Amenities in economy class for international flights

The only thing United will provide you is a blanket and pillow.

Just in February on Delta I was given an eye mask and ear plugs, but that was the first time in many flights on Delta. Given that it is hit or miss on an airline that may give you them, I would just bring your own, if that is important to you, rather than taking the chance on an airline you know less about.

The Delta eye masks are the most basic material. If you really need one, you probably will want to buy your own. They also handed out earplugs & headphone wires.

I started laughing when I read the title.

Turkish Air will give you a full care packet (slippers, socks, lip balm, eye mask, etc) as well as great food! I've had great experiences with them - even in economy class, they treat you very well. I haven't seen any US-based carrier that competes with them on price and amenities.

@Bruce "I started laughing when I read the title."

I did too! Then I thought - There aren't any!

Same, there are no amenities in economy class - anywhere.

Same, there are no amenities in economy class - anywhere.

Not true, fly Turkish Air and you'll see them reappear. They first come around and offer a Turkish Delight (candy) and hot towel..then give you the sleep packet and then fresh squeezed lemonade...and then a really decent dinner (I pre-order vegetarian and it is really tasty!). I am not kidding. This happened on all three flights I took.

United has, once again, started supplying pillows and blankets to economy class passengers on international flights over 6 hours. You also get a meal, free alcohol (limited to beer & wine, but that is still alcohol!), and headphones. Not everything it used to be, but more than at the absolute bottom. No eye masks.

Can't find any details from edelweiss. I would guess that means you get nothing.

And business or first class ain't all it used to be either. No caviar. Limited champagne. Passengers dressing in blue jeans. Flight attendants that get grouchy when you call them too much. ;-/

I don't think you get free alcohol in United economy even on international flights.

We only travel first class and sometimes business class but people we know who do travel economy but gripe about the lack of amenities. You should, however, be given access to a pillow and blanket even so and maybe even to cheap flimsy eyemasks. I use really good eye masks and ear plugs so you might want to take your own to be sure you will have enough darkness and quiet for napping,

No need for speculation - they wrote it down for you:

United Economy seating
Flights to or from Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, the South Pacific and select destinations in Latin America

Onboard amenities

Spacious seating available in Economy Plus® offering up to 5 inches of additional legroom
Blankets and pillows for use during your flight
Meals and beverages

Complimentary soft drinks, juices, tea and freshly brewed coffee
Spirits are available for purchase on most flights, and house wines and beer are complimentary on select routes2
Complimentary meal service
Mid-flight Choice Menu Snack Shop service on select routes2
Complimentary pre-arrival snack or meal on select routes2
View additional information on meals and beverages

2Applies to flights between the U.S. and Africa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Europe, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, the Middle East and Taiwan.

Entertainment

A variety of entertainment options including audio selections, television programming and movie selections
Complimentary headsets
A complimentary copy of Hemispheres magazine
Duty Free shopping on board

I hope the alcohol is free. I'll be surprised, but I'll let you know after Sunday!

House wine & beer are free but spirits are not

On a Delta flight to Paris in December they handed out eye masks, earplugs, and hot towels. I think they also gave us our own water bottles (as opposed to just pouring out of the big bottle). Blankets and pillows (which half of us never use and end up just taking up floor space) were on the seats when you board.

I'd been flying United mostly on recent flights so Delta's coach amenities seemed borderline luxury by comparison. The food on Delta was better than United too!

You will be doing good just to get oxygen.

Our last flight to Munich on Lufthansa in 12/13 in economy we had free headphones, blankets, pillow, alcohol and soft drinks (they came around constantly), dinner, breakfast and snacks.

Paul

Economy class is a grim place as of late.

The bright side was with Swiss Air. I was fortunate enough to fly with them on a recent flight from Europe to USA. Even in economy class the attendants were super friendly, bend over backwards to help you, free wine, as many Baily's Irish Cremes as I wanted...just super nice.

Swiss Air is NOT the norm!

In my experience, the amenities will depend on which airline you're flying with and the route. For Economy (aka "sardine") class you'll only get a small pillow and a thin blanket. There will be a meal during the flight, and a "continental breakfast" just before landing along with beverages, and many airlines also provide "free" wine. If you upgrade your seat to Premium Economy, then you'll get more attentive service and extras such as a "comfort kit" which includes an eye mask, ear plugs and a few other treats. The meals will be more deluxe and you'll probably have extras like a hot towel for freshening up several times during the flight. Business Class will be better than Premium Economy.

I've never travelled with United or Edelweiss, so you'll have to check their websites for more specific information on what they provide in each class.

You will be doing good just to get oxygen

I think some airlines have started to charge for it.

I noticed on several long-distance planes recently that the temperature fluctuates whether you're in the front, mid, or back portion of Economy. I've been freezing in the front, but when I walk to the back of the plane some temperature ranges would be too hot to sleep. Sharing this so you know to have layers handy, so you can shed a sweater or be ready to wrap up in it.

Then there's this news from United. Anyone really believe this won't jack up the price for everyone, regardless of which class you're flying? Not to mention taking away space for the masses. I have to believe this is going to make flying even worse for most United passengers. Let's hope the other airlines don't follow suit.

In my experience, the amenities will depend on which airline you're
flying with and the route. For Economy (aka "sardine") class you'll
only get a small pillow and a thin blanket. There will be a meal
during the flight, and a "continental breakfast" just before landing
along with beverages, and many airlines also provide "free" wine.

None of this on Icelandair. You may get a bottle of water when boarding. You can get a pillow and blanket. A charge for an odd selection of food. Free beverage cart (non-alcoholic only). Charge for earphones. Attention of cabin crew varies greatly.

But if you bring your own earphones and food, the low cost of the ticket can be worth it.

k2,

It definitely will drive up cost for business class seats. The 'every seat has aisle access' means that on most of the United planes they will have to remove about half the business seats. While their current business class sells well (mostly to people who just don't fit in their economy seats) I feel they are misjudging their market. Similarly to when the former CEO stated that United must have true first class seats in order to compete with other european airlines. Well, what they call first class is seldom occupied by paying customers and is mostly mile redemption and upgrade customers in those seats. Most frequent flyers who can afford to pay $12,000 for a first class round trip are flying other airlines that know what first class should be. The new plan is just their way of eliminating their true first class section on the planes with an attempt to save face by making it look like they are improving everything for premium passengers. Oh, and don't forget it will be at least 10 years before all the planes are upgraded. They will have moved to something else by then.

Then there's this news from United. Anyone really believe this won't jack up the price for everyone, regardless of which class you're flying? Not to mention taking away space for the masses. I have to believe this is going to make flying even worse for most United passengers. Let's hope the other airlines don't follow suit.

I'm not so sure this will jack up prices in economy class. This revamping of United's business class seems to be an attempt to regain some of the losses they incurred among their corporate clients who bailed while they were cutting like mad under the previous CEO. As far as taking up more space, this possible seat chart would seem to indicate that won't be the case. Also, they still have to compete in the Kayak world we now live in, so I don't see this change in and off itself raising prices in economy class. Now, the fact that they are going 10 abreast in the back on their 777's, that will definitely make life worse for those of us who don't travel first class and sometimes business. Having said all that, as has been mentioned on this forum before, we have the airlines and amenities we have chosen by how we spend our money. If the airlines could be more profitable by offering more space and amenities, they would. A majority of people, however, choose solely on price, which has lead us to this race to the bottom in which we now find ourselves.

I'm not sure if this has changed, but three years ago I flew Lufthansa to Frankfurt and back from Munich on United. On Lufthansa, wine was free (and unlimited). On United they charged for it.

In general, I would say that "economy class amenities" is an oxymoron, but there's little consistency. We recently flew on United, SFO to FRA (connection was on Austrian) and CDG to SFO. Outbound, the cabin temperature was very chilly. Attendant said it couldn't be changed. One thin blanket over my long-sleeved t-shirt, wool cardigan, and outer jacket made it just tolerable. Food was just tolerable, and wine was free. Returning, the food was downright nasty. I wondered how from a city which has delicious bread available on practically every block they managed to get stale tasting rolls. The label on the package explained it. Everything pre-packaged had been imported from Ireland. Who knows where the frozen stuff originated. Wine was free. They did keep offering water throughout both flights.

Delta does, indeed, offer amenities in economy. Pillow and blanket were on each seat, then we were given a kit with eye mask, earplugs, and toothbrush and toothpaste. Hot towels were provided, and they handed out bottles of water as well as bringing other drinks often (including free alcohol). They also keep you very well (and often) fed.

On United expect the '"free wine and beer" to be very basic in Economy Class. At least it is not +$7, which is what they charge now! Plan on carrying your own eye mask etc.

Delta has offered free in-flight entertainment internationally for years. I have flown with them to Europe repeatedly since 2012 and it has always been free.

They are slowly learning it was not wise to take all of those things away - remember when it all was free before as was food. I do not remember when/if all alcohol was free even on domestic but I do remember when meals were served on real plates with real tableware.