The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is working to minimize potential disruptions over the holidays by implementing contingency plans in advance.
04.11.2023 - 14:25 / thepointsguy.com / Andrew Nocella
Bland French toast. Dry turkey sandwiches. A dish that might be chicken tikka masala?
To the chagrin of many frequent flyers, these dishes have come to define the dining experience at United Airlines during the pandemic.
Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free biweekly Aviation newsletter.
Andrew Nocella, United's chief commercial officer, said it could still take a while before passengers see noticeable improvements to the Chicago-based carrier's menu offerings due to scaling and supply chain issues
"This is one of those things that we didn't bounce back as well with," Nocella said while speaking at the Skift Aviation Forum in Fort Worth.
The United executive — who has taken a hands-on approach to improving United's menu — also revealed that the carrier spends approximately $2 billion a year on food alone and serves about 165,000 meals in premium cabins a day.
He also pointed out that it takes eight months for United to fully change a menu — part of the reason why United's dining options have seen a sluggish recovery.
At the start of the pandemic, carriers had to scale back dining options since there was virtually no demand for travel. While some carriers, like Delta Air Lines, were able to revive their pre-pandemic quality of dining, United has struggled.
As a result, United has drawn the ire of its frequent flyers, who have taken to industry blogs and social media platforms like Reddit and X, formerly known as Twitter, to post pictures of soggy scrambled eggs or unseasoned pasta.
United's food has received such poor reception that Nocella said the carrier did not feature anything from its inflight menu during a Polaris event in New York.
However, Nocella noted that United has made some progress in improving its menu. As the carrier is making changes to Polaris by region, Nocella said United has also been overhauling its menus.
United launched a new Polaris menu Sept. 1 for routes to London's Heathrow Airport (LHR), and Nocella said the new menu received a much warmer reception from passengers.
"The scores are off the charts," Nocella said. "And we will talk about it more in the future as we have a lot more to say. But we've changed the wines, and we're about to change the bread, all the new entrees."
It's unclear when United will be able to implement these menu changes across the board, but Nocella said passengers should be able to taste some improvement on board.
"I do think if you fly United today, the food experience is dramatically better than where it was a year ago," he said.
Related reading:
The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is working to minimize potential disruptions over the holidays by implementing contingency plans in advance.
United Airlines announced that it will offer non-stop flights from the U.S. to Mexico's soon-to-open Tulum International Airport from New York/Newark, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago beginning March 31, 2024.
For years, you haven't been able to book Southwest Airlines flights online through credit card travel portals, such as those affiliated with American Express, Bilt, Chase and Citi. Finally, that has changed ... well, somewhat.
It’s about to get easier to fly to Japan thanks to a pair of new flights to Tokyo from two different U.S. airlines.
United Airlines is making it easier for Chase credit card holders to earn points next year and qualify for loyalty status with the airline’s MileagePlus program.
United Airlines announced the launch of its international winter schedule with 50 additional daily flights compared to last winter.
The CEO of JetBlue Airways testified in court on Monday that the company’s proposed $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines is a critical part of his plan to turn the airline into a more significant competitor to the four largest U.S. air carriers.
There are some cafés with such great names, you just have to eat there. So, in spite of grey, drizzly skies and a stiff breeze, we head to Goat Ledge in St Leonards – set on the seafront with tables on the shingle – for breakfast. One of the town’s new breed of hip cafés and eateries, Goat Ledge is a brightly painted beach shack, with bookable huts for dinners of freshly caught fish or crab-loaded fries, and lip-smacking breakfast baps, washed down with Coldblow coffee, hand-roasted just over the border in Kent.
U.S. hotels added workers in October, though fewer than they had in the previous month.
"I know every airline is feeling the pressure to deliver and be there as we go into the holidays."
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, November 2. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
In the 1790s, what had been the small fishing port of Hastings in East Sussex blossomed into a popular seaside resort and today it’s one of England’s favorite coastal towns. With its pebbly beach and black wooden fishing huts, the imposing castle on the cliffs and a charming cobblestoned old town, Hastings offers a mix of old-world allure and modern experiences and it’s a town of surprises. Hastings is the birthplace of television. TV’s inventor, John Logie Baird, conducted experiments in his lodgings on Queen Street, which resulted in the world’s first television in 1925. The shingle beach, the Stade, is home to Europe's largest fleet of beach-launched fishing boats with the freshest seafood on sale daily from small huts.