United has its groove back

Old Aug 5, 2018, 10:44 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
Operationally, things are better, but the padding of scheduled times is as prevalent as ever (if not worse in some cases). And let’s not start on the embarrassing offerings that are offered up as meals for non-TCON flights in domestic F. The reemergence of CR2s throughout the network is ridiculous. With this airline, it always seems to be progress made on some fronts and setbacks on others.
CR2s are not ideal. But sub 76 seaters are the only aircraft type United can add at the regional level under current scope agreement clauses. I’m sure they’d prefer to add 70-76 seaters. These regional 50 seat feeders add to hub traffic, and make the hub stronger. United could add a 100 seat mainline aircraft and then open up the possibility of more 76 seaters. The airline has obviously run the numbers and has landed on the CR2 strategy as being better to the bottom line. Again, not ideal, but operating within the confines of an existing agreement.

No one likes CR2s but I understand why United is adding them.
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 10:44 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by PsiFighter37


Maybe kettles don’t notice, but there have been many times this year where UA races to push back from the gate ‘on time’...and then the plane just sits there after they’ve shut the door. It’s annoying in the same way when you are flying circles above the airport waiting to land due to weather or ATC, and there is no announcement about it - I notice right away, while kettles start getting ticked off once they realize it feels like the plane has been making a constant right turn for 30 minutes. I’d rather that UA was more transparent about these kinds of things than they ever are.

I thought that there was an intentional test of trying to be more transaparent. Fortunately, my operational delays have been minimal this summer, so I haven't has many opportunities to test, but a couple of months ago the announcements were frequent and straightforward, and I really appreciated it.
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 10:46 am
  #18  
 
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Impossible to tell general trends from my own anecdotal experiences, but I've had a string of slightly delayed flights recently. 15 and 20 minute delays that are announced right when boarding was originally supposed to begin, and then rather than making up the time in flight (aka using the padding) we end up having to sit on the tarmac waiting for a gate on the other end and deplaning about 45 minutes late. While it's not a huge delay, psychologically these really suck as you have a big crowd already lined up at the gate beforehand and then once you've landed, you're there, but you can't leave and get on with your day, you have to just sit there for who knows how long. So yeah, if there is this great trend in operational success I'm not getting a piece of it, I'm just finding things a bit more annoying than usual.
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 10:50 am
  #19  
 
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Oh, I feel the same way. My last few trips have had wonderful service and great experiences, and I had a cancelled flight and delayed flights in the mix but it is all about the experience and lately these have been great for me. I tend to be a glass half full type of person. I had eight GPUs this year and only have one left to use (it has been applied to a November 2018 flight so think it will take). Have used all my RPUs and am currently trying to use the couple I recently received (failed on an ORD-SAN flight yesterday and I was #1 the whole time but someone bit at the $200+ they were asking) but great seat in the exit row. I also (apparently) received an Op-Up yesterday on LHR-ORD portion of the flight.

As I keep saying a very happy 1K member these days.

I generally am traveling on my own dime and do fly OALs, and Delta and Skyteam have been getting some $$$ from me recently, but if I have a choice at the moment it is United.
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 10:54 am
  #20  
 
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The other day we had the weirdest experience. On a UAX we landed on time at ORD, then the plane went on and on. We saw every UA terminals that we knew, the terminal that we were supposed to deplane at, then other areas of the airport that we have never been to. Ten minutes later we stop at a location. Finally, the pilot says that our gate was occupied so we have to wait there. Nobody in the plane got agitated but we could see our connection time getting shorter and shorter. For us, it was another easy trip that got stressful.
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 10:55 am
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by boat9781
D0 isn’t customer unfriendly. Quite the opposite.
I also love D0 - if I'm scheduled to depart at 8:55am, I want to push back at 8:55am, even if we sit a few minutes (which I can't recall doing often - but it may have happened) - I'd rather push back and wait and get in the queue than just sit at the gate. If I can manage to get to the airport on time then everyone else should also - my opinion. If I'm late, I don't expect the plane to wait for me.

The added capacity to Hawaii has benefited me greatly and I'm mostly in a lie flat seat. I wish the food was a bit better but that is my only real complaint. Polaris lounges are great - I'm in LA at the moment back to HNL today - and I like the new UA club at LAX.
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 10:56 am
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by demkr
Operationally, they do seem to be doing better. The Polaris lounges are nice. However, unlike my experience on Delta, delays seem to really pile up whenever there is a late inbound aircraft. There is almost never a swap at any time throughout the day. Does anyone else notice this? Delta seems to swap way more than UA does.
Data point of one - I noticed during the chaos of CLT - NYC on Friday UA flew an Airbus ATL-CLT in the evening to save the last departure of the day to Newark (all but one prior had been cancelled during the day).
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 11:16 am
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by boat9781
CR2s are not ideal. But sub 76 seaters are the only aircraft type United can add at the regional level under current scope agreement clauses. I’m sure they’d prefer to add 70-76 seaters. These regional 50 seat feeders add to hub traffic, and make the hub stronger. United could add a 100 seat mainline aircraft and then open up the possibility of more 76 seaters. The airline has obviously run the numbers and has landed on the CR2 strategy as being better to the bottom line. Again, not ideal, but operating within the confines of an existing agreement.

No one likes CR2s but I understand why United is adding them.
The decision not to add 100 seaters is UA's own. The contract you reference is essentially Delta's. They added the 100 seaters (717s and soon to be C-Series), and they got additional 76 seaters to their fleet as a result. United could do this too, but IMO they're putting profits over customers first.
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 11:25 am
  #24  
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Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer
If I can manage to get to the airport on time then everyone else should also
Oh, for heaven's sake.

The problem with D0 isn't for originating passengers; only the biggest DYKWIA expects the plane to wait for them when they show up late at the airport.

It's a problem for connecting passengers, like the person earlier in this thread who had to overnight at DEN because they didn't hold the last flight of the day.

I refuse to have this debate again, but I firmly believe that A0 (or, if you insist, A14) is more important to nearly every passenger than D0.
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 12:06 pm
  #25  
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 12:12 pm
  #26  
 
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Being a leisure traveling Gold, I do appreciate United for what it is. Here in Newark, I don’t think I can get anything better for my money. Service for the most part has improved though these meal reductions are pitiful. I am hoping my “snack” flights are mistakes because they fir within the meal criteria!

I do dread the idea of the CR2s and am hoping there isn’t too much of a reduction in the United Express operation from EWR or growth of the CR2 in my travels! Many of my trips involve destinations that could be reached by car! Question for those that don’t love the expansion of the CRJ-200: did you like the Qs???

i am anxiously awaiting the flight attendant merge. It should only help United improve, right?
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 12:22 pm
  #27  
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The thinly padded 10-across seats on my delayed HNL-LAX last week just about put grooves in my a** so I guess that sort of fits the OP. Thankfully there was no delay going to Hawaii!

this airline and all the rest are running at very high loads with little margin for error (storms, mechanical). The fact majority seems to be smooth is in part just good luck.
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 12:26 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by boat9781
Padding the schedules has been reduced.
Originally Posted by boat9781
Connectivity at the hubs has increased.
How did you determine these?
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 12:36 pm
  #29  
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I'm torn on this. On the plus side:
  • Crews and staff in general seem more engaged and less apathetic
  • I like that 1kvoice now calls you back instead of sending you an email that is clearly comprised of pre-written text blocks
  • Compared to a couple of years ago, the reinstatement of some perks (free food in domestic Y for 1ks, etc.
  • Better and more food in United Clubs
  • Polaris hard- and soft product
  • Polaris lounges - although let's be clear, these are basically F lounges, not business lounges.
  • Oscar Munoz
On the minus side:
  • I've had bad luck with operational reliability. 8 out of my last 10 flights had issues ranging from broken APU to in-flight problems necessitating a diversion.
  • What's with the lack of proper meals on sub-4 hour flights in domestic F?
  • Only major US airline to forge ahead with 10-abreast seating on the 777. Seriously?
  • "Everyday awards"
  • No more showers in United clubs.
  • The stupid auto-splitting of PNRs during OLCI, and the inability to piece them back together
  • Forced credit card sales pitches in the air.
  • Scott Kirby
  • I WANT MY SPRITE ZERO BACK
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Old Aug 5, 2018, 1:01 pm
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by ermintrude
The decision not to add 100 seaters is UA's own. The contract you reference is essentially Delta's. They added the 100 seaters (717s and soon to be C-Series), and they got additional 76 seaters to their fleet as a result. United could do this too, but IMO they're putting profits over customers first.
They could add E145s (which aren’t great but are tolerable). Choosing to go with CR2s is just tone-deaf.

I agree that they are pinching pennies in not adding smaller planes that would permit larger regional jets. Capacity growth for UA means adding lots of small planes, not in adding bigger planes, apparently...
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