Originally Posted by
wethereyet
Your post is a case study of sociology. I'm hearing a pretty loud back-up alarm as you try to explain away the gaming of the R space exploitation of calling customer service until someone clears the upgrade ahead of the waitlist when we all know UA doesn't want that to be the process. So thank you for admitting your halo isn't very shiny.
When you bypass the R space, 1. You know UA does not intend for you to jump the waitlist. 2. When you jump the waitlist ahead of other people, you are causing the person to lose out on the extra cash they spend for the updgradeable fare. And yet you're backpedeling and trying to rationalize it.. Beep, beep, beep.
UA does things that have unintended consequences. Do you really think when they sell MP miles that they intend for you to get them at a discount so you can then buy a ticket for less than what it would have cost to buy directly (ie, without the miles discount)? NOPE! And yet there are entire discussion on FT about how to exploit those deals.
First of all, I don't explain away or justify anything; I described calling in for R is similar in concept to manipulating the system. I don't backpedal on anything.
That said, I don't believe calling in to get R space is anywhere near trying to get a ticket for a substantial discount... if you believe that those actions are equivalent, you definitely have an unbalanced view of things. I've certainly never tried to put a halo on top of my head; but trying to equate both being equal, I'd say there's a couple of shiny pointy horns on your head
I've mainly pointed out the difference between intent vs. happenstance.
There's no backpedaling, no rationalizing; it's a shade of gray. Calling in to jump the queue is a form of manipulation. When calling in, there is no lost revenue, the seat upgrade was already designated to be assigned, and the person calling in to jump the queue may very well have paid the same or more for the ticket in the first place. That said, it still is a form of manipulation.
However, calling in to jump the queue is not in the same vein as manipulating to get a ticket that the airline would otherwise get appropriate revenue for. There is a definite loss of revenue that UA did not intend to give away.
Your point of view is clearly not going to be swayed, and neither is mine. We've gone on record to state our position; let the rest of the community decide which side or points the choose to agree or disagree with.