HunterSFO

Last weekend I flew from SFO to SAN flying for *gasp* transportation rather than miles. On the way down I routed myself through LAX. I got to SFO early hoping to get on one of the earlier flights STANDBY but no luck.

This gave me a great opportunity to walk over to "International Terminal G" and hit XpressSpa for a massage. Continuing my bad luck, the massage therapist was OFF that day! The lady at XpressSpa kind of knows me so she let me have several hours in the mechanical "robotic" massage chair for the price of 30 minutes - good way to wait for a flight.

After leaving express spa, I walked by the gate for a flight that should have already left and was able to get on it standby without even losing my first class upgrade! Even though it was only a 54 minute flight, we had video, and both the pre-flight and in-flight beverage servce were acceptable.

Upon arrival at LAX, we saw not one, but TWO new Qantas A380s while we were taxiing. This was my first glimpse of one of these beasts "live" in person. They made our 757 look like a toy!

The flight to SAN on the regional jet sucked but it as short. The spoiled little teenage girl next to me wanted to have her tray table down during takeoff and landing but the FA's made her put it up. She did NOT put her huge carryon bag in the overhead or under the seat. she kept it in her lap so that if there was an emergency evacuation I would probably trip on it and die. Not nice.

Coming home i flew straight through SAN to SFO. No video, and they didn't give me the whole can for my drink even though I was in first class. What a joke. If I had actually paid full fare for first class I would have beeen extremely angry.

United seems really inconsistent with their service level. Given how they treat their employees I guess i blame the management, not the front line staff.

well that's all for now until my trips next weekend to SEA and LAS. Later!

SFO777

What exactly were expecting? And if you were indeed traveling for transportation instead of miles, why on earth would you choose to fly SFO-LAX-SAN and UA when VX flies that route nonstop and with consistently good service and friendly FAs?

VX also flies SFO-SEA and SFO-LAS, so you do have a choice and only yourself to blame for making a bad one.

HunterSFO

What I was expecting was for the service on the trip home to be consistent with the trip down (video and a full can of soda.) While the main purpose of the flight was transportation, not mileage, I certainly would want to earn miles for it rather than not. Also, the price of the ticket was $20 less than Southwest - who I think has a very efficient operation and great FAs. I didn't check fares on VX but it was probably a similar price - I only paid $119 r/t all-in.

somehow I just don't understand how I'm to blame for a huge level of inconsistency between two cabin crews. If I gave my customers bad service and then blamed them for it, I wouldn't have a job. I merely hope that voicing my opinions will encourage others to do so also, and maybe collectively the customers can convince the airlines to improve -- and I *always* fill out the survey to also send feedback through the airline's established channel as well.

all that aside, I still love to fly.

ORDnHKG

You title about lousy service and inconsistency, but all I can see your entire thread is about "flying F and not getting a full can of soda", what a lousy comment.

Good F service is actually about giving you a cup and keep refilling from the FA, rather than giving you a can to refill yourself. I don't see any airline will keep come back and refill for such a short segment in F.

Colts_01

Did u ask for a full can and what is it refused? If so then you complain about service. In domestic F irrespective of airline they don't give you a can they usually give you a cup and then refill offcourse for short flights sometime the refill does not happen.

daron4000

I fly UA F all the time and domestically, I don't like when an FA brings me the can. I prefer to sip from the glass and have it refilled, either preemptively or asking. With the can, I worry that something will spill while I am working or something. Did you ask for a refill and not get it? Were you not offered a drink at all? I'm confused at what part of the return was unsatisfying?

crimson2k6

I don't really see the point of this whole thread...

We've gotten to a point where the most nuanced aspects of service are generalized and picked apart, on something as insignificant as ultra short haul routes.

UCBeau

As someone who flies SAN-SFO-SAN maybe 20 times a year..I've found the service to be consistently great, in F. One of the few routes where that seems to be the case, IME. Certainly more consistent than my monthly SAN-IAD or SAN-LAX/SFO-JFK flights. Sorry you appear to have experienced less than ideal service, but with UA, it's best to expect consistently inconsistent service. On the other hand, I try not to route through LAX, even though it does get more miles.

MatthewLAX

Exactly right. I don't want to see a can if I am in C or F.

azepine00

Careful or we may see complaints about the outbound too