Is it rude to use premier benefits?
Aug 29, 2018, 10:00 am
#61
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,879
Size of the airport does not matter. You lined up in the correct line according to your status. The check-in agent made a sign for you to approach the desk. You did. End of story.
It happened to my wife in the small airport at our former location. But, then, the first passenger on the standard line started shouting. In the gate area 20 minutes later, he was still loud telling my wife that she was wrong to have passed ahead of him. According to him, when my wife saw that there were passengers in a line, she should have put herself at the end of that line and not in the next line. The good news is that there was a First Class in that plane and my wife had a seat in that area. Imagine if she had had the bad luck of sitting next to that passenger: would have been a miserable 50 minutes flight.
It happened to my wife in the small airport at our former location. But, then, the first passenger on the standard line started shouting. In the gate area 20 minutes later, he was still loud telling my wife that she was wrong to have passed ahead of him. According to him, when my wife saw that there were passengers in a line, she should have put herself at the end of that line and not in the next line. The good news is that there was a First Class in that plane and my wife had a seat in that area. Imagine if she had had the bad luck of sitting next to that passenger: would have been a miserable 50 minutes flight.
Aug 29, 2018, 10:07 am
#62
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: GIG - YYC - SVO
Programs: Lost it all and don't care
Posts: 945
One time in GRU heading to ORD there was a totally empty bizz check in counter and about 150 pax in the economy line. I had no guilt whatsoever in using my right to access the bizz counter at that moment. Relief was more like it !!
The fact that none of the people in that line had status (or knew how to use it) was also surprising as that was when it was easier to earn it........no PQD or segments, diluted earnings, etc existed at the time.
The fact that none of the people in that line had status (or knew how to use it) was also surprising as that was when it was easier to earn it........no PQD or segments, diluted earnings, etc existed at the time.
Aug 29, 2018, 1:00 pm
#63
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SAN
Programs: UA-1K, AA-Gold, HH-Gold, MR - Gold, HY-Explorist
Posts: 222
Agree with calling in whenever possible. If I know it can be done on the phone, I'm always calling in even while I stand in line, hoping I can finish before I get to the front of the line. Typically though what I am trying to do though in this case is put myself on a standby list for a full flight during an IRROPS situation or occasionally looking for a hotel voucher for an overnight misconnect, so my choices are go to the desired gate and hope the GAs are already there and are free, or go to CS where at least there is a Premier access line that hopefully will get me taken care of. As far as I know, I don't think I can do that on the phone, can I? If so, that would be great, so I could just head to the gate directly while I call in. Sadly, I'm not a UC member, so going to the UC involves buying a pass usually (which I have done occasionally to get access to the agents there).
Aug 29, 2018, 2:24 pm
#65
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Posts: 100,373
You can go to a different counter or try the gate after the service counter.
Aug 29, 2018, 3:43 pm
#66
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: ua Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Gold, National Executive, Avis First
Posts: 203
I even got yelled at once when I didn't actually take advantage of the Premier line at security.
I was at MCI, and in the United gate security area there was an empty premier line, and about 8-10 people in the regular line (that both feed a single ID checker). I started my walk down the premier line, the first person in line went to the id checker, and family of 4 or 5 or so ditched the security line, leaving only 3 in the regular line. The first woman in the regular immediately jumped up past the wait sign to make sure she was in front of me. The last 2 people were traveling together, and waited for me, and I said "we are the last 3 in line, so please go ahead". They asked if I was "sure" and I said yes and they went ahead of me. That's when the woman who was in front of them goes to me and says "There is just one line here, you know". I politely said "Actually, there are 2 lines". She got a little more agitated and angrily said "No. There is just one line, and we were all in it, and you were not". I probably should have ignored her, but couldn't stop myself saying "There is a Premier Line, and a regular line. The Premier Line is the one I was in, am and eligible for. It is well marked if you would like to go back and see for yourself. And how ridiculous do you sound yelling at me, when I let every person including you in the regular line go before me? I'm literally the last person in line."
She turned around and ignored me after that. The odd thing is, if this woman was allowed any "line cutting" privileges, I'm almost certain she would be the first one to take advantage of it, judging by her actions and attitude.
I was at MCI, and in the United gate security area there was an empty premier line, and about 8-10 people in the regular line (that both feed a single ID checker). I started my walk down the premier line, the first person in line went to the id checker, and family of 4 or 5 or so ditched the security line, leaving only 3 in the regular line. The first woman in the regular immediately jumped up past the wait sign to make sure she was in front of me. The last 2 people were traveling together, and waited for me, and I said "we are the last 3 in line, so please go ahead". They asked if I was "sure" and I said yes and they went ahead of me. That's when the woman who was in front of them goes to me and says "There is just one line here, you know". I politely said "Actually, there are 2 lines". She got a little more agitated and angrily said "No. There is just one line, and we were all in it, and you were not". I probably should have ignored her, but couldn't stop myself saying "There is a Premier Line, and a regular line. The Premier Line is the one I was in, am and eligible for. It is well marked if you would like to go back and see for yourself. And how ridiculous do you sound yelling at me, when I let every person including you in the regular line go before me? I'm literally the last person in line."
She turned around and ignored me after that. The odd thing is, if this woman was allowed any "line cutting" privileges, I'm almost certain she would be the first one to take advantage of it, judging by her actions and attitude.
Aug 29, 2018, 3:51 pm
#67
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
In some airports you literally can. For instance, at YYZ there is a separate check in area for AC physically isolated (i.e. barrier) from the kettles for priority check in (i.e. *Gold and J). If an agent gave me an issue there, I could walk to the normal business class AC check in desks at YYZ. However, my experience at UA airports seems to suggest that all the check in desks are located physically beside each other preventing a HUCA!
I've had the opposite situation happen to me before! At ORD there are three possible security lanes you can enter: PreCheck, normal security and priority. As a Nexus and UA Gold member I qualified for all three lanes. I noticed the PreCheck lane had an actual queue, whereas the priority lane was empty so I decide to go up to that one. TSA agent scans boarding pass and checks Nexus card, then proceeds to scold me for using the priority lane, "You're supposed to use the PreCheck lane if it says you're cleared for pre-check".
-James
I even got yelled at once when I didn't actually take advantage of the Premier line at security.
I was at MCI, and in the United gate security area there was an empty premier line, and about 8-10 people in the regular line (that both feed a single ID checker). I started my walk down the premier line, the first person in line went to the id checker, and family of 4 or 5 or so ditched the security line, leaving only 3 in the regular line. The first woman in the regular immediately jumped up past the wait sign to make sure she was in front of me. The last 2 people were traveling together, and waited for me, and I said "we are the last 3 in line, so please go ahead". They asked if I was "sure" and I said yes and they went ahead of me. That's when the woman who was in front of them goes to me and says "There is just one line here, you know". I politely said "Actually, there are 2 lines". She got a little more agitated and angrily said "No. There is just one line, and we were all in it, and you were not". I probably should have ignored her, but couldn't stop myself saying "There is a Premier Line, and a regular line. The Premier Line is the one I was in, am and eligible for. It is well marked if you would like to go back and see for yourself. And how ridiculous do you sound yelling at me, when I let every person including you in the regular line go before me? I'm literally the last person in line."
She turned around and ignored me after that. The odd thing is, if this woman was allowed any "line cutting" privileges, I'm almost certain she would be the first one to take advantage of it, judging by her actions and attitude.
I was at MCI, and in the United gate security area there was an empty premier line, and about 8-10 people in the regular line (that both feed a single ID checker). I started my walk down the premier line, the first person in line went to the id checker, and family of 4 or 5 or so ditched the security line, leaving only 3 in the regular line. The first woman in the regular immediately jumped up past the wait sign to make sure she was in front of me. The last 2 people were traveling together, and waited for me, and I said "we are the last 3 in line, so please go ahead". They asked if I was "sure" and I said yes and they went ahead of me. That's when the woman who was in front of them goes to me and says "There is just one line here, you know". I politely said "Actually, there are 2 lines". She got a little more agitated and angrily said "No. There is just one line, and we were all in it, and you were not". I probably should have ignored her, but couldn't stop myself saying "There is a Premier Line, and a regular line. The Premier Line is the one I was in, am and eligible for. It is well marked if you would like to go back and see for yourself. And how ridiculous do you sound yelling at me, when I let every person including you in the regular line go before me? I'm literally the last person in line."
She turned around and ignored me after that. The odd thing is, if this woman was allowed any "line cutting" privileges, I'm almost certain she would be the first one to take advantage of it, judging by her actions and attitude.
-James
Aug 30, 2018, 2:27 am
#68
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,592
100% this! I've told this story before but I was booked on a flight from PDX-SFO, last flight of the night, we pulled back from the gate and then the flight was canceled. I immediately got on the phone and called CS. I was on hold but got in the line for the ONE gate agent trying to re-book an entire plane. I was number 3 in line, but still managed to get re-booked for the first flight the next morning before the first person was even done! I walked down the line of people and told them to call United and it would be faster but they all just looked at me like I was crazy. Shrug. I was probably back home before most of them were even helped.
Being even silver on UA is a huge advantage for IRROPS. Several years ago I got delayed a day at the holidays by snow, and then the flight I was on went MX for an hour after we boarded, causing me to miss my connection in IAH. When I got off the plane in IAH there was a CS desk across from the gate with a huge line snaking back and forth, but exactly zero people in the premier line. I walked up to the lonely premier CS agent and asked if she could put me on standby for the flight leaving in about 45 minutes and keep my confirmed reservation for about 8 hour later. Top of the standby list (of more than 50) and got the last E+ seat on the plane, and an aisle no less! I don't know if anybody in the regular line even noticed me enough to give me dirty looks in the premier line.
Aug 30, 2018, 1:52 pm
#69
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
I once had a man yell at me at MCI..I think it was MCI, it may have been somewhere else in the Midwest...TSA didn't open until 5am or something, but people were lined up quite a ways in anticipation and had been for some time. The F/Priority TSA line was completely empty. I was in F, so I got there just as TSA opened and the agent called me first. A guy near the front of the Kettle line just lost it because he appeared to have been lined up for at least an hour. He was close to causing a real scene.
I told him "This is the first class line and I have a first class ticket" and it did no good. He began to rant that TSA, as a government agency shouldn't have F class lines (guy was obviously unaware of the fact that TSA doesn't actually manage the LINES, but starts at the BP check) He was sort of yelling at me, and sort of yelling at the TSA agent at the same time. His wife was trying to calm him down.
I went on through. Not sure what happened to him, but I didn't see him airside in the terminal. I fantasize that he got extra-screening.
I told him "This is the first class line and I have a first class ticket" and it did no good. He began to rant that TSA, as a government agency shouldn't have F class lines (guy was obviously unaware of the fact that TSA doesn't actually manage the LINES, but starts at the BP check) He was sort of yelling at me, and sort of yelling at the TSA agent at the same time. His wife was trying to calm him down.
I went on through. Not sure what happened to him, but I didn't see him airside in the terminal. I fantasize that he got extra-screening.
Aug 30, 2018, 3:30 pm
#70
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,614
100% this! I've told this story before but I was booked on a flight from PDX-SFO, last flight of the night, we pulled back from the gate and then the flight was canceled. I immediately got on the phone and called CS. I was on hold but got in the line for the ONE gate agent trying to re-book an entire plane. I was number 3 in line, but still managed to get re-booked for the first flight the next morning before the first person was even done! I walked down the line of people and told them to call United and it would be faster but they all just looked at me like I was crazy. Shrug. I was probably back home before most of them were even helped.
Aug 30, 2018, 7:35 pm
#71
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 1
I've been a long time lurker on FlyerTalk and finally created an account just to respond to this. No! It is not rude. I have been in a similar situation as you. 1K/GS (depending on the year) based out of SFO. BGR is my parents local airport and I get back there a couple+ times a year. It's a small community up there, and a couple times I have caught snarky remarks from people, once even someone I knew! Since UA started to service the BGR-EWR route I have always been the only person with status, let alone 1K/GS on board. I always take 1A, right next to the galley on that little ERJ-100, and the flight attendant and I always chat during take off. They are always amazed an "elite" is even on board on that route.
Moral of the story, some people just don't understand what we sacrifice to earn the Right to use those benefits. Keep using those benefits no matter how remote the airport is. You earned them!
Moral of the story, some people just don't understand what we sacrifice to earn the Right to use those benefits. Keep using those benefits no matter how remote the airport is. You earned them!
Aug 30, 2018, 7:43 pm
#72
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
I've been a long time lurker on FlyerTalk and finally created an account just to respond to this. No! It is not rude. I have been in a similar situation as you. 1K/GS (depending on the year) based out of SFO. BGR is my parents local airport and I get back there a couple+ times a year. It's a small community up there, and a couple times I have caught snarky remarks from people, once even someone I knew! Since UA started to service the BGR-EWR route I have always been the only person with status, let alone 1K/GS on board. I always take 1A, right next to the galley on that little ERJ-100, and the flight attendant and I always chat during take off. They are always amazed an "elite" is even on board on that route.
Moral of the story, some people just don't understand what we sacrifice to earn the Right to use those benefits. Keep using those benefits no matter how remote the airport is. You earned them!
Moral of the story, some people just don't understand what we sacrifice to earn the Right to use those benefits. Keep using those benefits no matter how remote the airport is. You earned them!
Thank you for sharing your story and keep using the Premier Line!
Aug 30, 2018, 9:52 pm
#73
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,956
Last night boarding LAX-SIN: We had a slight delay, so I stayed at the UC until after the posted boarding time. I headed to the gate after receiving a push alert from UA that our flight was boarding. (Kudos to UA for this new feature).
When I arrived at the gate, group 3 was already boarding in the 2 lane. There were a few group 1 stragglers who entered the group 1 line, myself included. The GA was vigilantly protecting the integrity of the group 1 lane, asking us if we were in group 1 before scanning our boarding passes. After the man ahead of me boarded, the man at the front of the 2 lane walked up to the GA. She motioned to me, and asked if I was in group 1. If looks could kill. And all I could think about was this thread.
When I arrived at the gate, group 3 was already boarding in the 2 lane. There were a few group 1 stragglers who entered the group 1 line, myself included. The GA was vigilantly protecting the integrity of the group 1 lane, asking us if we were in group 1 before scanning our boarding passes. After the man ahead of me boarded, the man at the front of the 2 lane walked up to the GA. She motioned to me, and asked if I was in group 1. If looks could kill. And all I could think about was this thread.
Aug 31, 2018, 1:01 am
#74
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
Haters gonna hate....In a pre-precheck time, I had a TSA line issue with Premier access saving me 20+ minutes of line time, a lady that I couldn't get away from since we were in line then got lippy. I asked her how many times a year she flew. She said 2. I told her I take 90 flights a year and are part of the Infrequently Seeing My Kids frequent flyer program- I spend way more time in airport lines than she does.
What I hate is three agents. Two are taking economy and the one is taking 'Premier' and some issue comes up and the line stagnates.
Boarding after BG1 is done still feels funny to me. I do put the United tags on my bags just to give people a clue that something may be different, if they are paying attention.
What I hate is three agents. Two are taking economy and the one is taking 'Premier' and some issue comes up and the line stagnates.
Boarding after BG1 is done still feels funny to me. I do put the United tags on my bags just to give people a clue that something may be different, if they are paying attention.
Aug 31, 2018, 2:06 am
#75
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 8,998
I’’m never at the gate early unless I am flying in Y, when getting onboard early is important when it comes to overhead space. No guilt at all whether I roll up and it is group 2, 3, or 4 boarding...it’s a benefit, there is a separate line for it. I don’t bother looking at / observing people’s actions either...every little bit of less stress. I have to endure / think about is always a positive, particularly since almost all my travel is for leisure.