UAL Scraps Free Coach Meals on Some Overseas Flights

From the read it looks like just (international) flights from Dulles
and excludes Kuwait

Link:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...yXo&refer=home



Snip:
Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- United Airlines, struggling to curb losses
from record fuel prices, will become the first U.S. carrier to stop
serving free meals in the coach cabin of some overseas flights.

Instead, the second-largest U.S. carrier will offer food that can be
purchased aboard trips to Europe from Washington's Dulles
International Airport starting Oct. 1, spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said
today in an interview.

The change expands the list of formerly complimentary services
airlines are charging for as they combat a 52 percent jump in the
price of jet fuel during the past year. United parent UAL Corp., with
net losses of almost $3.32 billion in the past three quarters, is
eliminating 7,000 jobs and parking 100 aircraft to cut operating
costs.

``International flights have historically been sacrosanct from these
kinds of charges,'' David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers
Association passenger advocacy group, said in an interview. ``This is
the new era of a fee for every service. We should get used to it.''

United won't eliminate free coach meals on travel from Dulles to
Kuwait because the flight is about 12 hours instead of the typical 8
to 9 hours to Europe, Urbanski said. Dulles is United's ``gateway'' to
Europe, with about 33 daily international flights. Food in first and
business classes will remain free.

Duh_OZ wrote:

Instead, the second-largest U.S. carrier will offer food that can be
purchased aboard trips to Europe from Washington's Dulles
International Airport starting Oct. 1, spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said
today in an interview.

They are testing the waters. They'll produce skewed survery results
showing passengers really like the new menu and roll out that policy to
all their flights.

Now, if, for say $15, one could get the same meals as what they serve in
first class or business, then this might be worth it. But if for $15
they sell you **** that costs them $5.00 then it isn't worth it.


If none of the airlines emulate UA's moves, then UA will very quitly
stop charging for meals on those test flights. But the publicity may be
deadly for UA. People will consider that all intl flights are without
meal services and avoid UA.

This may be good news for Star Alliance airlines since those with UA FF
points may choose non-UA Star flights to get to europe.

I've always wondered why airlines don't have restaurants bid for
partner and advertising deals to get extra revenue......I'm sure maybe
even painting the plane wouldn't be out of the question......imagine
Subway, Quiznos, Pizza Hut, KFC, or McDonalds being served on your
flight......I bet most people wouldn't mind.

----
http://www.moviesitearchive.com/travel


On Aug 21, 10:23*am, Duh_OZ wrote:
From the read it looks like just (international) flights from Dulles
and excludes Kuwait

Link:http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...ssF7MnyXo&refe...

Snip:
*Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- United Airlines, struggling to curb losses
from record fuel prices, will become the first U.S. carrier to stop
serving free meals in the coach cabin of some overseas flights.

Instead, the second-largest U.S. carrier will offer food that can be
purchased aboard trips to Europe from Washington's Dulles
International Airport starting Oct. 1, spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said
today in an interview.

The change expands the list of formerly complimentary services
airlines are charging for as they combat a 52 percent jump in the
price of jet fuel during the past year. United parent UAL Corp., with
net losses of almost $3.32 billion in the past three quarters, is
eliminating 7,000 jobs and parking 100 aircraft to cut operating
costs.

``International flights have historically been sacrosanct from these
kinds of charges,'' David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers
Association passenger advocacy group, said in an interview. ``This is
the new era of a fee for every service. We should get used to it.''

United won't eliminate free coach meals on travel from Dulles to
Kuwait because the flight is about 12 hours instead of the typical 8
to 9 hours to Europe, Urbanski said. Dulles is United's ``gateway'' to
Europe, with about 33 daily international flights. Food in first and
business classes will remain free.

On Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:39:25 -0700 (PDT), jessica_smith_nyc
wrote:

I've always wondered why airlines don't have restaurants bid for
partner and advertising deals to get extra revenue......I'm sure maybe
even painting the plane wouldn't be out of the question......imagine
Subway, Quiznos, Pizza Hut, KFC, or McDonalds being served on your
flight......I bet most people wouldn't mind.

Sure and then get routinely sued everytime someone claimed food
poisoning.


----
http://www.moviesitearchive.com/travel


On Aug 21, 10:23=A0am, Duh_OZ wrote:
From the read it looks like just (international) flights from Dulles
and excludes Kuwait

Link:http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...Da2hssF7MnyXo=
&refe...

Snip:
=A0Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- United Airlines, struggling to curb losses
from record fuel prices, will become the first U.S. carrier to stop
serving free meals in the coach cabin of some overseas flights.

Instead, the second-largest U.S. carrier will offer food that can be
purchased aboard trips to Europe from Washington's Dulles
International Airport starting Oct. 1, spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said
today in an interview.

The change expands the list of formerly complimentary services
airlines are charging for as they combat a 52 percent jump in the
price of jet fuel during the past year. United parent UAL Corp., with
net losses of almost $3.32 billion in the past three quarters, is
eliminating 7,000 jobs and parking 100 aircraft to cut operating
costs.

``International flights have historically been sacrosanct from these
kinds of charges,'' David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers
Association passenger advocacy group, said in an interview. ``This is
the new era of a fee for every service. We should get used to it.''

United won't eliminate free coach meals on travel from Dulles to
Kuwait because the flight is about 12 hours instead of the typical 8
to 9 hours to Europe, Urbanski said. Dulles is United's ``gateway'' to
Europe, with about 33 daily international flights. Food in first and
business classes will remain free.

On Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:26:13 GMT, Larry in AZ
wrote:

Waiving the right to remain silent, (John Kulp) said:

On Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:39:25 -0700 (PDT), jessica_smith_nyc
wrote:

I've always wondered why airlines don't have restaurants bid for
partner and advertising deals to get extra revenue......I'm sure maybe
even painting the plane wouldn't be out of the question......imagine
Subway, Quiznos, Pizza Hut, KFC, or McDonalds being served on your
flight......I bet most people wouldn't mind.

Sure and then get routinely sued everytime someone claimed food
poisoning.

It's been done. Can't remember which, but a major airline I flew a few years
back was serving Blimpie sandwiches.

Fact is that airlines contract out their food service, so would it really
matter whether or not it's a recognizable chain doing it..?

First, all the airlines hardly contract out their food service.
Continental, for example, owns Chelsea which does its catering.

Second, most contract another airlines catering service to provide
theirs, such as Chelsea or Lufthansa's not chains like McDonald's,
etc. That way, they know they are getting what the owning airline
serves its own passengers.

In article ,
Larry in AZ wrote:

Fact is that airlines contract out their food service, so would it really
matter whether or not it's a recognizable chain doing it..?

Is that contracted out by airline or is this a deal with the individual
airports and the airlines are stuck with it. Sorta like the fixed base
operator for their fuel.

"jessica_smith_nyc" wrote in message
...
I've always wondered why airlines don't have restaurants bid for
partner and advertising deals to get extra revenue............imagine
Subway, Quiznos, Pizza Hut, KFC, or McDonalds being served on your
flight......I bet most people wouldn't mind.

Where would the deep fryer go?

I'm sure maybe even painting the plane wouldn't be out of the question.

More paint = more weight. (More than some people think.)

On Aug 23, 12:26*pm, Larry in AZ
wrote:
Waiving the right to remain silent, (John Kulp) said:

On Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:39:25 -0700 (PDT), jessica_smith_nyc
wrote:

I've always wondered why airlines don't have restaurants bid for
partner and advertising deals to get extra revenue......I'm sure maybe
even painting the plane wouldn't be out of the question......imagine
Subway, Quiznos, Pizza Hut, KFC, or McDonalds being served on your
flight......I bet most people wouldn't mind.

Sure and then get routinely sued everytime someone claimed food
poisoning.

It's been done. *Can't remember which, but a major airline I flew a few years
back was serving Blimpie sandwiches.

I think it was Great Plains Airlines. The link show that they served
Krispy Kreme Donuts on their morning flights.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Plains_Airlines

M. Graham