So, the call happened Thursday afternoon. No mention of Flyertalk was ever made. I felt no need to bring it up and he never mentioned.

He started by saying he was aware of how many problems the merger had created and when you merge 2 companies of such size there is bound to be problems for both staff and customers. He said perhaps they were not as ready to deal with problems as they should have been. Although what was interesting is that he commented a few times that he hoped and thought that they had solved a lot of them.
Right now he’s on a listening tour. He said it’s very very important to get customer feedback first had as at the end of the day “you guys sign our paychecks”. He made comment that he is getting the same consistent feedback across many channels and hearing from all levels – Silver and GS – that the customer experience is not what people want it to be.

I explained that I had been loyal to United for the 7 years I have lived in the USA, CHOOSING to fly United 95% of the time – and doing what we all do. Paying higher fares, taking bad connections – all just to stay loyal to United. I said I’d always felt appreciated and I always liked getting on a (somewhat dated) United plane. But as of 3/3 – it changed. And I and we all really felt that change. I feeling of – we don’t care anymore, your business and loyalty is not important, we are just chasing profit. And after loyalty of 7 years – it felt like a big slap in the face. I said staff at all touch points, check in, call centers, stepping on the planes – staff are rude, indifferent, entitled, unco-operative. And I said it become very apparent on 3/3 – almost like a switch had been hit.

I said “you’re aware of the issues, the challenges you have. The things driving away your best customers and the status match from AA that I and thousands of others have accepted. What can you tell me is changing in the future to win people like me back. He responded that merging two workforces was / is a huge task –and that UA staff almost became new hires on 3/3 – and it was an incredibly difficult transition for them. He mentioned “Check It” new software that will make transactions easier and faster for staff at airports, and more new software coming in October. He said United has 88,000 employees and 6000 flights a day. He said perhaps what happened which is unfortunate is that overwhelmed staff took things out on the customer. He admits that they didn’t do a good enough job with “soft skills training” – teaching staff how to deal with customers. And he is hearing it consistently from customers: “it’s not the what, but the how” – as in, how United staff deal with customers.

He joked that he wishes he could get the 150 new jets today – but in the end AA, Delta and anyone can buy new jets and upgrade planes and services. But in the end, the big differentiate is going to be staff and the customer experience and service. He said things have got better – and staff are going through more training. It’s a big exercise for them to retrain a lot of staff. He said his role is relatively new- and didn’t exist on the CO or UA side, and his role is to look at everything through the customer lens. His job is to make it clean, safe, reliable, easy, fast experience from A to Z for customers.

He talked of the $550m upgrades of existing planes, the 150 new jets ordered. He said the p.s. fleet is being gutted nose to tail with lie flats, AVOD,wi-fi – everything. And seemed quite proud of this.

I went on to explain that call centre processing times from my experience have been ridiculous. I said my calls to 1K like (premiere Line) now seem to average 35-45 minutes – when they used to take 5-10. Things like applying a GPU. Missing seats. Returning miles. Refunds. Addling a leg to an award ticket. I said SHARES have made things ridiculously slow. And if there is one thing 1Ks and business travelers value it is time. I said we need these calls to be fast, seamless, easy and spend 5 minutes of the phone. Not 45. I told him of the call where I had 4 supervisors tell me I can’t use a GPU to upgrade a ps flight. He expressed great surprise. And other ridiculous claims, statements and wrong information from 1K agents. I said it just seems these people don’t know simple things, and their own rules of the Mileage Plus programme, which is really unacceptable.

I said 1K flyers like upgrades, and special check I, sure, but what it really boils down to is we want an easy, effortless, stress free travel experience from A to Z. And right now we are not getting that. Everything seems to go wrong. And no one at United seems to care. I was pretty blunt. I said “surely this is expensive for you guys, to have agents on the phone for 45 minutes to re-deposit my 15,000 miles” and he said yes – that handle time in call centres is “our #1 expense” (not jet fuel? – I think he was just making a point agreeing it’s expensive)

Then I asked “What is with the W fare requirement to be able to use a GPU. You know American gives me 8, and I can use on any fare. United gives me 6, and forces me to buy up to a W fare” I explained I fly to Sydney a lot – and a coach ticket is $1500, but a W is $2500 – and that is just to go in the lottery to get a seat upfront. He asked “the lottery?” and I said “yes! That’s what we all call it. The W fare lottery. Because you gamble $1000 and you MAY or MAY not get a better seat. It’s a scam and a rip off” He laughed at the term lottery and sighed “yeah…..” pausing how to answer. I said “American doesn’t do that to me” and he sighed again. I said “if I lose the lottery and I end up back in coach – why don’t you refund me my $1000”. He said “we have heard this a lot from customers, and we are working with revenue management and asking them “what can we do here” – so that is SOME hope. His sighs and pauses tell me he knows its wrong. And he hears it a lot – and revenue management has been tasked with coming up with a solution.

He said the one of the biggest challenges we have is long term profitability in this industry, and he was sure I appreciate that – which I do. He said that operate with a 3% profit margin – which if most companies did that they would shut up shot and close business and declare bankruptcy. He said candid there is no secret that they are trying to manage the company for long term profitability to be a sustainable business.

He made mention of Silver members complain a lot to him about taking away ability to get E+ and booking, and he appreciates the complaints. But when they went back and looked it it they realized the benefits they were providing were more than the revenue they were getting. I stopped myself from laughing and saying “oh you mean over-entitled”. I remained professional!

I said that a lot of the customer experience stuff, smiling, being welcoming, call centre staff etc – is free – and doesn’t cost them a thing. He agreed. I said I feel sad that the airline I loved is a shadow of its former self.
I brought up the AA status match and mentioned how aggressive they have been – 8 SWU’s, EXP match, 15 wi fi passes, 3 Club passes. I said the other day I even got a call from EXP agent asking me how I am enjoying me new status, and have a got any feedback, questions, comments or concerns. I said in 7 years I have not felt that welcomed by UA. I said “we are all wondering – you know about the AA status match – why have you guys sat on your hands and done nothing to woo use back? You have GS and 1K’s leaving in droves –and AA doing everything they can to sweep us off our feet – and United has responded with….silence”

He commented that being in bankruptcy, AA is reacting a certain way and being aggressive. So I asked “why no reaction from you guys, nothing” He agreed. I said “you have high revenue customers – your best customers – being wooed over to AA and leaving – and not hearing boo from you guys. Why” His response was they feel it is more important to focus on fixing the issues and the problems they have, rather than offer up freebies. Going back to that long term. He claims they have fixed “90 plus percent of the problems”. He said their plan has to be to fix the root cause for concern as to what is upsetting people – rather than focus on individuals.

Now – he said they are doing “customer recovery”. He said he’s going to dinners with GS members and select GS groups who have given the most negative feedback – and sitting down with them to hear their concerns in all their hubs, as well as London and Tokyo. And he is personally attending these meetings . He said they are starting with GS and moving down hierarchy. And he said he knows they need to be responsive. He hinted at other things coming soon – that he can’t really talk about.

I brought up TOD upgrades – and selling $99 upgrade to general members that fly United once a year. While GS and 1K that fly 100k miles a year sit in coach. He said it’s gotten fixed. He said that was the case for about 30 days – they had systems issues. But now he says they are clearing the premier list prior to offering any upgrade sales. He said it should be fixed and squared away – but if I hear of any examples please don’t hesitate to email him.

I said the root of frustration was that there was no communication from United – just silence – and you guys need to get better and communicating. I suggested that a lot of your GS and 1Ks have left to AA and might not know it’s been fixed. Perhaps you could blast out a message that is a little more honest and candid? Honesty buys and incredible amount of goodwill I said, and we feel there has not been a lot of that from United. He said that is the process they are starting with GS members and moving down from there. He mentioned the email letters that came out earlier in the year – and that it might be time for another one. “We need to fix more” he said “beyond product, with customer service”

I honestly got the impression he knows it’s all about customer service. The phrase “customer experience” came up a lot. And he said many times he hears it day in day out. His job is to fix it. I also got the impression they didn’t seem to concerned with me or others leaving. He said more than once 90% of the problems had been fixed. But the big one that has not is customer service. He just didn’t seem fussed that AA was wooing people, and said they are more interested in fixing the issues causing people to leave. “I have my challenges and opportunities” he said. He also never really answered my initial question “what is changing at United to win people like me back”

He talked up $550m fleet upgrades. Brand new ps. Check it. New software in October. GS diners and outreach. A few other things coming soon. But no clear “you should stay with us because” But really, what can he say? Actions speak louder than words. Everyone here keeps posting “words are meaningless –s how us results” so I guess we need to decide. How much patience to us has with United?