Disappointing First-Class Experience with United Airlines

Unexpected Flight Experience

After several smooth flights with United Airlines, my recent journey from Chicago to Los Angeles on a first-class 737 MAX 9 left much to be desired. This experience truly made me rethink my previous views. I always strive to provide a fair assessment in my flight reviews, believing it's a crucial part of my travel blog.

Main Issues During the Flight

This flight was on a brand-new 737 MAX 9 featuring the United Next interior design, complete with Bluetooth-enabled seat screens and a friendly crew. However, the primary issue was the non-functional Wi-Fi service. This is simply unacceptable. While American Airlines and Delta Air Lines offer free high-speed Wi-Fi on domestic flights, United failed to provide the same.

I was willing to pay $8 for United's Wi-Fi service, but the bandwidth was insufficient for everyone to connect. I needed four hours on the plane to get some work done, with no time to "relax." My work couldn't be downloaded before the flight, and when Wi-Fi didn't work, it became incredibly frustrating. To make matters worse, there were no announcements regarding this issue from the staff.

Disappointing Food Quality

I at least hoped for a tasty dinner. I ordered the Greek Pastitsio, a Chicago specialty, described as Greek pasta with braised beef, béchamel sauce, and spiced tomato sauce. The menu made it look very appealing. However, when it arrived, the dish was lukewarm, and the salad portion had been halved, consisting of just a few slices of carrot and cucumber. Instead of cheesecake, I received pudding from Magnolia Bakery… it was truly a terrible meal.

The accompanying bread also fell short of expectations. A neighboring passenger ordered Coq au Vin, which looked quite tempting. Perhaps I chose the wrong dish. United has made significant progress in improving its food offerings, but clearly, they need to revisit the drawing board for this one. It was a genuine disaster.

Cleanliness and Timeliness Issues

To add to the problems, the plane was not clean. United still hasn't figured out how to properly sanitize its aircraft between flights. The restrooms were also filthy, although I can partially blame the passengers for that. In the end, I had to catch a nap, but upon arriving at LAX at midnight, I found myself staying up late to finish work that I should have done on the plane. This left me feeling exhausted for several days afterward.

Conclusion

While I acknowledge that United has made many improvements since the Smisek era, I would consider flying with American Airlines or Delta Air Lines if similar issues arise again. Wi-Fi must function—there's no negotiation on that. And meals shouldn't look like something you'd want to avoid—this isn't difficult, as other airlines manage to do it without major issues.

For those planning to fly domestically in the U.S., carefully consider your options to avoid similar regrettable experiences.

Article reference and edits adapted from: Live and Let's Fly