SportsTech

Does anyone else find it disconcerting that there are dozens of posts in this thread giving props to ...United IT?

C'mon, folks - there is simply no chance that United's IT team was better than Continental's. They may not have been worse, but they could't have been better: they were HORRIBLE. We didn't call it ".bomb" because it was great! The FastAir system was a GUI wrapped around a term server application, and while Shares may be character-based, that isn't necessarily slower than a GUI when an experienced user is running the app - and it isn't "DOS".

This is a massive system changeover and it will take a good long while before the UA CSR's catch up. I'm not defending Smisek - every dollar he's saved so far has negatively impacted our service and I'm still looking closely for even one "Change(s) I'm going to like" - but most of the integrated system glitches to date are forgivable for the first few weeks.

mduell

I think it's going to be years (literally) before they can get back to the service level PMUA customers were used to. Software needs to be written, employees need real training, and policies need to be fixed. In the end it won't be exactly like the old days, but it will be comparable: there will be things we can do online instead of having to call for them. But phone queues will be back to minutes at worst, airport agents will be quick and effective, and ticketing might even be instant.

JeffS

I would say that most things are going as expected when people have to learn a new system. Within a few weeks they will be just a good at using the new system as compared to the old system.

When I checked in for a flight at BWI last week, agents were paired (one PMUA and one PMCO). They would help each other complete an activity. The PMUA agent who assisted me said he thought the new system was very easy to use.

Beerman92

I respectfully disagree. Nothing I have experienced or heard in the past few months would indicate that United is going to be the preferred airline for corporate clients, GS or 1Ks. It may very well suit some travelers' needs (myself included) but they have certainly pushed some folks to consider other options.

Absolutely where the smart money is heading these days. Its a net move away from United.

mikel51

This seems to be the norm for me--right after 3/3, it was impossible to get an agent. Now, I can get an agent, but it can take them 30-60 min to take care of simple business that should take 1-5 min. And the whole time, the GS phone agent is apologizing about how long it takes as they learn the new system. They are doing their best, but either they haven't been well trained or the system is way too user unfriendly. They may have saved big bucks on the software, but they may make up for that by increased labor and unhappy customers. Not ready to jump ship yet, but I don't have infinite patience.

apm317

I have talked to a number of GS members on my flights and we all have agreed: we miss the old UA! We don't blame the airport staff, or flight attendants, or the customer service reps. We blamed the CEO of turning UA to CO.

demkr

This ^

fed planner

This is not the old CO either. What we have now is neither PMUA or PMCO. Sadly it is a shadow of both.

We should stop this us versus them (from either side). We are now all in the same boat. The new UA is something new and different and so far, just terrible. It will either get better or get worse. That is up to the new management. Unfortunately it appears to be headed downward and it is the culture of the new airline. Blame them for this mess, but it's not accurate to blame PMCO for this. Granted, things under the current CEO was headed downward before the merger, but what is happening now is not what Continental was previously.

That's just my two cents.

k_jupiter

^^

tim in san jose

twebst

^^