Catch UA Insider on ABC7 Chicago
 

Hat tip to Aaron Goldberg (UA Insider) for helping tell the latest story about airport services for infrequent flyers.

While it's impossible to control editing and storytelling by the media, this piece is almost 100% perfect (discussing PreCheck and going through the old fashion way didn't make sense) it was great to put a face with the name.

Good job!

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=9341562

Nice video, its good to put a face to the name.
I agree, the precheck portion of the video was confusing.
Mentioning GS seemed a bit strange to me since the story seemed to be aimed at infrequent travelers. It made it sound like you could buy GS directly

Awesome, thanks for sharing! Yes, I also got the impression that everyone now will be asking to be in that special Global Services program :)

Will add to all those people who rush up at the GS boarding call thinking they are GS because they got Premier benefits from their credit card!

Cool story. As a GS, I've not seen any of those hidden or special passageways though. Perhaps they don't exist at every hub. The pre-clear line has become much more congested than the Premier queues in Houston so I would hope they would setup at least another pre clear station to ease the congestion.

Nope -- they are building one in SFO and have a temporary one at EWR.

at ORD, when you go through the premier security, you can see the passage way to the left of the TSA pre station.

Now, one time, at the premier line, the lady said the line looks long and they sent me way down to the left to a security area I never saw before. I went through very quick because no one was there, then exited into the terminal on that side. Not sure what that was. I had assumed that was a special GS area

Where is it at EWR? I've been traveling there for several weeks but haven't seen it.

There are 4 checkpoints at ORD Terminal 1. The one to the way left, which is pretty out of the way and lets out at the walkway between T1 and T2, is not nearly as busy as the others at peak times.

Next is T2, where you have PreCheck and Premier Access. On the wall between CP1 and CP2 is the GS lounge. Middle of the ticketing counters is CP3, which is where the general security lines are. At the far right by the LH counter is CP4, which again is Premier and PreCheck.

I believe the second level next to where the old Premier Access area used to be (before it was moved to the third level).

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...opens-ewr.html

To me the "old fashioned way" was when you got out of your car and you and your family walked directly to the gate. They watched you go then they walked back out. No groping, no spreading your arms, no liquid limitation. No security. Granted in today's environment not practical but hey, that was the "old fashioned way".

After that, there was still security, but just sending things through x-ray and WTMD. None of this shoe/liquid nonsense, and no checking BPs for passengers only. Everyone could come and go as long as they passed security checkpoints.

Definitely gone are the days when my friend's mom used to take them to ATL to pass the time riding on the inter-terminal trains.

The real old fashioned way was when you stood at a chain link gate in a pen connected to the building and awaited them to open it so you could walk on the tarmac out to your plane :) I am not old enough to remember that but I have seen pictures of it... (actually I think I recall such an arrangement when I arrived in Madrid in the early 70s one late night as a kid).

Back to topic, I think there was an opportunity to also mention that the app could show you whether the plane had DirecTV or Wi-Fi as well, so he could pitch those services too!

Aaron looks so nice, too bad he is the mouthpiece of the devil. Also saw a fluff piece on CNN about United's operations at Willis Tower and how they manage all the traffic of the aircraft and keeping them ontime. My SO said "Why would they talk about on time departure's with UA since they are at the bottom of the list" :eek:

That's OK - he *is* cute :D !

I agree. He's got a tough gig. Can't shoot the messenger. Think he likes posting the new "enhancements" on here? It's like throwing himself to a pack of hungry lions. :D