river_rower

I've been treated this way a few times over the years- an FA from the front would come back and take a drink order. Once I was way back in 45C flying home FRA-SFO and the FA kneeled down and apologized about my SWU not clearing and offering me a drink from C, then she brought back a glass of wine, a few times I seem to recall.^

On the other hand, I was shocked on my recent return flight SYD-SFO when my GPU did not clear that the FA said I needed drink chits in Y on a 14 hour flight! And she never offered to cover it for me, even when I used one for my seatmate...

This has to be an FA-specific kind of behavior. Some of the intl. FA's these days make me feel like I am imposing on them for even being on the flight even though I am super courteous.

I remember being lectured in the galley years ago by an embittered FA that "If you high-paid executives would just pay full-fare in C we wouldn't be bearing all of these cost cuts, etc."

I am always grateful whenever I get a younger FA on a flight these days, I know they aren't infected with the bad attitudes some of their older counterparts have developed over the years.

Baze

Why would you be shocked when a FA was just following the rules? Coach pays for drinks, thats why you get chits. If they were free for 1K's why would you have chits? Another case of a FA does something nice once now it is an expected perk?

mgcsinc

I think this is a fair kind of complaining since it is an area where UA simply refuses to meet the competition (both in terms of top elites not getting free drinks/food in Y, and not giving free drinks on long-haul flights), and folks should complain until the complaints filter up.

santarosaflyer

I have had it happen from time to time, more often in the pre-merger days.

Post-merger it usually happens when I offer a chit and the F/A either says keep it and thanks for my business or they say hold on it it and they will collect it later. A couple of times, the F/A has taken the chit but gave me doubles for a single chit.

mgcsinc

I expect to get a double, get to keep the chit, or both. IME, that's the modal FA behavior. And I am somewhat disappointed when things are done differently, even if the FA is just following the rules.

UnitedFFinAsia

Good to see that from the FA's.

awu25

Just got off an ERJ145. FA took drink orders from all 1K's and served them before doing the regular drink service. I'm sure another one-off occurrence

zombietooth

Give them Starbucks or Outback/Carrabba's gift cards. They always accept them with gratitude.

Live4Upgrade

I've had this happen a couple of times. It got a big ^ from me!

flybit

ah the good old days!

Always Flyin

Thanks for reminding me of one of the main reasons why I left UA.

Funny. So just giving you a beverage in a glass instead of plastic was enough to impress you?

How far United has fallen . . .

0x9F37

I've had a few unexpected perks in the last 6 months, these are the ones I can remember:

#1 - Towards the end of a flight from EWR->LHR I was presented with a Fast Track invitation for immigration and one of those collectable metal amenity kits from BusinessFirst. He also acknowledged my 1K status and thanked me for my continued business. A nice touch I thought as I was travelling in Economy.
#2 - On another EWR->LHR flight the Global Services rep came to say "hello" and I was given the BusinessFirst meal despite travelling in Economy.
#3 - On more than one occasion when travelling domestically in BusinessFirst the FA has come to me first to ask for my meal choice, I normally sit in 3B or thereabouts.
#4 - I've been upgraded twice to GlobalFirst from BusinessFirst at the gate, on both occasions I was only one of two in GlobalFirst.
#5 - On a flight from LHR->EWR I was upgraded to BusinessFirst at the gate and thanked for my business.
#6 - When checking into the United Club at LHR I was told I could use the GlobalFirst lounge instead.

The cherry on the cake was more recently when I discovered United Wifi on a flight from LHR->EWR! With the updated cabin service in domestic BF something is definitely changing at United - or I'm just lucky!

bocastephen

No...what impressed me was the FC FA coming back into Y with the flight manifest and seeking out each 1K to greet them and ask if they would like a cold beverage which should brought from the FC galley in a glass - the other coach passengers needed to wait for the beverage cart service.

Always Flyin

I was a 1K for 20-years until I finally threw my hands up and left for AA.

I have spent $112.00 on UA this year. And that one flight was delayed 3-1/2 hours.

All that said, when I look at what 1Ks used to receive, getting a soft drink first in a glass while in coach seems pretty darn minor. But I guess that is about the best UA can do these days for its 1Ks (and that effort was not even part of approved procedures).

Assume you are aware that Executive Platinums (1Ks) on AA are given a complimentary alcoholic beverage and BOB meal when they are stuck in coach (which doesn't happen often anyway)?

bocastephen

I am very aware...and it's a great perk provided Parker doesn't get rid of it, but asking UA to do anything remotely like this would probably make Rainey's head explode.