Pilots Say "Flip-Flop" Another Sign Management Has Not A Clue

In response to a number of complaints following its announcement last month of plans to charge travelers -- even business class passengers -- for meals onboard trans-Atlantic flights, on Tuesday beleaguered United Airlines quietly retracted the controversial plan, and said it will continue serving complimentary hot meals on its longest routes.

United spokesperson Robin Urbanski -- who has a job we'd not wish on our worst enemies right now -- said the reversal came in response to "candid feedback" from customers, in a statement to Bloomberg.

As ANN reported, United had planned to charge $6 for snack boxes and $9 for salads and sandwiches (read, no more hot meals) in coach on flights from Dulles to Europe starting October 1.

The move was likely a trial balloon, that United had hoped other airlines would pick up on... but when no other US airlines followed the airline down that particular road to low customer-service ratings, the airline was forced to step back, first announcing that United Business fliers wouldn't have to pay for the downsized meal service after all.

But that wasn't enough. Urbanski conceded fliers vehemently protested not just the airline's plans to charge them for food... but also the fact the food they'd now have to pay for would be cold. The struggling airline said it will still end hot meal service for business-class customers on longer domestic flights, replacing them with cold food service. And coach-class passengers will still be stuck with paying for snacks on all flights longer than two hours.

Not surprisingly, United's pilots union -- which criticized the airline's plans to charge for meals -- also found reason to complain with United's capitulation, calling it yet another sign United CEO Glenn Tilton is woefully inept in his current role.

"(United CEO) Glenn Tilton once again demonstrates an alarming disconnect with the life's blood of our airline," said Captain Steve Wallach, chairman of the United Chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association. "Mr. Tilton and his executives floated this ill-advised scheme to try to raise revenue while making service worse for our passengers. And our passengers have made their objections clear.

"Our passengers deserve better than to be treated as guinea pigs by an executive who obviously lacks direction and vision," Wallach continued. "It's time Mr. Tilton and his minions stop abusing the goodwill of United's passengers and instead take fundamental steps to improve service, rationalize flight schedules and eliminate excessive perks and bonuses for executives... The evidence continues to mount that United Airlines remains a misguided ship under Mr. Tilton's direction."

Last month, the union created a Web site for United customers to sign a petition, to demand the airline to rollback its recent spate of added passenger changes.

FMI:  www.glenntilton.com, www.alpa.org, www.united.com