GS Voice is mute?
Apr 23, 2012, 4:42 pm
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SFO South Bay
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 3,052
From what I can tell the head of this operation is a continental guy named Martin Hand:
"Martin Hand
Senior Vice President Customer Experience
....
Hand was the Director of Continental’s two Houston Centers from 1997 to 2000, and was in the Finance Division from 1986 to 1996."
"Martin Hand
Senior Vice President Customer Experience
....
Hand was the Director of Continental’s two Houston Centers from 1997 to 2000, and was in the Finance Division from 1986 to 1996."
Also, related to the topic of GS mail, I got another response from them today, after the above email that was sent 2 days ago. So maybe GS email is still alive? I cannot tell.
Apr 23, 2012, 4:54 pm
#47
Used to be MJ-bos
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: San Diego, California USA
Programs: AA ExecPlat, COdbaUA 1P & 2MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold, IHG Gold, Avis 1st
Posts: 228
Just another Happy United day, eh?
Yup. I am also a lowly bottom-feeding 1k who only personally does $25k/year.
Just got off the phone trying to move my flight in the AM to one hour earlier ... something I've done scores of times and ALWAYS was either "no problem, we'll just take care of it." or if I got a "new" 1k rep, I'd get hit with a fare difference (which, while annoying, was not a problem when it's my ask/fault).
Today... nope, can't do it, won't do it, and can't touch your ticket. "You need to go back to your travel agent and have them reprice and rebook it."
?????!??!?
I asked what that's all about - more changes I should be liking? She wasn't happy, "no, it's always been like this." ... oh god, here we go again. I just left it at "no, it hasn't always been this bad... thanks for making an effort to help me out, it's really appreciated."
My travel agency is about as bad as the new United at re-doing tickets. After I get done talking with the lovely folks in Poland, it has to go to the other team of lovely folks in India to get processed... sometimes in a few hours, sometimes overnight. I wonder if it's not the same team in India ...
Long story short, (too late, I know), I'm basically told to go pound sand, despite being willing to pay any fare difference.
This is __not_ acceptable. I'm not whining about status, line jumping, awards, miles posting, or even upgrades .... this is a BASIC FUNCTION I expect an airline to be able to handle, something that comes up at least a few times a month, and something that for over 20 years and nearly 2M miles and this has not been a problem.
UAINSIDER or anyone from whatever is left of United, are you listening?
Just got off the phone trying to move my flight in the AM to one hour earlier ... something I've done scores of times and ALWAYS was either "no problem, we'll just take care of it." or if I got a "new" 1k rep, I'd get hit with a fare difference (which, while annoying, was not a problem when it's my ask/fault).
Today... nope, can't do it, won't do it, and can't touch your ticket. "You need to go back to your travel agent and have them reprice and rebook it."
?????!??!?
I asked what that's all about - more changes I should be liking? She wasn't happy, "no, it's always been like this." ... oh god, here we go again. I just left it at "no, it hasn't always been this bad... thanks for making an effort to help me out, it's really appreciated."
My travel agency is about as bad as the new United at re-doing tickets. After I get done talking with the lovely folks in Poland, it has to go to the other team of lovely folks in India to get processed... sometimes in a few hours, sometimes overnight. I wonder if it's not the same team in India ...
Long story short, (too late, I know), I'm basically told to go pound sand, despite being willing to pay any fare difference.
This is __not_ acceptable. I'm not whining about status, line jumping, awards, miles posting, or even upgrades .... this is a BASIC FUNCTION I expect an airline to be able to handle, something that comes up at least a few times a month, and something that for over 20 years and nearly 2M miles and this has not been a problem.
UAINSIDER or anyone from whatever is left of United, are you listening?
Apr 23, 2012, 5:04 pm
#48
Used to be MJ-bos
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: San Diego, California USA
Programs: AA ExecPlat, COdbaUA 1P & 2MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold, IHG Gold, Avis 1st
Posts: 228
Bean Counters and Customer Experience ... Now it's clear.
A JD running an airline with a bean counter in charge of Customer Experience. Why stop there ... really shake things up and put a a marketeer in charge of maintenance and a Pilot in charge of advertising.
After reading SMI/J's comments from the other week, it's become crystal clear to me that the time is at hand to make the call to AA and start the burn off of my 1M mileage bank. This will not get any better until there is a clean sweep in the Sears---er, Willis Tower.
"Ya know, Jeffie, since you've got everything packed up in boxes, the board has been hammered by all of the negative press, poor performance numbers, and customer defections..."
I can dream, can't I.
Apr 23, 2012, 5:08 pm
#49
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
I and my partner are both GS, and have been since the program began years ago -- earned the old fashioned way, with butts in seats in paid F or upgraded D/C for many many miles every year. Not the best FC product internationally, but we have been loyal to UAL because GS has been good to us.
I have rolled my eyes at some of the threads here on FT with people complaining about how things have changed with the "new" United. But sadly, I have become a believer in the loss of "our" airline.
I'm at far point on a SFO->FRA->CDG trip. I just called the GS phone line to make a change on my return, hoping to get on the earlier same day FRA->SFO flight later this week.
Over 1-1/2 million miles over the past decade, I have made this sort of request literally dozen of times, and virtually always been met by a helpful agent that accommodated my request. Sometimes the GS agent did it directly, and sometimes they need to call Inventory to approve the request.
Today, I tried twice with two different "GS" agents. I was met with nothing short of outright hostility. They claimed to be experienced UAL/GS agents, but told me they neither could nor would call Inventory Control on my behalf, and basically treated me like I was a crazy idiot for even requesting the change I was trying to make.
It's fine. I'll live and it was just a change for my convenience. But one that was IMO entirely reasonable, and one I've done many times in the past. To those of you who I have been rolling my eyes at: I'm sorry, you were completely right, and I was wrong.
I sent a note to the UGS email with this feedback, but it won't go anywhere. Is there a better way to make our voices heard as United's best customers? In my note to UGS, I pointed out that I'm also the CEO of a fast growing tech company that is doing > $2m of business with UAL every year, and growing rapidly as a corporate customer. We'll move that business to Delta or American or Southwest so fast it isn't even funny. Do they even care?
Are there other GS and corporate execs out there that want to try to band together and see if we can make our voices heard? Or is it hopeless?
pmf
I have rolled my eyes at some of the threads here on FT with people complaining about how things have changed with the "new" United. But sadly, I have become a believer in the loss of "our" airline.
I'm at far point on a SFO->FRA->CDG trip. I just called the GS phone line to make a change on my return, hoping to get on the earlier same day FRA->SFO flight later this week.
Over 1-1/2 million miles over the past decade, I have made this sort of request literally dozen of times, and virtually always been met by a helpful agent that accommodated my request. Sometimes the GS agent did it directly, and sometimes they need to call Inventory to approve the request.
Today, I tried twice with two different "GS" agents. I was met with nothing short of outright hostility. They claimed to be experienced UAL/GS agents, but told me they neither could nor would call Inventory Control on my behalf, and basically treated me like I was a crazy idiot for even requesting the change I was trying to make.
It's fine. I'll live and it was just a change for my convenience. But one that was IMO entirely reasonable, and one I've done many times in the past. To those of you who I have been rolling my eyes at: I'm sorry, you were completely right, and I was wrong.
I sent a note to the UGS email with this feedback, but it won't go anywhere. Is there a better way to make our voices heard as United's best customers? In my note to UGS, I pointed out that I'm also the CEO of a fast growing tech company that is doing > $2m of business with UAL every year, and growing rapidly as a corporate customer. We'll move that business to Delta or American or Southwest so fast it isn't even funny. Do they even care?
Are there other GS and corporate execs out there that want to try to band together and see if we can make our voices heard? Or is it hopeless?
pmf
It seems like "ensure the S-1 is drafted in a timely fashion" or "start a new project which brings the company closer to profitability faster" would be much higher priorities and would probably command 12–16 hours a day of your attention.
I can totally understand if "calling United and chatting about travel plans" is something you do as kind of fun, mindless diversion -- and I can totally feel your pain if it used to be fun and after the merger it seems like the fun is gone. But at what point do you just give up, hire a veteran FlyerTalk member as a part-time admin assistant / arranger of travel, and move on? It sounds like, from your experience, the honeymoon might be over.
Apr 24, 2012, 3:51 am
#50
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: near to SFO and LHR
Programs: BA Gold, B6 Mosiac, VS, AA, DL (and a legacy UA 2MM)
Posts: 2,274
Apr 24, 2012, 5:42 am
#51
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: UA GS, SPG Plat, National EC Executive (Replaced Hertz), Hertz PC (Retired)
Posts: 724
Yup. I am also a lowly bottom-feeding 1k who only personally does $25k/year.
Just got off the phone trying to move my flight in the AM to one hour earlier ... something I've done scores of times and ALWAYS was either "no problem, we'll just take care of it." or if I got a "new" 1k rep, I'd get hit with a fare difference (which, while annoying, was not a problem when it's my ask/fault).
....
UAINSIDER or anyone from whatever is left of United, are you listening?
Just got off the phone trying to move my flight in the AM to one hour earlier ... something I've done scores of times and ALWAYS was either "no problem, we'll just take care of it." or if I got a "new" 1k rep, I'd get hit with a fare difference (which, while annoying, was not a problem when it's my ask/fault).
....
UAINSIDER or anyone from whatever is left of United, are you listening?
Apr 24, 2012, 5:43 am
#52
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 32
This is naïve question, but as the CEO of a growing startup that's raised $100M+ of venture capital in six rounds, where are you still finding time to spend on the phone with an airline?...
I can totally understand if "calling United and chatting about travel plans" is something you do as kind of fun, mindless diversion -- and I can totally feel your pain if it used to be fun and after the merger it seems like the fun is gone. But at what point do you just give up, hire a veteran FlyerTalk member as a part-time admin assistant / arranger of travel, and move on? It sounds like, from your experience, the honeymoon might be over.
I can totally understand if "calling United and chatting about travel plans" is something you do as kind of fun, mindless diversion -- and I can totally feel your pain if it used to be fun and after the merger it seems like the fun is gone. But at what point do you just give up, hire a veteran FlyerTalk member as a part-time admin assistant / arranger of travel, and move on? It sounds like, from your experience, the honeymoon might be over.
For business travel, I've long stopped calling UA myself except in an emergency. But for personal travel, like this return from CDG, I still try to do it myself. But now that I've become a crazy idiot for even asking about things that have "never been possible", I suppose I'm at the end of that road.
Apr 24, 2012, 7:19 am
#53
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: UA-1Kmm, AA-EX Plt mm-, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 1,093
https://www.facebook.com/#!/benjamin.mutzabaugh
Apr 24, 2012, 7:27 am
#54
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Virginia, USA
Programs: UA GS/3MM, DL Gold/Million Miler, AA Exec Plat/Million Miler, Emirates Gold
Posts: 153
As much as I hate how GS sucks now (I've emailed them SIX times with ZERO response, thanks Jeff!) they are technically correct. Their contract with travel agencies says that they're not supposed to touch the ticket before departure. This is a relatively soft rule (as there's nothing technically preventing them from doing so) however it's possible that post-merger they're being sticklers about it.
My experience with GS pUA was that they would not touch a travel agency ticket before travel had begun, but once i began the trip they would be happy to change return legs.
Apr 24, 2012, 7:39 am
#55
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
Same here. You can also ask UA to "take over" a travel agent ticket. Normally, it's a $25 fee, but waived for 1K and GS.
Apr 24, 2012, 8:05 am
#56
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,775
I hope they still do it because it tends to be faster then dealing with our travel agency.
May 3, 2012, 9:22 pm
#57
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DC
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 597
Anyone have a good contact email for UA?
Hey again all. Like many here, UA's got my panties in a knot. As a GS/1K there has always been an email address that I could lob a message into and would get a pretty decently timed response back.
In the past I have used [email protected] but I have not heard a peep back from them. I also sent a message in via the contact form on the new site and got nothing but crickets.
Anyone have another email address that a 1Ker could use to get in touch with UA about flight issues? Even the agent at the GS # did not have any add'l contact info. Said "the whole system is still being figured out. Have you tried the website?" Though she was very nice.
Grrrrrr...
Thanks all.
In the past I have used [email protected] but I have not heard a peep back from them. I also sent a message in via the contact form on the new site and got nothing but crickets.
Anyone have another email address that a 1Ker could use to get in touch with UA about flight issues? Even the agent at the GS # did not have any add'l contact info. Said "the whole system is still being figured out. Have you tried the website?" Though she was very nice.
Grrrrrr...
Thanks all.
May 3, 2012, 9:31 pm
#58
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
this issue isn't the email address but the mountain of unanswered emails. Better at this point to workout what you can with live agents.
May 3, 2012, 10:32 pm
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186