I still remember my very first ever upgrade, to United’s business class from Los Angeles to Washington-Dulles on a Boeing 777 in March, 1998. There was a fabulous shrimp appetizer, and I had a perfectly nice steak. And that was a lunch flight. I wasn’t ready for the flight to end.
It’s truly a different world today.
Lucky summarizes domestic premum cabin meal cutbacks at United.
Massive Premium Service (PS) cutbacks in first and business. Staffing in first goes from two FA’s to one, and as a result service is now done on trays. The business appetizer has been cut and the gourmet meals they now offer are along the lines of hot dogs and cheeseburgers. No more pre-arrival snack for breakfast flights. This service would now more appropriately be called POS. Hawaii catering has gone downhill. No Mai Tai’s and a bunch of other cuts, since 757 galleys are now catered roundtrip from the mainland…. don’t eat the fish on 757’s ex-Hawaii! BusinessOne routes (prime business routes ex-ORD) no longer get hot meals, but now get cold fruit plates for breakfast and cheese plates for lunch and dinner Three cabin domestic flights get buy on board service in business, although that’s nothing new No more sundaes in transcon first Transcon first no longer has hot meals for lunch, because let’s face it, hot meals are just too generous for a six hour flight!
