How many are REALLY leaving UA? [2014 edition]
#301
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AA DULtArer
Posts: 5,549
I enjoy reading flyertalk regularly (daily) for the tips I learn, the heads up we often get about what's coming down the line (i.e. enforcement of carry on rules) and, yes, even the complaints. It's good to get a sense of what is bothering people. But flyertalk seems like an alternate universe to me because when I fly UA I rarely have any complaints at all. Sure, I get the occasional broken F seat or boarding problem, but nothing that would cause me to vent such vitriol as some of the people here do. I admit that UA isn't what it used to be, but what is? I don't like all the RJs, that's for sure. But overall I'm still quite happy and am treated very well. My actual flying experience doesn't match up with a lot of what is said here, and I find that interesting.
Remember also this board is <0.1% of flyers and a highly non-random subset at that.
#302
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Programs: Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 261
I agree, and my experiences for the most part have been good, but when you open your eyes (general comment, not your eyes), you see that the competition is offering a significantly better experience in more or less all areas. It's frustrating to see the airlines that you invested your money in make what just seem to be the most utterly ridiculous anti-customer choices
#303
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in PALMYRA, PA, USA
Posts: 58,512
Maybe they should have gotten their act together before they tried to lure us back by comping us 1k status.
<shrug>
Wifi
Pre-order meals
Happy employees
Promises that are honored
Did I mention wifi? Even Southwest/AirTran has freaking wifi, for God's sake!
All of these and more are out there if you take off (or allow Smisek to rip off) your UA blinders. ^
#304
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: UA PP, AA, DL, BA, CX, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 2,002
let's see .... being based out of NYC, if I switch to AA i'll get :
1. no more nonstop to HKG/NRT upgradable by certs or miles, and no more nonstop to PEK/PVG period
2. only 5x nonstops to SFO instead of 18-20x
3. only 2x nonstops to LAS instead of 5-7x
4. no more nonstops to major destinations like AMS/FRA/MUC/BOM/DEL/TLV/FLL/YVR ... love to trade all those options for a nonstop to GIG
5. angled slanted flat on most J flights, and 100% slanted if i'm not heading to LHR/GRU/HKG
6. most short-haul has to depart out of the third world country known as LGA
7. most european routings would go through LHR, the land of APD extortion
8. brand new MD88 instead of ancient 739ER
tough decision indeed /s
1. no more nonstop to HKG/NRT upgradable by certs or miles, and no more nonstop to PEK/PVG period
2. only 5x nonstops to SFO instead of 18-20x
3. only 2x nonstops to LAS instead of 5-7x
4. no more nonstops to major destinations like AMS/FRA/MUC/BOM/DEL/TLV/FLL/YVR ... love to trade all those options for a nonstop to GIG
5. angled slanted flat on most J flights, and 100% slanted if i'm not heading to LHR/GRU/HKG
6. most short-haul has to depart out of the third world country known as LGA
7. most european routings would go through LHR, the land of APD extortion
8. brand new MD88 instead of ancient 739ER
tough decision indeed /s
Last edited by 787fan; Feb 19, 2014 at 8:09 am
#305
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: ORD / DUB / LHR
Programs: UA 1K MM; BA Silver; Marriott Plat
Posts: 8,243
UA was, and still is, a decidedly average airline that flies to a reasonable number of destinations. I've never had any greater expectations of them, and rarely have they exceeded that expectation. They achieve those expectations now, as far as I'm concerned.
I shudder to think what you will do when an AA employee takes a dislike to the new US rules and scowls at you while giving you a cheeseburger, or takes your meal order the wrong way, or when DL cuts a route that they used to fly for years. With respect, it seems that your tolerance levels may be low
#306
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,741
I enjoy reading flyertalk regularly (daily) for the tips I learn, the heads up we often get about what's coming down the line (i.e. enforcement of carry on rules) and, yes, even the complaints. It's good to get a sense of what is bothering people. But flyertalk seems like an alternate universe to me because when I fly UA I rarely have any complaints at all. Sure, I get the occasional broken F seat or boarding problem, but nothing that would cause me to vent such vitriol as some of the people here do. I admit that UA isn't what it used to be, but what is? I don't like all the RJs, that's for sure. But overall I'm still quite happy and am treated very well. My actual flying experience doesn't match up with a lot of what is said here, and I find that interesting.
#307
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: EWR
Programs: SPG LT Plat/P100, UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 532
I enjoy reading flyertalk regularly (daily) for the tips I learn, the heads up we often get about what's coming down the line (i.e. enforcement of carry on rules) and, yes, even the complaints. It's good to get a sense of what is bothering people. But flyertalk seems like an alternate universe to me because when I fly UA I rarely have any complaints at all. Sure, I get the occasional broken F seat or boarding problem, but nothing that would cause me to vent such vitriol as some of the people here do. I admit that UA isn't what it used to be, but what is? I don't like all the RJs, that's for sure. But overall I'm still quite happy and am treated very well. My actual flying experience doesn't match up with a lot of what is said here, and I find that interesting.
#308
Join Date: May 2004
Location: US
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 971
Same here. I have flown DL and AA, mostly during UA irrops and have not found them any better. I was put in RJs which are no better than UA. And I know that DL's Skymiles is horrible - I have a bunch of Skymiles which so far have been unable to redeem for the dates/times I wanted, except with the highest redemption miles.
On AA, the service was better, but their FF program is tied to BA's for international to Europe and SE Asia and BA/AA add fuel surcharges for flying. Sometimes the revenue ticket was cheaper than using the miles. May be AA is somewhat better if I fly them enough, but from and to IAH/DEN/SFO my options are limited.
Only WN is better, but due to their lack of international ops, I have decided to stick with UA for now.
On AA, the service was better, but their FF program is tied to BA's for international to Europe and SE Asia and BA/AA add fuel surcharges for flying. Sometimes the revenue ticket was cheaper than using the miles. May be AA is somewhat better if I fly them enough, but from and to IAH/DEN/SFO my options are limited.
Only WN is better, but due to their lack of international ops, I have decided to stick with UA for now.
#309
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
I also did an AA Madrid trip last month and cleared systemwides on the lowest economy fare at booking. How much more would I have had to pay UA to upgrade with a systemwide? How much extra would I be out if I didn't clear? Not a consideration at AA as you don't pay extra for a higher fare.
UA isn't offering 1K/UGS flyers comped food/beverage in coach, systemwides on rock bottom fares, or wifi on just about the entire mainline fleet (last number I saw was 25%). If UA offered these benefits, would you use them?
#310
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Use the ignore post button (click on user name to see this)...with about 12-15 such people on your list you will find you can get the gems without the hyberpole and inane faux business analysis.
Remember also this board is <0.1% of flyers and a highly non-random subset at that.
Remember also this board is <0.1% of flyers and a highly non-random subset at that.
http://www.dailynews.com/lifestyle/2...o-an-obsession
Things that make you go Hmmm.
#311
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: ORD / DUB / LHR
Programs: UA 1K MM; BA Silver; Marriott Plat
Posts: 8,243
Yet UA seems to highly value the input from here (or at least claims to).
http://www.dailynews.com/lifestyle/2...o-an-obsession
Things that make you go Hmmm.
http://www.dailynews.com/lifestyle/2...o-an-obsession
Things that make you go Hmmm.
#312
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in PALMYRA, PA, USA
Posts: 58,512
I shudder to think what you will do when an AA employee takes a dislike to the new US rules and scowls at you while giving you a cheeseburger, or takes your meal order the wrong way, or when DL cuts a route that they used to fly for years. With respect, it seems that your tolerance levels may be low
But so long as AA gives paid premium passengers the option of ordering their meal online in advance, I'll never have to worry about ordering anything from an employee...other than some booze. AA sets that expectation...and meets it. UA sets the expectation that I will get my meal preference on account of my elite status...and fails to meet it.
And that's the bottom line: UA sets expectations fairly low, and STILL can't meet them.
Last edited by kokonutz; Feb 19, 2014 at 9:27 am
#313
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,662
let's see .... being based out of NYC, if I switch to AA i'll get :
1. no more nonstop to HKG/NRT upgradable by certs or miles, and no more nonstop to PEK/PVG period
2. only 5x nonstops to SFO instead of 18-20x
3. only 2x nonstops to LAS instead of 5-7x
4. no more nonstops to major destinations like AMS/FRA/MUC/BOM/DEL/TLV/FLL/YVR ... love to trade all those options for a nonstop to GIG
5. angled slanted flat on most J flights, and 100% slanted if i'm not heading to LHR/GRU/HKG
tough decision indeed /s
1. no more nonstop to HKG/NRT upgradable by certs or miles, and no more nonstop to PEK/PVG period
2. only 5x nonstops to SFO instead of 18-20x
3. only 2x nonstops to LAS instead of 5-7x
4. no more nonstops to major destinations like AMS/FRA/MUC/BOM/DEL/TLV/FLL/YVR ... love to trade all those options for a nonstop to GIG
5. angled slanted flat on most J flights, and 100% slanted if i'm not heading to LHR/GRU/HKG
tough decision indeed /s
I do envy the AA ground and in flight service which is more consistent and light years ahead of UA, but it is not worth giving up the better seats and nonstops.
However I will be dumping UA to FRA as soon as LH completes its business class retrofit. No reason to put up with UA unreliability and crap beer once I hit $10k spend.
#314
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA GS/1K x6yrs, Ex-AAExecPlat, Delta 360, Mariott Plat, Hyatt Diamond, AMEX Centurion, Avis First
Posts: 165
And if 1 in 10 of the GS (500) leave because they are fed up they and those GS averaged $50K apiece that is a loss of $25,000,000. Hmmm, lose $25,000,000 to gain $12,775,000. Even if it is 1 in 20 GS (250) leave that would be a loss of $12,500,000 so they really only gain $225,000. Not good economical sense.
Last edited by circitmage; Feb 19, 2014 at 3:46 pm
#315
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA GS/1K x6yrs, Ex-AAExecPlat, Delta 360, Mariott Plat, Hyatt Diamond, AMEX Centurion, Avis First
Posts: 165