Originally Posted by
limey1K
I flew HUB1-HUB2-HUB3 yesterday. Delayed from HUB1-2 due to the fact that it takes UA 55 minutes to load a 738 for some reason, ran between terminals to get to my HUB2-3 flight to find its gone on an MX delay but the app hasn't updated
Fix the MX issue after an hour, we all board and then sit and wait for paperwork which the Captain explains isn't coming because the maintenance computer network "is down". Plane is taken out of service, we deplane and they begin the search for a replacement, I'm now 3 hours delayed and slightly fed up so I call the GS line, wait 20 minutes and am told by an agent that she cant re-book me on one of the other flights between HUB2-3 because they are all sold out and that only applies if the flight is canceled. I asked about the guarantee and she said that only applies if seats are available. Got home 6 hours late, never saw a GS agent at the gate, never had a call and the only thing the Club agent said was "good luck finding a seat back there". Its pretty sad at this point.
I think the single most important GS benefit is the IRROP handling, more important than PN for award ticket, upgrading companion when flying J, GS lobby, and anything else. For more than a couple times I sited in a delayed plane waiting for extended time, when a call came in to advise me to step out the plane quietly, meeting an agent on the gate and told that I should go to this other gate to board another flight, where a seat has been protected for me. Usually I observed a couple other passengers stood up and exit as well, but never a crow who would jam the aisle and exit way. Once this happened at IAD near midnight, after we waited more than two hours and even allowed to deplane, then called back for takeoff which turned out to be another false start because something else was wrong. Eventually I was asked to deplane by a GS agent who came onboard but not saying much. Other passengers watched me, not knowing what was happening. I got home at 2 am instead of the next day.