Originally Posted by abaheti

Don't get bogged down in the details. The real reason we have all accepted the AA match is higher level -- as is any fix for UA. My advice is to make is more for him to tell you what's going on. That will inform your decision about switching.

If your sense is that they are happy, and that everything is on track to run like they want/expect (once the obvious bugs are fixed), then AA sounds really good. If your sense is that they may actually change some of what you don't like, then maybe UA still makes sense.

He already must know all the details about the AA match and how much better being an EXP is than being 1K as of 3/3. He's on a listening tour, which is probably designed to let folks vent, but we have no evidence it is about actually improving things (and by that, I mean improving things to we pmUA elites who don't like the changes; other folks may be fine, and their business model may do great by nabbing those passengers vs us... all fine, and a choice that UA is making, just a choice that makes AA and even Southwest really appealing to me now).

My questions really boil down to:

"Mr. Hand, why don't you explain to me why I should stick with UA? What is going to change? Don't the philosophical/business approach changes made by the CO management group conflict with what pmUA flyers expected (and what we can get from AA)? (And route network, Star Alliance, and big new plane don't count as answers, because we already know the value of *A, etc.. this is more about corporate philosophy.)"

(1) The new UA has made a choice to focus on leisure and non-elite flyers (taking away elite perks, MM program, TOD upgrades, SWU roulette, etc). Based on that decision, which may very well be a solid business decision for the new UA (I don't think so, but who am I?), why should frequent flyers and elites stay with UA (other than when price is lowest)?

(2) Staff that are not empowered to really help elites are, perhaps, symbolic, of the new UA approach (based on what I know of the old CO approach). This is in contrast to the amazing level of service I used to get on UA and now get whenever interacting with AA. How will this be remedied? Assuming everyone finally learns SHARES and the SHARES bugs are worked out, will front line staff be given more authority? If not, why should an elite stay with UA?

(3) Who is being held accountable for all the problems with system integration, SHARES, lost seats, upgrades not working how we're told they should, lost seats, deleted reservations, etc, etc. I assume they will get fixed, but meanwhile does the new UA hold anyone accountable, and if so how? As a customer, knowing that my service provider believes in quality and service -- and hold their staff to that -- means a lot to me. Without that, how can I believe problems in the future won't be allowed like today? What shouldn't an elite switch, at least until UA gets things fixed, and then consider returning based on what the new UA philosophy/value is vs AA?

--Arun