United MileagePlus (Consolidated) - Disappointed with United merger

:td:As a MM the with United, this merger stinks. Now I get downgraded from a lifetime premier executive to premier gold. I almost never get upgraded to first class now. United used to offer a premium upgrade to first class for $175for one segment, now I am being quoted $700 for the same flight. So what kind of pork job does United/Continental have for us next! Truely disatisfied with United after 20+ years of being a loyal customer.

:td:As a MM the with United, this merger stinks. Now I get downgraded from a lifetime premier executive to premier gold. I almost never get upgraded to first class now. United used to offer a premium upgrade to first class for $175for one segment, now I am being quoted $700 for the same flight. So what kind of pork job does United/Continental have for us next! Truely disatisfied with United after 20+ years of being a loyal customer.

Wow...you actually got upgraded on PMUA as a Premier Executive? I'm impressed!

:td:As a MM the with United, this merger stinks. Now I get downgraded from a lifetime premier executive to premier gold. I almost never get upgraded to first class now. United used to offer a premium upgrade to first class for $175for one segment, now I am being quoted $700 for the same flight. So what kind of pork job does United/Continental have for us next! Truely disatisfied with United after 20+ years of being a loyal customer.

Most of the UA FFer world is with you on this one....merger sucks because we are dealing with JS's "best in the business?"

It is no better for long time CO Elites.....20+ years and now I get the same benefits as someone who pays $95 per year for United credit card...and the first year fee is waived. 6 more segments that were booked long ago and I am off to find a new carrier who actually cares

Wow...you actually got upgraded on PMUA as a Premier Executive? I'm impressed!

Back in 2008-9 when I was 1P, I had a pretty good upgrade success rate - 75%. That rate went up to just under 95% in 2010 when I made 1K. In 2011, I dropped back to 1P, and my upgrade rate went below 50%. Back on 1K now, and I'm about 75% - the same success rate I had as a 1P 3 years ago.

Let's face it, we've reached and passed the glory days of being a 1K on United.

:td:As a MM the with United, this merger stinks. [snip] So what kind of pork job does United/Continental have for us next! Truely disatisfied with United after 20+ years of being a loyal customer.

That's an interesting perspective. I was a Presidential Platinum member on Continental, and I gotta say that I find myself getting more upgrades now and better treatment post-merger. I think all the goodies that you used to receive as a lifetime member now go to us guys that generate revenue in the here and now. Just a guess. :cool:

That's an interesting perspective. I was a Presidential Platinum member on Continental, and I gotta say that I find myself getting more upgrades now and better treatment post-merger. I think all the goodies that you used to receive as a lifetime member now go to us guys that generate revenue in the here and now. Just a guess. :cool:

You are probably correct. Mr. Smisek is more interested in the short term than the long term. The changes to the MP program and his "all elites are equal" stance are evidence of this outlook. That's why I'm taking most of my business elsewhere. :cool:

That's an interesting perspective. I was a Presidential Platinum member on Continental, and I gotta say that I find myself getting more upgrades now and better treatment post-merger. I think all the goodies that you used to receive as a lifetime member now go to us guys that generate revenue in the here and now. Just a guess. :cool:

Suggest you read a couple other threads in here about recent GS upgrade experiences.

:td:As a MM the with United, this merger stinks. Now I get downgraded from a lifetime premier executive to premier gold. I almost never get upgraded to first class now. United used to offer a premium upgrade to first class for $175for one segment, now I am being quoted $700 for the same flight. So what kind of pork job does United/Continental have for us next! Truely disatisfied with United after 20+ years of being a loyal customer.
Moving the Y/B elites ahead of the low fare bucket folks will work out very well for me. Finally recognizing people for their spend over their miles.

I was a Presidential Platinum member on Continental, and I gotta say that I find myself getting more upgrades now and better treatment post-merger.

All that shows is that Presidential Plat was even more of a joke than the diluted GS is...

It is no better for long time CO Elites.....20+ years and now I get the same benefits as someone who pays $95 per year for United credit card...and the first year fee is waived. 6 more segments that were booked long ago and I am off to find a new carrier who actually cares

Here's my question. Why wouldn't the CEO of the Worlds Largest Airline, want to fire out of the shoot with programs that exceed everyones expectations and bring all kinds of new consumers to the Brand?

If most of us were sitting in a room and making decisions about what parameters to put on a program, wouldn't the natural response be to use the guideline(s) of the program (CO or UA) that offers the customer the most. It's unnatural and/or contrived to do anything less.

They had one opportunity to "over deliver" and make a statement to the airline industry and it's customers, and they failed. As the saying goes, "you never have a second chance to make a good first impression". Too bad.

Here's my question. Why wouldn't the CEO of the Worlds Largest Airline, want to fire out of the shoot with programs that exceed everyones expectations and bring all kinds of new consumers to the Brand?

If most of us were sitting in a room and making decisions about what parameters to put on a program, wouldn't the natural response be to use the guideline(s) of the program (CO or UA) that offers the customer the most. It's unnatural and/or contrived to do anything less.

They had one opportunity to "over deliver" and make a statement to the airline industry and it's customers, and they failed. As the saying goes, "you never have a second chance to make a good first impression". Too bad.

That's the point I've made a few times - you already know that with industry consolidation and a reduction in capacity, you're going to be a lot more profitable post-merger. After 18 months of planning, do you:

1. Maintain or even improve your loyalty program and overall proposition, in order to put a stake in the heart of weakened/flawed competitors, or
2. Cut away such that you diminish a lot of your competitive strengths, and alienate all your key constituents in the process?

They had all the ability and leverage to do #1, but unsurprisingly they chose #2

Here's my question. Why wouldn't the CEO of the Worlds Largest Airline, want to fire out of the shoot with programs that exceed everyones expectations and bring all kinds of new consumers to the Brand?

If most of us were sitting in a room and making decisions about what parameters to put on a program, wouldn't the natural response be to use the guideline(s) of the program (CO or UA) that offers the customer the most. It's unnatural and/or contrived to do anything less.

They had one opportunity to "over deliver" and make a statement to the airline industry and it's customers, and they failed. As the saying goes, "you never have a second chance to make a good first impression". Too bad.

If you spend any time on hold on the United phone line you'll hear Mr. United say something to the effect of, "MileagePlus has been named the best FF plan for six years running...". I'd have thought the integration team would have realized the asset that PMUA's FF program was and kept most of it's perks. Instead, as with most merger options, management has gone with the PMCO program. You cannot rebrand OnePass as MileagePlus and expect to retain the pole position.

From my perspective, the merger has been a failure in every customer facing service.

Here's my question. Why wouldn't the CEO of the Worlds Largest Airline, want to fire out of the shoot with programs that exceed everyones expectations and bring all kinds of new consumers to the Brand?

Because Smi/J thinks largest is synonymous with best. Bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. In this case it certainly isn't the case.

Because Smi/J thinks largest is synonymous with best. Bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. In this case it certainly isn't the case.

I don't think he equates largest with best. Best isn't his goal - making United so large that you can't avoid flying them is more likely his desired outcome.

Think about it - if AA is taken over by DL or US, the resulting lack of competition will drive up prices even higher. He wants United to be well placed to benefit from this.

This quote below, from the UA insider in another thread (now a read only), tells you all you need to know about the merger and how it's progressing, not a knock against Shannon or the other UA/CO insiders, but an epic fail for the CEO and company they work for.

"The short answer is, we simply don’t have the right tools and process in place to support this at the moment".

You could apply that statement to many issues that their customers are dealing with, the result of poor planning and poor execution on the part of Smesik and his management team.

Full response

"Hi halls120 and pagotto, your both right. Previously, on the United side, there was a good process for this. All in all it’s much more a systems constraint than it is a business decision. The short answer is, we simply don’t have the right tools and process in place to support this at the moment. That’s not to say that we don’t want to get there though."

Shannon

It is getting interesting! I try to fly out of Indy because it has always been very easy to get through, usually walking right up to a counter using the elite line.

I get to IND Friday 1-1/2 hours early as usual, normally enough time to get through and then have a couple of beers and something to eat before boarding only to see the longest line I have ever seen at the United counter.

I'm 5th in the elite line which isn't too bad but when it's my turn it takes them forever to figure out how to get me on another flight as it seems everything is a mess and frankly it seemed only one person behind the counter could make anything happen.

Maybe invest in a little training before you go live with SHARES? It's two weeks after roll out and they are still fumbling around?

My domestic upgrades as a 1P have gone away and I was some ridiculous number in line on a recent full Y fare trying to upgrade with miles to Dubai but still giving them a bit of time to work things out.

That's an interesting perspective. I was a Presidential Platinum member on Continental, and I gotta say that I find myself getting more upgrades now and better treatment post-merger. I think all the goodies that you used to receive as a lifetime member now go to us guys that generate revenue in the here and now. Just a guess. :cool:

Here's an even better perspective - why should UA even bother with a marketing scheme called...wait, here it comes...a FREQUENT FLYER programme? It's to reward your BEST customers who have given them business for decades. There will be a day when you will not be flying as much...it's inevitable.

I buy F/A/C/D tickets 90% of the time (even domestically) so I don't care about upgrades or waitlists either way, but as PMUA MMiler and now a 2MMiler with the recalc, I am disgusted at the unethical, immoral, and shady business practices of the new United.

Someone who has flown 1.5 Million ACTUAL miles gets the same treatment as someone who has one of their CHASE VISAS? Seriously?

UNACCEPTABLE

UG

Fascinating posts here. All based on a misguided OP.

Why?

1. He was "downgraded" from PE to PG. Which is really THE SAME THING. The only difference is that the previous PEs who flew 75K are now PP. No issue there.

2. He's not getting "tens of dollar" upgrade offers. That's a good thing.

3. He's getting less upgrades, because full-fare passengers are getting them. Again, if I pay the crazy F and B prices, shouldn't I get that upgrade first? None of us complained when pmCO had M-ups.

I see zero wrong with the OP's issues and not one poster here even addressed them. Everything else here is simply a rehash of what we already know. Why we, as logical flyers, feel the need to threadjack every post here fascinates me.

I don't think he equates largest with best. Best isn't his goal - making United so large that you can't avoid flying them is more likely his desired outcome.

If the largest doesn't try to also be the best, it won't be the largest for long. You cannot continually piss off your most frequent fliers and expect them to not speak by taking their discretionary dollars elsewhere.

Consolidation is good for the airlines and terrible for the flyer. However, consolidation leading to a significant reduction in service and perceived value, means the Competitors can start picking off Customers.

Just like Virgin did to BA and Emirates will continue to do to all the mainline US carriers as it triples it's flights to the US in the coming year+.

Arrogance will kill United.

Why we, as logical flyers, feel the need to threadjack every post here fascinates me.

Because logic flies out the window when you've been upset. When you're frustrated you just want to be heard. FT is a great forum for venting, even if no one is listening. Sometimes the process of writing it out, can help assuage the frustration. I know it has also helped me realize how idiotic and irrational I've been.

1. He was "downgraded" from PE to PG. Which is really THE SAME THING. The only difference is that the previous PEs who flew 75K are now PP. No issue there.

I suggest you re-post this in the master Million Miler thread, and see what type of response you get to the idea that PMUA 1P is the same thing as UA PG.

Someone who has flown 1.5 Million ACTUAL miles gets the same treatment as someone who has one of their CHASE VISAS? Seriously?

UNACCEPTABLE

UG

Over in another thread discussing meal service, a poster quotes by name a United manager who says that once you're sitting in C or F, you should enjoy the same service, no matter how you got there. So yes, your long term loyalty in the past means nothing to the current United management.


I see zero wrong with the OP's issues and not one poster here even addressed them. Everything else here is simply a rehash of what we already know. Why we, as logical flyers, feel the need to threadjack every post here fascinates me.

I don't see why we ought to be restricted to discussing those things that make the merger unsatisfactory to the OP.

What fascinates me is not the number of hijacked complaint threads and rehashed arguments, but the suggestion that we shouldn't be posting negative things about "our" airline. Not saying you are in that category - it just reminds me of some of the more juvenile pm's I've received from some FT'ers who believe we ought to be cheerleaders for United.

A charming but naive position, IMHO.

I see Alex took her talants to United.COM, so that is one good thing about the merger. Could not live without her.

I suggest you re-post this in the master Million Miler thread, and see what type of response you get to the idea that PMUA 1P is the same thing as UA PG.

Those folks are upset due to other losses of being MM. I'm pretty sure that rational folks would agree that 1P = PG from a pure Elite status. Without bringing in the other issues.

Now, does PG equal what 1P or CO G used to give with respect to benefits? No. But the OP was not downgraded status.



I don't see why we ought to be restricted to discussing those things that make the merger unsatisfactory to the OP.



I respect your position. I don't necessarily agree with it, as I think this forum is about learning and sharing information. And answering questions is part of that. That didn't happen in this thread.

It's a shame folks are PMing people to "tone down threads". Had that happened, for example, in the "flight distance" debacle, it wouldn't have been fixed.

I respect your position. I don't necessarily agree with it, as I think this forum is about learning and sharing information. And answering questions is part of that. That didn't happen in this thread.

It's a shame folks are PMing people to "tone down threads". Had that happened, for example, in the "flight distance" debacle, it wouldn't have been fixed.

In a perfect world, all of the FT threads would be all about learning, with a healthy dose of community and humor mixed in. But when change of any sort happens, it is unsettling, and people aren't always at their best. So yes, we get some hyperbole and unnecessary angst. I would submit that we can live with the latter as long as that the learning and sharing is still going on - and I believe it is.

You are correct about the mile shaving response. That is one clear example of how respectful outrage can be properly channeled to a positive outcome.

Every change has winners and losers in a zero-sum game (only so many F seats to be had, so who gets them is zero-sum).

Inevitably, the winners like the change and the losers don't. If you obtained "status" through miles / segments and fly in deep discounted fare buckets, you won't like the UG changes (unless you somehow made GS). If you obtained "status" (even Silver) and fly in Y/B, maybe M, you ought to like the changes because the Silver in Y beats the 1K in B or anything below that.

Unless you have the metrics, which presumably UA does, arguing about which approach (status vs. fare class) is better is like arguing about whether vanila or chocolate tastes better.

Then we come to concerns raised by OP such as what they call his status. Those are marketing gimmicks. Would you really care if there were a status called "chopped liver" and it guaranteed an UG on all flights?

a status called "chopped liver" and it guaranteed an UG on all flights?

Finally we have something to strive for ---

Ah yes, I can hear it now, "Thank you Lil Ab for being one of a select few of our CL frequent flyers. Which flights may I confirm you upgrades on?" Yeh, baby!!!

As a UA MM flyer, 1K for ten years, MP for 25 years I was thrilled when I heard of the merger with CO. I thoughtg better management, service, product, etc.. I was counting the days for the one system, one product. I was critical of people on the weekend of the system merger for their lack of patience and understanding. I felt they were not realiztic in their criticism of the long phone wait time, even for elite flyers. I thought what a lack of understanding so many people had for the "new" United. I thought our new best friend "Jeff" would get it all together quickly.

I Apologize, I was Wrong!

Over two weeks after the merger it is a total mess. The phone wait times are still way too long. Miles are taking forever to post. You get horrible service. The employees are stressed out from the stressed out customers. Air fares went up immediately. Elite status has been watered down to nothing. Jeff tells us how wonderful life is.I never thought anyone could be worse then Tilton, but we have found it in "Jeff".

I apologize, I was Wrong in criticizing the people who criticzed the "new" United.

IT IS A HORROR!!!!

IT IS A HORROR!!!!

... and it's all over the internet. Not just being observed on FT!

By the way, many of us were wrong, also!!

It's going to take a long time to get things straightened out, if ever?