Originally Posted by
dmurphynj
Maybe, if you come from the pmUA side of the house. For me, I’m still trying to claw my way back to my CO life.
If we unwound the merger, right here, right now, the only upside for me was adding E+ to the CO fleet. Otherwise, we could split it back apart, put it back the way things were and I’d be happier in every other single metric.
So, it’s hard for me to say best in 20 years. Since the merger, maybe. But still down from my CO customer
experience, even at its lowest point post-Lorenzo.
Sorry, I disagree. I’d never go back in time. My recent flights have been good to exemplary.
I flew both carriers extensively prior to the merger. On the CO side, my experience dates to the LA-based, pre-TI airline. (Yes, I’m old.) I joined the frequent flyer program when it was still called TravelBank. And I first achieved elite status in the 80s. I started flying UA after relocating to SF in the 90s; got premier status in the early 2000s. I also maintained memberships in both PC and RCC for years. I reject the idea that one carrier was significantly better than the other.
Are there things I miss? Sure. Buying a $198 rt on the CO EWR-LAX nonstop and getting free upgrades each way was nice even though at the time I knew it couldn’t last. But both lines had their warts. Integrating People Express/Frontier into CO made the CO-UA combo seem like cake. And I still feel dread thinking about the Shuttle and TED.
I moved to academia and stopped traveling often for business several years ago. These days, I mostly fly international for vacations and domestic to visit family/friends. I’ve also gotten to where I just buy F/J tickets rather than play the upgrade game. I’ve sampled enough other premium cabins (AA, AS, AY, KL, LH, SA, VS, VX) to feel comfortable giving my own money to UA when they offer a nonstop.
We’re on UA 990 to CDG in a few days. Sure I’m hoping for a retrofitted 772 (only three currently I believe so the odds aren’t good) but an IPTE bird will be fine. I sleep very well in the seat; I’m also going with my better half so deep down might even prefer the aisle-window pair while it lasts.