The Flying Critic

United Will Still Give Free Meals on Transatlantic Flights

With no other airlines following United's fee mania plan of dropping free meals to coach passengers on some transatlantic flights, United decided to stop their new program before it even started.  Here is the open letter United just sent out announcing their revised plan:

Policy announcement: meal service on flights to Europe

Dear Customer,

Thank you for your direct, candid feedback on the test we had planned to launch in the fourth quarter for food choices on some of our flights. We heard you and have decided not to move forward with the test of offering customers buy-on-board options in United Economy on certain trans-Atlantic flights. We will continue to offer complimentary hot meals on those flights.

The response from you and many of our corporate customers, even before we launched the test, told us what we would have undoubtedly learned had we proceeded - you value our hot meal service in economy class for international flights.

In this environment, where higher costs driven by volatile fuel prices are now the norm, we must continue to tailor products and services so that we provide you with choices and competitive fares. As such, we will continue to be proactive in testing new ideas.

On October 1, we will proceed with the test of new, complimentary options for United Business customers on three-cabin aircraft used for domestic routes, which represents 16 daily flights. Customers on these flights will receive complimentary fresh sandwiches, salads, breakfast, snack boxes or snacks, depending on the length of flight and time of departure. They will also continue to enjoy complimentary beverages, including beer, wine and cocktails. We will evaluate the results and determine next steps by the end of the year.

It's also important to note that full meals will still be served on our p.s. transcontinental flights.

Thank you again for your feedback. We will continue to listen and make changes that enable us in this environment to provide you with the choices you value.

Sincerely,

Graham Atkinson
Chief Customer Officer

Egyptian Hieroglyphics - Daily Travel Photo

Egyptian Hieroglyphics in Luxor.

La Scala at Night - Daily Travel Photo

The famous opera house in Milan at night.

Bridge in London - Daily Travel Photo

Bridge in London.

NWA 747 - Daily Travel Photo

Northwest 747 at Tokyo/NRT

USA - Canada Border - Daily Travel Photo

Pool with A View - Daily Travel Photo

Pool at the Hilton El Conquistador Resort in Tucson, Arizona.  This picture was taken in June, 2008.  In August, 2008 they got new improved patio furniture.

FAA Computers Delaying Flights

CNN reports that FAA computer problems causing flight delays around the country:

Every major airport in the United States was experiencing flight delays Tuesday afternoon because of a communications breakdown at a Federal Aviation Administration facility, the administration said.

Karnak Temple, Luxor, Egypt - Daily Travel Photo

Karnak Temple, Luxor, Egypt - Daily Travel Photo

Statute at the Grand Palace, Bangkok - Daily Travel Photo

Statute at the Grand Palace, Bangkok

Walking the Alleys of Bern - Daily Travel Photo

I found Bern, Switzerland, to be an easy city to walk around.

Hyatt Announces Faster Free Nights

Hyatt just announced their latest Faster Free Nights (FFN) promo for this year:

Every Two Stays = One Free Night
Plus earn 2,000 bonus points after every two eligible stays
With your MasterCard® card
September 1 - December 30, 2008
Redeem your award between September 15, 2008 and February 28, 2009

If you play it right, faster free nights can be an amazing  deal.  Two years ago I parlayed two ~100/night stays in a bay area Hyatt into a free ~500/night stay at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo.  Just remember it is stays and not nights that count.  You have to register for the promo before your first stay.

Singapore Airlines Lounge in TPE - Daily Travel Photo

Singapore Airlines Lounge in TPE

Ted's Revenge (or how United is making a HUGE mistake)

An upcoming major announcement by United leaked yesterday.  It comes from a flight attendant newsletter and details some major changes to United's on-board meal services.

You might think of it as the return of Ted.  Or at least Ted's Revenge.

No more hot meals in 3-cabin business class on domestic routes.  That means if you fly LAX-IAD-FCO-IAD-LAX in business class for ~10 grand you can look forward to the same buy-on-board box that the economy passangers can buy.  But you get your drinks for free.  So it's still good service.  Right?  :(

Speaking of service.  The other major thing you might not notice is that United is dropping their flight attendant staffing levels down to FAA minimums and/or other lower levels because of the reduced meal service because of the buy-on-board services.  Expect frustraited flight attendants and slower service.

They are also dropping free meals in economy on many international routes and charging more for the buy-on-board and other food offerings.

This screams of desperation by United.  And they are desperate.  All of the airlines are.  But this seems like a major tactical error by United.  So much for United's premium international service advertising campaign that they've been spending big bucks on during the Olympics.

I'm not alone.  Cranky Flier posts most of the leak on his blog and he just gave United a Cranky Jackass Award in response.  One Mile at a Time thinks this may be the end of United (at least if they can't get new management).  View from the Wing worries that Mileage Plus might be next.

No Free Ride a Parody by Bruce Hopman

Bruce e-mailed me today asking if I would share his new parody about the fee mania that has consumed the airlines.  You can also check out his parody blog at parodyandson.blogspot.com.