Dieuwer

...and this is why United will never change as long as greedy, egoist, narcissists run the show.

EWR764

That's really nothing more than a matter of opinion, frankly, because the facts show that the current iteration of the airline is measurably worse in just about all of important categories than either of the predecessor companies. Anecdotally, flying out of Newark often, I still hear chatter bemoaning the loss of Continental, whereas in the former UA hubs, I have found the opposite to be true.

For better or worse, the current leadership has done an abysmal job managing employee relations. Across the system, my view is that morale is still very low as many staff are in constant fear of losing their jobs, and feel that management would not have their back if they needed to go the "extra mile" to do right by their customers ("no waivers no favors"). At the same time, one of the prime job functions of customer-facing United employees has long been apologizing for many shortcomings, including industry-laggard OTP/completion/MBR/IDB, inoperative wifi, lack of amenities, etc. That has to get awfully tiring after a while, especially when it seems like everyone else is doing a much better job at the same task.

It's something that can't be reliably measured on a spreadsheet or survey (which may be why UAL seems to have a problem with it) but any manager in a customer service business will tell you that there is a direct correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. Until United can find a way to turn the tide in the relationship between management and its employees, and just get to breakeven, at least, I don't think we will see the company flourish to the extent it is capable.

It's great to see the company realize that they have a perception problem and deploy more resources to visibly improve the customer experience. I think a lot of the damage is self-inflicted, and many of the changes only bring United to parity with its direct competitors (AA/DL) but at least it points toward a realization that customers are not the problem. There needs to be some kind of similar 'revelation' regarding United's view of its human assets, too.

CHOPCHOP767

When the airlines adopted this system of upgrades, personally, I think they knew exactly what they were doing: a race to the bottom. If you make something 'free', people are less upset when the amenities that come along with a Complimentary Premier Upgrades are pretty pathetic. Whereas, if you have to pay a little something extra, ie a 500 mile certificate, there's an expectation that you'll get something a little special. That said though, I completely agree and wish these instruments would be re-introduced.

I still remember when the front-line was pretty hostile during the Tilton days, but that's nothing like what customers are experiencing to-day. I don't fly UA very often these days, but they still have one of the most expansive networks in the world and some great employees out there. I can only hope that management realizes what a mess the airline is these days. Eighty per cent on time arrivals is hardly acceptable, neither is outsourcing dedicated staff

manstein58

IMHO, if UA management had a do over or a wish list, it would include exactly what Parker did over at AA with the unions. Granted, it was a bankruptcy but when the merger there cleared, the employees and management were more or less pulling in the same direction. At UA, management had and continues to have two inflight operating systems each refusing to accept the other: that begets a mindset among everyone that, until that issue is solved, all else is secondary- like WiFi, in flight amenities, etc.- and can wait

Ber2dca

Did United actually have to integrate Continental? It certainly feels more like the opposite. While the United name (as the superior brand) was kept, it's the Continental management that took over and the airline feels more like Continental "plus" than United.

Antonio8069

Most of this is clearly not true.

I have no issue with the staff. Trained by ex-Aeroflot? Give me a break!

The FA's on long haul flights are mostly high seniority (read Experience). That's what happens, lhrsfo, when you eliminate company pension plans! (Very British I might add).

You have an issue with bag drop for 1K? Care to elaborate?

The worst of your hyperbole is this:

I know of no normal airline in the West which has staff who are so off-hand to the passengers.

Have you ever tried AC?

JBord

I have personally noticed improved customer service over the last 6-9 months, although my flying with UA has decreased some. I think its headed in the right direction, but still a ways to go.

The operational metrics are more interesting. Its pretty easy to manipulate those by changing block times, increasing boarding times, etc. which I think they've done in the past. I hope they really are attacking the problems this time, as the article suggests.

Overall, after years of taking away from customers, there are some signs of giving something back. The new food in the lounges is something I appreciate. I think if we start to see UA trend in that direction, a lot of the other issues will be forgiven.

anc-ord772

"...and it's looking at ways to decrease the need for ramp agents to bring planes in and out of gate areas."

manstein58

I agree. Things are getting better and have been since summer of 2014

eajusa

When you hit bottom, the only direction is up.

BearX220

I was skeptical of this but I've come to agree with you, as UA's CPU proposition has degenerated into such a joke. The CPU offer is borderline fraudulent when you have a waitlist 50 elites deep, two seats up for grabs, and simultaneous sub-$100 TOD offers.

That doesn't mean all CPU programs are stupid -- AS has one, and I bat about .500 as MVP Gold. But UA's is now worse than nothing because it's so terrible relative to expectations.

I don't see it but respect your observations. It'll take years to make a difference, though, if you are right. Years. US was a much better airline in the 2011-2014 period, but former US customers were still dumping on it because their frame of reference was 10 years old and they didn't want to resample.

eajusa

And...yet, peoples' memories are short in some regards.

bocastephen

I don't think an upgrade certificate program is going to make any difference. You'll still have Elites waitlisted knee deep, few R seats and plenty of TOD sales - the only difference will be a new cost, which is not something we really want, right?

EWR764

I think that is probably true, but there are two important considerations here: (1) the integration of the unions at CO/UA has been and will continue to be a colossal task, given the almost diametrically opposed agendas of the various workgroups subject to integration (especially the flight attendants); and (2) the timing of the merger, as a delay in CO+UA would have led to US+UA, which would have been materially worse for US consumers in the big picture. US+AA had the luxury of more time as their merger was essentially fated once CO+UA was done, despite AA's proclamations that it was charting an independent post-bankruptcy course.

The integration of the workgroups can't all be blamed on management, either, IMO.

Ah, the wingwalkers. This is something that came from the CO side. I can think of dozens of occasions where we have waited short of the gate for several minutes while marshals got into position to allow the flight to proceed to the gate. It was arguably extraneous then, and definitely extraneous now that winglet 737 ops are pervasive through the former UAL network and gates have been appropriately marked for some time.

GRALISTAIR

Yes me too - 2010.

Needs a Bethunesque transformation?

I will reread From Worst to First again tonight.