Seems GS is pretty diluted this year (esp looking at the qual spreadsheet)? Maybe to encourage more flying? Also maybe a reason why they are diluting some of the GS benefits.

At ORD yesterday, the gate agent called for those with disabilities, active military, families with children under two, and then GS/1K together. I was at the front of the Group 1 line and walked forward to board as a 1K. She thanked me for my loyalty and I boarded.

I've enjoyed pre-boarding thus far this year at SYD, LAX and LAS. SYD had a gold scarf to help all GS's (about 6 of us). At LAX and LAS, i just went up to the GA just before boarding and asked 'where would you like GS to stand before boarding?'

Damn straight.

LOL. I'm a new GS so I will let you fight the power first.

I hope that doesn't become the norm. I've spent the last 4 years as a 1K watching GS shove their way past me in lane 1, to take up what little first class overhead space wasn't already hogged by the crew... only to have the benefit disappear right when I get GS for the first time? :confused:

I'm hoping that is an isolated incident. I suspect that sometimes a clever GA will take a look at the Manifest and see there is only 1 GS and 3 1ks on a flight and just be calling them together for expediency.

Perhaps all these boarding shenanigans are a sign that the boarding process that they tested last year will be going into effect soon?

Here is my most recent boarding experience... I just took the flight back from HND-SFO the other day. When I checked in, the agent at the counter took my bags, and then escorted me to a different priority security line and then waited for me on the other side of immigrations. She then walked with me to the ANA lounge and said she would see me at the gate. I got to the gate a little after boarding started and she was there as promised. She walked me up to the front to the gate agents and got me through breaking up the people that were boarding already ( I think it was in the middle of Group 1 or 2 at that time) and then walked with me onto the plane. She was very nice. Maybe the are doing something like brining you to to the front in place of just having people board first. Or maybe in Japan, they just do that extra special customer service like when the restaurant owners walk you outside and bow to you until you are out of sight. Either way, the team at HND is quite on top of things.

Companion travel with paid business.. companion using miles and GPU
 

Good evening experts,

I'm hoping for some insight on rules associated with companion travel. I am planning a paid business class trip from IAD to SYD. As a GS, I understand that I am able to upgrade a companion miles-economy ticket by using a GPU. Is the upgrade subjected to normal available inventory limitations or does a paid biz ticket plus GS allow more access to available seats? The GS agent I spoke with indicated no upgradable inventory in either direction.

Just wanting to understand my options.

Thanks!

I have heard it generally acknowledged that the GS desk will force either PN/ON (upgrade) or IN/O (award) space for one companion traveling with you on the same flights, if you are on a paid first or business class ticket. But I am not GS so I have not experienced firsthand.

Some options listed in the thread's wiki.

Awesome! Thanks for the redirect!

Has anyone else noticed a significant change in upgrades? I'm flying BOS to DEN on Friday on a refundable M fare. 9 hours before checkin and there are 7 first class seats available and I haven't been upgraded yet. I'm not sure what United is doing but this is very disappointing. My upgrade percentage on YBM fares is probably under 50% (as GS). YBM actually is worse than cheap fares (according to the GS agent I talked to).

Had my first GS "experience" this week and I'm wondering if it's related to me moving up to GS or a change in UA's systems.

I booked an all non-UA itinerary on UA.com. UA didn't show me the PNRs for the flights so I had to call.

First: before I even called, and right after the ticket was issued, I got a text on my phone telling me that from now on United will send me text updates for my flights. Umm, no. I HATE this system. I've been unsubscribed from it for years and I never once got a text from United. So, I reply with a "STOP" and it seems to have turned it off. Why did it get reset to "on" again? Something to do with GS?

Second: I called the 800# for 1K from my phone. I live in Singapore so called from my US phone which is the number registered on my account. I was asked to say/enter my UA MP#. This is the first time calling that they didn't recognize who I was and say, "Welcome back, Rob".

This could have happened for a few reasons:
1. Caller ID didn't make it through on this one call. Highly unlikely.
2. I called the 1K number and not the GS number. That shouldn't matter?

Note: I did get an agent who answered "Thanks for calling UA GS, how may I help you?" I actually found the agent colder than the 1K agents I'm used to dealing with. She was nice enough but couldn't be bothered at the same time. She gave me the PNR code I was looking for and that was it.

Did anyone else who moved up from 1K to GS notice the same things? No big deal really. Just reporting my first GS interaction :)

-RM