mkr

I thought a new thread could be started to reflect customer-friendly decisions made by employees who have been more empowered by UA management in 2016 and going forward.

I have never experienced this experience I will describe below happening since the merger, but experienced this a few times on CO before the merger as a CO OnePass Platinum member (that was the top elite level in the OnePass program).

I wonder if this is the result of some new policy with UA as its new President and CEO has promised better customer experience and has promised to empower employees with more ability to make decisions regarding customer service?

I was sitting in the gate area waiting for boarding. I was traveling alone on a coach Saver Award ticket, reserved for seat 7F. I was called to the podium and the GA gave me a new BP, seating me in 1A in a 12 seat First Class cabin (737-800). She smiled at me and said, " Mkr, I was able to get you into First. Thank you for flying UA." I was very surprised and thanked her. There were still seats empty in economy and after the door closed, there was still an empty seat in First.

I enjoyed a nice lunch flying to DEN, and I just felt so great to have this gesture from UA. I have not felt so appreciated for my business on UA since the merger. I really enjoyed the flight. UA gained a lot of goodwill from this simple gesture.

And it really did not cost too much for UA to do this. I ate a lunch that had already been prepared that otherwise would have been wasted. I had a couple of complimentary alcoholic beverages. Big deal. This is the best I have felt about UA since the merger. It seems they are trying harder.

I do not have a MP credit card. Although I am a 1K, I have never been upgraded on an award ticket since the merger. I did not think that a gate agent could do this.

Has anyone else experienced this upgrade on an award ticket without having the credit card? Is this a result of UA empowering employees to make customer-friendly gestures? If this is a new policy, I applaud this. I hope UA will allow more freedom to its employees to make customer- friendly decisions. It used to be this way in former times. Cudos to UA if this is an example of the future for customer -friendly decisions. Cudos to this GA. I remember what she looks like, and she gets a box of chocolates from me next time!

I ask others to relate similar customer-friendly gestures going ahead in 2016.