United just announced a new Buy on Board food program for both their domestic and international flights.  You can read all about it here.

The basic summary is that snacks will be eliminated on domestic flights in favor of selling Buy on Board food in economy.  In domestic business class, beverages remain complimentary but now they will charge for food.  In addition, meal service on international coach service will, on many trans-atlantic flights, be reduced to Buy on Board as well.  Best of all, Buy on Board prices will be going up too.

What’s more, flight attendant staffing will be reduced to FAA minimums on such flights. 

So, United Airlines is reducing service in business class (coach already gets FAA minimums), reducing or eliminating more food service and charging more for their Buy on Board product while having fewer fight attendants available to sell the over-priced product.  This stunning and bold new move has earned United 1st place on my death watch because any airline stupid enough to do such things to their service product and particularly to their business class customer deserves to be out of business by Christmas. 

I’d say this was too painful to watch but it isn’t.  I’m going out to buy popcorn for this one.

Filed under: Airline News, Airline Service, Death Watch by ajax