Kacee

The reason is that the fares won't sustain a higher level of service. You can get an $800-$1000 P fare on that route (and other similar latin america routes, including MEX, PTY, SJO, etc.). It's a budget route with budget fares. What do you expect for that price?

leonidas

I disagree with the notion that the service should be better on busy routes with HVFs. We expect consistency of service from the airline, irrespective of whether it's a business-heavy route or a leisure route.

mgcsinc

Yes, the service on the route is consistent with routes of similar length, hard product, and pricing...

IAH-OIL-TRASH

So BUsinessFirst meals, cheese/dessert cart, lie flat seats, amenity kit everywhere UA flies? Or does everyone get a coach seat and buy on board? Take out all the Mai Tais from Hawaii flights - it's not consistent with other flights.

JVPhoto

YEP! Flying this weekend EWR-CUN booked a few months ago flat out in F for $820. I believe Y was like $575 at the time.

FWIW when I flew EWR-CUN-EWR in May as a mere GOLD I got me and my +1 CPU'd to F on both legs. I figured the price to pay for F this time to guarantee I would only have to sit next to 1 once a year flier instead of 2 made it worth it.

caseminole

I do understand all points and thanks for the clarification. I've been a CO low level elite for about 25 years, so I tend to look at my traveling thru that prism as well.

Most of my international hops (and I've had so many on CO) were in BusinessFirst, which I know and understand is a different product offering from LAX-CUN.

I guess I was expecting even something a little small, and will temper further expectations on similar routings.

Thanks to all for the education!

caseminole

A final thought however: I do understand all points; however I did use miles to upgrade my flight, and UA has a higher set of reward amounts for these types of flights.

Therefore, at least my opinion only, I should be entitled to at least a SLIGHTLY better standard of service than domestic F

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Sorry, United doesn't care what you think you are entitled to. It's a shorter flight than to the East Coast or Hawaii and it's going to a lower budget vacation destination. If anything, The East Coast routes from LAX ought to get better service/amenities because they're carrying a lot more business travelers.

caseminole

Understood. I was just offering my opinion. Sometimes, United DOES care what I think

Kacee

That is an expensive upgrade. I'd be annoyed, too. Mileage upgrades used to be a great deal; now they're almost always terrible values if you're not on a full fare ticket.

seanp7

So, OP, now you know. Don't ever shell out your own money for this type of flight. It's RyanAir with free alcohol.

caseminole

LOL. Yes, lesson learned. A nice note to J/SMI might be in order to. I have actually sent him an email and gotten a response, so we'll see.

zoegksf

I am really confused Why did you send an email to Smi$ek? Because you booked a trip LAX-CUN and upgraded with miles? You many years ago flew TA on the great carrier CO and thought that was what you would get on a 5+ hour flight?
You have been around here long enough to know better I would hope. I am sure Smi$ek will just tell you to go lump it.
I don't mean to be harsh but I really just don't get it.

caseminole

Don't be confused. I didn't send an email to Jeff Smisek, but I have on other issues and on occasion have gotten a response.

So he does listen

My point was that I was on an international ticket. granted it was to Mexico, but I was in Business class, and the flight offered worse service than in Domestic F, even though I cashed in more miles for the upgrades for myself and 2 traveling companions.

There was no wifi on the way down, and NO VIDEO, at all, on the way back. There was nothing special about the meal service. It wasn't bad, but wasn't special. The plane was old.

I was a CO flyer for 30+ years. I suffered thru the bad and the good with them.

I have certain expectations that weren't met on the flight.

Other peoples expectations might be less than mine. I am just going on personal experience.

I don't really understand why my points are so confusing, or why people seem to think I felt I was entitled to a "LOT" more. I wasn't.

But working wifi and video/movies both directions would have been super.

An amenity kit wouldn't cost much. How about a small travel kit with some basic stuff in it - toothbrush, toothpaste, mints and some earplugs?

How about offering Tecate or Dos Equis as a beer option. How about a Mexican-type meal offering

I'm not talking about the offerings I would receive on a TATL LAX-London flight with lie flat beds

I'm just talking about some small details that wouldn't cost much that would have left a better impression for myself and my friends.

Sorry if anyone disagrees, feels that I am being overentitled, or thinks my expectations are too high.

I CERTAINLY don't think there is anything wrong with having an opinion. That's typically what message boards are for.

abaheti

I don't think anyone here disagrees with you at all that it would be cheap and easy for them. The only argument is that as it is a short flight, treated like domestic by the airlines, that all we can expect is domestic service.

Is that right? Maybe, maybe not. The larger issue is how far UA's domestic first product has sunk. I think that's what you're really hearing in people's responses -- Mexico or not, it is treated a domestic first, so unless UA changes how it treats flights to Mexico, we shouldn't be surprised -- and UA's domestic first is no longer worth the money or miles.