That is, for international flights. Yay, Prohibition is over (kinda).
United will start serving free beer and wine on, well, pretty much all of its international long-haul flights starting today. Originally, the airline stopped serving booze in the early 2000s with the exception of its trans-Pac flights to Asia. But that, too, also went the way of the dinosaurs early last year. Now, we stand here, strong, having endured eons of sobriety.
In other news, the food is also getting better. Supposedly. Straight from the source:
New Multi-Course Meal Service
United will expand the primary complimentary economy meal to a hearty three-course service, beginning with a beverage and snack of cheese and crackers, baked whole-grain bruschetta chips or Kiri cheese spread and crackers, followed by a generous main course served with refreshed salads and artisan bread.
Main-course meals will include new dishes designed by United's team of chefs, including:
- Home-style turkey meatloaf in spicy barbecue sauce, served with sweet potato mash, mixed vegetables, an artisan ciabatta roll and amaranth mango salad;
- Tuscan ravioli with roasted red pepper sauce, served with a petit artisan ciabatta roll and mixed-grain salad; and
- Udon noodles with stir-fried vegetables and ginger soya sauce, served with a petit multi-grain baguette roll and apple wheatberry salad.
For the final course, customers may enjoy a premium dessert, such as gelato, sorbet, ice cream or mousse.Complimentary Beer and Wine
United will offer beer and wine at no charge in United Economy on intercontinental flights with multi-course meal service, and each customer will receive a complimentary bottle of water to stay refreshed throughout their flight. Additionally, customers may purchase half-bottle premium wines, and United will continue to offer spirits for sale.