Originally Posted by
aoumd
Thanks for enlightening me as to the pmUA situation. Very different than what UA has become, and ironic given that Bethune hired SMI/J and yet Bethune ran a CO ship that did all the things Oscar needs to get UA to start doing again.
Lots of CO flyers talk about Bethune but pmUA agents bitterly complained about having to follow CO rules that allowed no flexibility. From what I have heard (and correct me if your experience was different) international upgrades almost never happened on CO. When my upgrade was denied right after the merger on a flight from IAD to NRT that left with 6 empty seats in C, the FAs told us: The CO policy is if you want to fly in C buy a business class fare. Upgrade certs are useless on the new United. It took a lot of flyers defecting to AA before this policy changed.
pmUA FAs still talk about how UA has always been and still is more friendly toward passengers (at least to what Smisek called "overentitled elites").