J.Edward

There is a reasonable expectation for UA to place correct information on the boarding pass, something UA failed to do in this case.

Small issue, yes. But the way UA handled their error will leave a sour taste that will linger. What will be remembered is UA failing to put accurate information on one of their BPs and failing to handle the situation with tact, not a good year(s) worth of GS experiences. <shrug>

Xyzzy

I can see both sides of the issue here, but if UA wants to advertise itself as 'Flyer Friendly' it should put its money where its mouth is. They shuld have let you in.

pdx1M

Yup. This is a classic "what was the point?". The rep could have simply let the OP in - systems had just changed over and for all she knew it was her display that was not yet correct due to updates. It would have cost nothing at all to simply say - "looks like you are now a 1K and wouldn't be allowed in but given we are updating systems go on it today but realize that you may not be eligible once things all get updated." Cost to UA of this "friendly" response would have been 0 but instead you have an annoyed customer for no reason or company benefit. Most folks have common sense but it seems that the UA culture or employee "enforcement" these days is saying to front line folks to not dare use common sense no matter what it winds up costing UA. That culture is what management is responsible for creating - or not.

milepig

Um, she was forcing you to do nothing except leave the lounge. And, others are right, you weren't downgraded, you didn't make the GS cut for 2014. Where you bring your business is your decision, but don't blame the person who was only toeing the line.

PTahCha

We are only hearing one side of the story. Unless the agent made the announcement over the intercom, a matter of fact "You're 1K" can be perceived as "cold and bad attitude" when in fact OP's emotions colored the conversation.

kenn0223

It's unreasonable to expect to receive benefits you aren't entitled to.

Based on the OP's description of the events it sounds like United could have handled it better however the OP shouldn't have pushed the issue once it was explained.

I think it's petty to attempt to extract a benefit based on a clear technical error and, frankly, its travelers who do so who contribute to the bitterness and attitudes of many of the front-line staff (not that such attitudes are excusable).

goodeats21

Yet another example of United's penny-wise, pound-foolish attitude of late. Why antagonize and embarrass a customer that has proven to be VERY lucrative in the recent past? It is not at all unreasonable to see "Global Services" on BP and believe you had legitimate access to the lounge.

Instead of being "friendly" (smart) and using the interaction as an opportunity to bring a former GS back into the fold, the dragon flared nostrils and alienated a customer.

I guess overall you should be grateful...they could have called the cops on you:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ounge-ewr.html

The new United

Polar Bear

Please take your business to other airlines. This is the only way to show United who you are. They don’t deserve your business.

However, I support the IF lounge agent’s decision. We all like some favor or good gesture from time to time but we are not entitled to those favors or good gestures. United does not go extra mile for their customer anymore, therefore take your business to other places is the only way to change the status quo.

Polar Bear

boss315

Been there, done that....Feb. 1 is Feb 1 is Feb. 1!

JDS747

Completely agree with Ken here!

This is one of those cases were you knew it was wrong but your expectation was to get it anyway and then you didn't so you are angry. That is where you are being unreasonable in my opinion. Could it have been handled differently by the agent? Sure, but often your initial approach is what triggers the response.

I've found that when you go at it the other way around (not expecting it), as was mentioned up thread by another poster, you often actually get what you wanted, but when you go in there expecting it/demanding it, you get what you got... nothing.

Seeing people get denied at an airline club is a regular occurrence for me. Not sure if others have the same experience but I see it all the time, and it's not just at UA clubs (I know this thread is mainly about the GF lounge but still).

trini19

In my opinion, the same way the OP is stating that UA should have "honored their mistake", its the same view UA is taking in that you are mistaken in asking to receive a benefit that is not entitled to you basically because of a typo, so please honor that and move on. Threatening to move onto another airline because of the OPs mistake of trying to benefit from UA's mistake is not justifiable in my eyes. Maybe the OP has his ego shot but no reason to go to that extreme.

Unfortunately we live in a world where as soon as a mistake is made, someone tries to jump on it for their benefit. A simple, "ahh i see the confusion. Thanks for letting me know and have a great day!" goes a long way. Not saying OP didnt conduct himself like this, but speaking in general terms.

From the OP's standpoint, the agent definitely should of been much much more courteous in her response especially when she states "I dont work for United". My immediate response would of been:
"Actually you do ma'am, you are in a UA lounge and just because your pay stub might not say UAL, does not mean the money does not come from them (I assume this is how it works as I assume the employees are sub-contracted). But in general, you represent the airline industry, parent airline for that particular lounge, and entire airport in your current position of being in a front desk of a service offered by UA and the airport."
I mean, if I walked in and asked a simple question, are you going to state I do not work for UA and will not answer your question even if all I am asking is are there limes in the lounge??? HAHA You should be professional and either answer my question with a chuckle or direct me to where I can get an answer.

OP, in stead of complaining about not being allowed entry into the lounge, I would of made a formal complaint against her to lounge manager and UA right there and then.

Not condoning the action whatsoever, but I saw this post on a social website the other day, "My parents spanked me as a kid, now I suffer from a psychological disorder called respect for others".

IAH-OIL-TRASH

But you knew you were 1K. It would have crossed my mind that I was either 1K or GS and I would have been prepared for the worse (1K). You decided that you were a GS, no matter what and were disappointed. Your fault. You're like the kid who finds $10,000 deposited by mistake into his bank account (or whatever it was) and claims it's his. Should the bank be "customer friendly", and let him have it? Pffft.

What if it was a glitch that caused GS to be on every flyer's BP that day? Is the attendant to let everyone in? If I was the attendant and saw one, I might assume others might show up with the same (wrong) status. Deny.

cesco.g

Good customer service procedures on the part of agent would have allowed OP to use IFL and kept him happy. He is obviously a HVF.

Steve M

If something as small as this is going to cause a GS/1K flyer to switch airlines, then I don't see that it's in UA's interest to accommodate them, as it won't solve the underlying problem: it will be just a matter of time before some other tiny, insignificant issue comes up that will result in a threat to move all his business elsewhere.

From the quote of UA's response, it appears that there was more than one back-and-forth between UA and the OP on this matter: they said "I regret you disagree." and I infer from this that there was some prior correspondence from UA and that the OP replied that they didn't like the response. First a complaint, then at least one follow-up, and now a FT posting, all over being denied entry to a lounge to which the OP was not entitled entry to?

donjo

Bad business decision by the agent representing United. If your Lexus car warranty was out of date by 12 hours would it be wise for them to deny honoring a claim? Doubt it. You are/were one of the best customers to the airline and it was foolish to quibble over a technicality with you. United needs to practice what they preach.