=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2008/09/03/BU2S12MQSK= .DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, September 3, 2008 (SF Chronicle) Fliers protest - United to keep some meals George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer There's still no such thing as a free lunch, but United Airlines, hearing a chorus of boos from frequent fliers, has dumped its plan to stop offering complimentary hot meals on certain flights to and from Europe. The plan, announced Aug. 19, was to discontinue the complimentary hot fo= od and instead offer economy customers free cold sandwiches, salads and snack boxes on flights between Washington's Dulles International Airport and London, Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich, Munich, Amsterdam and Rome. The plan was to be tested beginning today. Instead, United said Tuesday it will stick with hot meals on those flights. Graham Atkinson, the airline's chief customer officer, thanked those customers who commented for their "direct, candid feedback." Their message, he said, was that customers "value our hot meal service in economy flights for international flights." United and other airlines have been reducing capacity and making other efforts to trim costs during a time of spiraling fuel bills. The carrier's about-face announcement on food service Tuesday appears to be one of the first capitulations by an airline that must, no matter the realities of the marketplace, provide service to keep hold of customers. On Aug. 19, United announced several food service changes, the most attention-getting a plan to no longer hand out complimentary pretzels and cookies to economy class fliers across North America. That's still the plan. Another change will occur in the airline's 16 daily flights of airplanes with business class: Complimentary cold food is replacing complimentary hot food. These changes will occur beginning Oct. 1, said United Airlines spokeswoman Robin Urbanski. She said corporate and elite class frequent fliers - those who fly at least 25,000 miles annually - opined that hot food should stay on certain European flights. The changes were prompted by high fuel prices, said Atkinson. "In this environment, where higher costs driven by volatile fuel prices are now the norm, we must continue to tailor products and services so that we provide you with choices and competitive fares. As such, we will continue to be proactive in testing new ideas." The United Chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association, at odds with Unit= ed management, did not buy the notion the carrier is being proactive. The pilots believe the airline's true intention was to reduce flight attendant staffing in business class, and thereby save money, if hot meal service was to be eliminated "Glenn Tilton," the airline's chief executive officer, "once again demonstrates an alarming disconnect with the life's blood of our airline," said Capt. Steve Wallach, chairman of the pilots' chapter. "Mr. Tilton and his executives floated this ill-advised scheme to try to raise revenue while making service worse for our passengers. And our passengers have made their objections clear," said Wallach. He added, "Our passengers deserve better than to be treated as guinea pi= gs by an executive who obviously lacks direction and vision." Urbanski, the United spokeswoman, said, "In an environment where volatile fuel prices continue to drive higher costs, we will continue to test new ideas that tailor our products and services to what our customers value and are willing to pay for." E-mail George Raine at graine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------= ------------------------------------------ Copyright 2008 SF Chronicle <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".