I have to say, if I was a frequent traveller on the Titantic (they never did publish how to obtain Titanic Global Services (TGS)) you're darn skippy that I'd want a place in the lifeboat instead of some lowly GM!

But since we're not talking about emergency exit procedures from an aircraft (though, one could argue, 1Ps and up get to depart first since they get exit rows), I think travel purveyors throughout history would be happy to tell you that they treat they're high paying customers better during any irregular operations.

I think some of you guys are talking past each other. Just not making the same point.

Point: GS/1K should get better treatment than GM, particularly in irr-ops.

Point: All customers should receive good, courteous basic customer service.

The two are not mutually exclusive.

Or at least they shouldn't be. ^^

Probably just a moose-take...

We've discovered the horns of UA's dilemma . Its tough to treat everyone equally when you intentionally create a status based system.

I'm quite staggered at how people have bought into the idea that status with the airline is the correct way for them to decide how to treat you - and even more by the arguments that this is simple market forces.

Any MBA worth his or her salt would know that there are many ways to define customer importance - the fact that the airlines choose to use last year's travel patterns is a mess thy have gone themselves into and that they should get out of - it is not the only way it can be.

I am a 1K, but I have a junior colleague who travels more than me, but has not yet acquired status with any airline since he is fresh out of school. He has already decided to never fly UA unless he has to because of they way he has been treated as a general member (and now Premier). His future potential revenue for UA ways exceeds mine and yet the treatment he gets from UA absolutely stinks.

Of course, GS and 1K's should be treated well (and they already are, I would argue) but this should never permit the treatment of general members to sink below an acceptable level.

And if I were running UA I would actually ensure that everyone (including general members) occasionally got the GS treatment - double upgrades, etc. I would positively encourage the GA's to give op-up's to young general members (nothing else is likely to such an impact on their loyalty) - just like McDonalds give toys to children (win their hearts when they are young).

This kind of change won't be easy for UA to do (and they don't seem interested at the moment), but if UA continues the way it is going we will wake up one morning and all the GS and 1K members will have retired and they'll be non-one else left on those planes!!

I don't know that I'd go quite that far (op-upping GMs), but I've always felt that a GM should be able to get a lot of the same benefits simply by putting in extra shoe leather work (or seat leather time). The advanatge to status should be that you don't have to wait around or work for it--it should be way easier for you, but not impossible for everyone else.

One example (and this isn't exactly a planning ahead example) is the allocation of exit row seats. As a GM, I used to fly ORD-LAX with some regularity (it's where I got my first 2P status). This was before E+. At 6'5", I really needed that exit row seat. I used to book an early evening flight to LA knowing that I might have to change flights two or three times to get on a flight where an exit row was available. Many times I'd be booked on the 5:00, and end up going out on the 9:00 because that's where I could get the seat.

There was a gate agent on here once who said she would never release an exit row seat to a GM until 20 minutes beforehand because a 1K might walk up at the last minute. That's not fair. It gives the GM no chance whatsoever to get what they need. The 1K could have gotten that seat anytime they wanted.

Me too, before I first made 1P. I'd get to the airport 3+ hours early to ask for a seat change to the exit row. That is the only way I survived 2 transpacs on my way to status the first time at 6-4+. And one reason to never, ever again fall below 1P. The EMBs and CRJs would kill me before I ever got to the mainliners. I can't even imagine a 10 hour flight in E-.

she was lying or she didn't know the rules and didn't understand how the computer sorts the lists. you'd be behind those people you refer to. is it possible that agents are breaking rules, yes i suppose so, but that's not what people on here are advocating.

That's great, but the problem still exists that the employee thought that a 1K on a casual standby could/should go first.

yes, she shouldn't have said that to you as it would be against policy. that said, i'd say her attitude is more desireable then those of surly, rude, and combative agents who simply treat everyone, status or not, poorly. indeed, that she made such a comment to you does not mean that she treats GMs badly at all, she may have simply been trying to make you feel better.

Doe! These puns are starting to get my goat... ewe should really stop this bull before ewe start looking sheepish.

But yes, United does seem to fawn over and cow-tow to its 1K and GS members, as IMHO they should. That doesn't mean the status-less cattle should be treated with rudeness, disdain, dishonesty, or disrespect... everyone, GMs included, deserves good, personable customer service, no matter what their status. UA can't keep passing the buck on that one - it's their responsibility and duty to ensure that customer service is a priority and all members, regardless of status, are treated as human beings. But in terms of perks, priority, privileges, and special treatment, the 1Ks and GS should (and do) receive precedence.

But given the number of posts on this forum lambasting UA on their poor treatment of GMs, I think we're really just beating a dead horse. Let's not kid ourselves here - the corporate culture has to change from the top down, not the bottom up.

(Did I ram enough of these puns into this post?)

I think that's a legitimate beef. I'll ruminate on your meaty comments but at the moment I feel somewhat cowed.

Well, before these puns stagnate (too late!) and this thread gets moo-ved to OMNI... I just hope that UA management understands what's at steak here and actually makes some changes for the better to eliminate their seeming hostility towards GMs and low-level elites, rather than continue such mulish and asinine behavior. That would really be something to yak about, wouldn't it?

(Alright, I'm done. )
(gazelle antelope wildebeest!)

I have lost track of the combative front-line employees, not just at UA, but other airlines and hotels, who have got into the mindset that by being nasty to a customer they can get rid of them as quickly as possible. The only reason they are cowed by elite status is that it looks worse if you complain about them.

The worst thing that ever happend to me was that UA bomb lost my reservation and the UA staff demanded $6K to get me back to the U.S.
That was at MXP, just before it closed. To UA's embarrasment, it was LH staff who took pity on me and issued a lost ticket note to get me home.
I do fly UA a lot (1K), but will never fully trust their reservations to find my tickets, or expect a reasonable standard of customer service.
Only a fool would.