bocastephen

Part of the problem is the concept of customer valuation. UA (and other carriers) wants to have its cake and eat it too - instead of valuing a customer at the macro level (PQD spend, miles flown, influence, etc), they want to also value a customer at the micro level (what did you pay for THIS ticket TODAY).

This is why it's doubtful we will ever see generalized cost-impacted improvements to the inflight experience for Elite customers in the form of a free BOB item, a free drink, etc. and we're barely hanging on to non cost impacted benefits like free E+ access, Premier benefits, etc. and being screwed by the TOD upgrade process that was changed from what CO promised into a non-transparent we see today.

In UA's version of the industry, every benefit has a cost, whether it's an actual financial cost or an opportunity cost. Anything given to an Elite has a time-sensitive opportunity cost that applies at the micro customer valuation and should be offered for a fee to a Kettle before it is given to an Elite, or alongside Elites which dilutes their experience because according to UA management, Elites are annoying pests to be tolerated rather than embraced.

Of course UA isn't the only airline that does this - AA regularly sells Group 1 boarding access for a fee - but I feel it's time we get back to the basics and outlaw the practice of charging customers fees outside the price of the ticket because it's now the airlines that need to be forcibly weaned from their sense of entitlement which is spiraling more out of control with every year.