"Expert Mode" Changes
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:13 pm
#121
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: UA Gold MM, HHonors Gold, Hertz Five Star Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis First
Posts: 471
Stupid is what stupid does!
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:17 pm
#122
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 266
If there was a textbook example of how to totally screw up a (once) world-class company, this is most definitely it.
Like others, this is one of the few website features I have found useful. It is one more piece of valuable information taken away from us over-entitled elites. At least now we won't be able to see the dismal (often times non-existent) upgrade inventory.
If there were some exciting developments and good news coming from UA, it might help offset this issue, but it's just another slap in the face for the many of us who have willingly paid higher fares, accepted less-than-ideal routings and endured other changes we didn't like out of loyalty to our favorite airline.
If I didn't have so much $ and time invested in this airline I would find these decisions purely comical. But now I'm simply stunned that things only manage to get worse...
Like others, this is one of the few website features I have found useful. It is one more piece of valuable information taken away from us over-entitled elites. At least now we won't be able to see the dismal (often times non-existent) upgrade inventory.
If there were some exciting developments and good news coming from UA, it might help offset this issue, but it's just another slap in the face for the many of us who have willingly paid higher fares, accepted less-than-ideal routings and endured other changes we didn't like out of loyalty to our favorite airline.
If I didn't have so much $ and time invested in this airline I would find these decisions purely comical. But now I'm simply stunned that things only manage to get worse...
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:17 pm
#123
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MCO UA:3MM1K AA: EXP
Posts: 365
I remember a few days ago there was a thread about if UA is reading our minds. Here is an example, but a completely negative one!
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:19 pm
#124
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: Continental
Posts: 1,661
From now on, we should all call the reservations lines to book our tickets!
Let's drive up their costs.
Let's drive up their costs.
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:19 pm
#125
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: SFV, CA
Posts: 1
C'mon everyone....Remember the promo videos....It's going to be SPECTACULAR.
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:20 pm
#126
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: iad/dca
Programs: UA Million Mile Gold, Club, AA, Delta, Marriott, Hertz G, A/Club
Posts: 1,106
shannon,
Will you also remove flight arrival and departure times from united.com as they are rarely accurate and given United's operations, most customers are very confused when comparing your timetable to reality.
The enhancement could be for new flight timings could be: "Crack of dawn" "Sometime after first coffee" "Afternoon Siesta" "Dinnertime for purchase" "Pitch Black" and my favorite "Manana"
Will you also remove flight arrival and departure times from united.com as they are rarely accurate and given United's operations, most customers are very confused when comparing your timetable to reality.
The enhancement could be for new flight timings could be: "Crack of dawn" "Sometime after first coffee" "Afternoon Siesta" "Dinnertime for purchase" "Pitch Black" and my favorite "Manana"
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:20 pm
#127
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: OZ Diamond, TK Elite, UA Refugee
Posts: 11,010
A negative 
A very bad move.
But thank you Shannon for keeping us informed.
A very bad move.But thank you Shannon for keeping us informed.
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:21 pm
#128
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
Hi Everyone,
Later this evening well 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 wasnt 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.
That said, we have great appreciation for the transparency this information offered. For example, having a better understanding of how full a flight is, along with knowing how many other customers want to upgrade on a flight, can be critical in deciding whether to pay to guarantee a seat immediately, use mileage to upgrade, hold out to see if a space-available upgrade will clear or select another flight all together. We are committed to improving transparency around this. But, instead of simply exposing fare class inventory (which is quite confusing to most customers), we are working on better ways to share this more meaningful information. Youll see one new feature added with this release and even more changes that work toward this effort in future releases.
Shannon Kelly
Director, Customer Insights
United Airlines
Later this evening well 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 wasnt 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.
That said, we have great appreciation for the transparency this information offered. For example, having a better understanding of how full a flight is, along with knowing how many other customers want to upgrade on a flight, can be critical in deciding whether to pay to guarantee a seat immediately, use mileage to upgrade, hold out to see if a space-available upgrade will clear or select another flight all together. We are committed to improving transparency around this. But, instead of simply exposing fare class inventory (which is quite confusing to most customers), we are working on better ways to share this more meaningful information. Youll see one new feature added with this release and even more changes that work toward this effort in future releases.
Shannon Kelly
Director, Customer Insights
United Airlines
What is really going on is that you guys want to SELL the seats for TOD, and by cutting off information you will force us to play the lottery.
I am not playing. I am now getting a status match.
It has been nice doing business with UA for the last 5 years.
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:21 pm
#129
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: PHX
Programs: AA GLD
Posts: 355
I doubt that they will be allowed to give you that info. So now we'll book an international trip blindly in "W," apply a GPU and when it doesn't clear immediately call in and cancel the reservation and redeposit the GPU. And do this over and over until an upgrade is confirmed. Multiply this by hundreds, if not thousands. Daily.
A far simpler solution is to book your tickets on an airline that values your business.
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:22 pm
#130
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: UA nothing (former multi-year CO Platinum), AA 1M Gold, HH Diamond, National Executive
Posts: 449
To me it is just one more confirmation that I made the right decision to stop flying United on paid fares. Once my miles are gone, it is goodbye for good.
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:23 pm
#131
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Between ORD and MKE
Programs: AA ExecPlat; UA 1K
Posts: 151
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:24 pm
#132
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: UA 1K MM, AGR SE, SPG Platinum, HH Gold, MR Gold
Posts: 509
?!
This is terrible. Just terrible. Terrible.
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:24 pm
#133
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: United Premier 1K 1MM; AA Plat Pro; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Platinum; Avis President's Club
Posts: 2,614
What's the "one other change" that we'll see with this website change? Given Shannon's title are they bringing back the expert mode option?
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:25 pm
#134
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: DSM, BKK or anywhere with an airport
Programs: UA 2P, HH Gold
Posts: 1,125
Sep 7, 2012 | 5:26 pm
#135
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: IAH
Programs: UA/CO-GS/PPlat,AA-Gold,SPG-Plat,Hilton-Diamond,Marriott-Plat,Hertz-Pres_Circe
Posts: 824
After my initial (furious) reaction I decided to think back to before CO had this functionality. Doing so really made me appreciate it even more. The more I stew on this the angrier I get 
When I book a TPAC or TATL vacation I literaly check for availability in multiple buckets (paid & reward) from basically every US hub to 6-10 overseas airports. In the past to book a vacation 6-8 months out I would sometimes spend 2+ hours a day on the phone every day for 2-3 weeks (usually while sitting at airports or driving). Now I search on my own and come up with likely routes in 2-3 hours and then call and book in ~1 hour phone time.
Just last week I checked 3 days of departures & 3 days of returns from every city pair with IAH, EWR, ORD, IAD in the USA, and LHR, BRU, CDG, FRA, MUC, FCO, MAD, BCL in Europe (Didn't know exactly where I wanted to go for Thanksgiving, but wanted to goto Europe).
In my case I was looking for a combination of P with either X(N)&R(N) OR I(N).
When I book a TPAC or TATL vacation I literaly check for availability in multiple buckets (paid & reward) from basically every US hub to 6-10 overseas airports. In the past to book a vacation 6-8 months out I would sometimes spend 2+ hours a day on the phone every day for 2-3 weeks (usually while sitting at airports or driving). Now I search on my own and come up with likely routes in 2-3 hours and then call and book in ~1 hour phone time.
Just last week I checked 3 days of departures & 3 days of returns from every city pair with IAH, EWR, ORD, IAD in the USA, and LHR, BRU, CDG, FRA, MUC, FCO, MAD, BCL in Europe (Didn't know exactly where I wanted to go for Thanksgiving, but wanted to goto Europe).
In my case I was looking for a combination of P with either X(N)&R(N) OR I(N).