Thanks United - Positive Experiences in the air and on the ground 2013
Jan 23, 2013, 8:29 pm
#46
Join Date: May 2000
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K 2.7MM, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Spire
Posts: 3,317
Go buy a lottery ticket!
Just kidding. They have definitely been better lately.
Just kidding. They have definitely been better lately.
Jan 23, 2013, 8:45 pm
#47
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA 1K; *G and *A Top 1000; HHonors Diamond; *$ Gold; Global Entry
Posts: 2,272
Jan 24, 2013, 6:02 am
#48
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York NY
Programs: UA Gold, CO Plat, CO Million Miler
Posts: 2,617
Jan 27, 2013, 2:19 pm
#49
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Portland
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 391
How is United the only airline that hasn't failed me today?
Hey everybody -
Long time lurker, first time poster.
So check this out. I was supposed to fly UA from SFO to ORD today and then connect on MQ on to YKF. I know, crazy tiny airport. Two flights a day from the states. I get a call from American this morning saying the ORD-YKF segment is canceled and they've rebooked me on tomorrow's flight, way too late. Thanks, Winter Storm Luna.
I get to SFO and ask the customer service representative at the United Club if she can put me on a direct flight to YYZ, whence I'll drive. She's ridiculously helpful and gets me on the AC flight leaving in about an hour and a half. Couldn't have been nicer.
Walk all the way to AC check-in (it's at the other end of SFO) and they just look at me and say "we've been waiting for you but you're too late, the flight is closed!" This is 61 minutes before departure, so I suppose you'd have a point if you're combining strict enforcement of the rules with rounding in the wrong direction. They put me on the next AC flight, four hours later.
So here I sit in the Delta Sky Club (AC contracts with Delta at SFO? Who knew?) waiting for four hours. Is there anything I could have/should have done differently?
Long time lurker, first time poster.
So check this out. I was supposed to fly UA from SFO to ORD today and then connect on MQ on to YKF. I know, crazy tiny airport. Two flights a day from the states. I get a call from American this morning saying the ORD-YKF segment is canceled and they've rebooked me on tomorrow's flight, way too late. Thanks, Winter Storm Luna.
I get to SFO and ask the customer service representative at the United Club if she can put me on a direct flight to YYZ, whence I'll drive. She's ridiculously helpful and gets me on the AC flight leaving in about an hour and a half. Couldn't have been nicer.
Walk all the way to AC check-in (it's at the other end of SFO) and they just look at me and say "we've been waiting for you but you're too late, the flight is closed!" This is 61 minutes before departure, so I suppose you'd have a point if you're combining strict enforcement of the rules with rounding in the wrong direction. They put me on the next AC flight, four hours later.
So here I sit in the Delta Sky Club (AC contracts with Delta at SFO? Who knew?) waiting for four hours. Is there anything I could have/should have done differently?
Last edited by puls; Jan 27, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Jan 27, 2013, 2:36 pm
#50
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA *G 1MM LT United Club & Global Entry
Posts: 2,756
Walk all the way to AC check-in (it's at the other end of SFO) and they just look at me and say "we've been waiting for you but you're too late, the flight is closed!" This is 61 minutes before departure, so I suppose you'd have a point if you're combining strict enforcement of the rules with rounding in the wrong direction.
Is there anything I could have/should have done differently?
Is there anything I could have/should have done differently?
It sounds like you recovered relatively well. The United Club agents can be invaluable during IRROPS.
SunLover
Jan 27, 2013, 2:40 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,691
Online checkin instead of waiting to walk to the AC desk.
Jan 27, 2013, 2:42 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,596
So check this out. I was supposed to fly UA from SFO to ORD today and then connect on MQ on to YQF. I know, crazy tiny airport. Two flights a day from the states. I get a call from American this morning saying the ORD-YQF segment is canceled and they've rebooked me on tomorrow's flight, way too late. Thanks, Winter Storm Luna.
I get to SFO and ask the customer service representative at the United Club if she can put me on a direct flight to YYZ, whence I'll drive. She's ridiculously helpful and gets me on the AC flight leaving in about an hour and a half. Couldn't have been nicer.
I get to SFO and ask the customer service representative at the United Club if she can put me on a direct flight to YYZ, whence I'll drive. She's ridiculously helpful and gets me on the AC flight leaving in about an hour and a half. Couldn't have been nicer.
YQF would be a very long drive from YYZ.
BTW, welcome to FT!
Jan 27, 2013, 3:14 pm
#53
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
The Captain* on UA380 LAX-EWR yesterday (1/26) shook hands with, and said "thank you for flying United", to all the pax in First ^
*and he had Ch9 on as well
*and he had Ch9 on as well
Jan 27, 2013, 3:39 pm
#54
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
I can't say have pleasant encounters on the ground or in the air, but I'd like to commend their award booking system for its ease of use (well, at least until I disappear from the 1K world in a few days...). Twice I booked long-haul, multi-segment *partner tickets same-day, and both times I had no issues checking-in. Well to nitpick, NH couldn't issue me a UA boarding pass at NRT, but the "retort" was getting that boarding pass handed to me upon deplaning in ORD. Why couldn't NH issue it?
The only consistent problem I face with booking on my smart device is not being able to enter the year when putting in credit card info (thus not completing the booking). That's quite frustrating, particularly when there are no computers/internet cafes nearby. Must be a glitch that could be easily attended to.
The only consistent problem I face with booking on my smart device is not being able to enter the year when putting in credit card info (thus not completing the booking). That's quite frustrating, particularly when there are no computers/internet cafes nearby. Must be a glitch that could be easily attended to.
Jan 27, 2013, 3:44 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,596
Flying UA may not be the best, but booking award travel is much easier than on AA.com. Fast ticketing, no issues checking on partners, partner PNRs listed on the UA PNR. And we get the added excitement of LH phantom inventory.
Jan 27, 2013, 7:03 pm
#56
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, UA *S, BA Fanboy
Posts: 414
Hats off to YYC Station
I just had a great experience at YYC and I wanted to share it and get some thoughts...
I was booked tonight YYC-SFO-LAX. The YYC-SFO bird was coming in from ORD and it is chronically delayed. I showed up on time and went to the United counter to ask for a gate pass to go to the AC lounge in the domestic section. The agent looked at my reservation and said they didn't suspect the flight would even leave for SFO tonight, let alone me make my connection. I wound up getting booked first thing tomorrow morning on AC nonstop to LAX. They also gave me a hotel here in Calgary and two meal vouchers.
What I'm most impressed by is that they booked me in F (or I guess I should say J) to LAX tomorrow. I had cleared F on both of my segments, but by way of UDU. Is this something standard I should always expect? This is the fourth flight I've ever taken as a 1K and I've got to say, I'm impressed.
As I said before, (cowboy) Hats off to YYC.
I was booked tonight YYC-SFO-LAX. The YYC-SFO bird was coming in from ORD and it is chronically delayed. I showed up on time and went to the United counter to ask for a gate pass to go to the AC lounge in the domestic section. The agent looked at my reservation and said they didn't suspect the flight would even leave for SFO tonight, let alone me make my connection. I wound up getting booked first thing tomorrow morning on AC nonstop to LAX. They also gave me a hotel here in Calgary and two meal vouchers.
What I'm most impressed by is that they booked me in F (or I guess I should say J) to LAX tomorrow. I had cleared F on both of my segments, but by way of UDU. Is this something standard I should always expect? This is the fourth flight I've ever taken as a 1K and I've got to say, I'm impressed.
As I said before, (cowboy) Hats off to YYC.
Jan 27, 2013, 7:42 pm
#57
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: 13,437
What I'm most impressed by is that they booked me in F (or I guess I should say J) to LAX tomorrow. I had cleared F on both of my segments, but by way of UDU. Is this something standard I should always expect? This is the fourth flight I've ever taken as a 1K and I've got to say, I'm impressed.
What was your original fare code? Because if it wasn't at least an M prepare to sit in the back of the AC plane (and even then, AC might want a B or Y).
UA doesn't have the power to give away another airline's premium cabin for nothing.
We've seen reports of UA attempting to reaccomdate an irrops pax on partner airlines in premium cabins, such as LH, and LH denies the upgrade. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...sa-denied.html
The exception would be if UA gave you the ticket on AC out of UA's code share inventory. In which case, UA isnt trying to give away an F seat for nothing; it comes out of UA's bottom line. But it seems unlikely there would be seats left in that inventory.
As I said before, (cowboy) Hats off to YYC.
Last edited by mre5765; Jan 28, 2013 at 7:09 am
Jan 27, 2013, 8:14 pm
#58
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 27
unlikely upgrade after sleepless red-eye
On Friday, I arrived in SFO from OGG after a sleepless red-eye. I'd booked my flights the day before, so my next flight, SFO-JFK, had me in a middle seat way in the back. I hadn't slept at all and wasn't looking forward to being in the middle. I had asked the gate agents on Maui to move me to a window or aisle, but they said nothing was available.
When I arrived at the SFO gate, I walked up to gate desk to ask about upgrades (when I checked on Maui, there was 1 seat unbooked and I was NOT at the top of the list). The agent said that the upgrade didn't look likely, but then he handed me an already printed out boarding pass for a bulkhead aisle seat.
Sitting on the plane, I was grateful for the new seat, ready for some sleep, and talking with the cute passenger to my left. And then! the same gate agent came aboard and handed me a new boarding pass in Business.
I didn't get to continue talking with my row-mate, but I did get some much needed sleep in the comfy seat and an equally appreciated meal.
When I arrived at the SFO gate, I walked up to gate desk to ask about upgrades (when I checked on Maui, there was 1 seat unbooked and I was NOT at the top of the list). The agent said that the upgrade didn't look likely, but then he handed me an already printed out boarding pass for a bulkhead aisle seat.
Sitting on the plane, I was grateful for the new seat, ready for some sleep, and talking with the cute passenger to my left. And then! the same gate agent came aboard and handed me a new boarding pass in Business.
I didn't get to continue talking with my row-mate, but I did get some much needed sleep in the comfy seat and an equally appreciated meal.
Jan 27, 2013, 8:46 pm
#59
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: DL DM, AS MVP 100K, Amtrak peon, Colbert Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 4,534
Accidentally posted this in the 2012 thread the other day. I was very (pleasantly) surprised to receive this card from the GA in MSP on my birthday recently. ^
Jan 28, 2013, 2:03 pm
#60
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, UA *S, BA Fanboy
Posts: 414
No you shouldn't expect it, starting with tomorrow morning.
What was your original fare code? Because if it wasn't at least an M prepare to sit in the back of the AC plane (and even then, AC might want a B or Y).
UA doesn't have the power to give away another airline's premium cabin for nothing.
We've seen reports of UA attempting to reaccomdate an irrops pax on partner airlines in premium cabins, such as LH, and LH denies the upgrade. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...sa-denied.html
The exception would be if UA gave you the ticket on AC out of UA's code share inventory. In which case, UA isnt trying to give away an F seat for nothing; it comes out of UA's bottom line. But it seems unlikely there would be seats left in that inventory.
S/cowboy hats/white cowboy hats/. This is YYC after all.
What was your original fare code? Because if it wasn't at least an M prepare to sit in the back of the AC plane (and even then, AC might want a B or Y).
UA doesn't have the power to give away another airline's premium cabin for nothing.
We've seen reports of UA attempting to reaccomdate an irrops pax on partner airlines in premium cabins, such as LH, and LH denies the upgrade. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...sa-denied.html
The exception would be if UA gave you the ticket on AC out of UA's code share inventory. In which case, UA isnt trying to give away an F seat for nothing; it comes out of UA's bottom line. But it seems unlikely there would be seats left in that inventory.
S/cowboy hats/white cowboy hats/. This is YYC after all.