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Old Dec 9, 2015, 4:18 pm
  #61  
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Originally Posted by entropy
Well, corporate minions often suck up to the leader. So when the leader is beating the "Cut cut cut" drum, guess what the minions do?

When the new CEO says we need to deliver better quality to our customers, you'd have to be a very foolish minion not to come up with some improvements.
Do you honestly believe the new CEO only a few weeks on the job decided on snacks as a priority item?

This thread is amusing on many levels. The giddiness is embarrassing.
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 4:24 pm
  #62  
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Originally Posted by wpr8e
Do you honestly believe the new CEO only a few weeks on the job decided on snacks as a priority item?

This thread is amusing on many levels. The giddiness is embarrassing.
I don't think he personally had anything to do with the decision to do it. I think instead of trying to turn the screws on customers, the direction from Oscar has been to improve the customer experience, and to improve employee relations.

Oscar is a complete 180 compared to his predecessor, and he's decided to end the poisonous relationship between management and customers/employees. The knock on effects of his attitude are resulting in improvements in everything from coffee to snacks to on-time performance.
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 4:31 pm
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I was stunned to read this today, and encouraged United is at least making some attempts to restore it's horrible with consumers. It's interesting the items that are being introduced benefit all United customers. There's been little attention to attempting to woo elite's back. One of the things I thought would happen would be a reversal on the decision to require same day boarding pass at the United Club. Surely there has to be a better way to address the mooches than to remove the gate pass perk for all?
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 4:33 pm
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One of the local newspaper here in Australia is covering it (oz vs us airlines)


"We're refocussing on the big and little things that we know matter to our customers, and shape how they feel about their travel experience," said Jimmy Samartzis, United's vice president of food services and United Clubs.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviat...09-gljwrt.html

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 9, 2015 at 9:59 pm Reason: cleaned-up link
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 4:38 pm
  #65  
 
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I'm thrilled! Jeff poisoned the relationship between employees and customers and these steps, however small, are indicative of the attempt to repair that situation. A little giddiness is definitely warranted today!
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 4:40 pm
  #66  
 
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Nice job UA. Explains why the Stroopwafel samples have been at the LAX UC for the last week.
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 4:43 pm
  #67  
 
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Finally. This is a long time coming. I really like how UA went a step ahead of the competition and lead the way on this.
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 5:05 pm
  #68  
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Originally Posted by entropy
I don't think he personally had anything to do with the decision to do it. I think instead of trying to turn the screws on customers, the direction from Oscar has been to improve the customer experience, and to improve employee relations.

Oscar is a complete 180 compared to his predecessor, and he's decided to end the poisonous relationship between management and customers/employees. The knock on effects of his attitude are resulting in improvements in everything from coffee to snacks to on-time performance.
Interesting perspective on events. Especially since he was on the job, maybe 6 weeks?

I get it. Much easier to have a whipping boy instead of dealing with facts and reality.
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 6:28 pm
  #69  
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I think this is tied to the move to deploy United Lite. For the basic fare you get squat. Pay more and you get a whole raft of stuff, including SNACKS. How devious of them.
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 6:57 pm
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They should not have started charging for snacks on flights in the first place. Still, this is a welcome reversal and hopefully another small step toward making UA a somewhat passenger friendly airline again...
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 6:58 pm
  #71  
 
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Originally Posted by wpr8e
Interesting perspective on events. Especially since he was on the job, maybe 6 weeks?

I get it. Much easier to have a whipping boy instead of dealing with facts and reality.
We don't know how off-the-job he is, maybe he takes a few calls a week. Nor do we know how much the interim CEO is following the same path.

It's also quite possible that people within the company had these ideas ready-to-go, they had been previously suggested and were shot down or tabled, and so it was pretty easy to move forward with them in a short time frame.

I mean, I'm sure United already knew exactly how much it would cost to bring back snacks and where to get the snacks should they decide to do so, and it could have been a simple matter of, "$10 million a year isn't worth it!" to "$10 million a year is definitely worth it!"
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 7:13 pm
  #72  
 
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This is actually a flyer friendly change.
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 7:42 pm
  #73  
 
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Originally Posted by wpr8e
Do you honestly believe the new CEO only a few weeks on the job decided on snacks as a priority item?

This thread is amusing on many levels. The giddiness is embarrassing.
I 100% believe, and Oscar said that he intended to, that he set a different direction. He clearly looked at the figures/metrics we have discussed repeatedly and the internal UA metrics (which were awful) and said "holly bat man, we are losing our best customers"

Either he believes, or he was quickly convinced that United bottom of the heap product and service was killing sales. Once he set a new direction, people either implement it, or get they get canned when he is back in charge.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 9, 2015 at 10:02 pm Reason: discuss the issue, not the posters
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 7:49 pm
  #74  
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Originally Posted by spin88
I 100% believe, and Oscar said that he intended to, that he set a different direction. He clearly looked at the figures/metrics we have discussed repeatedly and the internal UA metrics (which were awful) and said "holly bat man, we are losing our best customers"

Either he believes, or he was quickly convinced that United bottom of the heap product and service was killing sales. Once he set a new direction, people either implement it, or get they get canned when he is back in charge.

Outside of a few third rate wall street analysts, Jeff's CO team, and a few posters on internet discussion boards, no one belived UA was on the right track.
Well, tis the season to believe in Santa and Elves too

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 9, 2015 at 10:03 pm Reason: odd character deleted
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Old Dec 9, 2015, 8:11 pm
  #75  
 
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Another favorable improvement - It's a Christmas miracle ^ What's next, pillows in premium cabins?!

As long as I don't gauge my expectations by experiences any further back than circa 2011-2012, things are starting to look up.
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