Bluehen1

This "over-entitled" multi-year 1K will be taking a slightly different tack than most. My business travel is primarily to Germany on LH due to the non-stop EWR-DUS (HQ is about 45 miles north of DUS). Until my relocation to the east coast for this position, I was doing a lot of personal travel to visit family back east from CA (spent many a Friday night on the LAX-IAD redeyes). I had been topping off my account with mileage runs to maintain my 1K status.

However, when the programs were merged I was bumped up to a Million Miler with lifetime Gold. Honestly, that's all I care about since it allows me lounge access for overseas personal trips (company trips are in business). I've barely sniffed an upgrade over the past two years if it wasn't supported. I don't play the W fare TATL/TPAC lotto (those GPUs work great on EWR-DUS though). I'm tired of not having dedicated 1K1Call service as I've had to call in and hold for at least an hour while I get passed to the MPSC to get my LH and LX flights to credit properly. I figured I was going to have to do the same with my US flights but they credited faster than my own UA flights.

What I will be doing is traveling locally. After being away from New England for 25 years, I had forgotten all the things that are available to me within a reasonable drive. I may still take the odd trip and it will likely be on UA but I won't be pushing myself to keep 1K status especially since it means less and less these days.

FlyWorld

At this point, can there be any doubt that 1k's are the group primarily targeted by Rainey? This makes Shannon's message that ignores all of this and instead talks about how much easier it's become to get an E+ seat all the more infuriating. I also have little doubt that message was dictated by one of the same Texas Meathead Tyrants responsible for these changes that we are supposed to like. Never before in my life have I seen so many blatant lies. These guys must have read a Soviet era playbook on propaganda to kick off the takeover but they should have read it more carefully because their execution sucks.

By the way, is it against TOS to link to UA Parody videos on YouTube. I've posted twice but both were deleted. They are hilarious and more true by the day.

ozstamps

I guarantee that will change within 12 months. EVERY UA elite that walks in the door of a TG or SQ or BD Lounge etc costs $mi$ek $US25.

Someone will die when they see this year's bill due to a ton more "Golds".

MP Plats and up will the only MP members to get * Lounge access within a year.

All true MMs should have got MP Plat but they did not. CO IEs went one better - they got 1K for life after all. They were the Chosen People of course, as they were CO good ole Boys.

Please post back then about how great the current deal is.
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LarkSFO

So, now you are rooting for UA to fail?

Why?

Talk about delusional...

Check back with me on 5/23/2013 and we'll see where things are.

UA-NYC

Reality check - none of us who despise COdbaUA are rooting for it to "go out of business" fail - it's more about rooting for failure in the near term (next few quarters) to the extent that the BoD will start to question the dubious choices made by this leadership team.

A clean slate of more customer-focused executives would go a long way.

LarkSFO

After reviewing the presentation again, and thinking about the changes over the past 12 months, I am 100% certain that Mr. Rainey was not referring to 1K's with his statement.

2P's (primarily), and 1P's (to a lesser extent) have borne the brunt of the changes.

FlyWorld

+1

I am rooting for $mi$ek and his cronies to be fired and their bonuses taken away and for a new management team to restore the dignity for which I admired UA.

LarkSFO

He said he wants to see UA in bankruptcy. Sounds like he is rooting for UA to fail.

I understand your perspective as well - you want UA to do poorly enough that Smisek and Co. are removed.

Be careful what you wish for, a new regime could just as easily be worse for elites...

FlyWorld

Don't understand how you can draw that conclusion after reviewing all that's been posted in just the last 24 hrs.

pdx1M

The thing I don't get with the UA benefit reductions for 1Ks is that most of them are not monetary.

- 1K dedicated phone line: you have to have these folks answering phones anyway. Set it up so there is a dedicated 1K set of agents and overflow other calls to them if there aren't any 1Ks on hold. NO additional agents, just as efficient, but you get the old 1K line at no extra cost.
- Checkin dedicated 1K lines - same thing - this is about setting up ropes and signs. That 1K check in agent pulls folks from the next line down when no 1K is waiting. Again - no staffing change and no cost.
- On board meal selection. No cost to who gets which meal so why not give a 1K first choice.
- Boarding - everyone is getting on the plane. Permitting 1Ks (and in this case GS) have a useable bypass if they get to the gate 2 minutes after boarding started costs nothing.

Yes - the upgrade mess may be cost issue, although the request here is at least in part for fair access to buyups and fair processing of instruments. CPUs vs TODs is a potential cost issue we can debate.

My point is that the new UA is doing what appear to be stupid things to annoy 1Ks that save nothing on the cost side. Clever revenue enhancement is one thing but these changes just make no sense to me.

njcommodore

Do you really think there are THAT many more golds on the combined carrier than the sum of the subsidiary airlines??

Orion

I am Gold at UA and I have spent much of the time lately flying around in Econ Minus on CO aircraft not yet modified for Econ Plus. I do get an upgrade once in a while and am happy to get it. On paper I may be over entitled but I am rarely able to collect on those fab benefits.

ozstamps

Huh? ConUall has subsidiaries?
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UA-NYC

I don't root for BK, but I do root for enough short term failure that would lead to a new leadership team. Presumably one selected to not continue down the ill-advised $misek & Rainey path, but rather realize it's okay to try to make money and treat your valued customers well.

desperationsearch

Worse for Elites???

What could they do?

Promise us upgrades and not deliver? Wait, they've done that.
Not credit mileage correctly? Wait, they've done that.
Make it excruciating to deal with an irrops change? Wait, they've done that.
Get the employees so mad that they hate their jobs and us? Wait, they've done that.
Lose our reservations? Wait, they've done that.
Lie to us? Wait, they've done that.
Tell us every broken promise is a "glitch" that will take over a year to fix? Wait, they've done that.
Belittle us as over-entitled? Wait, they've done that.
Remove our access to dedicated, excellent phone agents? Wait, they've done that.
Use bait and switch tactics? Wait, they've done that.
Sell the benefits they've promised us to any once-a-year flyer with an few extra $20s? Wait, they've done that.


Short of strap us to the outside of the plane I doubt there is more a worse regeime could do. And, frankly, I doubt one could find a worse regeime. Would Lorenzo take over again?