United improving Kosher options on flights to/from Tel Aviv

Many airlines around the world offer customers an opportunity to pre-select special meals on certain flights, including vegetarian, gluten-free and Kosher options. It’s often a crapshoot as to what you’ll actually get, though. Frequent flyers may know what to expect on certain routes, but airlines rarely offer anything more than a vague description, often leading to disappointment, especially on a long-haul journey where there isn’t anything else to eat.

This week, United Airlines shared a commitment to improve its selection for a number of customers, at the very least. Beginning this month, travelers ordering Kosher meals on the airline’s flights between Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO) and Washington, D.C. (IAD) and Tel Aviv (TLV) can expect a number of improvements. Passengers departing from Newark will get entirely new Fresko meals while Polaris pasengers on all three route will be offered Herzog Lineage wines.

As an example, on flights from Newark, “Options will include dishes such as fresh bagels, a cheese omelet, blintzes, chicken marsala, a kale quinoa burger and traditional bakery items like rugelach and black and white cookies,” according to United.

Polaris and Premium Plus flyers will also see new snack basket additions, and the airline will begin testing a hot Kosher a-la-carte meal at the Newark Polaris Lounge, in addition to packaged Kosher snacks at United Clubs at Newark and LaGuardia (LGA). The airline is also “testing” new children’s meals on flights from Newark to San Francisco, beginning in March, which could roll out to all Tel Aviv flights if they’re well-received.