As a 2K, I think this blows! One of the few "privileges" of flying excessively is being able to board early enough with a carry-on so as to insure it does not need to be checked in and picked up from baggage. If you fly daily, this is almost a necessity. By adding credit card holders to early boards, it diminishes the "guaranteed" overhead space. This in effect is a significant down-grade in benefits for a gold flyer. Maybe the moron who thought of this bright idea owns stock in a credit card company. But he/she certainly does not need to fly every day!
What they need is to have some of those very experienced and savvy GA's from SFO who are legendary at enforcing boarding order go on a road trip to show fellow employees how it is done.
On the behalf of my fellow experienced and savvy SFO GA's thank you very much.
Note to others; there are a lot of brand new GA's at SFO so if things don't seem to be done correctly a gentle comment of "I don't think that's the official way" might help.
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyingnosh
What is see happening more and more is that passengers present their boarding pass facedown towards the scanner. After the boarding pass is scanned, the GA turns it over and then sees that the passenger is in the wrong boarding group. By that time it's too late. The boarding pass has already been scanned.
I've noticed this and turn the BP face up before scanning. Fortunately in 99% of the cases the person is in the correct BG
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGRITS
Yesterday's IAH-ORD on UA1575:
I approached the C-26 gate area at boarding time - 1 minute. There are the familiar two lanes for Premier Access (blue carpet) and everyone else.
GA: "Ladies and gentlemen we are goin to begin preboarding Flight 1575 with service to Chicago. We'll begin with Global Services, military; active military in uniform, retired military, families with small children and anyone needing extra time to board." About 10 people board.
GA:"All military; any other military? How about retired - Is anyone else retired military out there?" (One guy raises his hand) "Come on up sir." (guy goes to scanner and mutters something unintelligible) GA: "Yes sir, retired Marine Corps."
"Group 1; First Class, One Hundred Thousand Mile Flyers, all Group 1." About 20 more board.
GA: "Group 2...(no further explanation)." As I scan, I asked him, "Have you guys implemented the new boarding procedures?"
This agent verbose announcements are not in accord with the standard announcements. It's offer pre-boarding to Passengers with disabilities (that is all that needs to be said). This a DOT requirement.
offer pre-boarding to GS and uniform military (no other words are needed)
BG1 through the Premier Access Lane (no need to announce who is in BG 1 as it just causes confusion)
BG2 through the Premier Access Lane
BG3 through the Economy Lane
BG5 through the Economy Lane
BG5 through the Economy Lane
Who is in each group is not to be announced. In the pre-boarding announcement usually given 5 min prior to boarding you are to describe the 3 pre-board groups, point out that everyone else will board by BG on BP and point out priority boarding for Chase CC holder is reflected in the BG printed on BG. GAs who say more than this must like to here themselves talk on the PA.
You better plan on a two months road trip sponsored by FT members.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SFOFastAir
On the behalf of my fellow experienced and savvy SFO GA's thank you very much.
Note to others; there are a lot of brand new GA's at SFO so if things don't seem to be done correctly a gentle comment of "I don't think that's the official way" might help.
I've noticed this and turn the BP face up before scanning. Fortunately in 99% of the cases the person is in the correct BG
This agent verbose announcements are not in accord with the standard announcements. It's offer pre-boarding to Passengers with disabilities (that is all that needs to be said). This a DOT requirement.
offer pre-boarding to GS and uniform military (no other words are needed)
BG1 through the Premier Access Lane (no need to announce who is in BG 1 as it just causes confusion)
BG2 through the Premier Access Lane
BG3 through the Economy Lane
BG5 through the Economy Lane
BG5 through the Economy Lane
Who is in each group is not to be announced. In the pre-boarding announcement usually given 5 min prior to boarding you are to describe the 3 pre-board groups, point out that everyone else will board by BG on BP and point out priority boarding for Chase CC holder is reflected in the BG printed on BG. GAs who say more than this must like to here themselves talk on the PA.
Actually I think the CNBC article is pretty lame other than it's bad press for United.
It's just a FT cut and past job and it's also factually wrong. Eg (More than 920 people have posted feedback on the Flyertalk thread, the vast majority upset with the changes.)
No CNBC...there are far less than 920 people posting in this thread containing 920+ posts.
United just do not seem to be able to keep the exclusivity for the premium flyers - we are now being put with Platinum flyers to board and the whole credit card access is getting crazy - clubs overflowing, lines getting longer....if this continues we will look at other airlines and move our business.
ok so I just transferred lots of flex miles to become gold. If I knew about these changes I would have never done so. and all the money I charge 100s of thousands on my business cc with chase every year. Time for a change
Not that I expected anything, but I got my word in w/ UA and got a reply.
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Thanks for furnishing a copy of the response you got from UA concerning your communication with them over the new boarding nonsense.
Although the response to you was polite and long, it really did not say anything except that Smisek is not answering complaints and that you were thanked for using UA in your travel plans.
There was no mention that the new boarding process would be tested or evaluated or possibly changed.
Commensurate with various news reports of Smisek's interviews, loyalty is not a concern to UA. The message many of us get from what Smisek and CFO Rainey said is if you (over entitled) elites do not like the new boarding procedure (or any other demotion) , to hell with you.
All the changes (demotions) together with the demonstrated intransigent attitude over complaints cannot be good for UA's goodwill.
It would be nice if UA would, just once in a while, admit that some of the changes or demotions were not in the best interests in the long term survival of UA as a competitive air carrier.
The latest boarding process is but one of a series of demotions that will cause a further exodus of former loyal UA customers.
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Programs: UA Silver (UA Gold in 06/13, UA Plat in 11/13), Hertz Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 169
Quote:
Originally Posted by TIMOS
Group 4: Silver + Club Card holders (the $400 a years card)
Before today, this Silver would not have taken offense to that.
However, UA advertised a Club (not Explorer) Card with the first year's fee completely waived (!) when I logged in today to check in for a flight, so...
Programs: UA 1K, AA Exec Plat, SPG Plat, HH Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Silv, PC Plat Amb, Fairmont Premier
Posts: 7,216
Quote:
Originally Posted by SFOFastAir
New guidelines for handling customers during IRROPs were published this week. The new guidelines have just about everything that I've seen that FTers want. These guidelines are more similar to what pmUA did but go somewhat further in the customer's favor and from what I gather here on FT represent a radical change from pmCO procedures. So if you're in an IRROP situation and don't think you are getting what you deserve ask the agent if they're aware of new guidelines communicated in early Jan 2013.
Quote:
Originally Posted by UA-NYC
PLEASE TELL MORE!!!
(very worthy of a new thread entirely)
Thanks SFOFastAir. But yes, please do tell more if you can.
And yes++, this definitely deserves a new thread. (And technically, is way OT...not that that ever stops us in posting where we want to post at FT.) I suggest you delete this post and re-post as a new thread. Or as a second choice perhaps the mods can move this post to a new thread.
Programs: UA MM PG, Hertz 5*, National Executive Emerald, Starwood Gold
Posts: 1,577
Quote:
Originally Posted by y2k1jetta
All this because CC users were upgraded and Gold was downgraded?
While I agree this stinks for Gold users, get use to it. The biggest thing Gold users can do is to leave UA for another airline. But if I come to the ft forums and whine maybe they will reverse their decision. LOL. You are surely fooled if you think UA would do that now or consider a new direction based upon your past flying experience. Leaving UA is hard and you were a loyal friend for years but enough is enough, leave United for the other loyalty programs and see if it is any better? I doubt it.
Actually, what I'm doing is choosing to fly other *A carriers when I fly full C internationally, and letting UA know that I'm doing it because of the change in boarding policy.
By status and THEN by PQMs from the prior year. If someone makes 1K by June, they should have immediate boarding priority over the other levels.
No, no. no to this. It was abused and there wasn't much a GA could do when a family of 3 teens and a 10 year old decided to preboard. Happened all the time--especially here in Florida.
Agree with your point about status and then PQMs. Do not agree about your views on pre boarding. Legitimate cases of parents with very young kids who need the extra time should be allowed to pre-board. Maybe don't have this as a formal rule but GA's should be allowed to exercise their judgment (with clear instructions from management). I cannot believe how people can be so cold towards people with real needs just because some others abuse the rules.
This is a Downgrade!
) I suggest you delete this post and re-post as a new thread. Or as a second choice perhaps the mods can move this post to a new thread.
