The major airlines’ race downhill has shifted into overdrive. United, once an airline that tried to make the customer experience better, is making hypotheticals real. They’re charging for meals on flights to Europe, raising prices for stuff sold on board, and reducing the service offered in some domestic premium classes.
And all the while, they’re blaming oil prices and cynically saying this represents customer preference and expands choice. Could someone remind them that oil is off its highs? Alrighty then.
This comes as no surprise to regular readers of this blog. After all, United was polling some of its customers just two weeks ago to gauge their tolerance for international buy-on-board meals. Now those charges are reality. I guess they interpreted those survey results with impressive speed…
One thing that’s missing from the new pay-to-eat-while-trapped-in-an-aluminum-tube regime is an improvement in quality, which was implied in earlier surveys. You’ll recall that United’s poll included a “restaurant quality meal” as an option. That doesn’t appear to be on offer. Rather, you’ll be asked to pay good money for “fresh and snack box offerings” — read: shelf-stable snack boxes, as you already know them, or hockey-puck sandwiches. No price points are mentioned. Uh oh.
So who among you told United in the poll that you’d happily pay $30 for a meal? Fess up!
This is yet another embarrassment to the once-grand tradition of American aviation. United has become a pathetic, washed-up mess of an airline. Patriotism be damned, I’m a consumer: If United is the primary carrier on an international route I need to fly, I would bend over backwards to fly another airline, preferably a carrier without an American flag on the tail.
The internal United memo announcing the changes, confirmed by reputable sources, is below. Comments inserted.
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.
Comment: Value. Choices. And the fuel excuse, again. And I ask you, does charging for crappy food meet your expectations? Browse over to non-US airlines and read about their onboard service. Let me know if your expectations are still being met. Back to the memo…
And we can expect this will continue to drive changes to the way we do business.
Comment: So the worst is yet to come?
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.
Comment: Which services is the customer valuing, or choosing? Choices are being taken away, not added.
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.
Comment: No more Biscoff?? Noooooooooo… the last tasty freebie snack in the American sky, now gone…
• 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.
Comment: Raising prices bothers me little, frankly, if these were already items being assessed a fee. Everything costs more at the supermarket, so why not in the sky. No problems here.
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.
Comment: This is a real downgrade. Previously, on a 3-class plane traveling domestically, you’d have three classes of service. Not anymore. Now, the business-class seats get coach service, just comped. It’s like the Spirit Airlines “big front seat” model.
And the fact that they are cutting back on the number of flight attendants signals that there won’t be more attentiveness to customers in any cabin. This signals to premium-cabin customers that it’s not all that premium. United seems to think it’s all about the seat, and not the service. And that’s just sad.
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.
Comment: There it is. The meal downgrade. Flights to Europe will be buy-on-board only, effective October 1. Folks on the flight to Kuwait should chow down for the rest of the flying public. Flights to Asia are safe for the time being, too.
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.
All in all, another notch down for the United customer experience. As stated earlier, United is giving its international competitors more and more advantage. No doubt other American carriers will follow suit on some or all of these changes.
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August 19th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Apparently this only affects transatlantic flights out of/into IAD, according to this memo? This sucks, but perhaps they won’t downgrade their flights from the US west coast to Europe. I’m doing SFO-LHR on United next month (in economy, unfortunately), and will see how it goes.
The crap they’re selling is even worse. AA almost got me to pay $3 for a can of Lay’s Stax last month (SFO-ORD), until I saw how much sugar, fat, and salt is in those things. I later saw them on the shelf at Lucky’s (a supermarket) for $1.49. I had one of the AA Italian wraps instead, which was edible, but screw that, it sucked.
What I’m going to do is keep bringing on really smelly food and having them warm it up for me. I’ve done this a couple of times and stunk up the whole plane with curry, fried red snapper, and extremely spicy kung pao chicken from the local Hunan joint. On the last one, when the stewardess brought the food back, her eyes were watering! The only potential problem is getting it through security – some TSA chump at LAX once told me I couldn’t bring in a can of black beans because it had liquid in it.
Sooner or later though they’ll either not let you bring food or will charge you “corkage” for heating it and/or cleaning it up.
August 19th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
This is just plain sad. United used to be a pretty good airline.
The slow, drawn-out, painful removal of services / amenities is like slow surgery without anesthetic … The ongoing excuse of high fuel prices is also just plain lame. The *frequent* traveling public is not that stupid. These cost cutting measures are to address other issues United still have that senior management are unable to solve.
I’d prefer a short sharp shock myself — just rip it all out and be done with it in one go. If they’re low cost/low comfort airline do it one go.
I have > 1.6million travelled miles on United. I’m glad I’ve cashed in all my frequent flyer miles with them.
Other folks will be getting my $$ now. sad. Glenn is ineffective and incompetent.
plain sad.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:17 am
This is just sad, and I’m not sure which airline or alliance I’ll switch to, but I’m switching.
I’ve flown better than 125 K miles on UA this year, mostly in C or F, and I just cannot tolerate this level of incompetence. Why can BA, Virgin, Virgin America, Qantas, Cathay, Lufthansa (etc…) offer such superior service?
I’m a FF based out of San Francisco, flying to Asia and Europe mostly. I’m curious to know what others will as far as switching their loyalty.
I wonder if other airlines will even match my status with United now that even that has been so seriously downgraded.
United should just liquidate. This is death by a thousand cuts and its just sad to see.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:56 am
To what extent is the superior service of European and Asian carriers enabled by government subsidies of those airlines?
“Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, United Arab Emirates, Qatar Airways and Malaysian Airlines are known to receive government subsidies.”
(From http://www.yehey.com/News/Article.aspx?id=220454)
Or perhaps another way to look at is this. To first order, all airlines (domestic or foreign) have the same sorts of costs (fuel, personnel, etc), have the same revenue (tickets, which seem to be about the same price across airlines), and have the same profit margins. How can one airline offer better service (more expensive service) than another? Where are expenses reduced or revenue increased to enable more expensive service?
August 20th, 2008 at 8:53 am
No word yet on whether flight attendants will be able to handle all the cash payments. The game of “does anyone have small bills?” will get very old on a long transatlantic flight. I hope they’ll give hand-held, credit-card reading machines to them, like US Airways is giving some of its flight attendants on domestic flights. (Virgin Atlantic has credit-card swipe readers on each seatback.)
August 20th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Couldn’t agree more. Fly jetBlue, Virgin America, or Frontier to an international gateway city and get on a real (non-U.S.) airline for any overseas travel. Which is so sad, our not wanting to support a U.S. business. But the U.S. airlines don’t seem to really want customers anyway. My discretionary travel dollars will go to companies who actually value me as a customer and want my business.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:51 am
United might feel this is smart, but all this is going to do is drive customers away. We always have choices in who we fly with.
All the airlines are in the same boat with soaring fuel costs, but everyone isn’t resorting to this. I find it absurd that they are going to force passengers to pay for meals on international flights.
This is ironic as my hubby is currently in London on business. He flew business class with United as they were cheaper than British Airways.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Any plans on changing the headline to reflect the (current) fact that it doesn’t impact all transatlantic flights? Even The Middle Seat blog from WSJ is now citing this site as the source for their story headlined “United to Yank Free Meals on Most Flights to Europe”.
August 20th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Patrick: If you’re looking to switch airlines for loyalty purposes, I’d take a close look at Continental, if you’re based in the US. I’m not a fan of OnePass, but they offer a decent quality product in the sky. And they’ll be in Star Alliance soon, so you’ll be able to cash in United miles on Continental (or ANA, Singapore, Asiana, Lufthansa, SAS, Swiss…)
The tradeoff with United, against all this nickel-and-diming, is that they still have Economy Plus. Passengers will need to ask if they value legroom more than food. (Of course, many travelers will be caught off guard, and will board the plane, expecting a meal, and will be pissed off.) But if you’re not in Economy Plus, and just in regular Economy, you’re better off flying another airline entirely. Tight fit AND high fees? No thanks.
Ze: Indeed, it’s starting out from Dulles. Your SFO flight should be safe… for now.
Diana: Your husband should be safe too… since he’s in business class.
Oliver: Added “most” to the headline.
Sean: Well, passengers have been revolting on US Airways, after all, by only paying with $20s…
Mark: Yes, some of those airlines are subsidized. But by the same token, why does service vary between Continental and United? Or between JetBlue and US Airways? There are dozens of variables, but at the end of the day, management makes choices, and customers vote with their wallets.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
I’ve been flying Lufthansa more often than UAL for my ORD to Europe flights and I now have a reason to try to make that exclusive.
Not only does Lufthansa actually have multiple passenger classes that they treat like different classes but in coach on ORD-FRA you get meals and beverages – including alcohol (bring on the champagne!) — at no additional cost. Better options onboard for entertainment…
August 21st, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Well, UA still has Economy Plus vs Lufthansas’ 30 inch pitch aka “knees in your face.” I am shocked to say it – gasp! – but I’ll take 35inches over free Remi Martin VS cognac on a 10 hour flight ….
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:25 am
The reason the premier European and Asian Airlines can offer superior inflight services, is because they have much lower costs. They fly modern aircraft, (generally their fleets are less than 10 years in age on average)with significantly lower fuel consumption compared to the average age of US carriers of over 25 years (Northwest 30 years plus). They also invested heavily in their premium cabins (flat beds) and can charge more.
August 24th, 2008 at 11:09 am
I flew United First Tokyo-Chicago 2 weeks ago. Cabin equipment literally falling apart-loose carpets tripping people, seat servo mechanics and audio broken. Food not even up to economy in Sing/Cathay/Virgin/Thai/New Zealand. Staff scowling and totally unresponsive. This airline is a sick joke.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:19 am
It is interesting to see this change in light of United’s commercials during the Olympics, which suggest a serious airline. As a United Frequent Flyer, they even sent me an e-mail letting me know about their wonderful commercials. In light of service changes, I found this insulting. They should spend money on food and better service and they wouldn’t need to pay high dollar for commercials like this.
August 25th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I can deal ok with the bad service on airlines; what needs careful examination is the “security” requirements: if the airlines charge for food and drinks, we should be able to bring our own on board but given the “no liquid” rules, this puts the consumer in an bad position: the only option is to purchase water/beverages at the insane inflated prices at the airport stores. This should not be the case. If I were on a US carrier, water at Heathrow airport was averaging $4.00/bottle for a 10 hour flight. This is what is completely unacceptable.
August 27th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Franca,
I recommend to bring one or two empty bottles to the airport. Usually you are allowed to take them with you. Just go to the restroom at the gate … and fill em up before entering the plane.
August 27th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Prices often rise as costs increase, but they almost never fall as costs decrease, or only very slowly. This is how inflationary spirals get locked in.
Welcome to the 1970s.
October 22nd, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Great blog!
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:38 pm
[...] to United – as several travel bloggers have been pointing out (see here and here, for example), the latest cutbacks represent a new low for the already-low U.S. airlines. It’s a [...]
July 14th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
I flew on United about a month ago. The food was really poor, but at least they didn’t make you pay for it.