XCstud

I think my perception of UA has become jaded from all of the negativity on this forum and my actual experiences have been pretty good. The majority of my flying is in Intl premium cabins and over the past 18 months I've had good service and the meals have generally been good quality. Almost all of my flights have been on time and I haven't had any baggage handling issues. I've been as happy with longhaul J on UA as on other airlines I've flown. I think MP is a better FF program than BAEC and I like the *A network in Europe and the availability of award flights within Europe.

I have an upcoming TATL trip with the family and I'm in J and they are in Y on a separate PNR waitlisted for an upgrade. I called to see if they would move the family to E+ and they did it for free even though they said technically they were only supposed to do it if we were all in the same class of service.

CO_Nonrev_elite

So if it is just the handful of nabobs (as you call us on here) that have a problem with United, why are they bottom of every poll ?, every survey ?, slammed in the media ? and sporting a 71 % on-time performance.

rockrich

I echo positive comments of others. I rely on united for both domestic and international travel from SFO. They give me lots of options, and will take me just about everywhere I want to go. I generally find the front line employees to be courteous and efficient. IRROPS are rare, usually well handled. I don't fly for a gourmet experience, so the mediocre food doesn't bother me. The hard product is good. I know I am flying with some of the safest and most experienced pilots in the world.
I realize others may differ, and some choose other carriers. To the extent that elites leave for greener pastures, I just see it as less competition for favorable attention among those of us who choose to stay.

LaserSailor

You are younger, yet wiser, than many posters here. This thread is a perfect one to make that ignore list work to perfection. I fly UA >DL > AA and find all three serve me well. My worst experience is probably AA< but that is because I have to connect through tough airports. DL is probably best from a 'get me there perspective, but that is because I fly direct on the DL network vs connecting UA AA.

RealFan

These are very useful and thoughtful posts in this thread. We really appreciate the value add.

As others have said, there are many of us having good experiences on United. All of my colleagues love United. Does that mean that there aren't problems? No. Does that mean that changes don't need to be made? No.

But it is posts like the ones I quote above which devalue this forum. This thread is about how United is working for some of us but the same folks keep posting the same stuff over and over and over.

What I don't understand is why those of you who hate United are still here? If I was so wronged by a service provider, I'd leave them in a heartbeat and also not waste a second of time posting on forums about them. Life is too short.

RealFan

No one is denying any of the problems. Read any of my prior posts in this very thread and you will see that I acknowledge that UA's financial performance obviously suggests something is broken and needs fixing.

However, with that said, United continues to deliver for many of us and we continue to fly the airline. I don't find my experiences on AA to be any different from UA. This, for some reason, causes angst and concern here. Assuming that AA doesn't make any changes to its FFP, I will likely give UA more of my business in 2015. We the satisfied are virtually a persecuted class on FT.

dmurphynj

Gabby Johnson is right!

I, too, am relatively satisfied. My flights get me where I'm going, generally on time, with my stuff. Limes are unimportant to me.

I fly because I have somewhere to be - I realize some of you have somewhere to be because you fly, and that's fine...

But for me, the domestic road warrior with an annual family trip - United is just fine and treats me well. Even the rare irrop this year (and it is rare) has been handled well; proactively rebooked, protected on other connections... All handled splendidly. No complaints from this Lowly Platinum.

StingWest

I agree with this sentiment entirely. Over the past year, I've compared United C class international with both BA and VS - certainly comparable, with pros and cons to each. Yes, I get annoyed with the occasional FA who is obviously burned out, but in general I'm happy with both the service and reliability. AA doesn't cut it for me because of their inferior route network out of the west and to Europe, but I will fly them in C in a few months (low C fare to EZE) and report back (no lie flat in C on my flight to EZE though!!)

CMK10

Anyone who thinks this is just about limes or the name on the side of the plane is really missing the big picture.

787fan

I'm glad there are good decent people who aren't bitterly holding grudges for perpetuity and spill vitriol about UA at every corner, YET continue to re-qual for GS/1K year after year after year. Hypocrisy at its finest.

Some think I'm an UA apologist, but at least I walk the walk by voting with my wallet.

CMK10

Life is not limited to the choices of love it or leave it

geirfugl

Look at this thing this way,me,Im a non US 1K,earning my miles from cheap fares,spend max 5000 usd,for this,this year I get 2 rt OSL-EWR-EZE GPU Upgrades,RT,from V,fares, (apr 1100 USD),always E+,plus numerous other advantages I cannot get with any European airline,offcause,not getting first class "mini RTWs" sucks,but the former level of advantages was just not sustainabel.The spend based earning is just a somewhat more honest way of doing what other airlines do by giving virtually no credit for the lowest booking classes.I will most certainly not requalify next year,but,frankly,I think thats fair enough!! The moaning abouth food and drink is just that,eating out of plastic,-hey thats America,guys!,not getting free drinks can arguably be seen as an advantage for the guy sitting NEXT to the guy who sees that as a life changing oportunity!!

Its not that bad,its just not what I hoped for when I started using UA a few years ago,now its more or less normal,it used to be realy,realy great,and I will certainly not go out of my way to use UA in the future,frankly,do not think thats a great concern to UA!!

Always Flyin

You're welcome!

Perhaps it is because some of us look at the matter objectively and are forced to conclude that some are closing their eyes to repeated and significant declines in what UA is offering its passengers. That objectively irrational attitude affects everyone else because United concludes their cut-backs are accepted.

I am a butt-in-seat million miler. I invested a lot of time and money in what has become a piece of crap airline run by people who have no qualms in breaking their promises to their passengers.

I have miles left in my Mileage Plus account, which are now worth dramatically less and have become increasingly difficult to use.

So I have a vested interest in what happens to this airline.

Finally, this is a public discussion forum. I am entitled to voice my opinions whether you like them or not.

bseller

Could have written the same words myself. Thank you!!
Dave

CCIE_Flyer

I don't want to quote anyone directly in this thread at this point but let me just point out that at least one senior individual within the UA Customer Service realm has been quoted in national news media on record that they (not just he) read FT every single day and that the content - for better or worse - does not go unnoticed. So it's fine to say that you're happy with UA and that they more or less get you where you need to go, bags in tow, and pretty much on time. And I really like the upthread comment about flying with among the most experienced and safest aviation professionals operating planes in the sky today -- so, so true!!

But please, please don't try to shout down those with differing views. You may not be as experienced a flyer -- you may not have such a long history to know any better. You may have greatly simplified travel requirements or expectations. You may luck out and predominately fly really good locations. You may be loaded to the hilt with antidepressants or just happen to be a really, really happy drunk.

It's a forum. Neither a love fest nor exclusively anti-UA; a forum. Sometimes a forum serves merely as a place for exhausted, fed-up folk to vent, other times valid criticism is taken note of and acted upon. Or at the very least taken note of and filed away or maybe even rolled up into some periodic briefing/presentation, even if not acted upon.

(Heh-hum!! Dewar's White Label in Int'l premium cabins...REALLY??)