Chevelter

While I am happy in general with my United flying, I have to admit I hear this sort of thing from attendants and employees. On a recent ORD>HNL flight AND BACK an attendant in F saw I was GS so she spent at least ten minutes unloading and practically pleading with me to echo her comments to United, "because as a GS they will pay attention to what you say." She was spitting nails. Frankly if I were her I would be careful about having this attitude because such insubordination really should get her fired, but I'm certainly not going to report her and I feel sorry that she feels so unhappy and frustrated. I just don't personally see things as that dire, or even very bad, from where I sit.

Artpen100

I'm not an "I'm never coming back" type person, as it is always a mix of factors, but I was looking at another business trip to Europe (multi city) in a few months. No upgradeable flights, so I would be paying for business class. AF and UA were the main options. UA slightly more expensive and product not as good as AF intercontinental, I think. So it is AF again, paid business class. If that keeps up, I will probably make AF Gold this year. I did buy a cheap Y class domestic flight on UA last week, though. Since it was direct.

ZZYZXROAD

I am also shocked at the number of GS on domestic flights. Last 24 seat 752 out of ORD to LAX on a Wednesday had 7 GS folks.

Then just as alarming is the number of 1K's in E+ on my flights. While I am heavy on hub to hub, when there are up to 14 of us on a flight, all in E+, and no GS boarded in front. I can only think of that many paying Full Fare or TOD. If that's the case, SMI/J is getting exactly what he expected, loyal elite base, mostly, and paid seats in F, revenue 101.

I can't believe I am going to say this.....When I was a loyal WN flier, and I mean loyal, 150 flights a year in the same time zone, their model manages expectations well and limits the possibility of disappointment. Not for me these days and I was lured by E+, comfy IFE, reward program, long haul international rewards, WN just might have me back someday.

Also, I know we all have expectations, but meal prioritization for me is way down on the list of issues.

cova

For now the grass is much greener at AA. I pretty much switched to AA a few years ago - and prefer AA over UA. Nothing against UA, just that the travel experience is much better on AA (for me).

Almost always upgraded on AA as EXP (versus UA as a 1K). F food is much better. On AA flight now with WiFi, and just finished a very nice breakfast. The breakfast flights in F on UA out of DCA now serve the muffin/egg sandwich. The Canadian bacon used to be about 1/64 of an inch thick - although it now looks like it has been enhanced by about 1/128 of an inch to 3/128th of an inch. The muffin is about 2 inches thick and there is a pressed 1/3 of an egg. Although it does appear that the amount of egg has increase to 1/2 an egg. Point is flying UA seems like they are doing you a favor, and counting pennies is evident.

On AA I am always thanked for my business and the agents go out of their way to help you. On UA - TODs is king. On AA - if you want an F ticket - you buy it, otherwise top tier get comp upgrades.

Now - it remains to be seen what happens with AA once AA/US are fully integrated and what changes are made to AA's FF program. If the minimum spend goes into effect at AA - then I will likely switch back to UA (with LT 1K) and there will likely be less 1Ks. UA has some good people - and overall service, etc has been good. But AA just has better service/food, etc.

The devalued UA rewards are a big deal as well. AA is still unchanged - but time will tell.

1KPath

My experience and feelings as well...What will happen with the combined AA/US...no one knows...but I have to think that the new AA management can see the issues with the UA/CO merger and what not to do!...We can only hope!

It is not as much fun as it used to be!

CO_Nonrev_elite

TOD certainly exist plenty on AA. As a kettle when I fly on them, I almost always purchase them . More often than not, it's significantly cheaper to do the TOD than pay for two bags and buy a good seat. Same with when I fly DL and when I flew US Airways. It only seems bad on UA because they seem to rub it in your face and the general attitude at UA, but it certainly happens at all of them.

UA-NYC

Yes but on AA, GMs get the same offers as AA elites, not cheaper, fare rule-breaking ones :-:

spin88

I don't know about on AA - although plenty of folks who do fly AA have said they don't do TODs (constant - sometimes cheap - upgrade offers before giving seats away elites).

I do know about Delta, and they don't do TODs. When you run a search, Delta shows you the Y and BE/F fares side by side. You can then chose. If its a last minute fare (as mine often are) then the BE/F fare is not a lot more expensive than Y. It is like what CO did in the 2005-7 period.

However, when you buy Y, you do not get offered a reduced cost upgrade. The only TODs that exist on DL as far as I can see, are when the upgrade list has no one on it, and they offer the upgrade at the gate. AS BTB does the same thing. Everytime I have seen these offers, they are on the board at the departure gate, and the upgrade list when it shows has no one on it.

It is a very different thing than United. United gives me Y fares, does not give them side by side, then when I select an itintery offers me an upsell. Then after I purchase offers me another upsell. Then often e-mails me an upsell. Then tries an upsell at check in when I am on the standby list. These prices are also random and ever changing. E.g. UAL just offered me $109 to upgrade before purchase, $229 2 minutes later AFTER I bought coach. This is simply insulting to my intelligence.

CO_Nonrev_elite

I know, I feel like it's:
"Would you like to spend $109 to upgrade to first class",
NO
"Oh, how about $79"
NO
"$59 ??"
NO
"How about double miles, free bags for life, sex with a live monkey and and upgrade for $9.99?"
OK

Plane goes out with 37 1K members in coach

LaserSailor

What kind of monkey???

CO_Nonrev_elite

There's just no long term vision on anything. Everything is about what can be squeezed out today. I watched DL announce service from LAX-BOI today. Flying on a plane with first class, food, and wifi etc. Most people that get on that plane will land and have enjoyed the experience.

On UA, the route starts with a CRJ200 or a EMB145 which has no food, no wifi, no first class and no entertainment at all.

Any person that has flown on virtually any other US carrier will walk off that aircraft disappointed, and will most likely choose around UA next time.

Start a route with some thing good, impress your passengers and the market will grow. Start it with something terrible, it won't grow, and you will drop it 3 months later saying there is no demand for that service. There is no demand for YOUR service.

I remember airlines starting routes stating that it would be great if it could make a profit within a year...

kokonutz

I have plenty of time to do both!

In fact I just booked a FC ticket DCA-SAN.

UA and US were about the same price ($1400-$1500).

2 years ago there would have been no doubt: I would have been excited at getting so much UA eqm AND lifetime miles on UA metal.

Today On UA i would have been booking 1 segment on an RJ and would be sweating another ORD misconnect. Still, 2 years ago I'd have taken the hit because UA took care of me so I just preferred UA. Even today it would have helped me meet the unsolicited comped 1k challenge I got a few weeks ago.

But today I booked US. I will have wifi and will not be sweating whether the airline will actually get me there or not. It was an easy choice. The only hard question is whether I put the US miles to MP or AA.

It's not personal. It's just business.

TravellingMan

I am hearing more friends dropping out of United completely. One of them buys refundable tickets for every flight, he switched to F9 and SW and is very satisfied with the big jets and better on time performance. Wonders why he flew on UA RJs all these years.

goalie

Good one ^. Sad but true tho still a good one

A sock monkey

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/check...afe-again.html

wrp96

You currently get a 50% bonus from AA for crediting US flights to them.