BearX220

Exactly right. My beef with the Chase ads is that it sells against the unpleasant UA standard experience -- e.g., you need this card to avoid poor treatment. At least most people can buy the card. Hardly any United customer gets GS. (Perspective check: FT tends to dismiss anyone who's not at least 1K as a piker. But the article says all elites add up to only 3 to 5 percent of FF program population, and on any given flight maybe 50 percent of the cabin belongs to the FF program, so... do the math. FT is a pretty rarified, unrepresentative group.)

I can't imagine why United thought cooperating with this story was a good idea. It's basically taunting the 99+ percent of fliers who endure the sub-GS experience.

AndyInSaigon

For my part I'm spending my money flying for my company (always 200k+ miles per year for the past few decades). I manage my bookings & miles very carefully. If I ever make GS (other than 4MM) I will be very disappointed in myself.

tarheelnj

I can get my suit pressed? Where??

I was amused to see that the mother-daughter team referenced at the beginning of the article, who were "whisked by a Mercedes to a connecting flight" ended up in the UC (photo). Guess they weren't in a hurry.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Interesting how someone w/o the status decides that a GS is having an experience contrary "what he's read".

My experience is up to 1K, so I feel comfortable making remarks about my experiences up to that level.

I'd love to be a GS, but it aint gonna happen for me, now that I'm semi-retired, unless they have a Double Fare Class promotion.

UA-NYC

Hey now, don't downgrade them - looks like the ORD GFL to me

glasnost7

Puff piece aimed at attracting more of the high revenue flyers they've been losing. WSJ selling ads as journalism. Nothing to see here, folks.

WhyPayRent

I had both of these exact thoughts. I would love to know where to get a button sewed on or a suit pressed. And also noticed the family in the UC.

I will say though that I love the Mercedes transfer. In Houston, twice, I only made my connection because of it. On one occasion, the plane was already pulling back from the gate. The GS agent got out of the car, waved to the pilot to come back, found someone to push stairs back on and gate check my bag (on a regional jet), and got me on the plane. It was amazing and saved me a long drive to Dallas.

goodeats21

Except for the boarding process announcements before every flight

Pretty garbage piece.

Bonehead

Guess if they were evaluating the new 319/320 seats the airline either blew off their request for more padding or the original seat choice was bare metal, based on the trip reports I've seen...

kenn0223

My guess is that there are potentially classes of GS customers and likely a subset of GS+ (the best of the best?). GS customers are at the top of every list for every benefit. GS+ customers...aren't on the list.

glx

Responses to this article are exactly as I expected when I saw it last night.

GS'es: Eh, I don't really get this level of service but I can see how some people might

1K's: This is ridiculous, I can't believe what a puff piece this is. UA treats me so unfairly!

ryman554

Is Mr. Pillows on the list?

wpr8e

In Houston I was driven directly to the Term E lounge when my connecting flight was cancelled and I had to wait another hour. In fact it was pretty sweet since the elevator doors take you to the service entrance just behind the bar. Literally off the RJ in B, and at the E lounge with a drink in under 5 minutes.

Welcome to journalism for every company every day. United actually contacted me for this article to be interviewed by the Journal. I was not selected, but I can assure you that United did not ask me what I would say nor did they suggest what they would like me to say. Although I did ask them if they wanted me to reference anything in particular. They said it was up to me. The guys in PR at United are honest brokers.

I've been told it is totally dependent on availability and connect times, so it is all triaged. However, if there is no other priority during a particular arrival of a GS, they will very likely pick you up and drive you to the lounge or your particular gate

golfingboy

The article shouts advertisement. We know GS is nothing like what the article touts.

GS do not even get free lounge access, let alone the GFL, on a domestic non-p.s. flight. The article makes it sounds like any time they are traveling they are always invited to the GFL. GS primarily only gets a the car benefit when they have a tight connection or need to transfer terminals. Suit pressing service is available to everyone who has access to the UC in IAH and some arrivals lounges in Europe, not widespread. Those who amass hundreds of thousands miles do not get GS, it is those with purchasing power or those who flies on refundable fares the majority of the time or achieves 4MM BIS. ORD F UC is not the main lounge at ORD and the rest of the UCs at ORD do not even look remotely as nice.

We all know there are easily at least a couple hundred GS/GF customers traveling in/out ORD on a daily basis, the fact that only 100 are eligible [that includes LH/NH F customers] tells us that the vast majority of GS traveling through ORD are not eligible to access the GFL.

The two real differentiators between 1K and GS is IRROPs handling [where the Benz service mostly falls under] and upgrades [including upgrades on intl Y awards].

OnePassenger

Oooh Reggie and his sunglasses, Norma... and the Mercedes!