How many are REALLY leaving UA? [2014 edition]
Aug 22, 2014, 2:01 pm
#1171
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,173
Aug 22, 2014, 2:28 pm
#1172
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,752
787s to avoid are all of JAL's and ANA's for intra-Asia flights (long-haul are fine).
Aug 22, 2014, 2:31 pm
#1173
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bangkok or San Francisco
Programs: United 1k, Marriott Lifetime PE, Former DL Gold, Former SQ Solitaire, HH Gold
Posts: 11,886
This post exemplifies the problem. UA doesn't care. Fly UA or don't. We are who we are and we're not going to change. We don't care about feedback. Even the apologists are few and far between on these boards - clearly UA has problems. The good news is that UA is starting to give out feedback forms. Maybe with the financial problems Jeff has finally figured out that he can't run an airline by spreadsheet. There are intangibles that he can't see. This thread should be a must read for UA management. Too bad, I'm sure it isn't. And this is totally the correct forum to post your issues. Can't think of a better one.
Of course UA cares if you fly or I fly or anyone else flies. But they also want to target certain flyers over others. And if a particular flyer gives them more profit for one flight than another flyer gives them total over 10 flights, they're going after the high profit flyer first. He gets more bennies. Just that simple.
Aug 22, 2014, 3:01 pm
#1174
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
UA made nearly $1Bn profit last quarter.
Of course UA cares if you fly or I fly or anyone else flies. But they also want to target certain flyers over others. And if a particular flyer gives them more profit for one flight than another flyer gives them total over 10 flights, they're going after the high profit flyer first. He gets more bennies. Just that simple.
Of course UA cares if you fly or I fly or anyone else flies. But they also want to target certain flyers over others. And if a particular flyer gives them more profit for one flight than another flyer gives them total over 10 flights, they're going after the high profit flyer first. He gets more bennies. Just that simple.
Aug 22, 2014, 3:34 pm
#1175
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SoCal
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K, 1 Million Miler, AA ExPlat
Posts: 70
About to land in CA having fulfilled the ExPlat challenge in 2 months. Have to say that if this is the norm service wise on AA, I won't ever be going back to UA. Went to ZA with BA as th OW partner and it was excellent. Better than LH. These AA FA's are so friendly. I am used to FA's saying mostly nothing on UA and rarely smiling. No IRROPS yet, so we'll see about that. And no Smisek videos!
Aug 22, 2014, 5:35 pm
#1176
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,752
UA made nearly $1Bn profit last quarter.
Of course UA cares if you fly or I fly or anyone else flies. But they also want to target certain flyers over others. And if a particular flyer gives them more profit for one flight than another flyer gives them total over 10 flights, they're going after the high profit flyer first. He gets more bennies. Just that simple.
Of course UA cares if you fly or I fly or anyone else flies. But they also want to target certain flyers over others. And if a particular flyer gives them more profit for one flight than another flyer gives them total over 10 flights, they're going after the high profit flyer first. He gets more bennies. Just that simple.
As a 1K, I don't see much difference from when I was a Gold last year other than double EQMs instead of 50%. The GS members i work with say the same thing (although their CPU rate is much higher than mine (2 for 9)).
Aug 22, 2014, 5:49 pm
#1177
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
UA made nearly $1Bn profit last quarter.
Of course UA cares if you fly or I fly or anyone else flies. But they also want to target certain flyers over others. And if a particular flyer gives them more profit for one flight than another flyer gives them total over 10 flights, they're going after the high profit flyer first. He gets more bennies. Just that simple.
Of course UA cares if you fly or I fly or anyone else flies. But they also want to target certain flyers over others. And if a particular flyer gives them more profit for one flight than another flyer gives them total over 10 flights, they're going after the high profit flyer first. He gets more bennies. Just that simple.
The targeting of different customers sounds good, and all, but strikes me as perhaps missing the forest for the trees.
Overall, what UA has been doing since March 3, 2012, hasn't been anywhere near as profitable as the activities of its competitors. DL, US and AA have practically lapped UA since then. Yes, the second quarter was impressive, but UA had a rather impressive second quarter in 2013 as well. Overall, UA's 2013 lagged far behind the competition. UA's 2012 was dismal compared to the competition, and both DL and AA are far ahead of UA in profitability so far this year.
Are the UA numbers down because some HVFs left and have yet to return? Sure looks that way, but reasonable people can disagree.
Aug 22, 2014, 6:35 pm
#1178
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,173
Aug 22, 2014, 7:37 pm
#1179
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,752
Aug 23, 2014, 3:11 pm
#1180
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K, SPG Platinum, National Exec. Elite
Posts: 32
I just made the switch and was matched on AA. UA 1k --> AA EXP this week.
Will try it for these three months on USair and AA primarily flying to HNL and Houston from the east coast. My experience mirrors much of the rest of this thread on reasons why I am disappointed in UA:
- Very infrequent CPU (<20% of the time) on W fares and higher even.
- Poor product & service in E+ and F compared to AA. Why do I pay for drinks in E+ as a 1k when AA will give me a drink for free in E?
- Overall company morale very low at UA, which affects customer service
- On time performance which has led to missed connections.
- Negative changes to SDC
- Cost cutting in the United Club products (Tea selection, quality of scotch/whiskey in well, and snacks).
On a side note to AA EXP Qualification: The 25,000 Elite Qualifying Points are challenging to get because none of the sites for OW area easy to search by Fare Class. So I'll have to call in most of my reservations to meet the number.
Will try it for these three months on USair and AA primarily flying to HNL and Houston from the east coast. My experience mirrors much of the rest of this thread on reasons why I am disappointed in UA:
- Very infrequent CPU (<20% of the time) on W fares and higher even.
- Poor product & service in E+ and F compared to AA. Why do I pay for drinks in E+ as a 1k when AA will give me a drink for free in E?
- Overall company morale very low at UA, which affects customer service
- On time performance which has led to missed connections.
- Negative changes to SDC
- Cost cutting in the United Club products (Tea selection, quality of scotch/whiskey in well, and snacks).
On a side note to AA EXP Qualification: The 25,000 Elite Qualifying Points are challenging to get because none of the sites for OW area easy to search by Fare Class. So I'll have to call in most of my reservations to meet the number.
Last edited by BeBrilliant; Aug 26, 2014 at 8:47 am
Aug 23, 2014, 4:27 pm
#1181
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Aug 23, 2014, 4:50 pm
#1182
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,722
Now this sounds like paradise
Aug 23, 2014, 5:28 pm
#1183
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,694
Aug 23, 2014, 9:35 pm
#1184
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,825
I just made the switch and was matched on AA. UA 1k --> AA EXP this week.
Will try it for these three months on USair and AA primarily flying to HNL and Houston from the east coast. My experience mirrors much of the rest of this thread on reasons why I am disappointed in UA:
- Very infrequent CPU (<20% of the time) on W fares and higher even.
- Poor product & service in E+ and F compared to AA. Why do I pay for drinks in E+ as a 1k when AA will give me a drink for free in E?
- Overall company morale very low at UA, which affects customer service
- On time performance which has led to missed connections.
On a side note to AA EXP Qualification: The 25,000 Elite Qualifying Points are challenging to get because none of the sites for OW area easy to search by Fare Class. So I'll have to call in most of my reservations to meet the number.
Will try it for these three months on USair and AA primarily flying to HNL and Houston from the east coast. My experience mirrors much of the rest of this thread on reasons why I am disappointed in UA:
- Very infrequent CPU (<20% of the time) on W fares and higher even.
- Poor product & service in E+ and F compared to AA. Why do I pay for drinks in E+ as a 1k when AA will give me a drink for free in E?
- Overall company morale very low at UA, which affects customer service
- On time performance which has led to missed connections.
On a side note to AA EXP Qualification: The 25,000 Elite Qualifying Points are challenging to get because none of the sites for OW area easy to search by Fare Class. So I'll have to call in most of my reservations to meet the number.
IAH: UA, of course
HNL: UA also has many (more?) options available. Do you fly direct from your home airport?
The crux will be your 'East Coast' departure points. NYC? Washington DC? ATL? MIA? (or BOS, PHL, CLT)
If AA is not strong there, are you prepared to connect more?
Let us know your experiences, and how the challenge works out.
Aug 24, 2014, 2:21 am
#1185
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
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Tom in Singapore