United Airlines is further improving its soft product to Hawaii and premium transcontinental flights with a number of catering changes starting later this month, impacting both economy class and premium cabins.
Catering Upgrades Coming To Hawaii + Premium Transcon Flights On United Airlines
United Airlines has recently improved its service to Hawaii by adding specially-themed amenity kits, restoring the popular “Halfway To Hawaii” game (where you can win a prize for guessing the exact time the flight crosses over the halfway point), and even restoring meals to economy class on longer Hawaiian flights. Building upon those improvements, service on United’s Hawaii flights is about to get better.
Re-Opening Of Catering Facilities in Kona (KOA) and Lihue (LIH)
For the first time since the pandemic began, United will re-open flight kitchens on the Big Island in Kona and on Kauai in Lihue. This will allow the provision of meals in both economy and business class. Currently, first class passengers receive a hot entree double-catered from the mainland along with shelf-stable snacks (rather than a fresh salad with bread and ice cream). Economy class passengers on longer flights (to Denver or Chicago) receive a packaged sandwich rather than a full meal.
With the flight kitchens re-opening on September 15th, first class passengers will receive full meals on all routes from Kona or Lihue and economy class passengers will now receive a more substantial meal with a cold main course, bread roll, and fresh fruit on departing flights:
Passengers traveling to Hawaii from Denver or Houston will still receive a cold sandwich on Hawaii-bound flights. Furthermore, snacks will no longer be provisioned in plastic bags, but guests will be able to choose from a selection of three snacks from a basket.
Hot Bread
One of the lowest hanging fruits of a decent first class meal is good bread. Throughout the pandemic, United has provisioned economy class packaged bread, that is generally not worth opening. Recently, United added hot bread on some Mainland flights. Now, United will add hot pretzel rolls to Hawaiian flights (as well as premium transcontinental flights between New York (JFK/EWR) and San Francisco (SFO) / Los Angeles (LAX)).
This is such a long overdue move, but nevertheless meaningful because it will finally mean edible bread once again.
New Sorbet Dessert
In premium cabins, a new dessert will replace pre-packaged containers of gelato or sorbet. Initially, the selection will be a sorbet, served in a globe-shaped bowl with fruit toppings already on it.
This will apply to both first class and Premium Plus, United’s premium economy product, and apply to premium transcontinental and all Hawaiian flights except for the Los Angeles – Hilo route.
Pre-Arrival Meal On Hawaiian + Transcon Flights
Perhaps more importantly than the bread or new dessert, United is adding pre-arrival meal service to longhaul Hawaii and premium transcontinental flights in both first class and premium economy.
Initial choices will include a burger or Soba Noodle salad bowl, served with fruit on the side.
Currently, even flights like Newark – Honolulu, which clock in at over 10 hours, do not offer a pre-arrival meal. Even more interesting is the addition of these meals on premium transcontinental flights, which are routinely under five hours in a eastbound direction.
It has been more than 15 years since United offered two meals on these transcontinental flights.
The pre-arrival service will began on September 15th.
Pre-Arrival “Pie In the Sky” On West Coast – Hawaii Flights
While flights between the West Coast and Hawaii will not qualify for a second meal prior to landing, United will offer hot “Pie In the Sky” desserts from Eli’s Cheesecake, a delicious treat.
CONCLUSION
Every single one of these changes is a step in the right direction. United is finally recognizing that the cost-savings cutbacks no longer cut it. Now all we need is real cups and glasses back!
What do you think about these catering changes on United?
Glad they are investing but for mainland transcon instead of an arrival meal I’d rather they put the budget into a proper multicourse meal with better quality appetizer, salad, and main course – same for wine
If they aren’t even doing that for Polaris TATL at the moment, why would they bother on Hawaii?
It seems odd to have a pre-arrival meal on flights that, eastbound, are sometimes just 4.5 hours. A few years ago, for a brief period, AA offered a small fruit plate as a pre-arrival snack on the premium transcons, and from what I witnessed in person, the uptake was limited. (Of course, the primary meals were somewhat more substantial back then compared to today.)
United used to offer soup and salad prior to arrival on these flights. Then it became something like a mezze plate and only in first class, not business class (back in the three-cabin days). I always enjoyed it.
My guess is they are offering it for folks who prefer to skip the departure dinner service but will wake up a few minutes early.
Ual should only offer non alcoholic beverages on flts and allow pax to bring their own food. They know what they eat and when. This would eliminate food waste, increase corporate profit, less air craft maintenence, lower fuel costs, airport food vendors are happy and the positive list goes on.
People can bring aboard whatever food they like…
Lower fuel costs: Whether the airline supplies the food and drink, or the passengers bring it on, it still has weight, which increases fuel burn over no food at all brought on by anyone.
Pie in the Sky is excellent, best packaged cookie/cake I’ve tasted on an airplane.
Just hoping for y+ meals in PTS now.
Yes. Hopefully.
Just to clarify, UA has not had catering in LIH or KOA for years. Re-establishing a provider there has been talked about for years, but leadership always ruled out due to the cost and belief that CSAT impact would not be sufficient to justify.
UA is providing the exact same soft product in PP as Polaris now on these routes?
Almost makes it seem like history is repeating itself and the two cabins will eventually be merged again, like first and business was back in 1992 with BusinessFirst
Meal is the same right now. Business class gets larger casserole dish and a blue cloth tray liner versus a purple paper one.
Second question,
Is the pre arrival meal on the flights from HNL to IAH also the burger, or is there going to be a breakfast option?
I would assume breakfast, but there are no details in the memo. We will see.
So United is upgrading the catering in Premium Economy right before they yank the Premium Economy cabin from the JFK transcon routes?
I have some news on that. I will share once I confirm it.
Um, how about Guam? You look up a one way or round trip fare between GUM and HNL and it’s astronomical. If similar length flights are being offered meals, then what about Guam?
Unfortunately, united in the premium cabin, is unable to provide anything gluten free, for those who can eat only gluten free foods. I always bring my own food on the IAH-HNL flight. They really should be able to provide an ingredient list, so that people with allergies don’t have to chance it.
Any idea if the Premium Plus desert (sorbet with fruit) will also be in place on international flights? I have a flight coming up from ATH-EWR in that cabin…. hoping not to get the Toffee pre-packaged ice cream.
You will still receive the toffee ice cream.
Looking forward to enhanced catering. We’re going LAX-HNL-LAX and my parents are going SFO-HNL-IAH for a family celebration and we’re all booked in F on all segments. Hopefully they’ll keep the Polaris-equipped planes and the improved catering for the next 60 days.
It’s not really clear from your post what is offered from the West Coast besides fresh bread, nor is there any mention of Maui which is the #1 destination from LAX and SFO. Can we expect anything more than cruddy snack boxes in economy?
When I flew from KOA-SFO in June I was given a bowl of cereal in first class….totally absurd.
Any reviews of the near meal service?