Originally Posted by
bmwe92fan
Welcome to Kirby World -- not unlike the Wizard of Oz -- where status exists in your mind -- but not in the real world -- the very existence of these people help to prove to UA that the marketing works lol... To be clear -- I don't blame UA -- their marketing efforts are so far superior to the product delivered -- I just wonder how long it can last -- IME most leaders like Kirby have a short shelf life -- and I believe that will be true once again here with UA.... The airline industry is one of the toughest in the world -- but deceiving customers only goes so far -- and hard product "advantage" is so easily lost (and UA is losing that fast) -- and then what does UA have?
My wife and I have already shifted $20k per year to NH from NY to TYO -- NH soft product is so superior and always has been -- but now that NH hard product is a generation ahead of UA on this route -- we'd just be stupid to stick with UA -- and that's my concern -- with people that have a choice UA will lose -- and with seasoned travelers -- they will lose -- so how much longer can UA live on the uniformed?
Frankly just enjoy ANA. Be sure to have the Sake and Hibiki whisky, both over $120 a bottle. Great stuff. And free PJs on routes much shorter than United requires and 2x the quality, plus the foot rollers, the scented cards, the curry mid flight.....who cares about status...just enjoy a great airline like ANA. I am 1K and spent $94K with United but they ding me. I still fly them as Polaris is solid and better than Lufthansa, BA, American, Delta, or my other options for most flights, but when given the opportunity to fly ANA, take it!! The flight attendants CARE about customers. One was crying because she only had 3 sake and was worried about upsetting a customer. I hugged her and told her not to worry, and she said 'but making my customers happy is all I care about in life.' Just like being GS on United, right? No! Actually GS is good but 1K is fine too. And people, seriously are you going to stop flying United? No, you are not. And neither am I. I am grumpy because I spent $94K last year on 63 flights, getting only ONE upgrade due to status extensions (middle seat 3x to LAS for work, last row albeit aisle to OGG, etc etc) and such, but if you pay for their Polaris product, it's good. It makes me upset that others get on the upgrade list ahead of me despite far inferior spending, but what am I going to do? Lie and say that I won't fly with United. That's just not the truth and you know it's not the truth for you too. So at least live with your integrity.