Are things getting better?
Aug 20, 2012 | 1:51 pm
#31
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: STL/SFO
Programs: UAL 1P
Posts: 53
Other than CSRs being better with SHARES, and sometimes less frazzled its just as bad. I've had zero on time flights since March. Average delay of about 1 hour.
As a 1P, I don't expect many upgrades, but my upgrade rate as a 2P pre-March was much higher. I've missed several upgrades due to TOD and the SHARES PNR splitting. I shouldn't have to decline upgrades just to avoid a split PNR.
I suppose a recent change I like is that more crews are skipping the Smisek pre-flight message
As a 1P, I don't expect many upgrades, but my upgrade rate as a 2P pre-March was much higher. I've missed several upgrades due to TOD and the SHARES PNR splitting. I shouldn't have to decline upgrades just to avoid a split PNR.
I suppose a recent change I like is that more crews are skipping the Smisek pre-flight message
Aug 20, 2012 | 1:58 pm
#32
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: ALB
Posts: 41
I chuckle at the people who went to AA with its MD80's and NEW 777 coming with 3 4 3 in economy. Its fleet is at least 2 years away from E+ and new layflat business class seats.
I guess the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.
For me all my upgrades clear on international flights and really once i have E+ exit row do i really care when i miss an upgrade to domestic business class? NOT!
UA still hands out tons of certs when they screw up and they do all the time.
About the only think I am getting upset about is how i dont get the "priority" boarding as a 1k that i was used to...
Today boarding is a cattle call with everyone who has a credit card.
I guess the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.
For me all my upgrades clear on international flights and really once i have E+ exit row do i really care when i miss an upgrade to domestic business class? NOT!
UA still hands out tons of certs when they screw up and they do all the time.
About the only think I am getting upset about is how i dont get the "priority" boarding as a 1k that i was used to...
Today boarding is a cattle call with everyone who has a credit card.
Aug 20, 2012 | 2:16 pm
#33
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Exploralist, Marriot Silver
Posts: 2,068
The recurring theme in the responses, to summarize a little, is that operations is a major issue. Are things better than the mess that was the first month? Sure. Are things better enough to be satisfactory to most frequent-flyers? Speaking for myself, no.
Aug 20, 2012 | 2:24 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SJC, SFO, YYC
Programs: AA-EXP, AA-0.41MM, UA-Gold, Ex UA-1K (2006 thru 2015), PMUA-0.95MM, COUA-1.5MM-lite, AF-Silver
Posts: 13,436
No things have not gotten better.
SFO/DEN on a 757. Auto checked in, #1 on up grade list. TOD offer of $100.
A few hours later, number 5 on upgrade list, but still lots of available seats, and still a $100 TOD.
By the next day, #7 on list, F checked in full.
Under UDU, this upgrade clears all the time.
SFO/DEN on a 757. Auto checked in, #1 on up grade list. TOD offer of $100.
A few hours later, number 5 on upgrade list, but still lots of available seats, and still a $100 TOD.
By the next day, #7 on list, F checked in full.
Under UDU, this upgrade clears all the time.
Aug 20, 2012 | 2:53 pm
#35
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SNA/LAX
Programs: AA (ex) EXP, Hyatt (ex) Globalist, Marriott Plat, Go Bears!
Posts: 237
No things have not gotten better.
SFO/DEN on a 757. Auto checked in, #1 on up grade list. TOD offer of $100.
A few hours later, number 5 on upgrade list, but still lots of available seats, and still a $100 TOD.
By the next day, #7 on list, F checked in full.
Under UDU, this upgrade clears all the time.
SFO/DEN on a 757. Auto checked in, #1 on up grade list. TOD offer of $100.
A few hours later, number 5 on upgrade list, but still lots of available seats, and still a $100 TOD.
By the next day, #7 on list, F checked in full.
Under UDU, this upgrade clears all the time.
Aug 20, 2012 | 3:14 pm
#36
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Southern California, GVA, SIN, LHR, BRU, CDG
Programs: UA LT GS 4.12MM (4.08MM BIS), AA EXP 1.86MM ,DL DM 1.1MM, HH LT Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 1,182
This is too much for me and HKG is my favorite airport and I love flying CX. I would rather it's AA flying so I can use my EVIPs but I have learned to love CX for the past three years.
Case in point, I got upgraded to C when my Y ticketed flight from MNL-HKG-JFK was cancelled due to a typhoon. To make matters more intersting, AA gave me the mileage credit for a C ticketed flight. I also cannot count how many times I have gotten Up-Op on the JFK-HKG flights with CX.
It's also a laughing joke when I arrive at HKG to catch my connecting HKG-BKK or HKG-MNL flights to see a beautifully dressed CX CSR holding my name on a board with a new boarding pass for an Up-Op to C. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
It pays to be a Top-Tier FF in ONE-WORLD.
Case in point, I got upgraded to C when my Y ticketed flight from MNL-HKG-JFK was cancelled due to a typhoon. To make matters more intersting, AA gave me the mileage credit for a C ticketed flight. I also cannot count how many times I have gotten Up-Op on the JFK-HKG flights with CX.
It's also a laughing joke when I arrive at HKG to catch my connecting HKG-BKK or HKG-MNL flights to see a beautifully dressed CX CSR holding my name on a board with a new boarding pass for an Up-Op to C. NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
It pays to be a Top-Tier FF in ONE-WORLD.
Last month, when we had a last minute mechanical on my HKG-LAX segment (connecting from KUL) CX sent its Marco Polo Diamond members and AA EXP members to the Mandarin Oriental by individual limos...and we ended up with a suite with a butler!!! Add an unlimited meal tab at the hotel's restaurant (Two Michelin Star restaurant and adult beverages included) and it was quite a nice 24hr delay for my wife and me! The next day when we returned to HKG, as we were in in line to board our flight in Premium Economy, a CX "suit" called us up to the desk and put us in F...and gave us a certificate for two free tickets in C on CX as an apology for the inconvenience! I felt almost guilty in accepting this..."almost"
CX definitely gets it...as does AA and other OW carriers...customer service means something. Yes, the grass is greener...I can't believe I put up with UA so long
What it really all comes down to is safe and reliable transportation with a modicum of comfort and good customer service! As someone who has flown UA for over 40 years and was an unabashed cheerleader for the airline...the "new" UA is failing in the above miserably. It is hardly reliable...there are questions about their safety and customer service is a foreign concept/disease to UA management. So no, UA is definitely not getting better in those things that are important to this frequent flyer!
Aug 20, 2012 | 4:20 pm
#39
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NorCal
Programs: MP Ag, former 1K
Posts: 479
Seems that everyone agrees that operations are still an on-going mess.
Forgot to mention that United's operation had been very unsatisfactory in one incident that I was involved with.
1. I had purchased tickets through Orbitz for my sister's family to visit Europe. Outbound was on United (LAX-ORD, ORD-CDG), Inbound was on Air Canada.
2. Upon purchase, I had all 5 members of her family squared away in 5 adjacent seats.
3. United then did an equipment swap, took out a 777 and replaced it with a 767 on the ORG-CDG segment. The reservation the scattered all 5 members of her family to 5 different places.
4. I tried, over the course of 5 phone calls and 3 weeks to get them back together. Some CSA's were completely clueless, as they insist to me that they've changed the seat assignments, and that's that. Even when I asked them to check, they implied that I was somehow insolent in asking them to check something they already said they did. Finally I managed to get a very experienced UA 1K CSA, who realized that the equipment change on the second segment of the flight (same flight number from LAX-ORD as ORD-CDG, but different equipment) somehow put the computer system into a paralyzed state and no one could change seats - not myself through the web interface, not any CSA, not her at the 1K desk with web services help. Her final advice was just to let the GA fix it, since the GA has the power to move people around, and since my sister has a 3 year old, she was certain that the GA would be more than accommodating to move people around.
5. After 5 calls and finally finding the one very experienced agent who seemed to know the in's and out's of what was happening, I accepted her advice and told my sister and brother-in-law to have the seat assignments fixed in ORD.
6. After the flight, I asked my brother-in-law what happened. He told me that
A. The theory that the GA would fix things is a good one, but
B. the ORD-CDG flight was oversold by 6 passengers. They had no seats to give to to the folks on standby. They had no seats to move anyone around. The GA was completely uninterested to try to move people around.
C. After some discussions and some passengers helping out, they finally managed to secure two adjacent seats for my sister and her 3 year old. Her husband, and the two other kids (both less than 12) had to sit next to strangers scattered across the cabin.
7. After this flight, my brother-in-law vowed never to fly UA again. (He's no stranger to travel, he flew 100+ K miles on USAir a few years back) I can't say that I blame him. After all, the seat assignment problem was known a good 2+ months in advance, and I used my elite status to make call after call to try to get the problem fixed, but the computer system stood in the way.
I've been meaning to write a nasty gram to UA on this matter, but since I wasn't the one separated from my family scattered across the Y-cabin for 7 hours, it just kept on slipping my mind. The sad thing is that I don't think I'll get anything more than a form letter and a few thousand RDM's for my brother-in-law - RDM's that he's never going to use to fly on United...
Forgot to mention that United's operation had been very unsatisfactory in one incident that I was involved with.
1. I had purchased tickets through Orbitz for my sister's family to visit Europe. Outbound was on United (LAX-ORD, ORD-CDG), Inbound was on Air Canada.
2. Upon purchase, I had all 5 members of her family squared away in 5 adjacent seats.
3. United then did an equipment swap, took out a 777 and replaced it with a 767 on the ORG-CDG segment. The reservation the scattered all 5 members of her family to 5 different places.
4. I tried, over the course of 5 phone calls and 3 weeks to get them back together. Some CSA's were completely clueless, as they insist to me that they've changed the seat assignments, and that's that. Even when I asked them to check, they implied that I was somehow insolent in asking them to check something they already said they did. Finally I managed to get a very experienced UA 1K CSA, who realized that the equipment change on the second segment of the flight (same flight number from LAX-ORD as ORD-CDG, but different equipment) somehow put the computer system into a paralyzed state and no one could change seats - not myself through the web interface, not any CSA, not her at the 1K desk with web services help. Her final advice was just to let the GA fix it, since the GA has the power to move people around, and since my sister has a 3 year old, she was certain that the GA would be more than accommodating to move people around.
5. After 5 calls and finally finding the one very experienced agent who seemed to know the in's and out's of what was happening, I accepted her advice and told my sister and brother-in-law to have the seat assignments fixed in ORD.
6. After the flight, I asked my brother-in-law what happened. He told me that
A. The theory that the GA would fix things is a good one, but
B. the ORD-CDG flight was oversold by 6 passengers. They had no seats to give to to the folks on standby. They had no seats to move anyone around. The GA was completely uninterested to try to move people around.
C. After some discussions and some passengers helping out, they finally managed to secure two adjacent seats for my sister and her 3 year old. Her husband, and the two other kids (both less than 12) had to sit next to strangers scattered across the cabin.
7. After this flight, my brother-in-law vowed never to fly UA again. (He's no stranger to travel, he flew 100+ K miles on USAir a few years back) I can't say that I blame him. After all, the seat assignment problem was known a good 2+ months in advance, and I used my elite status to make call after call to try to get the problem fixed, but the computer system stood in the way.
I've been meaning to write a nasty gram to UA on this matter, but since I wasn't the one separated from my family scattered across the Y-cabin for 7 hours, it just kept on slipping my mind. The sad thing is that I don't think I'll get anything more than a form letter and a few thousand RDM's for my brother-in-law - RDM's that he's never going to use to fly on United...
Aug 20, 2012 | 5:05 pm
#40
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
No things have not gotten better.
SFO/DEN on a 757. Auto checked in, #1 on up grade list. TOD offer of $100.
A few hours later, number 5 on upgrade list, but still lots of available seats, and still a $100 TOD.
By the next day, #7 on list, F checked in full.
Under UDU, this upgrade clears all the time.
SFO/DEN on a 757. Auto checked in, #1 on up grade list. TOD offer of $100.
A few hours later, number 5 on upgrade list, but still lots of available seats, and still a $100 TOD.
By the next day, #7 on list, F checked in full.
Under UDU, this upgrade clears all the time.
Aug 20, 2012 | 5:13 pm
#41
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: 2012 Plat-2013 Plat-2014 Silver-2015 GM
Posts: 818
Seems that everyone agrees that operations are still an on-going mess.
Forgot to mention that United's operation had been very unsatisfactory in one incident that I was involved with.
1. I had purchased tickets through Orbitz for my sister's family to visit Europe. Outbound was on United (LAX-ORD, ORD-CDG), Inbound was on Air Canada.
2. Upon purchase, I had all 5 members of her family squared away in 5 adjacent seats.
3. United then did an equipment swap, took out a 777 and replaced it with a 767 on the ORG-CDG segment. The reservation the scattered all 5 members of her family to 5 different places.
4. I tried, over the course of 5 phone calls and 3 weeks to get them back together. Some CSA's were completely clueless, as they insist to me that they've changed the seat assignments, and that's that. Even when I asked them to check, they implied that I was somehow insolent in asking them to check something they already said they did. Finally I managed to get a very experienced UA 1K CSA, who realized that the equipment change on the second segment of the flight (same flight number from LAX-ORD as ORD-CDG, but different equipment) somehow put the computer system into a paralyzed state and no one could change seats - not myself through the web interface, not any CSA, not her at the 1K desk with web services help. Her final advice was just to let the GA fix it, since the GA has the power to move people around, and since my sister has a 3 year old, she was certain that the GA would be more than accommodating to move people around.
5. After 5 calls and finally finding the one very experienced agent who seemed to know the in's and out's of what was happening, I accepted her advice and told my sister and brother-in-law to have the seat assignments fixed in ORD.
6. After the flight, I asked my brother-in-law what happened. He told me that
A. The theory that the GA would fix things is a good one, but
B. the ORD-CDG flight was oversold by 6 passengers. They had no seats to give to to the folks on standby. They had no seats to move anyone around. The GA was completely uninterested to try to move people around.
C. After some discussions and some passengers helping out, they finally managed to secure two adjacent seats for my sister and her 3 year old. Her husband, and the two other kids (both less than 12) had to sit next to strangers scattered across the cabin.
7. After this flight, my brother-in-law vowed never to fly UA again. (He's no stranger to travel, he flew 100+ K miles on USAir a few years back) I can't say that I blame him. After all, the seat assignment problem was known a good 2+ months in advance, and I used my elite status to make call after call to try to get the problem fixed, but the computer system stood in the way.
I've been meaning to write a nasty gram to UA on this matter, but since I wasn't the one separated from my family scattered across the Y-cabin for 7 hours, it just kept on slipping my mind. The sad thing is that I don't think I'll get anything more than a form letter and a few thousand RDM's for my brother-in-law - RDM's that he's never going to use to fly on United...
Forgot to mention that United's operation had been very unsatisfactory in one incident that I was involved with.
1. I had purchased tickets through Orbitz for my sister's family to visit Europe. Outbound was on United (LAX-ORD, ORD-CDG), Inbound was on Air Canada.
2. Upon purchase, I had all 5 members of her family squared away in 5 adjacent seats.
3. United then did an equipment swap, took out a 777 and replaced it with a 767 on the ORG-CDG segment. The reservation the scattered all 5 members of her family to 5 different places.
4. I tried, over the course of 5 phone calls and 3 weeks to get them back together. Some CSA's were completely clueless, as they insist to me that they've changed the seat assignments, and that's that. Even when I asked them to check, they implied that I was somehow insolent in asking them to check something they already said they did. Finally I managed to get a very experienced UA 1K CSA, who realized that the equipment change on the second segment of the flight (same flight number from LAX-ORD as ORD-CDG, but different equipment) somehow put the computer system into a paralyzed state and no one could change seats - not myself through the web interface, not any CSA, not her at the 1K desk with web services help. Her final advice was just to let the GA fix it, since the GA has the power to move people around, and since my sister has a 3 year old, she was certain that the GA would be more than accommodating to move people around.
5. After 5 calls and finally finding the one very experienced agent who seemed to know the in's and out's of what was happening, I accepted her advice and told my sister and brother-in-law to have the seat assignments fixed in ORD.
6. After the flight, I asked my brother-in-law what happened. He told me that
A. The theory that the GA would fix things is a good one, but
B. the ORD-CDG flight was oversold by 6 passengers. They had no seats to give to to the folks on standby. They had no seats to move anyone around. The GA was completely uninterested to try to move people around.
C. After some discussions and some passengers helping out, they finally managed to secure two adjacent seats for my sister and her 3 year old. Her husband, and the two other kids (both less than 12) had to sit next to strangers scattered across the cabin.
7. After this flight, my brother-in-law vowed never to fly UA again. (He's no stranger to travel, he flew 100+ K miles on USAir a few years back) I can't say that I blame him. After all, the seat assignment problem was known a good 2+ months in advance, and I used my elite status to make call after call to try to get the problem fixed, but the computer system stood in the way.
I've been meaning to write a nasty gram to UA on this matter, but since I wasn't the one separated from my family scattered across the Y-cabin for 7 hours, it just kept on slipping my mind. The sad thing is that I don't think I'll get anything more than a form letter and a few thousand RDM's for my brother-in-law - RDM's that he's never going to use to fly on United...
I don't blame your brother-in-law. Why would you want to sit next to a family member or your own child on a 7-10 hour flight when you could sit in a middle seat next to stranger?
The Horror!
Aug 20, 2012 | 5:59 pm
#42
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Programs: UA 1MM
Posts: 5,613
No, no, no, nothing has gotten any better. I have been on three r/ts with AA and got upgraded each time well in advance. Love their MDs, their crews, everyone is friendly and helpful and appreciate my business. At least that's how I and Mrs. EX feel. Heck, last week I took SW. What a pleasant surprise, nice leather seats, clean equipment, extremely friendly and respectful service. And did I mention, nothing has gotten better with UA. And I am not holding out any hope.
Aug 20, 2012 | 6:05 pm
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Programs: DL SM Plat, B6 TrueBlue, UA MP, AAdvantage
Posts: 10,008
You do know that being #1 on the list at T-24 doesn't mean you're actually the highest ranked person waiting for the upgrade, right? Even without the fare difference to upgrade there is the very real possibility that others were ahead of you on higher fares or earlier purchases.
Aug 20, 2012 | 9:00 pm
#44
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: near to SFO and LHR
Programs: BA Gold, UA 1K (2.9MM), others
Posts: 2,373
Thanks for your example (see full post on previous page) - it's good to hear first-hand what the UA reps are going through re SHARES. We all can only hope that things will get better sooner rather than later. It was also nice to hear your remark about them adding new commands each day - band-aids of course, but at least someone is paying attention!