UA Short-sightedness?
 

I travelled to IAD in May this year in economy on UA. On checking in at Heathrow T3, I was greeted by a friendly UA ground agent, he inspected my (LH) *A Gold and issued me with a UA BC, a window seat in Economy plus and wished me a good trip. I have been travel this route for years, mostly in economy (as HMG is paying for it, we must watch our pennies!) on every flight UA has always been kind enough to put me in economy plus, as part of their kindness towards *A Gold travellers. Something I really appreciate, and whenever possible, I always use UA for most of my trips to the US, including in UA C to LAX, SFO and HNL..

In September, I again travelled to IAD using UA. Sadly, much has changed. I arrived in Terminal 1 checked in at the UA desk. This time the smile was not there, nor was any friendly greetings. I was put in a middle seat of five in the back of the aircraft. I enquired (very politely as usual) if I could possibly have a window seat, apparently none was available. However, the lady without smile informed me, if I like to pay for an upgrade to the ‘Economy Plus’ at a cost of £47, I could have a window seat. When I informed her that on all my previous trips, I would be given seats in ‘Economy Plus’ without having to pay for an ‘up-grade’ she seemed very put out, and off she went to talk to her supervisor. On her return, she informed me that I must have been mistaken, could be that I was thinking of some other airlines who give out ‘free upgrades’?

It seems UA has changed its policy in June or July (about the same time as the US$7 blankets), other *A Gold (with the exception of UA Gold, or whatever) no longer receive any ‘special’ treatments, as the airline is trying to maximise its revenue.

Of course, UA is fully entitled to run its business as it sees fit. I would like to suggest it is shortsighted on its part. I have been to the US twice since that incident, one flight with AC, who still try to do their very best for *A Gold traveller, by giving me their best seat possible (my was 12K and 12K) Thank you AC. The other trip was by LH, again, as *A Gold, I was given exit row window seats.

So if UA don’t need my custom, then may be I don’t need UA, few hours more on my trips don’t really bother me, as I like flying and visiting different airports.

*G access to E+ seating on UA is no longer a benefit. Of course sometimes you may get it for free, but it is no longer automatically available (unless you have status with UA or pay for E+).

Yes, I know it is 'no longer a 'benefit'... and I 'no longer' have to fly with UA. On my flight to and from IAD, the plane was about 60% full, even less in E+, is any wonder they are going down the plughole? There are no revenue to be had from a empty plane.

There's also no revenue to be gained from giving something away for free that other people pay for. Keep that in mind. It's been a long time (2 years+) since *G was given E+ for free on UA. I know I just flew SK not too long ago, and I sat in the back of the bus. It's not like it's only UA who does it.

Chris

I'm with SQ4000 on this one - it seems totally short sighted on UA's part. I wouldn't think it unreasonable to expect all airlines in the Star Alliance to be extending the same courtesies to all *G travellers, no matter which airline they are primarily afiliated. I could understand if Space+ was full with paying passengers and their own premium passengers but that section is frequently more than half empty, which isn't a good look.

UA's website says:

"As always, United offers complimentary Economy Plus seating to its premium customers, including:
› Mileage Plus® Elite members
› United Global Services® members"

IMHO *G should be considered premium customers.

In that vein, then, does anyone know what AirNZ's policy is with it's new space seating with regards to non AirNZ *G? Does that get allocated to all *G regardless of airline affiliation?

SK Economy Extra and UA Economy Plus are two totally different products.

SK Economy Extra and its cousins in NZ and Virgin for instance, have their own booking classes, they have not only wider seats, better pitch but also a different service set-up and more often than not the booking class has full ticket flexibility.

How does a *G from another airline entitle one to be considered a premium customer on UA?

To those who are referring to empty seats: One way or the other the seat will be empty whether if you sit in E- or E+. United has chosen to make E+ access to only THEIR elite customers. Everybody else has to pay for it. If you look at the list of *G benefits on the *A website there is nothing that lists anything about premium economy or E+ (or whatever flavor with the carrier you are flying on) as being a benefit extended to *G customers.

So it boils down to: Pay for E+ or sit in E- (and hope you have a kind gate agent or check-in agent. It never hurts to ask to be moved).


Halothane

While this is true, but is better to lose the minimal revenue generated through this "upsell" than the revenue from a ticket loss as a result of this silly policy? I supposed UA is banking no real alternative domestic carrier (unless one is willing to fly US) for this policy. I, too, feel this policy is really short-sighted.

LAX

UA is trying to sell E+ to every man, woman and child at every opportunity now. If they are successful in a major way then there will not be room for the hordes of UA elites in E+, nevermind OA*G.

I understand that airlines are under much pressure at the moment. I think it is fair to charge extra for E+, but I think $7 for the using a blanket is going a little far. I hope they don't start charging for using the toilet soon.

As LAX said, to lose (even an economy class) ticket revenue due to this silly policy change, will do nothing to improve UA’s financial position.

There are some wrong information out there – (It's been a long time (2 years+) since *G was given E+ for free on UA) I was given economy plus seat without having to ask for it up until the end of May this year. In the first five months of this year, I made four trips to the US, all were on UA flights, alas, it will be no more.

On my last return flight by UA, I was having a chat with one of the nice customer service agent in UA’s RCC in IAD; she was much friendlier than the ‘UA lady without smile’ in Heathrow T1. She told me that the policy change took place in June this year (2008), and I was not the first *A passenger raised the issue, but as a ‘lowly’ customer service agent (her words, not mine), there is little she could do about the decisions made ‘high up’.

For the members who are not familiar with UA Economy Plus product, it is a seat with ‘UP TO’ four inches extra leg room, otherwise the service is the same as in economy class, no frills.

gbsfo said, “If they are successful in a major way then there will not be room for the hordes of UA elites in E+…” I think the key word is a very big ‘if’; so far, it seems to be more of a wishful thinking on UA’s part rather than reality. I believe many seats in E+ remains unoccupied. May be ‘good will’ is a better way to build-up and to keep their customers.

Before any eminent members in this forum remind me that one economy class passenger is not going to make any difference to an airline such as UA. It is true, but if more *A members feel the same way, then it might make a difference. As I stated in my post, I also flew by UA a number of times in C to LAX and HNL (as for trips to IAD or NYC, we are expected to fly economy). In F on trips such as LHR-IAD-SFO-SYD.

I chose to fly with UA over BA (both have direct flights to IAD from Heathrow) due mainly to the fact that UA is *A, and up until the end of May this year, I received better service from UA. Use of lounge is not a big issue for me, as my kind credit card company made provisions for this at almost all the airports around the world. As I said in my previous post, now AC and LH both can offer me a better seat in economy to the US. Oddly enough, both these airlines are in a better financial position than UA, I do wonder why.

Before any eminent members in this forum remind me that one economy class passenger is not going to make any difference to an airline such as UA. It is true, but more *A members feel the same way, then it might make a difference. As I stated in my post, in the past I also fly by UA in C (business) to LAX and HNL. In F on a trip LHR-LAD-SFO-SYD.

At the end of the day, why should UA worry about losing one… two…three…. four … customers? UA can always look to chapter 11 for protection. :D

I fly UA quite a bit and having a spare seat next to me in E+ which seems a bit rare these days I consider a plus. UA is doing the right thing by giving customers incentive to use them instead of US or another *G carrier if they want to make use of their best benefit for those of us that buy economy tickets.

IMHO those of us that purchase economy tickets are not really anyone's "best customer" just a good one

You are right, I don't even consider myself a 'good' customer, I am just a 'paying' customer. It is better to have one more 'paying' economy class customer rather than one less 'paying' customer.

I do not think I have any 'right' as a *G card holder to any 'perks' on any airline, especially when I fly 'economy'. But I am free to chose who I want to fly with. As I am sure we all do, I will fly with the airline who want my business. Not only in Y, but also in C and F.

The policy changed a long time ago. Just because you (and many others) have been lucky in getting free E+ doesn't negate that.