United Airlines has rehired celebrity chef Charlie Trotter to spruce up its menu for first- and business-class passengers, a sign the airline is serious about catering to consumers who pay top dollar to fly, analysts say.
Trotter will work with Gerry Gulli, United’s corporate executive chef, to create signature entrees to be served on flights to Europe as well on United’s premium transcontinental flights between New York and California, known as “p.s.”
For United, the bet on the marquee chef is a no-brainer.
“The money is on the front side of the curtain–business and first [class],” said Mike Boyd, a Colorado-based airline consultant. “For United, it’s making a sharp service even sharper.”
The move is a throwback to the 1970s, when air travel was glamorous, and airlines like Pan Am were known for their celebrity chefs, Boyd said.
“United is going back to the image of when flying was worth getting on an airplane for,” he said.
United hopes to differentiate itself from other U.S. carriers by improving its customer service, which had taken a back seat to cost cutting during the airline’s three-year bankruptcy stay.
The Elk Grove Township-based carrier is spending $160 million to upgrade its first- and business-class cabins on the wide-body aircraft it uses to fly overseas.
United also plans to create separate boarding lanes at O’Hare International Airport for first- and business-class travelers.
“We’re trying to focus on delivering an exceptional experience to our customers,” said United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski.
Trotter previously contributed to United’s menu from 1999 through 2001, creating such esoteric fare as Maine lobster with tropical fruit and black pepper, and Thai barbecue poussin with braised collard greens and preserved red onions.
United, like other U.S. carriers, was forced to cut expenses when the airline industry fell into a tailspin following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The airline jettisoned its agreement with Trotter as a cost-cutting measure, Urbanski said.
Now, as the airline’s fortunes look up, it is seeking to distance itself from the inconsistent service and petty inconveniences that are commonplace for most air travelers in the U.S.
If United is to truly differentiate itself from other airlines, it will have to treat passengers well from check-in to baggage claim, said Christie Nordhielm, associate professor of marketing at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
“My big question would be if they have the rest of their ducks in a row before they start serving Charlie Trotter’s duck,” Nordhielm added.
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