United Airlines is experiencing a catering meltdown in San Francisco. The airline is transitioning from Gate Gourmet to LSG Sky Chefs and the changeover began Thursday. There have been widespread problems including severely reduced food and beverage services, inadequate onboard provisions, and confusion among crew and passengers about what to expect.
While short domestic flights have been the most affected, transcon and international services have found themselves without meals as well. First class often receives just a basic snack box in place of hot meals. Some flights departed with no food at all, and beverages have been limited. Flights lack ice and may only offer bottled water.
The carrier appears to be attempting to notify passengers in advance – providing $15 vouchers to get food in the terminal – this often isn’t happening. Flight attendants shared frustrations-and embarrassment-online.
And where supplies exist, they may be getting delivered to planes in garbage sacks. Old catering carts from previous flights were being left uncleared.
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The airline’s flight attendants union issued an internal memo acknowledging the issues and warned staff that “additional catering or service modifications” might continue over the next few weeks as the new caterer ramps up operations. United had briefed them beforehand, promising contingency plans, but these plans have not been adequately implemented. (HT: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)
On some impacted flights, premium passengers received electronic travel certificates or mileage, but economy passengers saw inconsistent or minimal compensation. International travelers faced the prospect of going without food for long periods. One flight to Hong Kong reportedly departed with only economy class meals.
United passengers flying out of San Francisco should plan to bring food or purchase it inside the terminal as a contingency, rather than relying on airline catering.
blame sf instead of united. the city county has gone down. Most california has gone down
It surprises me how bad the SFO experience is for United flyers. This is ostensibly a UA hub and one of the wealthiest cities in the country specifically wealthy with young professionals that corporations really need to impress and retain so as to lock in that sweet sweet annual recurring revenue. Yet SFO lacks Touchless ID and has really bad UA clubs. Even the Polaris lounge is meh.
To clarify when I say really bad, I am not talking about the staff who are wonderful, the clubs themselves are just dated beyond belief and the food lags what is served in ORD and EWR.
The basement Terminal G Club is ghastly.
@ Don G — the “California has gone down” narrative is cope for losers like you who couldn’t make it in your career and had to retreat to flyover country. California’s coastal cities and suburbs are premier places to live, yes there are some issues but avoidable for those in the know and with the requisite wealth which you obviously do not have because you are a loser.
Management did a great job, in the transition.
The total lack of a catering transition & contingency plan and the inability to implement either at a key hub is Kirby’s. What does this guy do in his spare time? Ditto for his entire SMT.
“@ Don G — the “California has gone down” narrative is cope for losers like you who couldn’t make it in your career and had to retreat to flyover country. California’s coastal cities and suburbs are premier places to live, yes there are some issues but avoidable for those in the know and with the requisite wealth which you obviously do not have because you are a loser.”
@Unintimidated – Maybe non losers like myself were sick of the phony kindness and incessant tech talk acting like anyone gave a d@mn while crime and taxes skyrocketed in a once great but now ghetto city called SF.
> One flight to Hong Kong reportedly departed with only economy class meals.
This is why you never book on an American airline when going to Asia. This would have never happened on Cathay, they would have found a way to fix it, even if it costed them a lot of money. uS carriers have no respect for customers, and are completely fine if their bungled decisions affect passengers.
Just add flight attendants with piss poor attitudes and then you have AA!
Smart travelers know to fly Asian airlines to Asia.