Expanding Mercedes-Benz USA partnership—to the airport, plane to plane GS transport
Jul 18, 2013, 9:30 pm
#91
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Tulsa, OK
Programs: AA EXP, UA Silver, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,264
I think this is a great idea and UA deserves kudos for doing it. To those complaining about IAH, I think it's the perfect scenario to try it out and work out any bugs they may find in their process. The limited # of international F connections works wonders for this.
I really think GS deserves this level of treatment.
I really think GS deserves this level of treatment.
Jul 18, 2013, 10:10 pm
#92
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,151
In order to go through customs you first need to collect any checked bags. Do you really think they are going to let you back into the secure part of the airport after having had access to your checked bags?
Jul 19, 2013, 12:26 am
#94
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: SNA
Programs: UA Million Mile Nobody, Marriott Platinum Elite, SPG Gold
Posts: 25,228
Jul 20, 2013, 2:40 pm
#96
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,908
Interesting that people are seeing this in ORD when only 3 days ago UA Insider said it was soft launching in IAH with no mention of ORD.
Jul 20, 2013, 2:51 pm
#97
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,014
Booking a close connection for a chance to ride in a Mercedes is beyond dumb - "Gee guys, I booked a close connection so I could ride in a Mercedes for 3 minutes but, unfortunately, my connecting flight already left. The earliest flight out is tomorrow. Can we re-schedule this meeting about my multi-million dollar proposal?"
This post reminds me of an incident on the old CO which some of you CO bashers may find hard to believe. Was in Maui one time and got call from frantic CO agent wanting to see if we would re-schedule us either a day earlier or day later (memory is foggy) OGG to HNL and then on to IAH on the 747 they were running IAH-HNL-NRT. Agreed and a day or 2 later in HNL PC Club, agent greeted us with thanked for switching plans and told us that she'd notify us personally when it was time for us to board. Time came, she came and got us and (unexpectedly) led us up to Wiki-Wiki bus level where a van was waiting. She and driver took us over to Ewa concourse and she led us down to the plane. The other BF passengers walked. I think that still stands out as the one above-and-beyond thanks I ever got from an airline.
Maybe that ought to be another thread - "Most memorable above-and beyond customer experience with CO/UA".
Maybe that ought to be another thread - "Most memorable above-and beyond customer experience with CO/UA".
Last edited by iluv2fly; Jul 20, 2013 at 7:42 pm Reason: merge
Jul 20, 2013, 5:14 pm
#98
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
Hi everyone,
It's been reported a bit already, but I wanted to provide some more information about the pilot tarmac transportation program we just soft-launched at Houston-IAH...
Starting yesterday, we’ve expanded our partnership with Mercedes-Benz USA to pilot this option for select Global Services members and United Global First customers connecting to domestic or international flights. Our first hub for the pilot will be Houston, and we’ll have two cars, one S-Class sedan and one GL-Class SUV, to start at IAH.
How this works is fairly straightforward—a uniformed Global Services agent will meet the customer with a sign upon disembarkation from the aircraft and escort him/her to the waiting vehicle. The Mercedes will then zoom (safely of course; the airport tarmac is no autobahn) to the connecting gate, where the customer will be invited to board via the jetbridge stairs. While this service can’t be requested or reserved in advance, we’ll aim to prioritize those GS and Global First customers who are on very tight connections.
Looking ahead, we’ll monitor the results of the pilot as we look to expand, and over the next few days we’re soft-launching the service at a second hub. In fact, the cars for this additional hub will be delivered to their parking spaces today. They should be visible from the terminal, in case anyone wants to take a guess as to where that is :-).
Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager – Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
It's been reported a bit already, but I wanted to provide some more information about the pilot tarmac transportation program we just soft-launched at Houston-IAH...
Starting yesterday, we’ve expanded our partnership with Mercedes-Benz USA to pilot this option for select Global Services members and United Global First customers connecting to domestic or international flights. Our first hub for the pilot will be Houston, and we’ll have two cars, one S-Class sedan and one GL-Class SUV, to start at IAH.
How this works is fairly straightforward—a uniformed Global Services agent will meet the customer with a sign upon disembarkation from the aircraft and escort him/her to the waiting vehicle. The Mercedes will then zoom (safely of course; the airport tarmac is no autobahn) to the connecting gate, where the customer will be invited to board via the jetbridge stairs. While this service can’t be requested or reserved in advance, we’ll aim to prioritize those GS and Global First customers who are on very tight connections.
Looking ahead, we’ll monitor the results of the pilot as we look to expand, and over the next few days we’re soft-launching the service at a second hub. In fact, the cars for this additional hub will be delivered to their parking spaces today. They should be visible from the terminal, in case anyone wants to take a guess as to where that is :-).
Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager – Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
Jul 23, 2013, 9:16 am
#100
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: UA GS, Hilton Diamond, Sheraton Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 47
Just got off of my AUS to IAH flight and had two hours to connect but the wife and I were used as guinea pigs for this since they had no tight connections at the time. Sweet........down the stairs at the B gate into a Mercedes sedan with the A/C cooling and straight to the United Club in C.
Jul 23, 2013, 4:25 pm
#101
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: United 1k
Posts: 434
Just got off of my AUS to IAH flight and had two hours to connect but the wife and I were used as guinea pigs for this since they had no tight connections at the time. Sweet........down the stairs at the B gate into a Mercedes sedan with the A/C cooling and straight to the United Club in C.
Jul 23, 2013, 7:55 pm
#102
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Portland
Programs: UA 1K, AK Gold 75K, etc. etc.
Posts: 1,660
Mrs. Mikel51's plane from DSM-ORD was late this morning and she was expecting to miss her connection. She was shocked and awed to have GS reps meet and whisk her to the connecting flight in a Mercedes......It made her day, and it sure earns some points for me
Jul 26, 2013, 4:38 pm
#103
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Virginia, USA
Programs: UA GS/3MM, DL Gold/Million Miler, AA Exec Plat/Million Miler, Emirates Gold
Posts: 152
"Pilot Program"- gate to gate transfer by Mercedes SUV
Haven't been following the site regularly, so someone may have posted on this already...but here goes..
Inbound yesterday into ORD on a regional- Gate F14- with a connection at B10. Met at doorway of the regional by a gentlemen with a placard with my name offering a ride in a car to B10. Went down the gate steps to the tarmac, got into a MB SUV, which took 5 mins then to drive me to B9 (I recall) close to B10.
Apparently a pilot program cosponsored by MB, with the intent to use it for close connections for GS passengers. Seemed somewhat similar to what LH does for their HON passengers in FRA and MUC. United person was curious how LH handled winter and driving across the airport when there was snow on the ground.
Very nice!
Inbound yesterday into ORD on a regional- Gate F14- with a connection at B10. Met at doorway of the regional by a gentlemen with a placard with my name offering a ride in a car to B10. Went down the gate steps to the tarmac, got into a MB SUV, which took 5 mins then to drive me to B9 (I recall) close to B10.
Apparently a pilot program cosponsored by MB, with the intent to use it for close connections for GS passengers. Seemed somewhat similar to what LH does for their HON passengers in FRA and MUC. United person was curious how LH handled winter and driving across the airport when there was snow on the ground.
Very nice!
Jul 26, 2013, 5:11 pm
#105
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Virginia, USA
Programs: UA GS/3MM, DL Gold/Million Miler, AA Exec Plat/Million Miler, Emirates Gold
Posts: 152
Technically an hour, but given that boarding starts 30 mins before, in reality 30 mins as I would like to get on early and find space to stash my bags