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Realistic and actionable items United can change (or not) to make MileagePlus better

Realistic and actionable items United can change (or not) to make MileagePlus better

Old May 5, 2017, 6:00 am
  #46  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: IAD/DCA/BWI
Programs: Hyatt Globalist (2020:Exp), United Gold
Posts: 1,525
Originally Posted by elCheapoDeluxe
Ooh - I just came up with an obvious one. OBVIOUS one. TOD upgrade money counts toward PQD.
So true! For things that should count toward PQD, I would also add:

Change fees ($200-450) (From an IT point of view, might be difficult to adjust each segment by this amount. But they can add a standalone "PQD adjustment" at the end of the trip.)

Unaccompanied Minor Fee ($250) This is a required payment for the passenger. At $500 roundtrip, it can add up pretty quickly.
wh6cto is offline  
Old May 5, 2017, 6:44 am
  #47  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
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Originally Posted by wh6cto

Unaccompanied Minor Fee ($250) This is a required payment for the passenger. At $500 roundtrip, it can add up pretty quickly.
Would that fee be credited to the minor or the parent paying?
drewguy is offline  
Old May 5, 2017, 7:43 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chicago: ORD, MDW
Programs: United Million Mile Flyer, Hilton Silver, Marriott Gold, DL, AA WN
Posts: 514
Originally Posted by Exleftseat
In the Airline business of today there will never be any positive changes for the customer.
A positive for a customer means a negative for the airlines. "Give" costs money, "Take"
increases profit. On top of it, if the customers have few choices, then what incentive
does an airline have to "play nice". That's just the way it is in 2017.
I understand the realities of what you say. I am sure that no airline plans to roll services and privileges back to what they were 5, 10, or 15 years ago.

However, as the current and continuing list of customer service challenges at every airline continue to get generate bad news, perhaps some airline executive will get the brilliant idea that rewarding loyalty might generate some financial benefit in the long run! They might "reinvent" some of the tried and true frequent flyer program practices of the past.

Some things, like a flight attendant or a desk agent recognizing frequent flyers, offering a drink now and then, occasionally offering a free upgrade, etc. don't cost a lot, but go a long way to make frequent customers feel better - especially when pitch, seat size, cup size, etc. - seem to be shrinking.

At lest this is my hope.
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Old May 5, 2017, 1:29 pm
  #49  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oregon
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Posts: 3,993
Originally Posted by wh6cto
So true! For things that should count toward PQD, I would also add:

Change fees ($200-450) (From an IT point of view, might be difficult to adjust each segment by this amount. But they can add a standalone "PQD adjustment" at the end of the trip.)

Unaccompanied Minor Fee ($250) This is a required payment for the passenger. At $500 roundtrip, it can add up pretty quickly.
I'm really less bothered by those. The inconsistency is part of the problem with the TOD upgrades. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't, if you pay a first class fare it does, but if you pay a TOD that is as much as the first class fare when combined with your ticket... maybe? Just make it count - period.
elCheapoDeluxe is offline  
Old May 5, 2017, 4:42 pm
  #50  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 304
Originally Posted by Fredd
Two tangible "It's never too late to do the right thing" actions would be

1. restore the pre-merger UA Million Mile Flyer benefits; and,

2. Honor the promises made on this page to Silver Wings Lifetime members.



No, I'm not holding my breath waiting.
As someone who is just about to hit MM status and who qualified for Siver Wings the year they gutted it, I'm right behind you
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Old May 5, 2017, 5:28 pm
  #51  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Programs: UA 1k, HH Diamond
Posts: 146
Originally Posted by ermintrude
+Ability for 1K to use GPUs & RPUs on award flights.
This x one hundred million
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Old May 5, 2017, 5:43 pm
  #52  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DC Suburbs
Programs: DL Gold, Hilton Gold, Carnival VIFP Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 459
First, GPUs:

Allow 1Ks to use GPUs as they can today, to upgrade from a W+ Y fare to lie-flats when R space is available
OR...
Allow 1Ks to use 2 GPUs to upgrade from <W to lie-flats when R space is available
OR...
Allow 1Ks to use 2 GPUs to upgrade from W+ to lie-flats when R space is exhausted but seats remain available in the cabin
OR...
Allow 1Ks to use 3 GPUs to upgrade from <W to lie-flats even if R space is not available but seats are still available in the cabin (perhaps with some specific holiday black out dates).

Second, award travel. Keep the excursionist perk for those constructing stopovers on a trip, but allow the multi city tool to be used to concoct any Zone A to Zone B (but not via Zone C) itinerary with <24 hour stopovers (<4 hours domestic when next flights are sooner). And be realistic about I space: I can't recall the number of times I've seen zero I space for February TPACs 9, 10, 11 months out...despite knowing well that those TPACs will go out with 10 or more empty business seats. (UA seems to finally have released the I space for February...but then again UA also emailed me about a sub-$600 round trip fare to CTU, so I think that's a result of recent events and not UA's norm).

Third, emulate AA's "super-saver" calendar for Y with below-saver redemption rates during the true off-season every year on a calendar pax can plan around, not some one-off sale.

Fourth, change BE to earn 0.5 PQM/PQD/PQS and 1.0 MM qualification miles. No one's going to hit 1K or MM off of BE fares, but if they find themselves on the occasional BE ticket, show that you still value them as a customer.

Finally, make ALL dollars spent with United count for PQD.

There's got to be a way to make the CPU system better but I think that's a separate discussion, and will need to be addressed comprehensively when International PE comes out.
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Old May 5, 2017, 5:50 pm
  #53  
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Originally Posted by aoumd
There's got to be a way to make the CPU system better but I think that's a separate discussion, and will need to be addressed comprehensively when International PE comes out.
What does CPU have to do with international PE? I see no reason to believe that UA will offer CPUs into PE. Sadly, I expect them to offer GPUs to PE instead, meaning that if you want to get into J, you need to buy PE and upgrade, and we'll be back in a three-class system again. The more things change...

(I further expect that there will be 2-3 fare classes for PE, and the discount one will not allow GPUs. But I digress).
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Old May 5, 2017, 5:50 pm
  #54  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 150
Get rid or lower co-pay for elites on routes that have them.
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Old May 5, 2017, 6:09 pm
  #55  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA *G 1MM LT United Club & Global Entry
Posts: 2,756
Originally Posted by wh6cto
Earlier SDC for elites (perhaps matching 48/72/96h CPU window).
This; and relaxing the SDC fare code restrictions for MP elites.


SL
SunLover is offline  
Old May 6, 2017, 8:43 am
  #56  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Syd
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Posts: 886
I'd just like to see SDC changed to 26 hours so I can fly ahead by a day on a SYD->LAX/SFO or reverse

Edit... End CPU's... either use an instrument, pay for it or sit in the bank, the game just needs to end....
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Old May 6, 2017, 8:49 am
  #57  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
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Originally Posted by jsloan
What does CPU have to do with international PE? I see no reason to believe that UA will offer CPUs into PE. Sadly, I expect them to offer GPUs to PE instead, meaning that if you want to get into J, you need to buy PE and upgrade, and we'll be back in a three-class system again. The more things change...

(I further expect that there will be 2-3 fare classes for PE, and the discount one will not allow GPUs. But I digress).
International PE for most carriers and UA domestic non-ps F are very similar products on both the hard and soft product end.

And a better CPU system that takes into account PE does not have to force GPUs to clear Y into PE instead of Y into C, AA doesn't do it that way.
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Old May 6, 2017, 9:00 am
  #58  
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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Originally Posted by entropy
I just want to be able to upgrade/buy F on equal/better terms than Kettles.
This. I'd give up my worthless RPU's in exchange for this.
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Old May 6, 2017, 12:40 pm
  #59  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Washington DC and Denver CO
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy Titanium/LT Gold
Posts: 379
So many people here talking about the GE credit like it was some amazing perk. Am I missing something? I barely noticed - it amounts to $20 a year?? With the spend most 1Ks and nevermind GS'S have, $20 out of at least $12,000 makes a difference to people?
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Old May 6, 2017, 1:06 pm
  #60  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: dark side of the moon
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Originally Posted by tcp1
So many people here talking about the GE credit like it was some amazing perk. Am I missing something? I barely noticed - it amounts to $20 a year?? With the spend most 1Ks and nevermind GS'S have, $20 out of at least $12,000 makes a difference to people?
Agreed; it makes no sense. Just as some 1K + GS get excited about UA throwing them a free food and drink item in Y when their CPU would in the past would likely have cleared (before UA introduced widespread cheap upfaring to F).
ermintrude is offline  

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