Company reverses plan based on passenger feedback

A few weeks ago, we reported that United Airlines was taking in-flight service reductions to a whole new level by planning to eliminate free meals in economy class on its flights to Europe from Washington Dulles. Coach passengers would be offered buy-on-board menu items instead, as a test program to see if the concept might be feasible on all international flights. But it seems that the airline may have finally discovered the limits of passengers’ tolerance for fee-based amenities. United now says it has reversed its earlier decision, and will keep giving out free meals to transatlantic coach flyers. In an email to customers, a United official said that even before the test started, the airline got enough feedback from corporate customers and Mileage Plus elites to convince it that “you value our hot meal service in economy class for international flights.”