surferdl

Wow,

I thought the GAs and Dragons in ATL and HNL were bad.

You owuld think the airlines would want tokeep all customers right now

Firewind

But taking from a discussion on another thread, the Powers That Be at the airlines who have strategically decided to go down the path of fees have set the stage for pitting employees and customers against each other. It's two small steps from saying that we should pay our "fair share" via "bundling" and "A La Carte Pricing", to saying that we aren't paying our fair share now, to saying that we haven't been all along. This is the philosophy that's being communicated, and climate that's being set along with the new policies being communicated down within United. And we are getting it from the two main Defenders here on this board (not the official spokespeople). It's communicated down through United that, "We have to capture every fee, or they're taking advantage of us. Nail everyone who is taking advantage of us." So, it becomes, "We know about you people, we know who you are....." Even when rules aren't being broken. (Sound familiar to any students of history?)

The first two problems with fees, and believe me I have studied all aspects of the concept in a former life, are:

1) They are inelastic. Be it government or corporations that initiate them, they float on a whole different curve than the usual supply and demand one. They encounter the sturm und drang, but this passes (e.g., economic behavior swallows them).

2) They operate on a ratchet (see #1). They never go down. Present case in point. Going in, there is the implication that they are temporary because they are oil-related. But if oil goes down, do you think they ever will? No. Meantime, your free ticket has become a discounted ticket.

And what about the poison that's accompanying them into the marketplace, meantime?

Also, meantime, there will be fare hikes anyway (remember The Defenders saying, "I'd rather have fees than fare hikes," just before United announced the $60 hike?)

Lastly, and saddest, meantime, there still will be lay-offs of the employees who were sent forth with the message and the desired attitude...

GodOSpoons

So, I'm reading this [thread] and it dawns on me... we're on Page 11 of this thread and no one has said the obvious FT thing, something I've said a number of times:

"KEEP IT TOGETHER, MAN/WOMAN! DON'T MESS UP A GOOD THING!"

I've tried saying this in a number of threads, particularly as we discuss strategies on how to get from a one-way ticket on US DCA-BOS to an EQM-eligible UA IAD-MEL roundtrip in F. For example, I highlighted the need to not be seen as a whiny little child by UA ground staff in post #70 of this thread:

Or, alternately, it's important to name your threads accordingly. Use this thread as a reference, as I articulate a list of things that you shouldn't get tagged in message topics including the terms "Very Strange," "Horrifying" or "Chaos," nor should be seen as out of the ordinary when you're on frequent air travel on United or its partners.

So, after reading the thread [edited by moderator] I felt it important to address this [here]. Also note that it PAINS ME that this thread was started by lucky9876coins, as I have the utmost respect for this long standing beacon of brilliance in this rowdy bar of a message board, but I'm trapped in Helsinki on a sunny Sunday with nothing else to do, so I may as well torch a bridge or two for the sheer sake of a laugh.

So, in another swath of do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do, I'm not sure if this has been said in the 11 pages of responses in this thread, but here's a useful primer for our new friends on how people see us outside the FT bubble. In that world (let's call it "the Real World"):

1. People don't like sitting in confining metal tubes for any longer than they have to.
2. People don't like doing gate changes from mainline to UX at LAX
3. People pick a travel destination based on the destination itself and the reasons for travel, not a CPM calculation or EQM goal.
4. People enjoy going to actual places rather than those places' airports.
5. People find folks who want to do any of these things voluntarily have something wrong in their brains.
6. People don't expect to sit in first class on a $300 transcon ticket. They barely expect to get on the plane at that price.
7. Given the nature of IRROPs in these days of high loads, airline people find the risk of enforcing a route, rather than a destination, on a misconnection leads to unnecessary added costs, such as additional ground personnel to deal with your problem, higher probability of later misconnection, higher chance of misrouting of baggage (though it's likely a good FTer like lucky9876coins didn't check any) and exercise of published/unpublished benefits (like you getting an overnight at an LAX airport if you're a misconnected 1K).

I'm not discouraging anyone, lucky9876coins in particular, from doing mileage runs (though the new 500 rule probably will), but note that embracing the FT MR lifestyle--as does, say, my international business travel lifestyle--comes with an expectation that people in this "Real World" will think you're a complete idiot or insane. Sometimes, you just have to live with it rather than jeopardize the broader strategy. Don't do anything that, well, messes up a good thing for the rest of us.

Thank you for your attention.

Your friend in RAR!,

Timothy

DreamlinerI

I really have never meant these dragons everyone talks about and I have been in all of the RCC's....true, staffs have been cut so I am sure they feel overwhelmed...yesterday at the LAX RCC there were so many people trying to get in, while I was waiting in line to get in, who did not even belong and I could tell that would get frustrating arguing with so many people all day long over RCC rules.....also....I know the RCC employee that is being talked about in SFO and often he is the only one manning the front counter and people are asking him non-stop to do a vareity of things that I am sure are not in his job description.....

babyjesus

RAR! TED no talk too much!

chitownflyer

Actually, this is what we would call customer disservice.

GadgetFreak

I didnt say it was a woman. There are both men and woman working at the LGA RCC. In general, it is an interesting point, however, I suspect that there are more women in CS positions, when you include everyone interacting with passengers (including FAs) than men at UA. Given that, and that they sense my power, perhaps that is why I have had more or less universally positive CS experiences with UA. Or is your question of a more general nature? (it's toward the end of the clip)

GadgetFreak

I was doing a MR today, LGA-DEN-SNA-ORD-LGA. All with pretty close connections. Running a bit late, but on the same plane scheduled all the way from LGA-ORD. But then they announce a 3:45 minute delay on SNA-ORD due to ATC/weather. So I have a 50 minute connection to the last flight of the day back home some that is pretty grim. I ask in the RCC if they can get me back another way. Nope, lots sold out. So I ask about JFK nonstop out of either LAX or SFO. They said they could get me out on a non-redeye from LAX but there are no flights to LAX so I would have to take a cab and they cant pay for it. I ask how much the cab is and they said about $100. Oh, and they can put me in business on the LAX flight. After I confirm that there is plenty of time to get there I tell them to go ahead and they book it for me. They spent a lot of time, looking at all of the options available and giving me a good one. Most appreciated! ^