United to Stop Free Meals in Coach on Overseas Flights

Source: Bloomberg News

United Airlines, struggling to curb losses from fuel prices, will become the first U.S. carrier to stop serving free meals in the coach cabin of some overseas flights.

Instead, the Chicago-based carrier will offer food that can be purchased aboard trips to Europe from Washington's Dulles International Airport starting Oct. 1, spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said Tuesday.

The change expands the list of services airlines are charging for as they combat a 52 percent jump in the price of jet fuel during the past year. United parent UAL Corp., with net losses of $3.32 billion in the past three quarters, is eliminating 7,000 jobs and parking 100 aircraft to cut operating costs.

"International flights have historically been sacrosanct from these kinds of charges," David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association passenger advocacy group, said. "This is the new era of a fee for every service. We should get used to it."

United won't eliminate free coach meals on travel from Dulles to Kuwait because the flight is about 12 hours instead of the typical eight to nine hours to Europe, Urbanski said. Food in first class will remain free.

United didn't provide examples of pricing or types of meals available.

"These changes are difficult but necessary, and we do not make them lightly," the airline said in a memo to employees. "However, they enable us to reduce costs and generate additional revenue while preserving a differentiated product for our premium cabin customers."

Representatives at American Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc., Continental Airlines Inc., Northwest Airlines Corp. and US Airways Group Inc. said they still provide complimentary meals on overseas flights.

Most U.S. carriers charge for coach-cabin snacks and meals on longer flights in the U.S. or North America.

At United, free snacks will be eliminated in the coach cabin of North American flights of 760 miles to 1,149 miles, or two to three hours.