PHLGovFlyer

This is the one area where I will agree that US beats UA regularly. UA's ICC C/S is a disaster. I'd like to get a realistic estimate of how much business UA forfeits due to the horrific C/S at their ICCs. I know that UA's costs are MUCH lower on a per call basis, but at some point a company (any company...) has to think about the revenue side and customer satisfaction. I'm eternally thankful that as a 1K I don't have to deal with UA's ICC.

As a former CP I've dealt with the CP desk and UA's agents that service 1K callers. I'd say that its pretty much a tie. Sometimes you get a great one. Other times you're rolling your eyes at the fact that you know more about their business than they do.

As for non-elite customers, see my comments about UA's ICC above. UA has set the bar very low on this one.

mrhotelman

I know that our thoughts and feelings about US are on two different ends of the spectrum. However, I must give you a big ^ for your comments regarding UA's ICCs.

PHLGovFlyer

Agreed ^ . We all find different value in different things.

I've never said that UA was perfect, just that they worked better for me. As with most things, YMMV!

deyulia

I agree with some of what you have said on this thread and even to me but what I dont agree with is how when we get bad service and call it what it is your answer is "then leave and dont fly US".

I fly US because its the only airline that flys non stop into the cities I need to get to work and get home to my family at the times I need. Does that make it ok for them to give me crappy service? I think not. Just because they are the best option for me does not mean that I have to accept sub standard treatment and customer service?

carl92103

I use to be an elite with US for a long time and UA is way way better with customer service. The UA 1P and 1K desks are probably the best in the industry. Every department always thanks you for being a loyal 1P or 1K. The mileage plus staff are also very friendly. The only problem with UA is poor service in the refund department and some people complain about the baggage phone service.

The domestic first class is much nicer. Hot towels – linens ---heated nuts --larger meal portions--ice cream sundae cart or hot Ms. Fields chocolate chip cookies. They also have the best special meal service. US has the snack basket advantage. That is a nice feature. We only get those gold foil packs on shorter flights. But the RCC always has at least 5 types of snacks so I just bring those on flights.

ripvan

luckily I am not flying today, but needed to call the CP desk for a non urgent item. So I figured I would just wait until right before I went to bed. 1:50 AM here on the east (so yes, only just before 11:00 PM for the left coasters), but when calling the CP line, get "your call will be answered in approximately 26 minutes" - OUCH. If this is getting preferential treatment, how bad are the other lines tonight!!

mrhotelman

Every airline is experiencing the same delays with answering phone calls right now regardless of elite status. Its not just US. Why cant some of you understand that airlines cannot control mother nature and that there is only so much they can do with regards to "extreme" call volumes to their call centers. They only have so much staff, so many phone lines, etc. etc.

mrhotelman

If you don't like US, make a connection somewhere and fly on another airline. But don't think the grass is greener with another airline. No airline is perfect nowadays.

mrhotelman

I will give you that F service on longer domestic flights on UA is much better than US in terms of food service, etc. However, I would much rather have a little more limited service and have the more comfortable seat which I got with my unlimited CP upgrades (for which I have been 100% on) instead of having to worry about how I am going to pay for the upgrade on UA (cash, upgrade certs, etc.).

deyulia

You must own stock in US. Man is that a company line.

What part of non stop and times I need to get to work did you not understand in my post? So to get proper service I need to fly connections on other airlines? Why do you feel I should not be able to speak my mind and that having the PP desk agent flat out lie to me is proper treatment? I cant wait till you have a nightmare issue with them. Will you be posting on here how great they are? Talk about a fairweather fan.

It saddens me that people like you allow companies to give poor treatment to their most loyal customers and think that its is ok. When did the "service" part fall out of customer service?

deyulia

I guess as an Airtran elite you mush have gotten the poor service is OK thing hammered into your head. I'd love to hear what fine things you have to say about that disaster of an airline.

VA Maddog

tdeyulia - It sounds to me like you have chosen to use US as your preferred airline since their routing and schedules best meet your needs. It also seems like you would really prefer to fly someone else because you don't care for the customer service that you have received. The choice remains yours and you have made it.

Complain if you wish - but continually venting here is not very likely to change US, so ultimately your only realistic option is to accept the good with the bad or to switch to another carrier and then accept their good with their bad (schedules and routes that are not what you want).

Life is a trade off. It just seems odd that if you really feel that you have been treated so poorly that you still weight the schedules and routing so high that you are willing to accept the other service that you find so much less than what you want it to be.

The best attributes about this forum are the sharing of ideas and information, and the giving of helpful advice to others who ask. Posts which are essentially constant complaining do not seem to fit the concept or intent of the forum very well.

KevAZ

I don't mind people giving examples of poor service when they are truly that. Feedback that is negative is fine and I believe that if enough people experience it and report it, US (or any other company) will address it.

I roll my eyes at people that allow themselves to be treated like dirt. By going OK with rotten treatment, they foster a feeling with the company that they can get away with it.

There's a careful balance here, whining all the time about minor issues doesn't help anything. However taking a path of "hey whatever..." definitely hurts everyone.

US does have a call center quality problem and it's clear to me that they don't have anyone in control that understands call centers. Yes there are wonderful folks at all of the centers and I've sent A&B certs, STARs awards and always thank them when I receive that help. But man oh man are there some really rotten attitudes that need to be immediately cleansed from their system.

mrhotelman

I completely understood your post. I am sure there are ways for you to avoid US. Leave earlier in the day to allow more time for a connection, etc. You are not absolutely held hostage to US or any airline for that matter, unless of course you live in a city that only US has service to.

I have had issues on them but they have always been resolved either proactively or with one call. The issues I have had have always been resolved. If US treated me poorly, I would not continue to fly on them and be CP member. They take care of me quite well and have been even prior to me having CP.

mrhotelman

Oh just great, the newbie on this board has already resorted to insults, acting like the expert, etc. Fly as much as I do and as well as some of the other people on this board, and then you can act the expert. But in any case, keep the insults, personal comments out if it.