United Airlines cut first class meals on flights between 800-900 miles this month, aligning its meal service limits with American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. While that policy change is disappointing, the way United has rolled it out and communicated it has been nothing short of incompetent.
United Airlines Botched Rollout Of Meal Service Downgrade, Making A Bad Situation Far Worse
Live And Let’s Fly was first to report last month that meal service would be cut, effective January 1, 2024, on flights between 800-900 miles, even on hub-t0-hub routes like Denver to Chicago, Houston, or Los Angeles.
> Read More: Downgrade – United Airlines Will Only Serve First Class Meals On Flights Of More Than 900 Miles In 2024
United confirmed this policy change to Live And Let’s Fly, but still has not bothered to update its passengers…or even its flight status page.
For example, take a look at this afternoon’s flight from Los Angeles to Denver:
Note that it still indicates dinner will be served. I just pulled this screen grab from united.com moments ago. Passengers will be in for a rude awakening if they did not eat prior to the flight.
Up until yesterday evening, if you searched for flights within that 800-900 mile band in the future, they still showed meal service onboard.
Yesterday (finally), the meal code was updated to “snack” which itself is quite misleading, because historically the “snack” code represented a full meal served outside traditional meal windows, such as on redeye flights. Now, snack simply means a selection from a snack basket.
But the flight status page still has not been updated…
And United’s meal service page still has not been updated:
Passengers who booked expecting a meal have not been updated that a meal will not be served. Why has United failed to update the thousands of passengers who have flights coming up that were sold with meal service and now no longer have it?
Furthermore, most flight attendants seem totally oblivious to this new policy. I’ve received numerous reports of flight attendants being just as confused as passengers when it comes to why meals were not present on flights that have had meals for decades, like between Denver and Chicago.
Reservation agents are just as clueless. They have no idea that meals have been cut.
Is United really saving money here? Passengers are writing into United and receiving $100 e-credits for missing meals onboard. Heck, that’s a trade I’d make any day. How much compensation is United going to have to dole out for this shortsighted policy change? The fact that flights have been sold for almost a month now as including a meal when the meals had already been eliminated from the menu is nothing short of bait and switch.
I’ve heard from some flight attendants that this change was made to accommodate the new pre-arrival procedure that requires flight attendants to sit down when the plane descends to 10,000 feet. I don’t buy it: there is still plenty of time on these flights to serve meals. Around the world and even over the Canadian border on Air Canada, meals are served on flights that are far shorter (some even under 200 miles).
United Responds
In light of this story, United sent the following update to Live And Let’s Fly:
“[O]ur teams worked quickly on an update this week and customers should see the correct info on united.com and the United app beginning Friday. We know this caused confusion for customers and we’ve authorized flight attendants to offer compensation on board to make it right.”
So do ask a flight attendant for compensation if you purchased your ticket prior to today on an impacted route.
CONCLUSION
There’s still mass confusion about United’s decision to cut meals on flights between 800-900 miles in first class.
This has been a very disappointing rollout by United. It needs to update its reservation agents and flight attendants about what is going on and most importantly, reach out to passengers who have booked future flights as recently as yesterday expecting a meal because that is exactly what united.com indicated.
Thank you for taking them to task – the meal cut in itself is bad enough. High value flyers in the mountain west connecting in DEN get no meals their entire journey
@Greg … It’s all about maximizing profit , whilst minimizing service . Furthermore , what’s so great about a defective TV dinner ? On a long connection time from ATL to LAX , I once had a good meal at DEN airport . The food on the UA segments was forgettable .=
I suppose the better Inited Club offerings I’ve had in ORD and EWR recently is more of an attractive alternative to those of us flying on international first non-Polaris flights, e.g. Canada, Mexico, Central America, etc. I think the strategy may very well be to have lounges replace food service on flights. Of course, one has to have access to them to benefit, else it’s Shake Shack at the airport.
Thank you for the update and summary. It’s been very confusing to say the least. As a loyal United flyer in Denver, I find the cut to meal service extremely disappointing and personally a little sad (end of an era). Thanks again for the update.
Should make you wonder how Thai Airways managed to serve roasted duck breast with ginger sauce,jazmine rice and vegetables cooked with broth in the Bangkok -Phuket flight under an hour long. Followed by green tea service and sweets.
@JoeMart … because they are a traditional airline ? US domestic airlines are determined to provide less service and more crowding , more carry-on bags , and more phony “service” dogs ?
This is how you pay for the big increases in pilot pay. Gotta cut somewhere.
I think you’re right, but it is still a very unfortunate change.
Oh I agree. I dont like it one bit. But I’m being realistic. Oh well.
It’s why unions are a drag on society
Right Derek, how dare those workers unite to get fair value for their labour and use their only form of leverage against capital to do so! /S
Better give up those weekends and 8hr workdays if you want to go back to the “good old days”
I was wondering if you had any idea on how much the cost to United is to provide a mean in first class that they no longer provide. How much of a savings to United on each meal.
I’ve asked that before and not been given an answer. It’s more expensive than we think due to the catering costs (trucks, labor, etc). I would peg it at $15-20 per meal.
Untied and Intied? On purpose or accidental?
I’m an editor, and it’s sad that you have so many misspellings and errors in your articles. You could spellcheck, or you could read over your article and edit it yourself. That’s what I would recommend.
I read this blog through the DILLIGAF browser and have no problems comprehending it.
Can you show me where the errors are? I just reread it and don’t see any.
Here is one:
United going to have dole out
Thanks!
You should try Grammerly. I use that. It’s not bad.
I use it.
becuase
Thanks.
Don’t read the site if you don’t like it.
Dave, let’s attack ideas not people.
Ohhhh the best airline in the world.
From the Japan article: In fact, there was even passengers who took their luggage with them.
Should be there were even…
From this article:
Yesterday (finally), the meal code was updated to “snack” which itself is quite misleading, becuase
This has been a very disappointing rollout by United. It needs to update its reservation agents and flight attendants about what is going on and most importantly, reach out to passengers who have booked future flights as recently as yesterday expecting a meal becuase that is exactly what united.com indicated.
There were several others, which you may have corrected, but there are errors in every issue.
*because
Marti,
I am a professional writer and college English professor. I also don’t find myself on Matthew’s side very much for a number of reasons (especially his biases toward Israel, while feigning compassion for over 10K dead Palestinian children). Those things aside, as an editor, surely you grasp that you would miss your own errors if you penned thousands of words a day? Blogs are timely. Yes, he has errors. Matthew is biased, and has topics that are ridiculous at times, but he is not stupid, nor is he a poor writer. We are all our own worst editors.
You, Marti, appear as pretentious and judgemental about this topic, but this is not a legal brief, for which I am sure Matthew would do, and has done, better work. This is not a formal paper, and I doubt he earned his JD without producing a few.
One day, I hope to have an intelligent conversation with Matthew about the posts he has written as a Christian man and the war. Those topics matter. The last thing I am going to talk to him about is his editing of a blog.
Or to put this in language my students would use: “OMG! CHILL OUT!”
A female college professor in a non-subject, supporting Hamas? That’s a new one …
Suz, let me ask you: does it tingle in all the right places when you see Arabs?
This thread is about United Airlines and its changes to its meal schedule. Not your political views and tirades. Post them somewhere else. We’re here to read about aviation news.
Thanks for getting this into the blogosphere! United should know exactly how pissed off some of us are. It’s such a middle finger to passengers who pay to sit up front.
I’ll now have to fly from Richmond, VA to Los Angeles, CA (entire way across the country) with ZERO fresh food. RIC-DEN serves the nasty shelf-stable junk food tray on mainline, and DEN-LAX is now the snack basket. Unreal!
I hope they at least reinstate some routes (like hub to hub) with meal service.
It seems United’s intention lately is to drive customers away to other airlines with all these cuts. When I purchased my RT F/C ticket from IAH to MCO two months ago, lunch was listed both ways…as of today a snack. As a UA Million Miler and living in Houston, I’m pretty much locked into UA domestically. Oh, how I miss Continental!!! However, any international trip I plan to take will definitely be on another Star Alliance foreign carrier. The last international flight I took from FRA to IAH on UA in Polaris the service & food wasn’t even as good as what I’d get on Continental in coach….sad.
It’s so sad when United has the opportunity to distinguish themselves from Delta and American they ALWAYS make the choice to follow the leader instead of giving passengers true reasons to fly with them. I’m a million miler too and since 2012 it’s cuts on service and cuts with the mileage plus program. I miss the days when the airlines actually had to compete, now it’s a tryopoly. What I’m realizing is at this stage of the game Southwest is looking better and better. With them it’s no bait and switch they tell you what you get and you actually get what they tell you. Paying for first class just ended for me as of reading this article. Bring back Oscar, Scott with all his cost cutting and narrow short term vision is damaging Uniteds reputation
on a United flight from West Coast to Denver connecting onto Midwest, all day flight, in paid FIRST. overnight meals changed from LUNCH to SNACK showing today, just as you described.
Very sad development.
Give em 2,000 Mileage Plus miles and tell them to go away.
PG manages to serve a full meal on 45 min flights in both BC and EC. This smells like pure laziness. A shortcut for EC might be defendable if prices reflect it but serving 8-12 passengers in BC can easily be done.
It is unfortunate that costs have to be cut somewhere to pay for recent wage increases, like the one for pilots, and likely, one for the flight attendants (if they ever agree on a contract). Fares have risen, service has declined, and flying is such a terrible experience anymore. Want a beverage? Sorry, this flight doesn’t have a beverage service. Snacks! Who are you kidding! Buy something and bring on board. Sorry, can’t use the lav at the front of the plane, we will park a cart there to block any of you peons flying steerage class. Oh, it’s break time, can’t you see the seat belts blocking you from getting to us or getting into our galley.
Granted, there are some excellent airlines and crews, but all these changes have contributed to a less than adequate experience on many airlines.
I don’t necessarily crave UA domestic meals but they‘re pushing short 50 minute connections hard. Getting a proper meal isn’t possible while running all the way across DEN concourse B. And I don’t want to book the four-hour connection so…
I hereby announce I am packing canned tuna / sardines as my onboard meal until UA offers a reasonable alternative.
Right when you think United has reversed course on its race to the bottom on premium cabin dining they pull this crap. The bean counters must be proud of themselves for thinking of this as it eliminates full meal service to all Southern California destinations out of Denver. Well, we’ll no longer pay the premium to fly in F on any flights through DEN from SAN and I hope others vote with their wallets as well.
DEN-SBA still gets meals!
Well said. I fly between Southern California and Denver regularly in F and feel the exact same way.
Amen!
Thanks for the great insight! I have to book ORD-GEG and the best option is via DEN, which would mean two flights with no meal and a short connection, so no time to grab something. AS or DL here I come!
Just got hit by this. SAN to DEN. Reservation listed lunch. Got a small bag of chips.
Some airline is going to figure out how to serve simple tasty meals in domestic F and profit by it.
28 BILLION $ profit in 2023. We bailed these tossers out after 9/11. This is how they thank us.
European airlines serve a meal or snack on all business class flights regardless of flight time or time of day. Recent examples. BCN-BRU 2 hour flt, 3 pm, large Aisian salad with roll and desert. BRU-LHR 1 hr flt, 9 pm, fruit plate, and cheese plate. The best was a DOH-ABU 1 hr block time with only 25 min wheels up/down time, drink and food at 5 am.
Believe it or not in the 90s and really prior to 911 United use to do food service in United First regardless of time of day. I remember having a sandwich, little salad and some chocolate from SFO to LAX at 9:30 at night plus 3 cocktails. Now your lucky if you even got one cocktail regardless of the time of your flight.
why are they dropping DENVER to CHIcago meal service……THE flight show 903 miles !!! unbelievable …hub to hub like den -ord den-iah ord – ewr den -lax should continue to offer full first class meals…
Where does it show 903 miles? I show it as 888.
I booked an upgrade on my DEN to ORD flight. I checked the app and saw the dreaded five letter word, SNACK. When I looked at the distance and saw 888 I was more upset than I should have been. Make the whole plane economy and give the routes to Southwest. I can’t help but think its a master plan to push cusomters to Delta, that’s probably what I am going to do.
Loyalty has to work both ways. Something executives of airlines has forgotten. If they truly believe we only fly based on price then that means that the Big Threr should be flying empty, and there not. This is just another reason to drop the mileage rodeo and truly fly the airline with the cheapest ticket. I’ve flown one airline since 1988 and that’s United. We all have the straw that breaks the camels back. As a Million Miler what do you get anymore? Service isn’t what you get anymore. United time to replace the words on yiu spiel after take off. “In a few minutes we’ll start our service” to “In a few minutes we’ll have NO service even in First Class so we hope you brought something on board to substitute for the lack of anything” we should all exercise our right and send a message by flying another carrier