Inside United Airlines’ Ultra- Exclusive 4 Million Mile Club
Dec 21, 2015, 2:08 pm
#61
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
Dec 21, 2015, 2:17 pm
#62
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
Of course it's been months since this was announced, and my memory is a bit suspect
Dec 21, 2015, 2:31 pm
#63
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NorCal
Programs: MP Ag, former 1K
Posts: 479
Reading through the thread, it seems that no one on Flyertalk has ever seen another one of Paula Froelich's web based episodes of "A Broad abroad".
http://www.abroadabroad.com/about/
She travels around the world, trying to provide an irreverent perspective on different cultures, experiences and whatnot. Sometimes what she says is funny, sometimes not, but I think she's just trying to get people to travel and have a good time.
IMO, the GS article is neither fluff nor a real journalistic piece. It's just part of her series of "experiences". Presumably, someone at United offered her to experience Global Service. She jumped on it, and then wrote/produced video about the experience along the path of her usually wacky perspectives. She'll deliberately pick out the most obscure details and focus on that, sometimes erroneously, but it's supposed to be popcorn TV sort of thing - turn off your brain and just enjoy her wackiness.
Unfortunately, she seemed to have run into the serious Flyertalk audience here that's picking apart the article for all the inaccuracies about Global Service. Sigh. The article isn't about Global Service per se. It's about someone offering her high end travel experience (let's pretend it is), something that she would not otherwise get to experience, and she's just providing her "unique perspective" on it.
http://www.abroadabroad.com/about/
She travels around the world, trying to provide an irreverent perspective on different cultures, experiences and whatnot. Sometimes what she says is funny, sometimes not, but I think she's just trying to get people to travel and have a good time.
IMO, the GS article is neither fluff nor a real journalistic piece. It's just part of her series of "experiences". Presumably, someone at United offered her to experience Global Service. She jumped on it, and then wrote/produced video about the experience along the path of her usually wacky perspectives. She'll deliberately pick out the most obscure details and focus on that, sometimes erroneously, but it's supposed to be popcorn TV sort of thing - turn off your brain and just enjoy her wackiness.
Unfortunately, she seemed to have run into the serious Flyertalk audience here that's picking apart the article for all the inaccuracies about Global Service. Sigh. The article isn't about Global Service per se. It's about someone offering her high end travel experience (let's pretend it is), something that she would not otherwise get to experience, and she's just providing her "unique perspective" on it.
Dec 21, 2015, 6:40 pm
#64
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: UA/CO GS, PP, MM
Posts: 360
Reading through the thread, it seems that no one on Flyertalk has ever seen another one of Paula Froelich's web based episodes of "A Broad abroad".
http://www.abroadabroad.com/about/
She travels around the world, trying to provide an irreverent perspective on different cultures, experiences and whatnot. Sometimes what she says is funny, sometimes not, but I think she's just trying to get people to travel and have a good time.
IMO, the GS article is neither fluff nor a real journalistic piece. It's just part of her series of "experiences". Presumably, someone at United offered her to experience Global Service. She jumped on it, and then wrote/produced video about the experience along the path of her usually wacky perspectives. She'll deliberately pick out the most obscure details and focus on that, sometimes erroneously, but it's supposed to be popcorn TV sort of thing - turn off your brain and just enjoy her wackiness.
Unfortunately, she seemed to have run into the serious Flyertalk audience here that's picking apart the article for all the inaccuracies about Global Service. Sigh. The article isn't about Global Service per se. It's about someone offering her high end travel experience (let's pretend it is), something that she would not otherwise get to experience, and she's just providing her "unique perspective" on it.
http://www.abroadabroad.com/about/
She travels around the world, trying to provide an irreverent perspective on different cultures, experiences and whatnot. Sometimes what she says is funny, sometimes not, but I think she's just trying to get people to travel and have a good time.
IMO, the GS article is neither fluff nor a real journalistic piece. It's just part of her series of "experiences". Presumably, someone at United offered her to experience Global Service. She jumped on it, and then wrote/produced video about the experience along the path of her usually wacky perspectives. She'll deliberately pick out the most obscure details and focus on that, sometimes erroneously, but it's supposed to be popcorn TV sort of thing - turn off your brain and just enjoy her wackiness.
Unfortunately, she seemed to have run into the serious Flyertalk audience here that's picking apart the article for all the inaccuracies about Global Service. Sigh. The article isn't about Global Service per se. It's about someone offering her high end travel experience (let's pretend it is), something that she would not otherwise get to experience, and she's just providing her "unique perspective" on it.
Dec 21, 2015, 9:47 pm
#65
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Former 1k, Lifetime UA Gold, Starwood Gold; Avis Preferred; Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,732
I don't know her personally but my opinion is she is probably not a journalist and therefore.....
Dec 21, 2015, 10:32 pm
#66
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,697
IMO, the GS article is neither fluff nor a real journalistic piece. It's just part of her series of "experiences". Presumably, someone at United offered her to experience Global Service. She jumped on it, and then wrote/produced video about the experience along the path of her usually wacky perspectives. She'll deliberately pick out the most obscure details and focus on that, sometimes erroneously, but it's supposed to be popcorn TV sort of thing - turn off your brain and just enjoy her wackiness.
Unfortunately, she seemed to have run into the serious Flyertalk audience here that's picking apart the article for all the inaccuracies about Global Service. Sigh. The article isn't about Global Service per se. It's about someone offering her high end travel experience (let's pretend it is), something that she would not otherwise get to experience, and she's just providing her "unique perspective" on it.
Dec 21, 2015, 11:25 pm
#67
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NorCal
Programs: MP Ag, former 1K
Posts: 479
Jan 11, 2016, 3:40 pm
#68
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: TPA
Programs: UA Global Services 3MM, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 2,927
Jan 11, 2016, 4:05 pm
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,334
Thumbs down to the article for its sensational coverage....
I lost count, but it has definitely happened to me a few times. I also declined a couple of times.
I had experienced free golf cart pick-ups from Air China First Lounge to UA gate when departing from PEK awhile ago. I am not sure if they still offer it, but I normally decline it to get some exercise in before get on a 10+ hours of fly back to the US.
n't do is pick you up from the lounge and deposit you at the aircraft -- unless you're a blogger writing something for UA it seems.I had experienced free golf cart pick-ups from Air China First Lounge to UA gate when departing from PEK awhile ago. I am not sure if they still offer it, but I normally decline it to get some exercise in before get on a 10+ hours of fly back to the US.
Jan 11, 2016, 5:07 pm
#71
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: San Francisco & Boston (bicoastal)
Programs: United Global Services, Marriott Platinum, SPG Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 12
Heard two guys discussing something along these lines (specifically, an SUV taking you to the plane) while exiting a plane last weekend. At the time, I had no idea what they were talking about. Apparently some people believe this is a real thing. Guess United's facade worked out for them.
Jan 11, 2016, 5:17 pm
#72
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: San Francisco & Boston (bicoastal)
Programs: United Global Services, Marriott Platinum, SPG Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 12
What was pretty funny once (at HOU), we had a tight connection and they apologized for not having a Mercedes for us but they came with one of those UA trolleys to take us to our next gate.
It turned out that the gate had been changed and they drove us all over the airport looking for our gate. We ended up at the gate right next to the one we'd arrived at in the first place.
WHOOPSIE. GS wasn't so great then because we might have had time to stop for a DRINK if they hadn't driven us all over hell and back. But the sentiment was nice...
It turned out that the gate had been changed and they drove us all over the airport looking for our gate. We ended up at the gate right next to the one we'd arrived at in the first place.
WHOOPSIE. GS wasn't so great then because we might have had time to stop for a DRINK if they hadn't driven us all over hell and back. But the sentiment was nice...
Jan 11, 2016, 8:41 pm
#73
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: United 1K 3MM
Posts: 387
I experienced the MB once, but not because of me! My wife and I (both 1K, her status came from me) were flying to Asia via San Francisco. I was on an upgraded W fare in C and she was on a Global First Award ticket in F. The flight to SF was delayed as usual so we have about 30 minutes to catch the international flight. I was counting on the first plane the minutes it will take and figured we should make it to the gate before it closed. At the arrival gate, the ground agent called out her name (not mine!) and offered the car service gate to gate. Indeed, she had to ask the agent to bring me along. We climbed the steps to the departure gate and someone actually carried our carry-ons for us. It was a very nice gesture even though we would have made it (as did quite a few other passengers with the same connecting flight) with a brisk walk. So, you do not need to be GS, and you do not even need a revenue ticket.