United Airlines promises better food for Melbourne airport lounge
By Chris C., March 9 2015
United Airlines will upgrade the food and drink served at its Melbourne airport lounge, although the lounge itself won't receive a make-over to the new United Club design concept.
The US airline promises passengers a revamped menu with healthier meals, in a roll-out beginning in Chicago this week and extending to all United Club lounges by the year’s end.
There'll be a hot oatmeal station and a Greek yoghurt bar in the mornings, served aside scones, spicy Bloody Mary trail mix and hard-boiled eggs with fresh chives and paprika.
In the afternoons, that’s followed by a Mediterranean salad with wheat berries, tomatoes, peppers and black olives, cured salami and cheddar cheese with wheat crackers, a soup of the day and fresh hummus with pita thins or crisps, Greek olives and freshly-sliced red capsicum.
For dessert is ‘Sheila G’s’ brownie brittle…
…which is, of course, best enjoyed with a glass of wine – complimentary in the Melbourne lounge with additional premium beverages to follow at a charge including Laurent-Perrier Champagne and Trinchero Family Estates wines from the Napa Valley.
More comprehensive food items may be available for purchase if a trial of the same is successful in the United States.
There's no firm timetable as to when United's Melbourne airport lounge will see the new menu, however.
United’s lounges in Chicago O’Hare, Washington Reagan (DCA), Hong Kong and Tokyo Narita are also set for an upgrade to the new United Club look and feel, as already found in the likes of Boston, Seattle and London Heathrow.
Also read: New United lounges for Chicago, San Francisco, Asia
Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
12 Jun 2014
Total posts 71
I'll fly CX any day than put up with this rubbish. I didn't see anything more than $5 worth of food in the photos!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
US carriers are not known for their lounges sadly, and not really any change here (from woeful to slightly less awful). Even outside the U.S. based carriers, truly great lounges are far and few between (the top lounges tend to excel in particular areas, but there is no lounge that is awesome across the board sadly).
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Feb 2014
Total posts 444
Are they known for anything noteworthy?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
Are U.S. Carriers known for anything noteworthy? Or does your question relate to lounges?
If U.S. Carriers (in general), they are generally leaders in Frequent Flyer redemptions and other select FF scheme elements. Some elements of their product (on ground and in air) can be noteworthy but are generally let down when taken on the whole (in comparison to other airlines).
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 735
Complimentary upgrades to domestic first class are the other big advantage of US frequent flyer schemes. Even as a United Gold I used to get it about half the time (though I hear numbers have got worse over the last couple of years).
You can pooh-pooh US domestic first class if you like. You won't get anything fancy in terms of soft product. But you'll get a great big leather armchair.
Qantas
22 Oct 2012
Total posts 319
If that's the upgraded offerings in this article, pity those who have to suffer the current food scraps if they're hungry.
My apologies if I've completely mis-judged this.
17 Feb 2012
Total posts 121
Agree, when SQ closed their Melbourne lounge for the upgrade we were left with the 'a class beyond terrible' United Lounge. United would have made a motza from SQ as the lounge was heaving. The only safe drinking option there was the beer...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer - Chairmans Lounge
01 Sep 2011
Total posts 413
You misjudged nothing, the US carriers are second rate - bad service, poor standard in lounges, behind the times in technology and people who have no clue. And then they ask you to pay in a lounge.
QF Platinum
24 Jan 2013
Total posts 138
Wait.... So you've paid a handsome for a business or first class ticket, then you have to pay a bit more in the lounge for premium drinks and more comprehensive food? Wow! I'll be sticking with QF or VA to fly to the US.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2441
United only has business class (well, 'BusinessFirst') out of Melbourne where its only Australian lounge is located, but yes, US airlines often charge for premium food and drinks in their lounges: case in point, there's a restaurant in Delta's new flagship Sky Club lounge at JFK, but you still get the bill at the end even if you're travelling in business class from New York to Australia.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer - Chairmans Lounge
01 Sep 2011
Total posts 413
You've got it in one.
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 735
Passengers should take solace from the fact that the UA Melbourne lounge makes no freaking sense whatsoever and will, no doubt, be shut down the moment its current lease is up.
24 Apr 2014
Total posts 271
I like the Melbourne UA lounge. It has intrigued me though that Melbourne has a lounge with one daily UA flight, and Sydney doesn't with 2 daily flights
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Aug 2014
Total posts 503
I bet those brownies will be as hard as a rock.
30 Jan 2014
Total posts 43
This does truly look woeful.. After a recent trip to the states flying multiple carriers I was truly shocked at the offerings in the lounges we visited not to mention the 'first class' offerings on board, I use that loosely! The highlight would have been a crockpot full of canned chicken soup.. Yet shockingly vultures were scoffing it like they hadn't eaten for a week. Couldn't wait to get out of there!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
Not restricted to the US lounges unfortunately, the way some pigs load their plate up so full there is food falling off it in lounges here in aus it's embarrassing - like you said it's like some people haven't eaten in a week
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Dec 2012
Total posts 16
Asian, Australian, Kiwi, Mid East, airlines are eating the USA carriers lunch for breakfast; just not the one pictured.
Lets all get excited about an oat meal bar and paprika and chive boiled eggs!! (I had to check the date of this article to be sure it was not April 1st)
I will not pay between 10k and 14 k for a return ticket to NY and put up with the 'new' US standards in flight and service.
Balogna sandwich anyone?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
27 Feb 2015
Total posts 34
1 flight into melbourne carrying about 250 pax with 2 flights into sydney each carrying excess 300 pax and no lounge. ?????????
BTW what lounge do united use in SYD.
Food looks a little bland in my opinion.
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 2441
United uses the Air New Zealand lounge in Sydney, but business and first class passengers (that's BusinessFirst and Global First in United speak), along with Star Alliance Gold, United Club and Air Canada Maple Leaf members can also use the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge.
qantas
23 Jun 2014
Total posts 12
Not much point in imroving food in the Melbourne United Lounge as it is shut most of the day
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on United Airlines promises better food for Melbourne airport lounge