So how long until UA eliminates guests in clubs?
Jan 11, 2014, 10:53 am
#92
Join Date: May 2003
Location: At This Point, Only G*d Knows!
Posts: 3,467
Of interest I called to cancel my AMEX DELTA Reserve card and the agent I spoke with said that she received 11 calls to cancel the card already due to DELTA's impeding change, so AMEX may not bee too happy about the change if the pace of calls continues.
Dan
Dan
Jan 11, 2014, 11:43 am
#93
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 257
I've never had a complaint with the UC. Was a member of the "100,000 Mile Club" when it was free. Then when they started charging $25 a year I paid that for a few years. Then in 1978, a friend who was head of passenger service for UA at IAD alerted me that there was a "special offer" for lifetime memberships for $240, which included a lifetime card for your spouse. We grabbed it and have never looked back.
Retired for more than 15 years, we still use the cards and watch the receptionists do double-takes when they look at them. Sometimes if we get chatting we tell them when we got them and how much they cost, and they fall on the floor laughing.
Decent investment.
Retired for more than 15 years, we still use the cards and watch the receptionists do double-takes when they look at them. Sometimes if we get chatting we tell them when we got them and how much they cost, and they fall on the floor laughing.
Decent investment.
Jan 11, 2014, 12:01 pm
#94
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,916
I've never had a complaint with the UC. Was a member of the "100,000 Mile Club" when it was free. Then when they started charging $25 a year I paid that for a few years. Then in 1978, a friend who was head of passenger service for UA at IAD alerted me that there was a "special offer" for lifetime memberships for $240, which included a lifetime card for your spouse. We grabbed it and have never looked back.
Retired for more than 15 years, we still use the cards and watch the receptionists do double-takes when they look at them. Sometimes if we get chatting we tell them when we got them and how much they cost, and they fall on the floor laughing.
Decent investment.
Retired for more than 15 years, we still use the cards and watch the receptionists do double-takes when they look at them. Sometimes if we get chatting we tell them when we got them and how much they cost, and they fall on the floor laughing.
Decent investment.
Jan 11, 2014, 1:12 pm
#95
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: COS/DEN
Programs: UA 1P (w/ no expectations whatsoever); Marriott Gold; Hilton Silver; Hertz Pres
Posts: 693
Reduce the number of occupants, (likely) maintain at least the same amount of revenue, and not have to invest anything more to improve food/beverage/bandwidth/etc offerings. Current seating capacity increases likely sufficient for quite some time. Smi$ek will love this.
I give the UA announcement about 6 months.
I give the UA announcement about 6 months.
Jan 11, 2014, 1:52 pm
#96
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 110
Yeah, the folks who mostly fly domestically do not appreciate just how miserable the USA flying experience is these days.
A couple of weeks ago, I'm in Borneo flying between its two major Malaysian cities, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. It's an 1 1/2 flight, and I've paid a grand total of $50 for my ticket. I've also got oneworld status, so after breezing through non-TSA security I head to the Malaysian Airlines Golden Lounge. Despite KK being somewhat of a backwater, they've got an entire dinner spread out, probably 12 dishes, and desserts, too. Alas, Malaysia is (mostly) a Muslim country, so no booze in the lounge, so I have to "settle" for some fresh fruit juices. I then board a brand-new 737-800 with free personal IFE (nice movie selection) and then they serve me dinner (which I couldn't eat, because I had feasted in the lounge).
Not sure how in the USA we wound up with high ticket prices, crazy security, bad lounges, onboard pay TV and no food. Definitely the short end of the stick.
A couple of weeks ago, I'm in Borneo flying between its two major Malaysian cities, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. It's an 1 1/2 flight, and I've paid a grand total of $50 for my ticket. I've also got oneworld status, so after breezing through non-TSA security I head to the Malaysian Airlines Golden Lounge. Despite KK being somewhat of a backwater, they've got an entire dinner spread out, probably 12 dishes, and desserts, too. Alas, Malaysia is (mostly) a Muslim country, so no booze in the lounge, so I have to "settle" for some fresh fruit juices. I then board a brand-new 737-800 with free personal IFE (nice movie selection) and then they serve me dinner (which I couldn't eat, because I had feasted in the lounge).
Not sure how in the USA we wound up with high ticket prices, crazy security, bad lounges, onboard pay TV and no food. Definitely the short end of the stick.
Wirelessly posted (Treo 650: Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; Android 4.4.2; Nexus 4 Build/KOT49H) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/31.0.1650.59 Mobile Safari/537.36)
I buy my club membership via the Chase PP card. A no/pay for guest policy would prompt me to instantly cancel the card as I do use it to guest family into the club on domestic trips. I'm pretty sure there are others in my position and Chase would not want to lose all of that business.
I buy my club membership via the Chase PP card. A no/pay for guest policy would prompt me to instantly cancel the card as I do use it to guest family into the club on domestic trips. I'm pretty sure there are others in my position and Chase would not want to lose all of that business.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Jan 11, 2014 at 5:05 pm Reason: merge
Jan 11, 2014, 2:49 pm
#97
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
[SIZE=1]I buy my club membership via the Chase PP card. A no/pay for guest policy would prompt me to instantly cancel the card as I do use it to guest family into the club on domestic trips. I'm pretty sure there are others in my position and Chase would not want to lose all of that business.
I scry with my little eye that UA will limit free guests to those flying on the same itinerary as the member. Other guests will cost to get in.
Jan 11, 2014, 2:53 pm
#98
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,302
Meh. If they did this, it would just be one more reason not to switch to United.
My spend is high enough to earn 1K status (but not nearly enough for GS), so I find it ridiculous they keep doing things to make me stick with Air Canada.
My spend is high enough to earn 1K status (but not nearly enough for GS), so I find it ridiculous they keep doing things to make me stick with Air Canada.
Jan 11, 2014, 3:05 pm
#99
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1MM, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 184
This is totally inaccurate based on my observations. I see very few day passes being used.
The crowding I see appears to result from (a) just too many members (mostly business travelers) at peak departure time for the size of the club, or (b) families who tend to take up an inordinate amount of space.
The crowding I see appears to result from (a) just too many members (mostly business travelers) at peak departure time for the size of the club, or (b) families who tend to take up an inordinate amount of space.
I will guess that the same is true at lounges.
Jan 11, 2014, 3:27 pm
#100
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LAS - I'm All In!
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott PP
Posts: 3,639
I was reading that one of the first changes that the merged USAir and AA was going to make was to start "clustering" their connections rather than spreading them out over the day. The article went on to say that most other airlines cluster their connections which makes for alternate overcrowding then emptiness at hubs.
I will guess that the same is true at lounges.
I will guess that the same is true at lounges.
Jan 11, 2014, 3:40 pm
#101
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,166
Reduce the number of occupants, (likely) maintain at least the same amount of revenue, and not have to invest anything more to improve food/beverage/bandwidth/etc offerings. Current seating capacity increases likely sufficient for quite some time. Smi$ek will love this.
I give the UA announcement about 6 months.
I give the UA announcement about 6 months.
Jan 11, 2014, 4:39 pm
#102
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
The Explorer card gives two passes per year with no guests, I'm not sure if additional card holders get them either (I haven't received mine, but as I generally travel internationally it doesn't really matter). I suspect a mismatch between club membership and club capacity at major hubs in morning and evening peaks are the real issue.
As for the boarding scrums, perhaps but I think baggage fees and lax enforcement are a bigger driver of that.
Devaluations, perhaps the large liability from chase miles is almost certainly a contributor, but I suspect it would have happened irrespective, it's too good an opportunity to miss this kind of (largely unnoticed) cost cutting exercise.
Jan 11, 2014, 5:43 pm
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,293
Yeah, the folks who mostly fly domestically do not appreciate just how miserable the USA flying experience is these days.
A couple of weeks ago, I'm in Borneo flying between its two major Malaysian cities, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. It's an 1 1/2 flight, and I've paid a grand total of $50 for my ticket. I've also got oneworld status, so after breezing through non-TSA security I head to the Malaysian Airlines Golden Lounge. Despite KK being somewhat of a backwater, they've got an entire dinner spread out, probably 12 dishes, and desserts, too. Alas, Malaysia is (mostly) a Muslim country, so no booze in the lounge, so I have to "settle" for some fresh fruit juices. I then board a brand-new 737-800 with free personal IFE (nice movie selection) and then they serve me dinner (which I couldn't eat, because I had feasted in the lounge).
Not sure how in the USA we wound up with high ticket prices, crazy security, bad lounges, onboard pay TV and no food. Definitely the short end of the stick.
A couple of weeks ago, I'm in Borneo flying between its two major Malaysian cities, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. It's an 1 1/2 flight, and I've paid a grand total of $50 for my ticket. I've also got oneworld status, so after breezing through non-TSA security I head to the Malaysian Airlines Golden Lounge. Despite KK being somewhat of a backwater, they've got an entire dinner spread out, probably 12 dishes, and desserts, too. Alas, Malaysia is (mostly) a Muslim country, so no booze in the lounge, so I have to "settle" for some fresh fruit juices. I then board a brand-new 737-800 with free personal IFE (nice movie selection) and then they serve me dinner (which I couldn't eat, because I had feasted in the lounge).
Not sure how in the USA we wound up with high ticket prices, crazy security, bad lounges, onboard pay TV and no food. Definitely the short end of the stick.
US airlines lounges are a laughing stock - but the fact that people are still paying $500-$700 for a membership is even more of a disgrace.
Jan 11, 2014, 5:49 pm
#104
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Somewhere I've Driven To
Programs: HiltonHonors, IHG Hotels, DL Skymiles
Posts: 2,070
I've never had a complaint with the UC. Was a member of the "100,000 Mile Club" when it was free. Then when they started charging $25 a year I paid that for a few years. Then in 1978, a friend who was head of passenger service for UA at IAD alerted me that there was a "special offer" for lifetime memberships for $240, which included a lifetime card for your spouse. We grabbed it and have never looked back.
Retired for more than 15 years, we still use the cards and watch the receptionists do double-takes when they look at them. Sometimes if we get chatting we tell them when we got them and how much they cost, and they fall on the floor laughing.
Decent investment.
Retired for more than 15 years, we still use the cards and watch the receptionists do double-takes when they look at them. Sometimes if we get chatting we tell them when we got them and how much they cost, and they fall on the floor laughing.
Decent investment.
Omg, I had this opportunity 30+ years ago when I joined United. Unfortunately, I didn't take the lifetime offer and am still kicking myself ever since - especially as a standby and waiting for more than one flight to get on (oftentimes), this would have relieved me of wasting tons of time at gates;
I could have been comfortable in a RCC.
Jan 11, 2014, 5:59 pm
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,404
-------------------------
Omg, I had this opportunity 30+ years ago when I joined United. Unfortunately, I didn't take the lifetime offer and am still kicking myself ever since - especially as a standby and waiting for more than one flight to get on (oftentimes), this would have relieved me of wasting tons of time at gates;
I could have been comfortable in a RCC.
Omg, I had this opportunity 30+ years ago when I joined United. Unfortunately, I didn't take the lifetime offer and am still kicking myself ever since - especially as a standby and waiting for more than one flight to get on (oftentimes), this would have relieved me of wasting tons of time at gates;
I could have been comfortable in a RCC.
I actually remember the crazy cheap offer and thinking "Jeez, Eastern is CERTAIN to go out of business -- there's no way I'd pay a penny for that." So you never know. But, of course, you never know what the club benefits will look like in the future, or if you'll even be flying the airline (if it still exists).