in United Economy on transatlantic flights out of IAD (except KWI) and instead offering buy on board snacks. Anyone surprised by these 'revenue enhancements'?

 

[JetDude]

Another website is reporting that in a United company memo it has stated some 'revenue enhancements' to its inflight service. Some highlights: 1)Offering buy on board snacks to domestic business class customers. 2)Discontinuing meals in United Economy on transatlantic flights out of IAD (except KWI) and instead offering buy on board snacks. Anyone surprised by these 'revenue enhancements'?

Is KWI pronounced K-Y? :laugh:

 

[CA1900]

1)Offering buy on board snacks to domestic business class customers.

Surely the airlines have learned by now that you don't screw with your bread-and-butter business clients?

It's like UAL is trying to kill their airline as fast as possible.

 

[ROSWELL41]

I'm wondering the same thing. Maybe they should just change over to one class of service.

 

[daedaepilot]

Why punish your premium passengers? Just doesn't make any sense to me. Someone needs to slap management upside the head and let them know this is the wrong way to go. If things are so terrible that you can't afford to serve a $6 meal on an 7hr flight, there is something fundamentaly wrong with what UAL is trying to compensate for.

 

[contrail67]

Another website is reporting that in a United company memo it has stated some 'revenue enhancements' to its inflight service. Some highlights: 1)Offering buy on board snacks to domestic business class customers. 2)Discontinuing meals in United Economy on transatlantic flights out of IAD (except KWI) and instead offering buy on board snacks. Anyone surprised by these 'revenue enhancements'?

They might be talking about this....cannot find what you are talking about.
United, Westin Launch Heavenly Experience in the Sky

Posted August 18, 2008
[FONT=arial, helvetica]S[/FONT]tarting this month, first and business class customers who fly United’s p.s. service will experience a new level of comfort with the Westin Heavenly Bed products and amenities. Our partnership with Westin Hotels & Resorts marks the first time that hotel-branded bedding and amenities have taken to the sky on a U.S. airline. We also unveiled Westin Renewal Lounges inside Red Carpet Clubs in New York JFK, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Our first and business class p.s. service between New York and California now features custom oversized Heavenly blankets and pillows inspired by the Westin iconic Heavenly Bed. Customers will be treated to refreshing White Tea scented towelettes and mints, and custom video and music on United’s personal media players. Through a partnership with award-winning video production company Blue Marvel, Westin Hotels has created signature video content featuring stunning, soothing nature scenes from across the world; meanwhile, music selections from the brand’s customized playlists include songs featured in Westin lobbies worldwide.
To complete the sensory in-flight experience, we will serve a specialty cocktail inspired by the groundbreaking Westin SuperFoods program. A new cocktail will be unveiled each season, and all will be served on a brain-teaser coaster, giving our customers a chance to practice the Westin brand’s expert-developed, whole-body approach to wellness.
Customers will be able to browse the Westin brand’s popular Heavenly product line by taking advantage of in-seatback retail catalogs. Those looking to take the Heavenly Bed home can redeem a special free-robe offer available to United customers only.

Welcome to the Westin Renewal Lounge
Westin Renewal Lounges within our Red Carpet Clubs give customers a soothing hideaway for relaxing and renewing. For example, the San Francisco lounge is equipped with Philips Lighting Company's revolutionary blue-light ActiViva lamp – not yet available for purchase in the United States – which provides phototherapy and directly affects the way people feel by making them more alert, awake and energized.
Created by the Westin design team and outfitted with plush furniture, fabrics and the brand’s nature-inspired color palette, each lounge features a signature LED candle wall and artwork typical of the Westin soothing aesthetic.
While much of the furniture found in the lounges mirrors the offerings at Westin properties, designers created two pieces of custom furniture specifically for the our renewal lounges: an upholstered ottoman with a built-in table (for displaying custom botanicals or books) and a day bed for resting. The Westin signature White Tea scent is diffused throughout the lounges, while LCD televisions play custom Blue Marvel videos that feature inspiring footage of the natural world.
Westin has created an exclusive, non-alcoholic SuperFoods elixir to be served in the lounges, and we will introduce a new elixir each season. As part of Westin's partnership with celebrated floral designer Jane Packer, sustainable botanical bento boxes display natural materials such as bun moss, snake grass, stones and orchids. In addition, SuperFoods snacks and books by Jane Packer and SuperFoodsRx founder Dr. Steven Pratt will be available in the lounges.
“When traveling across the country, our first and business class customers expect to feel relaxed and rewarded when they are at the airport and on the airplane,” says Graham Atkinson, EVP & Chief Customer Officer. “Refreshing drinks, a calming environment and a Heavenly pillow and blanket will ensure United’s customers are reinvigorated for wherever their travels may bring them.”

 

[McNugget]

You forgot to add the rest of it:

UNITED AIRLINES LAUNCHES "SUPER-8" BEDDING IN ECONOMY CLASS!

United Airlines is proud to announce our new partnership with Super-8 Motels. Authentic, previously used bedding from Super-8 Motels will be provided to all United Economy Passengers, for the nominal charge of $8 USD.

 

[contrail67]

You forgot to add the rest of it:

UNITED AIRLINES LAUNCHES "SUPER-8" BEDDING IN ECONOMY CLASS!

United Airlines is proud to announce our new partnership with Super-8 Motels. Authentic, previously used bedding from Super-8 Motels will be provided to all United Economy Passengers, for the nominal charge of $8 USD.

Did you think of that all on your own?...

 

[n757st]

Wow, no meals on 8+ hour flights across the Atlantic. Hell, even US Airways gives you free food and drink on transatlantic flights.

 

[PreContact]

copied from another site...

Announced In a Company Memo August 18, 2008

Catering Changes Provide Value and Options

Cost reduction and revenue generating opportunities continue to be the focus of every division throughout the company. 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-today operations through efficiencies that still meet our customers' expectations.

And we can expect this will continue to drive changes to the way we do business.

Fleet and capacity reductions announced in June have already resulted in significant changes for our division, many of which were implemented in July and
August. And there are more changes scheduled for September and October.

These changes are difficult, but necessary, and we do not make them lightly. However, they enable us to reduce costs and generate additional revenue
while preserving a differentiated product for our premium cabin customers both internationally and domestically. Our industry is changing, and in
United's ongoing efforts to offer overall value and competitive fares, we need to tailor our products and services to what the customer values and can
choose from accordingly.

The following is a general overview of the upcoming changes. You can expect detailed information in the coming weeks.

Effective Sept. 2

North America United Economy® (UE) -All Markets

• Expanding a la carte snacks for purchase to flights between 760 -1149 miles (approximately 2-3 hours in duration) as a result of successful testing in select markets. Along with the expansion, we're removing complimentary biscoff and pretzels as data from those tests confirmed that the a la carte offering appeals to our customers and they are willing to pay for snacks of higher value.

• Continuing test of a fresh Buy on Board offering along with the current snack box on flights between 1440 - 2099 miles (approximately 3.5 - 5 hours
in duration). Testing limited to ORD-LAX-ORD and DEN-IAD-DEN.

Effective Oct. 1

Increasing Buy on Board Prices

• Shelf-stable items increase from $5 to $6.

• Fresh items increase from $7 to $9.

Offering Two-Class Service on North America Three-Class Airplanes

• United First® service remains the same.

• A combined BOB service will be offered in United Business® (UB) and United Economy® (UE).

•Customers in UB will receive complimentary beverages and BOB offering.

• Staffing will be adjusted to FAA minimums.

Buy on Board Offered Out of IAD to Europe (except KWI)

• Replacing complimentary meals in UE with BOB fresh and snack box offerings.

• Economy staffing breakpoints for all aircraft will be adjusted to current North America BOB staffing guidelines.

Eliminate Second Service in p.s. Market

• Removing the pre-arrival snack service and replacing with a beverage service in response to flight attendant and customer feedback.

 

[McNugget]

Wow, go United! Way to one-up USAirs!

 

[CaptJax]

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."

 

[CA1900]

...we're removing complimentary biscoff...

YOU BASTARDS!!!!



:laugh:

 

[Turtlesfly]

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.

 

[Yuppyguppy]

idiots

 

[RJAA]

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.

 

[d328pilot]

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.

 

[ROSWELL41]

Is this more of the beginning of the end for them? Alienate your remaining customers.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

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~!

 

[contrail67]

Is this more of the beginning of the end for them? Alienate your remaining customers.

85% load factor...remaining passengers??? Think