"Expert Mode" Changes
#436
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,645
This is going to make my life as a frequent flyer much harder. And that's apparently just that the heck JeffCo wants: make your most frequent and best customers' lives harder?!?!?! What kind of screwed-up world does United live
I'm tempted to start doing daily calls to review inventory on every single one of my flights.
Before this change, I was averaging 1-2 hours PER SEGMENT of phone time. Now, if I fly UA, I've got to spend more time on the phone than on the flight.
This is truly insane and impossible to accept.
#437
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend




Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 72,658
I have chosen UA several times the past year when they were more expensive than the competition--because of the ability to use my frequent flyer benefits on UA. Why else would I pay $2k for a Y ticket when the competition is selling the same for $1,200? Oh, because I could see the inventory and pick flights which I could stand a good chance to upgrade on, as well as of course the other "benefits" which seem to be evaporating rapidly.
#438
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SCL
Programs: UA 1K, LATAM Comodoro, SPG PLT, WOH Globalist, *G, OW Emerald
Posts: 369
UA again going to the wrong direction...
Shannon why don't you keep the expert flyer option for 1K & GS? We need this info to plan our trips...I know you don't care about us, but try to reconsider this decision
#439
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,265
i read the entire thread, and pretty much everything i'd want to say has been said already, and more articulately than i could, but i wanted to chime in to add my voice to the chorus expressing disapproval of the change.
several posters are asking shannon/UA questions about one thing or another relating to this change, and the most important thing to remember here is that UNITED DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOU. they just don't. it's a company that was elite-customer focused at one point, and it no longer is. repeat that until it soaks in, and your life will probably be better for it. shannon's just the messenger, and i hope for her sake that she's looking for another gig.
this multi-year former 1k will be gold going forward, and that's only due to my million miler status.
several posters are asking shannon/UA questions about one thing or another relating to this change, and the most important thing to remember here is that UNITED DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOU. they just don't. it's a company that was elite-customer focused at one point, and it no longer is. repeat that until it soaks in, and your life will probably be better for it. shannon's just the messenger, and i hope for her sake that she's looking for another gig.
this multi-year former 1k will be gold going forward, and that's only due to my million miler status.
Having already booked flights to take me past 1K for the year I feel like a sucker.
This is pathetic.
#440


Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX & EWR/JFK
Programs: Fomerly UA 1K, now Silver... next year, who knows?
Posts: 1,435
After 27 years in the #1 position, "New Coke" just dropped to #2
#441


Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Central Florida
Programs: MP 1K/Onepass Plat 1MM, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 565
Like we really needed another reason to boycott Untied Airlines.
#442




Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: Virgin Aus Platinum; UA 1K; Sofitel Platinum (A-Club); Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold / Premium Club
Posts: 492
Just sent a message to a board member - seeing as Jeff does not care nor does he respond (at least Glenn always responded) and Shannon is just the messenger of a constant flow of bad news - that seems to be the best strategy we can take:
Glenn F. Tilton
Non-Executive Chairman of the Board
Chairman of the Midwest, JPMorgan Chase
Jeffery A. Smisek
President and Chief Executive Officer, United Continental Holdings, Inc.
Stephen R. Canale
Retired President and General Chairman, District Lodge 141, IAMAW
Carolyn Corvi
Retired Vice President and General Manager - Airplane Programs, Boeing
Jane C. Garvey
North America Chairman, Meridiam
James J. Heppner
United Airlines Pilots Master Executive Council Chairman, Air Line Pilots Association International
Walter Isaacson
President and Chief Executive Officer, The Aspen Institute
Henry L. Meyer III
Retired Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, KeyCorp
Oscar Munoz
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, CSX Corporation
Laurence E. Simmons
President, SCF Partners
David J. Vitale
Executive Chair of Urban Partnership Bank
John H. Walker
Chief Executive Officer, Global Brass and Copper, Inc.
Charles A. Yamarone
Director, Houlihan Lokey
Contact United Continental Holdings, Inc. Board
Shareholders and other interested parties may contact the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Board of Directors as a whole, or any individual member, by one of the following means: (1) writing to the Board of Directors, United Continental Holdings, Inc., c/o the Corporate Secretary’s Office, HDQLD, 77 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601; or (2) by emailing the Board of Directors at [email protected].
Glenn F. Tilton
Non-Executive Chairman of the Board
Chairman of the Midwest, JPMorgan Chase
Jeffery A. Smisek
President and Chief Executive Officer, United Continental Holdings, Inc.
Stephen R. Canale
Retired President and General Chairman, District Lodge 141, IAMAW
Carolyn Corvi
Retired Vice President and General Manager - Airplane Programs, Boeing
Jane C. Garvey
North America Chairman, Meridiam
James J. Heppner
United Airlines Pilots Master Executive Council Chairman, Air Line Pilots Association International
Walter Isaacson
President and Chief Executive Officer, The Aspen Institute
Henry L. Meyer III
Retired Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, KeyCorp
Oscar Munoz
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, CSX Corporation
Laurence E. Simmons
President, SCF Partners
David J. Vitale
Executive Chair of Urban Partnership Bank
John H. Walker
Chief Executive Officer, Global Brass and Copper, Inc.
Charles A. Yamarone
Director, Houlihan Lokey
Contact United Continental Holdings, Inc. Board
Shareholders and other interested parties may contact the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Board of Directors as a whole, or any individual member, by one of the following means: (1) writing to the Board of Directors, United Continental Holdings, Inc., c/o the Corporate Secretary’s Office, HDQLD, 77 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601; or (2) by emailing the Board of Directors at [email protected].
#443

Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Honolulu
Programs: UA 1K 1.7mm
Posts: 449
UA just isn't that into you anymore. It's over. Time to move on.
#444



Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SEA & RDM
Programs: UA - 1MM, DL Diamond, AS MVP75, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,033
Ridiculous decision





#445

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: SNA and XRY
Programs: UA PP, 2 MM; IC;
Posts: 1,049
Straw That Broke the Camel's Back
This is it... I had the worst experience of my life a few weeks ago on UA900 and was just waiting for time to write my good byes and grievances to United... The delay in question cost me over $1000 and no one in SFO seemed to give a [hoot].
This new little twist is complete and utter crap... just additional ways to hide their operations from those who should be their best assets, namely their loyal customers. They don't care and its been made very obvious.
This new little twist is complete and utter crap... just additional ways to hide their operations from those who should be their best assets, namely their loyal customers. They don't care and its been made very obvious.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Sep 8, 2012 at 9:02 am Reason: foul language - http://www.flyertalk.com/help/rules.php#q88
#446



Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,443
#447

Join Date: Feb 2004
Programs: AA 'kettle', Marriott Gold, ICH Gld, Hertz 5*
Posts: 5,255
My EF unlimited subscription of five years was due to auto-renew on 9/11. Cancelled renewal and included this thread topic as the 'reason'. I've been flying AA and my next flight will be on DL in a couple of weeks. Over and done.
#448
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: IAH
Programs: UA/CO-GS/PPlat,AA-Gold,SPG-Plat,Hilton-Diamond,Marriott-Plat,Hertz-Pres_Circe
Posts: 824
Already see dynamic pricing.
Last night I booked IAH-->EWR-->FRA-->FCO-->FRA-->IAD-->IAD in 'P', and P=9 when last shown. Today I searched again (I am in the 24 hour window), and only 'D' appears (over 2X the price). HOWEVER, I can book the same UA metal with a LH flight # at yesterday's 'P' price. Travel agent can book 'P', but UA.com only offers me 'D'.
I guess they dont want to offer GS 'P' fares to Europe for Thanksgiving vacation. Is UA also doing away with the low price guarantee for UA.com?
Last night I booked IAH-->EWR-->FRA-->FCO-->FRA-->IAD-->IAD in 'P', and P=9 when last shown. Today I searched again (I am in the 24 hour window), and only 'D' appears (over 2X the price). HOWEVER, I can book the same UA metal with a LH flight # at yesterday's 'P' price. Travel agent can book 'P', but UA.com only offers me 'D'.
I guess they dont want to offer GS 'P' fares to Europe for Thanksgiving vacation. Is UA also doing away with the low price guarantee for UA.com?
#449



Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SEA & RDM
Programs: UA - 1MM, DL Diamond, AS MVP75, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,033
"Later this evening we’ll be making a change on united.com that will remove the ability to see the specific allocation of seat inventory made to each Fare Class (this is the Fare Class hyperlink found in the right-most column when searching for flights or viewing itinerary details). I know that this is a popular feature for many of you here – in fact, we liked it too. But, it wasn’t without issues. Specifically, for many customers who are not as familiar with the ins and outs of fare structures, there was often room for this information to be misinterpreted. It also left the door open for undesired exposure that allowed automated scripts to scrape and re-display information in ways for which it was not intended."
Translation..."we are now so short term bottom line driven that we want to make sure our best customers pay as much as possible for our tickets."
Translation..."we are now so short term bottom line driven that we want to make sure our best customers pay as much as possible for our tickets."
#450
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: BOS
Posts: 231
Wow! This is just a horrible, horrible decision. Even forgetting about R space, this feature has literally saved me hours when changing and booking flights. It's United saying that they really don't care about my time... and my business.
Makes me glad I sold the last of my UAL stock this past week.
Makes me glad I sold the last of my UAL stock this past week.

