Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- United Airlines, struggling to curb losses from record fuel prices, will become the first U.S. carrier to stop serving free meals in the coach cabin of some overseas flights.

Instead, the second-largest U.S. carrier will offer food that can be purchased aboard trips to Europe from Washington's Dulles International Airport starting Oct. 1, spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said today in an interview.

The change expands the list of formerly complimentary services airlines are charging for as they combat a 52 percent jump in the price of jet fuel during the past year. United parent UAL Corp., with net losses of almost $3.32 billion in the past three quarters, is eliminating 7,000 jobs and parking 100 aircraft to cut operating costs.

``International flights have historically been sacrosanct from these kinds of charges,'' David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association passenger advocacy group, said in an interview. ``This is the new era of a fee for every service. We should get used to it.''

United won't eliminate free coach meals on travel from Dulles to Kuwait because the flight is about 12 hours instead of the typical 8 to 9 hours to Europe, Urbanski said. Dulles is United's ``gateway'' to Europe, with about 33 daily international flights. Food in first and business classes will remain free.

The carrier will charge $6 for snack boxes that include cheese, crackers, fruit, yogurt and a pastry, and $9 for salads and sandwiches. Salads with turkey and chicken, which come with fruit, will be available, along with chicken and turkey wraps and a beef, ham and salami sandwich.

`Difficult, but Necessary'

``These changes are difficult, but necessary, and we do not make them lightly,'' the Chicago-based airline said in a memo to employees. ``However, they enable us to reduce costs and generate additional revenue while preserving a differentiated product for our premium cabin customers.''

The airline will survey customers before deciding whether to extend the change to other international flights, Urbanski said. Spokesmen at American Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc., Continental Airlines Inc., Northwest Airlines Corp. and US Airways Group Inc. said they still provide complimentary meals on overseas flights.

Most U.S. carriers charge for coach-cabin snacks and meals on longer flights in the U.S. or North America. Continental, the fourth-largest, still provides free meals and snacks in all classes of domestic flights at designated times.

Snacks for Sale

At United, free snacks will be eliminated in the coach cabin of North American flights of 760 miles to 1,149 miles, or 2 to 3 hours. They will be replaced with snacks for sale, effective Sept. 2, the memo said. As of Oct. 1, the airline also will boost prices for fresh items sold during flights to $9 from $7; the cost of non-perishable foods will climb to $6 from $5.

The airline also will eliminate a second snack service before arrival on transcontinental routes between New York and Los Angeles or San Francisco, and replace it with a beverage-only service.

Several U.S. carriers have begun charging to check bags. US Airways has added fees to reserve certain seats and for soda and coffee during flights. The changes are being made as the industry's combined losses are projected to soar to as much as $10 billion this year, according to the Air Transport Association.

United fell $1.37, or 9 percent, to $13.57 at 5:20 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mary Schlangenstein in Dallas at maryc.s@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: August 19, 2008 19:56 EDT