Originally Posted by
N1120A
1) I never consider a beef-only option to be "better food." Neither do I consider going from a perfectly appropriate fruit and cheese plate to a "full meal" a necessarily positive change.
One huge downgrade in food is the downgrade in BOB and corresponding increase in prices, and I'm not really talking about the lack of chips with the sandwiches.
2) I don't consider DirecTV, which even elites have to pay for in Y AFAIK, to always be a "benefit." A) I prefer Channel 9 to any other IFE. B) One doesn't always want TV, rather some background music often does the trick.
3) Better booze? If UA goes with CO's gin (from Tanqueray to Bombay Sapphire, I will be disappointed).
4) ...at the expense of the vast majority of 1Ks, who fly between 100k and 174999.
It appears that there will never be a change that would ever make you happy.
These are some of the weakest argument points I think I have ever heard. To take your opinion on one minor aspect/item of each change in order to dismiss the category is simply awful.
Considering the full demographic of the individuals on the plane, one could definitely argue that 1) change from a cheese plate to a full meal would be preferable to most on the plane, that 2) more individuals on the flight would prefer a variety of programming over ATC chatter, and 3) that a overall wider selection of alcohol on board is a net positive even though the gin changes brands.
With respect to 4), yes, it does harm us 1k's below 175k, but overall a system which is more aligned to actual level of flying is tough to argue against. In the old system, theoretically, the more one flew on UA, the more that one would necessarily be "paying" for the CR-1's given that they are capped each quarter. Do I personally like the change? No. But it's a system which is better aligned to actual flights and it's tough to argue against.
There have been many aspects of the merger which have made me irate, but there is no need to come up with ludicrous ways to rationalize every change as bad. Grab a full meal, enjoy a ball game on DirecTV, and drink something other than gin for once.