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Old Aug 7, 2018, 2:32 pm
  #77  
adambrau
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: UA MileagePlus 2MM
Posts: 1,567
Originally Posted by COSPILOT
Removing competition by allowing the big 6 to become the BIG 3 is a huge part of the problem. Now travelers are much more limited in options. My cost out of DEN has skyrocketed, service is reduced, rarely a meal, and when there is, its minimal compared to pre merger. More people were upgraded in the past compared to now, where it's easy to pay to upgrade. I would argue good old fashioned upgrades are down and that majority sitting up front have paid for it either at purchase, or prior to boarding. The removal of seeing the upgrade list prior to people checking in isn't a glitch, it's by design IMO. Next will be complete removal of expert mode... I'm guilty of paying the upcharge a number of times this year, which makes me a paid first class flyer, not an upgrade passenger. So we went from lower airfare, much better service, a much higher degree of options to get from A to B domestically, to fewer options, lowered service, and higher airfare.

International is a different story, I think things have moved in a positive direction. Polaris lounges are very nice, and despite the complaints, the current seats in Business, beit new Polaris or the rest of the fleet isn't bad compared to Barca lounge seats. That said, one trip a year International for me isn't my priority, its the other 138 flights I will have completed domestically this year, and in that regard things stink, in both coach and first.
pmUA came pretty close to Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and managed the longest time (3 years) in Chapter 11. I would prefer to fly on an airline that is making a profit and not giving it all back to shareholders. This thread is probably 3 years too early, and I have a hard time believing 10-across in the 777 family is a good idea, but as a longtime flyer UA is IMHO making slow but steady progress to a more reliable operation. For example, I would bet the number of Delayed/Canceled International Flights thread is much shorter in 2018 YTD than it was in 2015, 2016 and 2017, as a percentage of flights flown.
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