Originally Posted by
drewcwsj
I am PDX based and a current AS75k. I love AS but the loss of long haul partners over the last two years has been brutal including DL and now AA mostly. I travel to Ecuador several times a year and now am trying UA via a status match to PP. I haven't flown UA in 15 years and currently just finished my first F leg (PDX-IAH) on my way to UIO.
1. UA has two flights a day PDX-IAH at 0500 and 1230. Unfortunately the 1230 flight lands 3 minutes after the IAH-UIO flight. So I booked the 0500 ughh
2. PDX-IAH ugh - 3 Hours late arriving due to storms in IAH including a diversion to AUS for fuel
3. Ran out of food choices in F by row 2 and I was row 3....I can't remember my last flight where F was catered for only 12 dishes
4. I am in the United Lounge Term E IAH. No food other than the rather weak buffet. At least Admirals Club has a restaurant, not much but a warm quesadilla beats yogurt for me every time.
5. Asked the lounge lizards in Term E United Club for meal info in F on my 6pm flight IAH-UIO - the answer was in F you get dinner. What kind of dinner? No idea. AA and AS have dinner selection for F. Major downgrade.
6. I have 3 more legs on UA this trip and will make my status match but if this is the sum total of UA I may be remembering why I haven't flown them in 15 years.
I don't want to make any excuses for UA, but here goes:
1. Every airline has some scheduling issues that won't appeal. I'd like to see a direct flight from TXL-RSW but that isn't going to happen. TXL-EWR gets in at 1230, the next EWR-RSW is 1825. Or I can go to FLL and drive across.
2. Not specific to UA.
3. Meh. Food is pretty lousy. I generally eat before. No excuse but you're not missing much.
4. True, not great food selection if you don't like cheese or carrot sticks. Centurion Lounge much better.
5. Some are much better than others. A big shout out to Maria in EWR Club who proactively rebooked me during the storm mess last week and even processed the upgrade on the new (full) flight.