JOSECONLSCREW28

Then you must've not looked hard enough because the sUA side has flown the YVR - IAH flights before with A319/A320 aircraft. In fact the other day UA868 did YVR - IAH on an A319 tail 4024.

Kacee

This is hotly disputed. I personally would not have a problem if full fare F got first choice. That is not how it's done, however. GS>1K>everyone else.

astroflyer

I'm just thrilled if they speak to me by name in F or Y. On UA, I've been acknowledged by name about 20% of the time in F and never in Y. On LH it's about 80% in Y. Pretty impressive!

CO_Nonrev_elite

Always possible, that's why I asked, and didn't just shout that you were wrong. Every time I have taken that flight it seems to be a 737. I looked over the next few days also to see what was running it, and it was the 737 for all the days I could see.

I have a few flights recently where a passenger had insisted that we were a United crew when in fact it was all HTA crew.

JOSECONLSCREW28

It's sporadic from what I can tell. Just like some of the EWR flights. Example EWR - SEA could one day be all sCO 737s and then a few days later an sUA A320 could be thrown in the mix so it varies. BTW are you FA? You seem very knowledgable of our FA bases on the sCO side. ^

Indelaware

I can't imagine that having to choose between the chicken and the pasta is anything other than a small thing - although you are certainly in the right to have a different opinion. It is not a really long flight, only about 6 hours. Moreover, 20 times per year is less than once every other week; how many dinners do we all have on the ground where there is no meal choice (family meal, conferences, etc.)? Besides, the vast majority of passengers do without eating any meal. And while both meal choices are fine, this very FF always travels with a tub of peanut butter and a piece of fresh fruit in case the blood sugar level goes low while in flight; the really isn't anything more first class than not being dependent upon an airline for one's stomach -- especially since it is so easy to bring easy, quality food such as I do.

That said, for myself, I find it rather infuriating whenever I am asked for my meal choice prior to others, except when it is done in an arbitrary way such as by seating order. When one has resources (or in this case status), I believe, it is important to work to minimize inequities. Likewise, I believe that passengers should always be boarded by row/seat or check-in time, but never by status. In my mind, the point of FF programs is to be provided with free travel not for (pseudo) perks which publicly differentiate us from one another.

Others may have different opinions.

Adrock1976

Second that emotion! My last flight from SFO-HNL, has the same FA in front as a few weeks back. She recognized me and said, as I was sitting down, "it's the same chicken from last time...you'll need another drink" :-)

For someone who flies once a year, the chicken vs. pasta choice is moot. I can't imagine fliers getting the same meal constantly, especially those who fly far more than I do.

fivesixseven

Really? I've never been addressed by name after 85 LH flights. Not that I need to but I wonder why.

mbarreto

Was addressed by name on GRU-MUC business this Sunday, but before that I can't really remember being addressed by name (some 40 LH flights this year).

lhrsfo

At last some sense on this topic. Flying in business the other day, upgraded from Y, I was given overt priority over my seatmate. She was an infrequent flyer but on a full fare C ticket, which cost approx half of my annual UA spend. I found this embarrassing and dumb of UA.

Rule #1: Don't make any customers feel unimportant or inferior.
Rule #2: board sufficient quantities to avoid running out on the great majority of flights.
Rule #3: treat everyone as an individual - to the 1k thank them for flying regularly with UA; to the non-elite, welcome them to UA and express a wish that they'll enjoy their flight/ choose UA again soon.
Rule #4: NEVER NEVER make someone feel inferior.
Rule #5: If someone is paying full fare C or F, recognise both their contribution to profitability and the fact that (usually) their company thinks they are important - usually important people have influence. Treat them well.
Rule #6: Fire anyone who doesn't follow Rules 1 or 4.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Most airlines' FF programs do publicly differentiate. Early boarding, name recognition, (some) limos between gates. I don't call early boarding a "pseudo perk". It's a real benefit. Elite access security check? That's (usually) a perk, although pre-check is better. Dedicated check- in counters? Yes, please.

If I owned a car dealership and I recognized a guy who bought a new car every time he came in, I'd be rushing toward him vs Joe Schmoe who might just be kicking tires. I'm not going to risk the sure thing.

As for chicken vs pasta, the catering between the west coast and Hawaii seems to be the most monotonous. I fly a lot of other routes, and there's a bit more variety on those.

I'll say it again, there's really no reason why all can't be treated well and UA's FFs be recognized at the same time.

UA-NYC

PMUA actually recognized this (with the star system). I had no problem with it (they were equal to 1Ks), I doubt you'll find PMUA 1Ps/2Ps who had a major issue with it either.

But that was an incredibly sophisticated manifest printing system that SHARES can't handle

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Make up your mind.

Orwellian - all are equal, but some are more equal than others?

UA-NYC

So - does that mean that you then turn down E+ and sit in the back (since you don't want it), board with the masses (vs. groups 1/2), tell the FA "just give me whatever is left over", etc?

FF programs are designed to maximize inequities, IMO as they should be - travel more / spend more, get more benefits.

hughw

Definitely not. If you're in FC or BF, you should be treated the same. And as others have mentioned, who knows which person is most important for United to keep happy, the paid first class guy who may fly United only once a year, or the gal on an upgrade who has a 50K yearly spend. In fact, the upgrade might even by from a full Y ticket that costs just about as much as the FC ticket. The gal on the upgrade may be flying Y on her own dime, but normally sits in FC on all her company trips. Everyone in FC/BF should be treated great, period.

And meal orders should be front to back when fly west, and back to front fly east.