PHLGovFlyer

Flying out of EWR this morning started at C3 upper level. I had a bag to check (rare for me) so I needed an agent.

C3 Upper level. No elite check in stations open.

C3 lower lower level. No elite check in stations open.

C2 lower level. No elite check in stations open.

C2 upper level. No elite check in stations open.

Everywhere I went all the signs simply said "United Economy" and the Premier Access lines were closed by tensa-barriers.

Gave up and entered the regular line at C2 upper level behind about 75 people. There were 4 agents behind the counters and of the 20 or so kiosks about 15 were unoccupied. Evidently the people in line didn't realize that the kiosks could be used even if there wasn't an agent present so the line was barely moving.

I gave up and walked around to an open kiosk (one of a group of 7 consecutive open kiosks at the counter) and started to use it. An agent quickly came over and immediately asked, "Were you first in line?"

I responded "No, but there were open kiosks."

He then berated me about needing to wait for others and walked away. I suppose I deserved that for bypassing people in line but he then went to the head of the line and instructed the next dozen or so groups in line that they should use the open kiosks .

He finally came back to me and upon seeing my F boarding pass and 1K status insisted that I should have gone to the elite ticket counters downstairs(!). I protested that none of the other locations had elite checkin open and he insisted that he had just checked them and that they were in fact, open (Never mind that he had been at C2 upper level the entire time I was there).

Finally I just gave up, he checked my bag and I was on my way.

I guess I just receive a healthy dose of EWRatude.

Sorry for the rant and the long post but it was 04:30 and I need to vent!

FLYDCA

Welcome to Premier Access. It's no where near what elite status used convey on the old CO or UA.

nova08

I found this to be a consistent nuisance. People don't realize that they can use the kiosks and none of the agents bother to tell people so then the process crawls. This can be said about security too. Depending on the airport once you go through document check you can typically pick from a number of security lines. Too often I've seen everyone just go to the same line because no one was there to tell them that they can all spread out to which ever line was shortest.

flying for gold elite

Welcome to EWR, sadly! I have found this to always be an issue no matter what year it is and how far technology has come, an agent must be present at a kiosk to do the checkin at EWR. At any other airport, an employee will actually be in place to direct unknowing pax to use open kiosks. I love how the agent made it sound like he took the time away from checking in the growing line of pax to "verify the PA line was open," just to tell you off. I'm surprised the checkin agents didn't have a fit for you taking responsibility to actually expedite the checkin process for everyone else. Since EWR is my home airport I have learned to play the game and better appreciate every other airport in the country.

TWA Fan 1

I can't speak for PMUA, because I was only briefly a 2P, but I can assure you that the elite check-in areas at EWR for PMCO have been a problem for years, and have nothing to do with the merger.

In the OP, the elite check-in counters were closed early in the morning, but it is habitual at EWR for them to be closed at the most peak travel times.

PSU Mudder

This is the one station where PMCO and PMUA aren't the best descriptive terms. We should be using PMEWR to describe this unique beast vs. the rest of the system.

joel67

On PMUA, I actually much preferred EWR to LGA. Out of curiosity, what are things like at IAH? That might be an indication of whether these problems are specific to EWR or more generally to PMCO.

TWA Fan 1

EWR was always the worst station for PMCO. Why exactly is not clear, but it was obvious that the station was terribly mismanaged.

My theory is that CO was based in Houston and IAH was truly "home base," while EWR was far away, had a very different Eastern Seaboard culture, that HQ didn't know how to deal with as well.

REPUBLIC757

My dad was an elite with CO for many years and would always brag about how great being an elite was at EWR. A few times I traveled with him and it was quite clear in my mind that being elite on CO was useless at EWR:

--Insanely long security lines (sometimes the general wait line was shorter than the elite one.)
--....... TSA staff
--Check in lines at both elite and regular counters flooded.
--Smaller planes: little chance for upgrade
--Disgruntled GA's at gates.

So now that CO is UA, don't expect anything to get better in the near term. They won't even serve real food options in the UA clubs because CO was under contract to urge customers to eat at fast food in Terminal C for the benefit of various vendors.

stinkycop

Sorry gents. I have to disagree with you. I was CO gold and now silver. Every time I went to the elite check in the lines the were fully staffed and very few others there. No wait time at all. The secret about EWR is to use the very end or Term C. This station has about 10 to 12 kiosks and faces upward and not towards the street. I don't know if the OP attempted using this area, but I have always found it open and underutilized, so no wait.

TakeTheATrain

Absolutely true. Every time I've flown out of EWR, the lines have been incredibly long at check-in and security. My biggest problem is the fact that there is no one enforcing any of the lines. I do prefer JFK if possible. Easier access from Manhattan, check-in is a breeze since they have only p.s. flights (and the occasional UX to IAD), and the security line usually isn't terrible.

TWA Fan 1

I am certainly not suggesting the elite check-in is never staffed, and I would also say you've been lucky.

But I have traveled through EWR hundreds of times as a CO elite and am eminently familiar with every nook and cranny of the place..

I can assure you, I arrived dozens of times at 5PM, only to find all the elite counters closed and epic lines at the check-in areas that were open.

kwildnj

From what I saw this area (all the way to the left if the roadway is behind you) which was formerly Elite Access/International First, has been converted to the Global Services checkin area, as the C3 security checkpoint (which has the Global Services line) is right above it.

PSU Mudder

That's not true. They often had purple coated contractors enforcing those lines, who would empty the back half of the regular line into the elite line from time to time. It never occurred to these brainiacs that a) they were screwing over the front half of the regular line by letting the back half get to the podium first and b) if the elite line were to truly become empty, the regular line would get processed twice as quickly because all of the people presenting to the doc checkers would be from the regular line, which again, screws over the people at the front of the regular line.

EWR and IAH were (and are) two different airlines.

UA-NYC

FYI, can't remember if it was you that said it - but there definitely is no 1K specific security line there. Elite Access for all!