Star gold access to United E+ ended?
Sep 13, 2006, 8:30 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,488
Since Mrs. Fredd and I fly UA and have a lot of UA miles in our account, we hope that UA will make business decisions in its own best interests.
As UA 1Ks, we have generally not had any special seating privileges when flying AC, LH, SK, and one or two other *A carriers when flying intra-Europe. UA agents have also been unable to secure seats in advance for us on a number of occasions, and have offered the opinion more than once that reciprocity seemed limited. It was also explained to me in the LH forum that seating reservations aren't as common on Intra-European flights and that LH starts filling seats from the back. AFAIK the E+ concept is unique to UA but I stand to be corrected.
Our experiences certainly haven't encouraged us to try to fly more on *A partner airlines (with the notable exception of lounge access when making a connection and flying onward within Europe
), so I can understand a *G looking at other options if E+ were no longer an option.
As UA 1Ks, we have generally not had any special seating privileges when flying AC, LH, SK, and one or two other *A carriers when flying intra-Europe. UA agents have also been unable to secure seats in advance for us on a number of occasions, and have offered the opinion more than once that reciprocity seemed limited. It was also explained to me in the LH forum that seating reservations aren't as common on Intra-European flights and that LH starts filling seats from the back. AFAIK the E+ concept is unique to UA but I stand to be corrected.
Our experiences certainly haven't encouraged us to try to fly more on *A partner airlines (with the notable exception of lounge access when making a connection and flying onward within Europe
), so I can understand a *G looking at other options if E+ were no longer an option.
Last edited by Fredd; Sep 13, 2006 at 8:36 am
Sep 13, 2006, 8:59 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Southern California
Programs: US Airways,Hilton HHonors, Marriott, National
Posts: 1,341
Posting UA's Response
I know this is also in the US forum, but wanted to give you the quote too, here, since it affects all of us *GOLDs.
Very SAD!!
Very SAD!!
Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate the opportunity to respond.
I am sorry you are disappointed with our eligibility changes for a seat assignment in the Economy Plus section of our Economy cabins. United believes our Mileage Plus elite customers and Economy Plus Access members should be rewarded for their loyalty and their purchase decision with products and services we offer exclusively to them. Important to them is first access to pre-assigned seating in Economy Plus. This section of our Economy cabin guarantees a seat with 5 inches of additional legroom and greater seat pitch. We have done this to ensure we meet United's elite customers' expectations.
Your business is important to us as well. For your future travels, please know that on the day of departure you may be given the option to purchase an upgrade to an Economy Plus seat, if available. If you prefer to secure advance seating in Economy Plus, you may be interested in our Economy Plus Access program. For more information and to sign-up for one of the offers, please visit our web site at www.united.com/epaccess. While seat assignments are not guaranteed, we will make every effort to honor our Access members' requests.
We appreciate this opportunity to respond and look forward to serving you.
Regards,
Edison Chirom
United Airlines Customer Relations
I am sorry you are disappointed with our eligibility changes for a seat assignment in the Economy Plus section of our Economy cabins. United believes our Mileage Plus elite customers and Economy Plus Access members should be rewarded for their loyalty and their purchase decision with products and services we offer exclusively to them. Important to them is first access to pre-assigned seating in Economy Plus. This section of our Economy cabin guarantees a seat with 5 inches of additional legroom and greater seat pitch. We have done this to ensure we meet United's elite customers' expectations.
Your business is important to us as well. For your future travels, please know that on the day of departure you may be given the option to purchase an upgrade to an Economy Plus seat, if available. If you prefer to secure advance seating in Economy Plus, you may be interested in our Economy Plus Access program. For more information and to sign-up for one of the offers, please visit our web site at www.united.com/epaccess. While seat assignments are not guaranteed, we will make every effort to honor our Access members' requests.
We appreciate this opportunity to respond and look forward to serving you.
Regards,
Edison Chirom
United Airlines Customer Relations
Sep 13, 2006, 12:16 pm
#18
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,132
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51326,00.html
299$/yr for sitting in Y+? You got to be joking... NW has tried charging 15-25$ for coach choice, or roach choice as the NW forum calls it, for a few months now. With the result that exit rows and the first few rows in coach stay empty and get taken by either the last pax to checkin, or the educated pax after aircraft doors close and you are free to change seats.
Note to myself: try and seat yourself in first row Y on your next UA flight so that you can move up just like you do with NW.
299$/yr for sitting in Y+? You got to be joking... NW has tried charging 15-25$ for coach choice, or roach choice as the NW forum calls it, for a few months now. With the result that exit rows and the first few rows in coach stay empty and get taken by either the last pax to checkin, or the educated pax after aircraft doors close and you are free to change seats.
Note to myself: try and seat yourself in first row Y on your next UA flight so that you can move up just like you do with NW.
Sep 13, 2006, 3:17 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,163
This is easy to solve. Lets forget about the alliance and ask my home carrier Lufthansa to send out the following email to UA customers as a reciprocal response:
Each airlines has it pros and cons and the idea of the alliance once was to grant the same privileges to the same elites. One can discuss whether or not LH and SQ left that track with their very top elites' benefits but the relevant groups are so small (HON) that they are of no relevance when comparing general elite standards. UA abolished a general perk for all *-golds and the response can only be to abolish other *-benefits for UA customers. That will be the only way the Americans react:
- No more SEN lounges
- No more free alcohol
- No more SWU vouchers on LH
Be loyal to UA and fly UA. Or send tons of emails to your people at UA to get reciporcal benefits back for all *-Golds.
Cheers
Thomas
I am sorry you are disappointed with our eligibility changes for lounge access for United Airlines Customers. Lufthansa believes our Senator customers and First Class guests should be rewarded for their loyalty and their purchase decision with products and services we offer exclusively to them. Important to them is first access to the Senator lounges. This section of our lounge guarantees free alcohol and great snacks. We have done this to ensure we meet Lufthansa's elite customers' expectations. You are not used to it from your carrier anyway.
Your business is important to us as well. For your future travels, please know that on the day of departure you may be given the option to purchase lounge access, if available. If you prefer to secure advance access to the Senator lounge, you may be interested to enroll in Miles & More. For more information and to sign-up for one of the offers, please visit our web site at www.miles-and-more.de.
Regards
The Wolf
Your business is important to us as well. For your future travels, please know that on the day of departure you may be given the option to purchase lounge access, if available. If you prefer to secure advance access to the Senator lounge, you may be interested to enroll in Miles & More. For more information and to sign-up for one of the offers, please visit our web site at www.miles-and-more.de.
Regards
The Wolf
- No more SEN lounges
- No more free alcohol
- No more SWU vouchers on LH
Be loyal to UA and fly UA. Or send tons of emails to your people at UA to get reciporcal benefits back for all *-Golds.
Cheers
Thomas
Sep 13, 2006, 3:36 pm
#20
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,488
Originally Posted by Flying Lawyer
- No more SEN lounges
- No more free alcohol
- No more SWU vouchers on LH
- No more free alcohol
- No more SWU vouchers on LH
Fortunately, LH elite flyers do continue to have access to the RCC, bringing to mind the old expression "to go slumming."
Sep 13, 2006, 3:54 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,163
Originally Posted by Fredd
Ouch! We'd miss our Bavarian meatloaf, clean showers, and refreshing beverages.
. I hope you value meatloaf so much that you start to write emails. And the RCC? No thanks, anyway...
Sep 13, 2006, 5:22 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: West Coast, BC
Programs: AS MVPG, AC E, HH Diamond
Posts: 641
Originally Posted by Flying Lawyer
This is easy to solve. Lets forget about the alliance and ask my home carrier Lufthansa to send out the following email to UA customers as a reciprocal response:
Each airlines has it pros and cons and the idea of the alliance once was to grant the same privileges to the same elites. One can discuss whether or not LH and SQ left that track with their very top elites' benefits but the relevant groups are so small (HON) that they are of no relevance when comparing general elite standards. UA abolished a general perk for all *-golds and the response can only be to abolish other *-benefits for UA customers. That will be the only way the Americans react:
- No more SEN lounges
- No more free alcohol
- No more SWU vouchers on LH
Be loyal to UA and fly UA. Or send tons of emails to your people at UA to get reciporcal benefits back for all *-Golds.
Cheers
Thomas
Each airlines has it pros and cons and the idea of the alliance once was to grant the same privileges to the same elites. One can discuss whether or not LH and SQ left that track with their very top elites' benefits but the relevant groups are so small (HON) that they are of no relevance when comparing general elite standards. UA abolished a general perk for all *-golds and the response can only be to abolish other *-benefits for UA customers. That will be the only way the Americans react:
- No more SEN lounges
- No more free alcohol
- No more SWU vouchers on LH
Be loyal to UA and fly UA. Or send tons of emails to your people at UA to get reciporcal benefits back for all *-Golds.
Cheers
Thomas
I am an Air Canada *G and the AC MLL lounge access with free alcohol and food seems like a pretty good benefit for UA MP+ members with no reciporcal benefit from UA (I have no idea why people pay for RCC membership).
Sep 14, 2006, 1:13 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,514
Originally Posted by simong
A lot of *A carriers have some form of desirable seating that is only available to *A status members.
Which *A airlines do offer this? I'd be happy to send them some of my business.
THanks,
Dr. PITUK
Sep 14, 2006, 1:58 am
#25
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Sydney,Australia
Programs: UA 1K, QF Gold
Posts: 1,141
Originally Posted by painintheuk
Really? I haven't even flown half of them, but UA was the only one that I knew of that offered this. BMI, LH, NZ, SQ and AC don't as far as I know. (Well, AC does, but the seats actually have less room on some planes!) Some do have a 'Premium Economy', but there's definitely no automatic upgrade for *A members or even their own premium members.
Which *A airlines do offer this? I'd be happy to send them some of my business.
THanks,
Dr. PITUK
Which *A airlines do offer this? I'd be happy to send them some of my business.
THanks,
Dr. PITUK
None of these of course compare to E+ seatings but UA service doesnt compare to SQ and NZ either!
Sep 14, 2006, 2:42 am
#26
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: FRA
Programs: LH, Avis, Hyatt, ...
Posts: 4,213
Was just going to book today
Day 1: FRA-SFO (LH in F)
Day 4: SFO-RNO with UA (F)
Day 5: RNO-DEN with UA (E and E+ only)
Day 5: DEN-FRA (LH in C with upgrade request)
but my TA really couldn't book a E+ seat for me (*G, LH HON) on RNO-DEN. She called UA and was told, that is no longer possible.
So my new itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: FRA-SFO (LH in F)
Day 4: OAK-RNO (South West)
Day 5: RNO-ORD (AA in F)
Day 5: ORD-FRA (LH in C with upgrade request)
No UA anymore...
Day 1: FRA-SFO (LH in F)
Day 4: SFO-RNO with UA (F)
Day 5: RNO-DEN with UA (E and E+ only)
Day 5: DEN-FRA (LH in C with upgrade request)
but my TA really couldn't book a E+ seat for me (*G, LH HON) on RNO-DEN. She called UA and was told, that is no longer possible.
So my new itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: FRA-SFO (LH in F)
Day 4: OAK-RNO (South West)
Day 5: RNO-ORD (AA in F)
Day 5: ORD-FRA (LH in C with upgrade request)
No UA anymore...
Sep 14, 2006, 2:57 am
#27
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,488
Originally Posted by painintheuk
Really? I haven't even flown half of them, but UA was the only one that I knew of that offered this.
Last edited by Fredd; Sep 14, 2006 at 5:32 am Reason: Typo
Sep 14, 2006, 2:58 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: MUC/LAX/SMV
Programs: LH, UA, BD, AA, NW, FB, NH, AC, Sixt, Hertz, Avis, *W, HH, Marriott, PC, Leaders Club, AMEX
Posts: 12,406
Originally Posted by SleepOverGreenland
No UA anymore...
Seriously, I wouldn't fly them again for free. I they gave me a free lifetime TED pass for their entire network that included E+ and a blocked middle seat, I'd never use it.
Sep 14, 2006, 3:40 am
#29
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: Darth Vader of AMEX, A ladys best friend of Hilton, Pt78 of SPG, *G ,*S, ANA VIP
Posts: 3,918
just dont fly UA
hey guys who cares.
why fly UA anyway if avoidable.
UA E+ might be a good product, but i dont understand why UA did offer it to other elites anyway from the beginning.
i dont know any star airline which offers this for other elites, so stop complaining and just stop flying UA. If this is a reason to fly UA for you , just pay the 295 usd or wait for the challenge UA is offering each year and do 3P.
i think it is childish , that some here want to shout out UA golds out of the StarGold lounges.
a SeN or HoN has acess to any UA lounge with star gold sign, and many inter.hubs has alcohol too.
LH is not offering any elite seating for me as a thai gold too, so why should UA offer the E+ to star golds etc. LH has intra europe normal eco seats for business class, this is the biggest joke in the avitation world. even if you block a seat, an eco seat is still an eco seat
compare this to asian business class seats, you pay what you get. in europe you pay but you get nothing...
UA e+ was never a *gold benefit, and if you are whining so badly about it, buy the pass for UA E+ acess,
I dont get this discussion at all...
WHY FLY UA , if there are 10 airlines which are BETTER???
why fly UA anyway if avoidable.
UA E+ might be a good product, but i dont understand why UA did offer it to other elites anyway from the beginning.
i dont know any star airline which offers this for other elites, so stop complaining and just stop flying UA. If this is a reason to fly UA for you , just pay the 295 usd or wait for the challenge UA is offering each year and do 3P.
i think it is childish , that some here want to shout out UA golds out of the StarGold lounges.
a SeN or HoN has acess to any UA lounge with star gold sign, and many inter.hubs has alcohol too.
LH is not offering any elite seating for me as a thai gold too, so why should UA offer the E+ to star golds etc. LH has intra europe normal eco seats for business class, this is the biggest joke in the avitation world. even if you block a seat, an eco seat is still an eco seat
compare this to asian business class seats, you pay what you get. in europe you pay but you get nothing...
UA e+ was never a *gold benefit, and if you are whining so badly about it, buy the pass for UA E+ acess,
I dont get this discussion at all...
WHY FLY UA , if there are 10 airlines which are BETTER???
Sep 14, 2006, 3:41 am
#30
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: FRA
Programs: LH, Avis, Hyatt, ...
Posts: 4,213
Originally Posted by flysurfer
You would actually have paid money for a seat on TED? Seriously, I wouldn't fly them again for free. I they gave me a free lifetime TED pass for their entire network that included E+ and a blocked middle seat, I'd never use it.
Seriously, I wouldn't fly them again for free. I they gave me a free lifetime TED pass for their entire network that included E+ and a blocked middle seat, I'd never use it. The AA/LH combination can't go on one eTicket, so I had the option of either one paper ticket or two eTickets (price difference: +600€).
After my decision this morning I will sit pretty soon on my next paper ticket.
Well, I guess I will not cancel two trips in a row. Never happened so far.