StringerBellBivDeVoe

I don't agree with a lot of complaining at United about stuff, but this one is pretty darn sneaky/dirty.

StringerBellBivDeVoe

I was going to say something similar - in every company I've every worked for, I've seen tons and tons of decisions made "based on data" that didn't turn out well.

Your data needs to be utilized in a correct forecasting model, which is NOT EASY.

VNDream

That was the point I was basically trying to make previously. Data is just that, data. How it is used is another story. Of course anything you read publicly from a company is going to be positive, irrespective of the truth. Like record profits, based on what standard? Does it measure lost opportunity costs? Of course not. It is like U.S. unemployment, the official rate is a joke and has no real relationship to the actual number of people unemployed. Likewise, the majority of job creation has been going to people over the age of 55 or low wage service jobs and part time work, but they never tell you that.

I am real data and UA has lost thousands of dollars from just me alone as 1 customer. However, I know many others like me who refuse to fly UA internationally and that is real data and money lost. No matter how you slice it, it is lost revenue and if somebody wants to disregard the data, so be it.

So sorry for going off topic. I am done with this point, so back to our regularly scheduled TOD experiences and have a wonderful day.

anc-ord772

I don't mind that UNITED tried to sell the seat, I mind greatly that 1K's don't have access to the same buy-up offer as GM's.

Yes, it is unfortunate to say the least.

physioprof

This is anecdote, not data. (And agreed that we are getting somewhat off topic for this thread.)

StringerBellBivDeVoe

"Without data, you are just another person with an opinion."

I believe in that, but his anecdote is data. Sure, it's only one data point, but others are providing similar.

Compound that with that we have no visibility as to what the overall data that United is basing decisions on looks like or how it is being interpreted - and more importantly, extrapolated - you can't just outright disregard what VNDream is saying.

What is most likely going on is that United has made this shift as part of a profit model that they developed based on previous success selling the TODs. They also are probably doing a bit of me-too on this - lots of companies look at their competition and copy them. Heck, maybe they are chasing a short-term profitability target and this is an easy way to tack on revenue.

The thing to take away is the data that they do NOT have is what kind of attrition the TOD strategy is causing. That part is what they are largely guessing on based on some model. If it is bad, that will be the next CEO's problem.

Kmxu

See poster #1975 above. I am a 1K. I got an offer of $99 for Den-EWR.

anc-ord772

Congrats.

1kBill

As stated above, congratulations.

Now, why didn't the 1K get the same offer as the non-elites on the same trip? This is the issue that rubs a lot of elites the wrong way.

Kacee

Yeah this has been documented so many times (and even acknowledged by UA Insider as a system flaw).

The other thing that really chafes is when UA sells the upgrade to no-status pax at a loss - i.e., for less than checked baggage fees.

unitedfflyer

I am a Silver and was extended this same ($99) offer in September. I took it in a heartbeat. Flight was cancelled, was rerouted by UC agent via IAH, and had a lie-flat from IAH-EWR. Delayed, but I have to say, I felt cared-for by UA. It had been a while since the last time I had that sensation.

bocastephen

I DO mind greatly that United is trying to sell the seat...why?

1. their last verbal and written commitment to the customer community was the F seat would never be sold for a 'fee' (not talking about fare difference) while any upgrade eligible Elite was in the Y cabin

2. offering the upgrade for $100 to any non-elite is a loss leader given the ancillary revenue that is offset...checked bag fees, entertainment fees, inflight food, etc

3. there is no mathematical way any non-elite on a low booking class ticket should be seeing fare difference upgrades for TODs, yet it still happens

What would a smart United do?

1. Like Delta, restrict paid fee based upgrades to certain fare classes, processed at the gate, and only when F seats are unsold

2. make the process transparent - like Delta (used to do, at least), publish the price at the gate monitors and take payments on a standby basis

3. on International flights, when all eligible upgraders are in J, move paid J tickets to empty F cabin seats (while GF is still alive) and offer the empty J seats for reasonable fees passengers in Y will likely pay, gaining a revenue boost for the flight

Many people in Y would jump at a $300-500 one-way upgrade to J on a long haul flight...just 5 people moved up is an extra $1,500 to $2,500 in ancillary flight revenue...across some 40 daily long haul departures, assume an avg of 30 seats a day over the year is an extra 16MM in revenue...even if the avg is only half that, an extra 8MM in revenue...even if only 1/4, 4MM in revenue...which isn't exactly peanuts

Compare this to the nonsense they pull today where every Kettle TOD actually costs them money, not including the furious Elite left in the back....the lack of innovative thinking is just staggering.

zombietooth

No status niece got a $139- offer at check-in and I told her to take it. I got no offer at all.
I later cleared the upgrade list and got to sit with her.

StringerBellBivDeVoe

Watching my flight right now and saw three seats get TOD'd out from under my waitlisted RPU. I was not offered a TOD.

WineCountryUA

This thread has gotten rarely long (which can create some system problems) and it is the end of year, so time to close this thread and open http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...6-edition.html .

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator