United Airlines Drops Coach Meal Fees for Overseas Flights

United Airlines has made the decision to drop the plan for charging up to 9 dollars for meals in coach on some of their flights overseas, citing feedback from their customers. As the second biggest carrier in the United States, United Airlines intended to offer meals for sale on flights from Dulles International Airport to Europe, beginning on October 1st. The airline would have the United States’ first to end meals for frees on such services. Robin Urbanski, a spokeswoman for United Airlines, said during an interview that the customers told them quite candidly and directly that they value getting a hot meal. The corporate and most frequent customers of the carrier objected to the plan to replace hot meals with sandwiches and salads, as well as the plan to charge for those things, she continued.

Carriers have been ending many of their complimentary services due to a 46 percent increase in the price of fuel in comparison to last year. UAL Corp., the parent company of United Airlines, having a 3.32 billion dollar net loss during the last 3 quarters, has also begun to eliminate 7,000 jobs and ground 100 aircrafts in order to cut on their costs for operations. Dulles International Airport is the main departure point for United Airlines to Europe, having 33 international flights everyday. The airline did plan on charging 6 dollars for boxes of snacks and 9 dollars for sandwiches and salads in coach. They still plan to make the change of serving sandwiches and salads instead of hot meals; however, they will continue to be free.

Learn more at: www.united.com