United lures top fliers with promise of a hot meal

[unhappycamper]

http://www.tauntongazette.com/article/ZZ/20140821/NEWS/140829980/1994/NEWS

To win the hearts of frequent business travelers, United Airlines is going through their stomachs.

United lures top fliers with promise of a hot meal

NEW YORK — To win the hearts of frequent business travelers, United Airlines is going through their stomachs.

The carrier has been looking for ways to woo back some of its top fliers who defected to other carriers following a rocky merger with Continental Airlines. So, it's upgrading first class food options and replacing snacks with full meals on some of its shortest flights.

The changes, announced Thursday, mean that instead of potato chips, chocolate chip cookies and bananas, passengers on flights of at least 800 miles will get meals such as chicken and mozzarella on a tomato focaccia roll and turkey and Swiss cheese on a cranberry baguette. Currently, meals are only served on flights of 900 miles or more — trips that usually last close to two hours.

~snip~

That might be true, but in an industry known for its razor-thin profit margins, food has always been a target of cost-cutting. With U.S. airlines each year carrying 645 million passengers domestically, every little food decision had big implications. In the 1980s, then American Airlines CEO Robert Crandall famously decided to remove a single olive from every salad. The thought was: passengers wouldn't notice and American would save $40,000 a year.

[pipoman]

1. I find humor in wealthy people who can afford to fly first class

Being lured into changing airlines with a $3 convenience store sandwich. People are so vain and gullible.

[glowing]

2. Not exactly... U would have to buy that sandwich past the

security gate and then it marked way up because you have no other options, but still, it's more likely better tasting than airline food!

[pipoman]

3. If they can't scrape by on a 2 hour flight without a crappy

Sandwich. ...lol...the last flight I took was around 1200 miles, I checked first class just out of curiosity. ..it was $800 more than coach....

[glowing]

4. Unless u r taking multiple flights.. Like I have to do from FL to VT.. Then

u r there all day with ur child who gets hungry... Lol

[pipoman]

5. I've never been so hungry

That I couldn't wait to eat in a terminal for $15 rather than spending $800 for a sandwich and an extra soda or glass of box wine. Further, TSA does allow food through checkpoints, just not beverages.