United Airlines Makes Significant New Investment in In-flight Food and Beverage Service

Airline raises a glass to new sparkling wine, improved premium and economy choices

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Aug 21, 2014, 10:01 ET

CHICAGO, Aug. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today unveiled new, improved lunch, dinner and beverage choices for domestic first-class customers, offering travelers chef-inspired meals and premium beverages that elevate their in-flight experience.

Among the changes:

New, premium salads beginning this month for customers flying United First and United Business within North America;
New, premium sandwiches and wraps, beginning Sept. 1, for United First and United Business customers within North America;
Addition of Prosecco sparkling wine in premium cabins beginning this fall;
Introduction of premium-cabin meals to flights of shorter duration, beginning in 2015; and
Fresh meal options for premium-cabin customers on United Express flights, beginning in 2015.

Premium-Cabin Refresh

This month, United began offering customers in premium cabins on North America flights four new salad entrée choices – a Southwestern salad, an Asian-style noodle salad, a seasonal greens with roast beef and blue cheese salad and a Strawberry Fields salad – replacing the previous chicken and shrimp salad options.

In September, premium-cabin customers on flights within North America will enjoy new chilled sandwiches and wraps – Italian prosciutto on tomato focaccia, a Thai-style chicken wrap, Cobb salad wrap and caprese on Asiago baguette – as well as new warmed options – turkey and Swiss on cranberry baguette, ham and Swiss on pretzel baguette, chicken and mozzarella on tomato focaccia and roast beef and cheddar on Asiago baguette.

Designed by United's team of chefs, the new salads and sandwiches will be made fresh daily and paired with a gluten-free soup, along with United's signature service elements, including warmed nuts, premium snacks and warmed cookies.

On transcontinental flights and on longer mid-continental dinner flights, the airline will continue to offer customers a choice between a pasta dish and a chicken or beef option.

"These changes mark the beginning of an extensive overhaul of our North America and international food service, offering travelers a level of service above that offered by our peers," said Lynda Coffman, United's vice president of food services. "Our new selections offer customers more of what they tell us they want when they travel – variety, bold flavor combinations and higher quality."

Photos are available at unitedcontinentalholdings.com.

Additional Food and Beverage Changes

Beginning this fall, United will add Prosecco sparkling wine to its premium-cabin beverages on mainline North America flights.

By mid-2015, United will further enhance its in-flight dining by:

Launching completely redesigned menu concepts and expanding premium-cabin meals within North America to flights that are more than two hours and 20 minutes, or 800 miles;
Upgrading premium-cabin meal service on domestic and international United Express flights, replacing snack boxes with freshly prepared food; and
Significantly enhancing United Economy meals and beverages on long-haul international flights.

United offers in-flight meals and snacks depending on flight duration, departure time, origin and destination. Specific breakfast, lunch and dinner parameters are available at united.com.

Customer Investments

The airline's food and beverage enhancements are United's latest investment in its customers' onboard experience. The company also offers:

Premium-cabin, flat-bed seats on every long-haul international flight to and from the continental United States – the only U.S. airline to do so;
Wi-Fi on more than 290 aircraft, including the airline's entire Airbus and Boeing 747 fleets;
Personal device entertainment on dozens of aircraft; and
Live television on more than 200 aircraft, the world's largest fleet of aircraft with live television.

About United

United Airlines and United Express operate an average of more than 5,200 flights a day to 374 airports across six continents. In 2013, United and United Express operated nearly two million flights carrying 139 million customers. With hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates more than 700 mainline aircraft and, in 2014, will take delivery of 35 new Boeing aircraft, including the 787-9 as the North American launch customer, and will welcome 32 new Embraer 175 aircraft to United Express. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 192 countries via 27 member airlines. More than 85,000 United employees reside in every U.S. state and in countries around the world. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol UAL.

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SOURCE United Airlines