United Airlines food, anyone bought any?

[endi302]

We will be sailing on POH July 10. We will be flying United Airlines from Denver to Honalulu. I have flown enough to have had good and bad experiences with Airline food. Has anyone recently flown to Hawaii on United and if so did you buy the lunch offered at a cost of $5. Was it worth the money, or should we just bring our own assortment of snacks in our backpack? All opinions would be appreciated....

 

Kevin

[dgund]

I flew United to Honolulu last June and purchased the food on board. I had a ham wrap that I liked, but it was pretty small. I don't feel it was worth $5.00. It also had raw asparagus in it, which I like alot, but if you don't.....my DH had the snack pack which consisted of pretzels, crackers, etc. Of course, things may have changed, as it was a year ago.

[zimmerjulie]

I bought a couple of snack packs on our recent set of flights. They are all pre-packaged snacks made by regular and "specialty" snack companies. I had something like this one

Dole® Tropical Fruit Bowl in juice

New York Style® Brand Mini Plain Bagel Chips

Rondele Bagel Temptations® Original Plain cheese spread

Quaker® Fruit & Oatmeal Cereal Bar, apple crisp

Manor Creek Naturals™ Early Start Trail Mix™

Mamma Says™ chocolate chip biscotti

Bali’s Best® coffee candy

Mine had sunflower butter and jelly to put on the bagel chips, but it looks like they have discontinued that. It is easy to see why, it was way too messy.

 

I also had one of the salads. It was good, the salad was smaller than I thought from looking at the container because there was a side of fruit in there also.

 

At $5 it wasn't much more than a similar lunch at the airport. Ditto for the snacks. It seems like you would come out higher than $5 buying them elsewhere.

[Checkmate1955]

I understand that most of the USA airlines except Delta as of this date are charging for any meals while flying within the USA... That includes Hawaii... So a 12 hour day of flying with at least one connecting flight from New York or Atlanta (just for example) to Hawaii will give you a chance to purchase food from the airline while in flight... WOW.... If these airlines continue to go down hill and stop all possible services then we need a new airline company that will fly the long flights to Hawaii, etc and offer food free on board... Now only Delta of the large carriers offer food within the USA... Pillows and blankets are now being phased out also... How long will that last... Soon cruise ships will expand their food service to more and more pay as you go for meals.... Then the buffet may be the only free food on board... Poor management by the top management team of the airlines for the past 30 years has just about ruined the pleasure of flying... Will cruise ships soon follow that path?

[shoreguy]

Checkmate1955 - Continental still serves food

 

OP - bring your own food - you are traveling on the modern answer to the bus. It is a long flight not sense starting out your vacation eating food you don't want.

 

I would pack a small soft-side insulated bag with great food and watch the looks of envy from the other passengers. Fruit, fine cheeses, gourmet sandwiches, snacks, and a killer desert. :) The bag will come in handy when touring on the islands

 

On the other hand maybe the food on United will make you appreciate the food on NCLA :D That's a joke folks - just too easy;)

[Checkmate1955]

I for one have and will continue to find food I want when and where I choose... I like to eat every four hours and I prefer for my airplane trip to be just a little better that a bus trip... A trip that I may have paid 6 to 8 hundred dollars for the transportation only.... My only concern now would be is the downward trend of less and less food and service on airlines a sign of the future in cruising.... :mad:

[vivian02]

In the last two years I have made two trips to Europe where food is served without a charged. If you fly the European Airlines even the drinks are served with no charge. Last July I had a flight from Denver to Anchourage on United and was offered Turkey wrap for a $5.00 fee...I passed. I would suggest before flying out of Denver eat a handburger and take some snacks with you. Save the $5.00 and spend it on a nice dinner in Honulul. Please note finding a nice meal in Hawaii for $5.00 might be difficult. Have a nice trip. Tim

[holomuku]

I fly virtually every week and have done it both ways- buy on board or bring on board. Advantages and disadvantages to both, particularly what airport you're departing from.

 

I flew to Honolulu earlier this month on UA. On the way back I was fortunate enough to be in first class (where they do serve food) but they served dinner early in the flight and since I'd had big lunch I passed. (which, off topic, I had lunch at Sammy Choy's in Honolulu- very good!). Later in the flight I did purchase the salad w/ chicken strips and I thought it was very good. However, I'm not a big eater so maybe that's another consideration. They offer a salad or sandwich for $5 which I think is pretty reasonable if you consider most airport prices. The snack boxes are, in my opinion, not the healthiest choice but if you're hungry- it works.

 

If you know someone who is flying on UA before you leave they can take the Hemispheres magazine from the plane and it has all the info (with pictures) of the buy on board in the back part of the magazine. It is also on the UAL website as well (united.com). Go to "travel support" and it's got the info there on what your choices are.

[Checkmate1955]

Holomuku.... Has first class changed that much.. that you had to pay for a meal after not eating the scheduled meal offered in first class...? What do they offer you in first class now on UA on flights from Hawaii? One free drink and one chance at a "free" meal? Thanks...

[greatam]

I fly first class (free upgrades because I am an AA elite) 90% of the time. Yes, first class domestic has changed. Lots of smaller planes (757, MD-80's) which only offer a larger seat and more leg room, not really first class (as on a three class plane). The thing I miss the most is the curtain closing off first class. However, you still get free meals, snacks, and as much booze as you can drink (or until they run out of your brand). You get free headphones, pretty darn good service. Jackets hung up, board first, pre flight drink (ony about 50% of the time now). If you want one of the "happy meals", they come from coach and you have to buy it. Coach has to account for the meals. 20 meals on the flight, FA better have $100.00 when the plane lands.

 

Airlines have had a LOT of bad management in the past 20 years. But the biggest thing really driving the decline in services (meals, blankets, pillows), IMHO, is the flying public. After 911, no one wanted to fly. To stay in business, the airlines dropped prices to unreasonable/unsustainable levels. Now you have 4 of the 6 legacy carriers either currently in bankruptcy or recently out. Even with the high fuel prices, the general public is SCREAMING about the cost of air. Just look at some of the posts on these boards. "WHY is air so high????" over and over.

 

I doubt the airlines will ever return meals to coach. But as most carriers move to profitability, I believer you will find service improves. It's the age old dichotomy-cheap prices or cheap service. It is very difficult to provide both.

[holomuku]

checkmate- I didn't even think to ask if I could have the coach meal for free. When I asked the FA to purchase it she said they still had first class salads left over and if I wanted one of those (no charge) I was welcome to it. I had that salad the day before on the way to Honolulu and wasn't crazy about it-- I'm one of those "plain food" people (no pun intended) and it was sort of a fancier salad than I like.

 

Greatam is right- the FA's have to account for any accountable item such as coach liquor and/or meals. I thought the $5 salad was fine and since I was on business I can expense it anyway so it was no issue for me.

 

there was no limit on liquor that I saw. Only time I've seen that is when the FA feels someone may have reached/surprassed their limit which I think we all agree is a judgement call they have to make to insure comfort and safety for themselves and the passengers. And that's true in coach or first class.

[Checkmate1955]

I appreciate the last two replies concerning the first class section and meals served on commerical airlines... My hope is that the cruise lines are not following suit and that services and food will remain as a perk of cruising... thanks.

[greatam]

The cruiselines are following suite. The amenities and food quality have gone down considerably on some lines, IMHO. And look at all the stuff they are charging for now-sodas, water, etc. That all used to be free.

 

Same problem-lots of cabins to fill. People want to spend very little money for a first class experience. Something has to give. You will always get food on a cruise. The big question will be whether you get lobster and fillet or whether you get chicken fried steak. Heck, if you haven't heard, there is even a cruise line that charges for meals, cabin cleaning and clean sheets. EasyCruise

[TeaBag]

:) Lucky you flying out of Denver airport. Don't know what time you fly but if Wolfgang Puck's is open in the terminal, purchase their Chinois Salad with chicken (big enough for 2) and take on board. I think they have other stuff too but that is my favourite. Everyone around you will be drooling. We flew Lax to Lihue in Jan and took our own snacks. There are lots of packaged snacks with crackers and tuna or salmon around. Or crackers and cheese. Pack some nuts etc. That's what we did. The flight was more than 6 hours. Would be a long time to go without food esp if you had a tight connection in LAX as we did, coming from Seattle. Have a great cruise. I love Hawaii.