edcho

I guess people do read CNBC .

DWGnyc

We won't see it. As a "first timer", I am shooting over the UA bow. Retract or lose me and the $20-30K per year +/- that my personal business flights (incl. employee coordinated/influenced fares) and personal family flights will go elsewhere.

Clarkcc1

Welcome DWGnyc! Apologies for associating you with woodwork, by the way, I'm sure you're awesome

Shocker Shannon has gone silent...... [crickets.wav]

UA-NYC

Of course, especially since every single gate in the system will have 5 lanes in a couple weeks, all GAs will go right from the script, and the "YOU'RE IN" advertising campaign will come to a screeching halt

qvzn

I read your post, and except for the first two sentences, the rest of the rant wasn't directed at you specifically. Earnings and entitlements aside, boarding is a VERY TRIVIAL and SHORT part of the entire travel experience, and the backlash here (even before any facts or personal experiences) is astounding. It's like we're in elementary school fighting over the place in line so I can go to recess first (i.e., about 2 seconds before everybody else)

Maybe it's just shadenfreude--boarding early makes you happy since you're seen as "winning" against your fellow man. Why else would a GS/1K even give one thought to the boarding group or boarding process? My post upthread with a similar theme:

rants-are-fun-ly-y'rs,

qvzn, now boarding with group 59

Clarkcc1

For me and many on here it isn't about the actual order. I am often one of the last to board but appreciate a fast track to the front of the line. It IS about the ridiculous notion that people who fly a lot (ok some aren't profitable but most are) should be prioritized at the same level as ma and pa who signed up for a credit card. That is a slap in the face to somebody who might (and many have reported) spending $30K a year on your main line of business- flying.

It really isn't 'astounding' as you proclaim - were there more balance in the general tone of this thread such an adjective might have a shot at legitimacy.

Pat89339

. Bolding mine.

Thanks for posting their reply! I dare anyone from Executive Services to say this with a straight face to a room full of legacy UA MM flyers.

TommyC80

I still continue to be amazed (in a good way) how many FT lurkers this has brought out of the fray. When a process change pisses people off enough that they go through the effort to open a FT account just so they can join the discussion you can bet that you've royally screwed something up.

dgcpaphd

I agree.

And, that fact should be a message to UA management.

There are a lot of unhappy customers because of this new and ridiculous "Boarding Process Change" just announced with only a two day warning.

Didn't UA management learn anything from the poor traffic results it had since the demotions to the MP program were announced?

This latest boarding change will undoubtedly cause even more customers to take advantage of status matches offered by AA and Delta. That will be more money lost by UA to other air carriers because of the shabby treatment of loyal customers.

The merger could have been a success for UA. The traffic and financial results could have been excellent given the combined routes and resources.

However, for reasons that make no sense, the new management gutted the PM/UA Mileage Plus program and now they are making a circus of the boarding priority. What other clueless policy is next on the agenda of the Houston crew?
-

qvzn

So, the benefit itself is less important than the warm fuzzy feeling you get when you feel that the airline truly appreciates you? (Collective "you", mind--not you personally)

I'm not sure which is worse... after all, the airline is not a doll house nor a significant other

If the reports that non-elite CC holders are relatively few turn out to be true, will the above--"slap in the face"--still apply?

Let's look at it from United's perspective: It's possible--just possible--that they ran the numbers and genuinely tried to IMPROVE the boarding process for everyone. Maybe they even did a good job (we won't really know for some weeks/months probably, and even then we won't all agree). And this thread is the thanks they get JUST FOR TRYING--because they forgot to account for the FEELINGS of those elites (spending 30k!) that apparently have the emotional stability of a 4 year-old girl, and they didn't realize that THIS IS MY DOLLY!! MINE!

Why do you think they did it? Maybe they just like taking candy from a baby. This change was ALL COSTS and NO SAVINGS for United. Clearly they just wanna make you squirm--for their own personal amusement

Yes, the collective wisdom of the lurkers is no match for UA management...

thomwithanh

US Airways does. Military is after preboarding but before First Class/ Envoy.

jendrud70

I've been lurking for quite some time...after reading the 68 pages I now feel compelled to post. The complaining here is astounding given the fact that we haven't even seen how the boarding group change will actually impact us. I'm a Gold...I'm supposed to be angry now I guess. Maybe I'll wait and see what happens before I threaten to "take my business elsewhere!" Oh and where shall I do that? Delta? same thing. American? same thing...all lousy boarding with lice clogging up the entry. I was Delta Gold medallion a few years back with my previous company...since I've changed to United with my current company I really don't see a big difference. Some nicer lie flat on UA than Delta...some worse. Some better perks on Delta...some worse. Bottom line, we have 3 choices if we fly a mix of domestic and Intl destinations frequently. Relax...this mysterious credit card holder that's sending you into fits may or many not be in front of you. You won't know unless you're so shallow that you actually ask the person what their status is. Just get on board and order a drink...settle down.

qvzn

Welcome to FT, jendrud70! A first post with some reason

This is a point many posters here seem to be completely missing. Of course, United is quite well aware that they can reliably churn low-level elites

^

Clarkcc1

There are a lot of things I'd love to poke holes in about your comment but the point of a LOYALTY program is to increase the stickiness of your customers to your brand (company) and when boneheaded decisions like this are made you are actively disincentivizing people to be LOYAL.

I believe COdbaUA execs listened to McKinsey type consultants who are paid to find ways to maximize short term profit. They have been told things like TODs, devaluing MM'ers who have helped make UA what it is today, etc etc will increase the bottom line without fully realizing the longer term consequences of those short term actions [see ongoing exodus of previously very profitable frequent fliers to other airlines and the crappy financial results compared to peers post 3/3/12]. Yes TODs make a flight today earn a couple more bucks but alienates somebody who paid a higher fare for the chance at the upgrade vs. lowest fare available. This boarding change reaffirms the execs seem to be OK with alienating their most valuable customers.

Rant over.

UA-NYC

Don't knock AA boarding til you've tried it - on my ~20 segments on AA last year, their process vs. UA is like night and day. F and top tier actually boards first. Wide lines are nice. No gate lice. No bottleneck in front of the lines.

There is a difference.