channa

This is not completely accurate. They have to validate with the carrier (in the *A system), but UA agents can do this, or you can use the form online and it will process.


Not sure about that. UA has had many years of refinement working with upgrade certs. Upgrade certs are new to CO (within the last couple years). Combine that with the CO cultural tendency of being overconfident, and it may be quite a while before we get the level of refinement and service we're accustomed to on the UA side.

emcsweeney

Well, not to make excuses, but since CO joined *A much more recently than UA, and then started a merger process not long after that, I'm not surprised UA is more streamlined in this porcess. But as noted elsewhere, hopefully they're adopting the...dare I say...best of both worlds.

Overconfident...or incompetant due to lack of training?...or a severe lack of programming? At this point, the overconfident thing is kind of silly though, don't you think?

channa

Let's hope!

btw, have you tried crediting your missing OZ segment to UA via the online form? Or is it one of these flights where you'd do better if it posted to CO?


Probably not training. The agents are probably trained in the resources they have access to. The issue is probably access (i.e., they may be requesting partner credit via some subset of the department which is backed up vs. training front-liners how to handle these things).

IME with CO, they have a tendency to use a very rosy scenario for their processes. When they first rolled out 50% EQM, they had no mechanism for the OPSC to adjust EQM mispostings (e.g., booked online, earned 100%, 50% posted). It just wasn't something CO had anticipated having to deal with.

I think this fundamentally stems from a cultural overconfidence, where they assume that there won't be errors, issues, or problems. Kind of funny when you think about it, as it's an airline which is going to be replete with problems.

As many of us long-time CO flyers will tell you, CO is fine when things go well. But when things hit the fan, god help you, because recovery can be challenging for them. This is no different. Whether it's mileage posting, upgrade cert issues, IRROPS, customer service, etc., anything out of the ordinary in the CO world can be arduous. The broken on-board handheld/drink issue the other day was a perfect example of how CO designs their processes with no contingency in mind.

Even my 94-minute hold for Refunds yesterday only resulted in the agent referring my case to some other department who could actually handle the refund.

emcsweeney

Well, I was a Plat back in '99-'01 (the good 'ol days) and again since '06, and it's funny...I just don't seem to have all the issues you apparently do...or again, just seem to get them resolved so much easier. Yes, many things have changed...but I guess I just roll with the punches. Maybe I should become more demanding.

As sbm12 hinted at the other day, apparently everything ran pretty flawlessly at PMUA.

channa

Maybe demanding is the right word.

I find the level of service you're receiving on the OZ segment to be unacceptable, especially when we know it can be resolved in a matter of minutes with the right tools.

UA-NYC

Pretty well - the key being that when things did go FUBAR (or just needed help in fixing something), elites were taken pretty well of. Agents (GA/FA/MP) always seemed empowered to make things happen. I do recognize that many believe the non-elite experience was very sub-par relative to CO.

Maybe PMUA elites are more demanding, or maybe we're just used to better service / more efficiency / better processes than we've witnessed with CO. I haven't seen much in the way of PMCO flyers having issues with UA processes / policies and the like, but you're of course seeing much more w/PMUA flyers dealing with CO issues. As I've said - I enjoy CO generally in-flight and recognize the superior site/PDA, it's most everything before and after flight that causes consternation and IMO is a major step backwards from PMUA.

demkr

I can only speak for myself, but I have never had a pleasant experience contacting the OnePass service center. From the long wait times to the long times it takes to resolve issues, mileage posting, it appears that the technology PMCO has is just inferior.

For example, it shouldn't take a call back every time a SWU or whatever needs to be redeposited. Both times that this occurred, I had to call back. A favorite OPSC line is "it's automatic and will ahppen in X days/hours."

Something that I Think will be helpful going forward is for CO to resolve these issues. But it appears many do not even acknowledge that there's a problem with them. Once they do that, I think the experience will be a lot more streamlined. There won't be a need for long wait times at the OPSC if these kind of system malfunctions are taken care of.

We're now going on 5 days after 4 CO Segments with nothing posted, BTW.

kb1992

It is clear to me that $MI/J is using an inferior system: CO system.

Lack of instant ticketing, SHARE, lack of response from CO One Pass Elite desk, partner airlines mile posting issues, poor elite phone line performance during irregular operations, award miles refund issues, upgrade instrument issues (CO never had SWU-CR-1 until recently) etc.

It appears that CO can't handle the needs of a global airline FF members.

Majority of combined COUA FF members will lose their FF# in 2012. They will and find out hat an inferior airline system takes over a superior one. Very sad.

emcsweeney

Why? So far I've made two five minute calls (ok, maybe one was ten but that was my doing because it was informative)...and now I'm sending in a copy of my boarding pass, which I've had to do once before. It is a little inconvenient to have to address the letter...and cost of the stamp does tick me off a little

Admittedly, if I needed the miles to qualify for 1K this year, I might be a little anxious about the timeframe...but I try to save my "demands" for those things that are a little more importnant.

You are right one thing though, clearly this is a difference between PMUA and PMCO and I guess we've just been conditioned to accept less. I'm now convinced...I don't envy all the horrible things you're currently enduring...or about to. However, I wouldn't ever think about waiting on hold for 94 minutes...casue I'd never have to...my issue would have been handled much sooner than that.

channa

I appreciate the understanding.

I wonder if they're ready for the fallout and feedback from the changes. Ultimately I think they'll get better, but it will be difficult in the short term for some of us.

uwr

Maybe you ask for credit to your MileagePlus accounts. The MP service center is reasonably responsive, and the MQMs will be combine.

mechteach

Wow! This really tapped a vein, apparently. I'm very thankful for all of the responses - most of them are both helpful and not very encouraging.

Unfortunately, it's a K flight on LH. When we bought the tickets, it was full credit on UA, but now it's no credit on them, and still full credit on CO, which is why I switched our numbers from MP to OP (there's a whole thread on this). It looks like I'll just have to call the elite line, and ask to be transferred to the OP service center. It's a bit of a pain, since I'm based in London now, but that's what Skype is for. I could try the MP on-line form, since some people are reporting that they are still getting credit for K flights, but I would hate to muddy the waters further with OP. Eventually I might have to do that, though...

Thanks again for all the replies!

fivesixseven

Please report back how the story evolves.

mechteach

Will do! You as well, for your K flights, please.

mustangthz

I've been fighting with CO on LH K flights for MONTHS. Please let me know how this works out for you. I'd really be interested in how you resolve this. No less than 4 calls to the OPSC (We'll get the system issue pushed up to some other team and it should post within 5-10 days etc..) Over 45 minutes on hold each time. It's absolutely insane that CO is unable or unwilling to help people.

Thanks,

-Chris