nikolastojsin

I am Johnny-come-lately to this thread - just a couple of observations:

1) UA collected $50 entry fee and allowed a customer into a club that is overcrowded (and yes, it is UA's job to know that); I am not sure how that can be defended;
2) If there are people putting stuff on the chairs and thus blocking access, UA Club's staff should address that (I cannot believe this point even needs to be made!);
3) I have never heard of Alton Brown, but his tweet comes across as truthful;
4) A celebrity DYKWIA would have walked into the Club and expected to be paid and have a private room; AB waited in line, apparently, and paid the $50 ticket (some celebrity DYKWIA!);
5) In a AB vs UA credibility contest, AB wins (John Doe would have won too) - I have zero experience with LAX UC, but I have yet to see EWR UCs less than 85% full (and I have seen 'em 140% full more than once).

Look, this thread should be about UA charging for a service it could not and did not provide (surprise!); I know people on this forum sometimes argue even against biological imperatives, but really... Really?

UA screwed up, end of story. Let us see how AB and JS tweet it out.

Flying Machine

I just checked Twitter(its 5:30 pm on the 13th at LAX) Alton Browns Post was 19 Hours ago. So that would make it about 10:30 pm Sunday Night the 12th that he had the seating issue. From the looks of the photo he seems to be sitting next to one of the Magazine Racks in the Main Seating Area. Its quite upsetting to me. I'm unsure what the hours of the second club are (old IFL) and regardless of how he entered or paid (I feel for the guy) This seems like something we will have to endure while the remodle construction is going on. I personally miss the FT Posting Board in the copy room which is now blocked off due to the construction, but I digress..The place is much smaller now, and it is what it is. Thanks Mr. Brown for calling this situation out to UA and other Twitter Users. Hopefully UA will adjust the hours of the upstairs lounge to help with the overcrowding issue.. Thanks and Safe Travels

enviroian

Who would have thought a thread about Alton Brown of all people would generate so much heat.

Like someone else also said upthread he seems like a pretty down to earth and friendly guy, unlike the other snobby and entitled Food Network chefs (Flay, Batali, and a few of the Chopped judges).

I think this thread has run it's course.

kettle1

Why?

UA needs to police the UC and tell all the DYKWIA's to not place their bags, etc on chairs. Also, clean up after yourself. Alton Brown seems like a nice guy. Why is he not flying Private?

enviroian

It just sounds like a beaten horse. UA was tweeted by a celebrity chef, they acknowledged it, and what they do from here is all we know. One post after another of why and why not he did this and didn't do that is exhausting to read.

YMMV.

kettle1

Than stop reading it.

I have seen agents at DL SC's tell people to free up seats in LAX, ATL, SLC and JFK. Why can UA not do the same thing, especially at LAX with the UC being remodeled and its reduced size? Again, a UA FAIL!

Good thing UA did not piss off Gordan Ramsay or Bobby Flay.

BB2220

Just what we need. Club police. "Move your bags, don't take so much food, you've had too much to drink, you're using too much bandwith". Imagine the FT discussion as soon as a UA employee tries to police people at the club. I can see the outrage now.
That being said, UA does have a club problem. Either expand, or restrict access. Some clubs like EWR, SFO, and LAX really have little value because of overcrowding.

FlyingNone

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Doesn't necessarily need "policing". If I (@UA) worked in the club and I saw overcrowding and people seat hogging with personal belongings, I would make a friendly offer to hang up their coat or let them know that the club is very crowded today (or this time of day) or something to that effect. Most people would comply if you asked them to move their stuff, I'm sure. As far as how much food or drinking, that's an individual choice. Feet and trash on coffee and end tables is annoying for sure so I would try to ask them (nicely) not to do so.
Maybe United needs to hand everyone a small card when they enter the clubs with "universal" signs with an "X" over pictures of feet on tables, glomming too much food, piles of trash on tables, etc.

halls120

You provided the correct answer in bold. If the employees aren't going to address the issue of people using seats as storage - and I can see how that is a recipe for even more bad publicity - they need to do something about capacity.

bocastephen

Outrage?? I'd be chasing down those employees and giving them chocolates. In fact, if they toss out a guest who touches food with their fingers, I'll give them triple chocolates.

kettle1

I agree and it appears UA is doing that at LAX, by expanding the club. It is funny DL and AA have no problem telling club members to free up seats, the seats are not luggage storage areas. UA needs to step up their game!

If this happened to Gordon Ramsey or Bobby Flay - hell would break out on Good Morning America, David Letterman and the Today Show.

Perhaps the Union Contract prevents the UA agents from doing this. I have no idea.

jgreen1024

I'm sitting in the club in question right now, at 8:30PM on Monday. It's full. There's not a single open seat. And there are staff members walking around helping people find seats. I just, two seconds ago, got asked if anyone was sitting at the seat next to me, because there were some bags there.

Hope that helps answer some of the 7 pages of speculation. I realize a lot of the "prove it! where is your evidence?" people are probably lawyers, and that the situation on a Monday night doesn't necessarily prove what happened last night, but I think the circumstantial evidence seems strong. I realize that you'll now call my own credibility into question, and while I could pull out my phone and take a picture to satisfy your insane need for argument, that seems rude to the people sitting in the club.

Sheesh. 7 pages.

Weatherboy

As a frequent visitor at that club, yes, I've seen it beyond capacity where people are simply standing around, leaning on a wall, or sitting/laying on the floor. Until construction is done, they definitely have an issue there.

Kacee

I think there's actually only one person who called Alton Brown a liar in this thread. In lots of posts, which perhaps made it seem a more common accusation. There were maybe two others who called AB a whiny over-entitled, celebrity. The rest of the seven pages is people attempting to talk sense.

And as a lawyer, I'm deeply offended by your stereotype

wrp96

So since most of us agree this was 100% on United, my next question would be with the reduced space due to the construction, I wonder if they are hitting (or going over) max capacity for fire codes?