Very rude SFO RCC agent re: mileage runs
May 25, 2008, 1:14 pm
#91
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Pre-9/11 America
Posts: 5,115
Lucky, sorry to hear of your unpleasant experience. I have encountered the agent you described, and I guess I am fortunate to have had only transactional dealings with him.
I have always regarded mileage runners as roughly analogous to specialists on the floor of the NYSE - they assure that there is a continuous market and that the inputs to revenue management forecasts are based on current and transparent information, all while acting by and large in their own interests. Yes, they get trash talked by traders and even by some of the big B/D houses, but ultimately they give all market particpants the confidence that somebody out there will buy
I have always regarded mileage runners as roughly analogous to specialists on the floor of the NYSE - they assure that there is a continuous market and that the inputs to revenue management forecasts are based on current and transparent information, all while acting by and large in their own interests. Yes, they get trash talked by traders and even by some of the big B/D houses, but ultimately they give all market particpants the confidence that somebody out there will buy
May 25, 2008, 1:40 pm
#92
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When the RCC agent said "people like you," here's roughly how I would have responded.
"Oh, you mean loyal customers? Customers that stick with UA even with horrible service and rude remarks like that, customers that spend $300 a month to join the club and keep you a job? You're right, I'm a horrible customer."
"Oh, you mean loyal customers? Customers that stick with UA even with horrible service and rude remarks like that, customers that spend $300 a month to join the club and keep you a job? You're right, I'm a horrible customer."
May 25, 2008, 1:41 pm
#93
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8320/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)
That mileage runner today may be on a full fare coach ticket next month or more and if someone said that to me I would cancel my full fare tickets in a heartbeat and tell UA why.
That mileage runner today may be on a full fare coach ticket next month or more and if someone said that to me I would cancel my full fare tickets in a heartbeat and tell UA why.
May 25, 2008, 1:42 pm
#94
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At risk of diverting this discussion, does anybody else have a problem with the way the UA employees are referred to as "matrons" or "$12/hour employees"? Do we really need to denigrate these employees? It's particularly ironic because these terms are often used in conjunction with complaints about being treated rudely. While everyone on these boards always claims to be calm, reasonable and polite in dealing with agents or FAs, something tells me that people who speak of the employees in these terms may actually come off quite differently.
As for the $12/hour comment, my point is that this guy shouldn't be acting as if he's making financial decisions for United, or as if he has any say. My point is simply that this guy is paid by the hour, and his job description should be pretty clear, and it doesn't include chewing out a customer.
FWIW, I don't always claim to be calm. I know when I'm out of hand and when I'm not. I was NOT rude, aggressive, or anything else here, I was honestly as nice as I could be. Actually if anything I was quite reserved.
Hehe, honestly wasn't pressing any buttons here. I was as shocked as anyone else would be.
Last edited by iluv2fly; May 25, 2008 at 7:39 pm Reason: unnecessary
May 25, 2008, 1:46 pm
#95
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Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
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I've found almost all the folks in the SFO RCC to be terrific. In fact, I can think of only a handful of times when anyone at SFO -- GA or CSR or ticket rep -- hasn't been anything other than terrific. I should also add that, lately, I've been having real positive interactions at LAX, too (though with a couple of notable exceptions).
Last edited by iluv2fly; May 25, 2008 at 7:40 pm Reason: response to edited quote
May 25, 2008, 2:04 pm
#96
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SFO
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Posts: 350
And you've hit the nail on the head. I'm not a huge fan of mileage runs because, within UA's system, it creates 1Ks whose yearly spend is 1/3 of mine. However, I've had exactly this happen at SFO and DEN -- irrops due to "crew scheduling" (and we all know what that means), when I've had business meetings. Particularly, I fly between SFO and LAX a lot and, even when it's a re-book 3 hours later, it can mean the difference between getting a full-night's sleep and only a few hours for my next meeting. This is what I find so completely frustrating (and doubly so as a mere 1P) -- I pay a premium to fly UA because it is supposed to be business-travelers friendly but, in truth, there are some stations (SFO and DEN come to mind) that treat everyone as if they was Southwest-flying Gomers.
Lucky, I hope you use your "magic powers" to bring this agent's attitude to the attention of the appropriate people. That an agent would dare talk to any customer in that fashion is absolutely inexcusable.
Lucky, I hope you use your "magic powers" to bring this agent's attitude to the attention of the appropriate people. That an agent would dare talk to any customer in that fashion is absolutely inexcusable.
May 25, 2008, 2:08 pm
#97
Join Date: Jun 2001
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You say that as if it's a bad thing. There are very good jobs in this world that pay by the hour.
However, by opening his mouth, that employee puts himself in a no-win situation. When I have had jobs where I was a front line employee, if a customer is playing by the rules, it's not my position to tell them what they are doing is bad for business. It's simply not what I was paid to do. If I had a problem with what they were doing, I would deal with it internally.
BTW, I don't see how "several short hops across the country" really makes much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. You more or less end up with the same amount of miles. (My preference is simply for out of the way routings, but hey...)
Delta used to have very liberal routing rules. You could get Expedia to spit out wacky routings, say from LAX-LAS but via ATL and CVG. I used to try and find the most amount of miles for the cheapest price, but never ticketed anything
DL has done away with that however.
However, by opening his mouth, that employee puts himself in a no-win situation. When I have had jobs where I was a front line employee, if a customer is playing by the rules, it's not my position to tell them what they are doing is bad for business. It's simply not what I was paid to do. If I had a problem with what they were doing, I would deal with it internally.
BTW, I don't see how "several short hops across the country" really makes much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. You more or less end up with the same amount of miles. (My preference is simply for out of the way routings, but hey...)
Delta used to have very liberal routing rules. You could get Expedia to spit out wacky routings, say from LAX-LAS but via ATL and CVG. I used to try and find the most amount of miles for the cheapest price, but never ticketed anything
DL has done away with that however.
May 25, 2008, 2:39 pm
#98
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Upstate NY
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As for the $12/hour comment, my point is that this guy shouldn't be acting as if he's making financial decisions for United, or as if he has any say. My point is simply that this guy is paid by the hour, and his job description should be pretty clear, and it doesn't include chewing out a customer.
May 25, 2008, 2:42 pm
#99
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,952
TPA-DEN-SAN (most direct UA routing) -- 1,506 + 853 = 2,359 miles, versus
TPA-IAD-SFO-LAX-SAN -- 810 + 2,419 + 500 + 500 = 4,229 miles
With double EQM/100% RDM bonus, it's 4,718 versus 8,458 miles. And if the reverse trip were the same, 9,436 versus 16,916 miles. Whichever way, the difference is about 80 percent.
May 25, 2008, 2:43 pm
#100
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Lucky, front line staff make financial decisions for their companies everyday and an hourly wage has nothing to do with it. I agree with you that his reaction to your MR was over the top, but to denigrate an employee based on his/her wages is a little over-reactive as well.
May 25, 2008, 2:57 pm
#101
Join Date: May 2003
Location: At This Point, Only G*d Knows!
Posts: 3,467
Frankly, it was this guy (I also had a run in with him) and some of his elk that really turned me off to UA. Dealing with UA employee IMHO can be really distasteful (as Lucky experienced) and I will no longer use UA if I can help it.
Frankly, this employee is yet another reason why the UA RCC is not worth the money they ask for it.
Dan
Frankly, this employee is yet another reason why the UA RCC is not worth the money they ask for it.
Dan
May 25, 2008, 3:42 pm
#102
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: My heart is in Hawai'i
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I'm rather upset by the "We know about people like you." comment the agent made. I recently had someone at Alaska Airlines tell me almost the exact same thing, and I just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Horrible customer service; he's insulting the fact that you love his organization more than he does. FT-UAL die-hards, we have some muscle here. We need to take care of this problem. UA management may not care about the company enough to weed this guy out, but the response to this post indicates we do. It's time to take the trash out. United's worth fighting for.
May 25, 2008, 4:15 pm
#103
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SNA
Programs: UA Platinum
Posts: 1,536
I'm rather upset by the "We know about people like you." comment the agent made. I recently had someone at Alaska Airlines tell me almost the exact same thing, and I just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Horrible customer service; he's insulting the fact that you love his organization more than he does. FT-UAL die-hards, we have some muscle here. We need to take care of this problem. UA management may not care about the company enough to weed this guy out, but the response to this post indicates we do. It's time to take the trash out. United's worth fighting for.
I wonder if this guy knows he's famous on this website for being such a downright butthead to customers?
May 25, 2008, 4:44 pm
#104
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,987
Seriously now... such behaviour is totally unacceptable. It is also hard to handle, because if (this or any) UA employee wouldn't like reaction to his/her words, then they could mark pax profile with "troublemaker" label, which could make life even more difficult. Considering circumstances, I think lucky handled it very well, but now I'd advise to file a complain to UA management. I don't think he broke any rules, but RCC agent broke one, and very fundamental: "never upset customers who pay your wages, especially loyal customers as they're more than others help to keep your company afloat".
Last edited by iluv2fly; May 25, 2008 at 7:44 pm Reason: response to edited quote
May 25, 2008, 6:56 pm
#105
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There is nothing wrong with MR; that's not the point. But I think any airline is out of their minds if they don't do something to discourage people from hopping around the country in short segments on a single ticket. Regardless, it wasn't in the position of the RCC agent to say anything, but I understand his sentiment.
Last edited by GadgetFreak; May 25, 2008 at 8:17 pm