edcho

I hung out at SEA for 45 minutes - 1 hour yesterday at the check-in counter and the not all the agents were aware of this (although they seem to be relayed the information on the go as it came up).

Not sure if the agents were just forgetting or something.

exerda

It blows my mind that the computer can't figure out not to charge *G...

weirdlyndon

If it's a UX only station I wouldn't expect them to know since they're not actual UA employees. Perhaps only the station manager/supervisor gets a copy and it's up to them to dispense the information to the front line employees.

Never had an issue with UA web check-in or chickens recognizing Star Gold status the few times last year I credited UA flights to TK and was never charged for baggage.

AGSF

Missed a connection in DEN on 12/24/12. Flight got in 5 minutes before my connecting flight left. I wasn't thrilled that they didn't hold the connecting flight given there were at least 4 of us on the inbound flight trying to make the connection and it was the last flight out on Christmas Eve, AND the flight terminated at my destination (plane/ crew was overnighting) so they could take a 10-15 minute delay.

Anyway, we were met at the gate by UA staff who gave us a hotel voucher and a flight the next day. I wasn't happy with that so called the premier line and got the agent to rebook me on an AA flight through DFW (booked into Y). He didn't give me any trouble to get rebooked on AA, and I had no issues checking in for the AA flight 5 minutes after getting off the phone with him.

I wasn't thrilled that they didn't hold the flight I and 3 others missed (Southwest routinely does this), but United did get me home that night without me having to raise a stink. And when I wrote in to complain about the fact they didn't hold the flight for us (my first complaint in probably 2-3 years) I received 7,000 miles to make up for it.

QBK

I had a positive experience last Friday that confirmed SFOFastAir's description of the new policy.

My father and I were booked in Y (me on $, him on my miles) on ORD-PEK at 11:55am. We started getting rolling delays due to "aircraft availability", and when it got pushed to 1:45pm I called the 1K line to ask about proactive protection on later flights. I asked about AA's flight at 7:45pm, and after I specifically mentioned the policy update, the agent checked with her supervisor and then protected both of us on the AA flight with no argument whatsoever. (Note: I had just asked if it was possible, and hadn't explicitly requested it)

I'm pretty impressed with that. Our UA 777 steamed up to the gate shortly afterward and we flew as originally scheduled, but the willingness to protect me AND my no status companion on a separate PNR -- proactively, on AA -- made me feel awfully good about the new IRROPS handling.

channa

Which is ridiculous, because the flights are marketed by UA, so they should be familiar with the policies.


There are different pieces of software used to check in. Kiosk and online/app use the same, IIRC. Then there's CheckIt, and then there's native SHARES.

My last flight was UA connecting to AC, with a return on a third carrier, and that was too much for the kiosk to handle, so the agent had to do it.

My previous UA INTL filght was UA connecting to NZ, and an agent had to do that in native SHARES. She commented "one bag each, so no charges," which was incorrect on multiple counts (we were 2 x 1Ks, both on J class tickets, so entitled to far more than 1 bag each). Then, when one of them weighed just under 50 lbs., she made a comment that we were "just under" the limit, which was also incorrect. We had 20 lbs. of headroom.

That's why I asked her about what she's using, and she said native SHARES. I believe the SFO INTL terminal does not have the hodge-podge of apps that CO cobbled together (CheckIT, Oversale Manager, the baggage app, etc.). But in native, I wouldn't be surprised if they had to figure out everything manually.

SFO 1K

What is the OFFICIAL compensation for delayed flights related to MTCE for delays over 2 hours? What if the delay exceeds 4 hours? What if the delay requires an overnight? Can someone with knowledge of GG AMENITY please provide the EXACT specification for delayed compensation? You can Private Message me if you prefer.

I am not asking for Weather or acts of God, I'm looking for known maintenance delays.

Thank you in advance.

ORDnHKG

For most ? I don't think do, mine is 20% as a Platinum. Before 3/3 system merged, my upgrade as a 1P was 75%, and it would clear at the window, unlike now I only clear the day before or on the day at the gate ! It pissed me off the most was SFO-ORD on a 3 class 763, and ORD-DEN on a 3 class 777, I failed to clear for both flights ! I had never fail to clear on any 3 class plane back when I was a 1P !

It is totally absurd that I have higher status now, I got the upgrade less when I had lower status !

weirdlyndon

Ran into a dear UA SFO CSR friend yesterday and she confirmed emails were sent out and she's very pleased to be back to the levels of service pre-3/3. We actually became friends two years ago when my flight home for Thanksgiving got cancelled. She worked tirelessly to get me home, which wasn't easy since home is a UX city with only service from SFO & LAX. She constantly reassured me that no matter what, she'd put me up in a hotel, or reroute me as needed to get me there.

She said she'd try and print a copy of the email and scan it to me. If she's able to, will redact any personal information and try and post the highlights.

bowdenj

Impressive they proactively protected you both on an AA flight.

oopsz

Wow, it only took eight months of screwing elites for them to backpedal on one ludicrously anti-FF policy? Not bad for UA!

I'm not flying them any more, but congratulations to those of you who stuck through it.

raehl311

Delta did the same thing - really mucked with the elites and elite program, then ended up pulling back a lot of those changes. They did a much worse job honestly communicating about it though.

Anyway, I figure things will improve further over the next year in terms of published benefits and 2-3 years in terms of systems improvements. UA is just spending too much money having people manually do things to NOT fix their systems.

exerda

Not to turn this into another "UA vs. CO" thread, but IMHO this is due entirely to the current leadership at UA. They came in and arrogantly assumed, "Our systems mostly worked fine at CO; they'll work fine at UA." Clearly, they were wrong, but it's taken them a long time to come to grips with that.

IggySD

I believe I've been the beneficiary of these new policies on 2 of my 5 trips since this went into effect (and actually, a 40% irop rate is better tha I got used to last year). I had SEA-PDX-SFO-SAN a few weeks ago where the SEA-PDX leg went mechanical. Rebooked for the direct SEA-SFO and somehow shot up to #1 on the UG list and got the last seat on an A319.

Today flying DEN-IAD-SAV and the DEN-IAD leg was delayed, apparently because some liquid from a lav leaked into the cargo hold or some such disgusting problem (yet another reason not to check bags). Called the Premier Desk and was protected on tomorrow's IAD-SAV since no way to get me there tonight but upon landing in IAD was handed a boarding pass for DCA-SAV on US and a voucher for the taxi.

Three to four years ago this would have been what I expected for UA to proactively do when I misconnected. After a couple years of complete fail I'm hopeful that the frequent delays are going to be less painful (I'm not quite to the point where I'm hopeful they'll be less frequent).

cchuang1980

Was on a MR earlier this month with routing MKE-IAH-PDX-SEA. The MKE-IAH leg was departed on-time but arrived 20 minutes late due to strong head wind. The connection time was cut to only 20 minutes which I know I won't make it. After I moved from IAH Terminal E (yes RJ for MKE-IAH ) to Terminal C, there was an agent recognize me by last name at the exit of the air-train. She handed me the BP for IAH-SEA direct flight which would depart soon. To be honest, it's been so many years I haven't received such a wonderful touch from UA.

Until today, I still can't understand how that agent could recognize me in the crowd tho.