United customers can now order real economy class meals - such as burgers and sandwiches - in advance of their flight, via the airline's website or mobile app.
The airline's decision is aimed at offering passengers more choice and ensuring they have access to the dishes they want, while improving the efficiency of on-board catering operations and supporting efforts to reduce food waste.
Pre-orders for meals in United Economy are available on flights of more than 1,900 km operated within the United States, but also to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. From March 1, pre-ordering will become the only way to buy freshly prepared meals in Economy. United will continue to offer its emblematic snack boxes, packaged snacks and drinks for purchase on board.
In addition to improving customer satisfaction and optimising catering operations, pre-ordering meals should make a significant contribution to reducing food waste, by limiting the amount of fresh produce that goes uneaten. United estimates that this approach will save around 45 tonnes of unused food from landfill every year.
The company plans to enhance its pre-order menu this summer with new fresh dishes, including more elaborate salads, gourmet sandwiches and wraps. Exclusive premium pre-order beverage options are also expected to be available later in the year.
United has launched meal pre-ordering on its app from 2021. Until now, however, it has been reserved for premium cabins. This initiative has resulted in an increase of almost 40 % in customer satisfaction scores on domestic flights.
Customers can pre-order fresh 'Bistro on Board' dishes from five days to 24 hours before departure.
