Arrogant and humiliating FA service in domestic First.
Dec 20, 2018, 8:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 523
Arrogant and humiliating FA service in domestic First.
My letter to united. By the way, I'm gold with UA. I moved most of my business to UA from AA. I'm lifetime platinum with AA. I really never had such service. Is this normal at UA? Sorry for the text the way it is, I was writing from a mobile device.
Both me and my wife were traveling paid First class round trip to Vegas from Orlando. On the 14th, two morning flights. Our first flight we did not get an option for breakfast, just a very blah cereal left. Didn't even have it. It's okay, By the way, AA allows you to choose your meal before flight. No problem, I understand this does happen. Next flight from IAH to LAS, for me and my wife, only gritz left. Another option we didn't want. So we requested a sandwich from the main cabin menu and we were given. I was somewhat satisfied. things go bad when I was last to be served croissant with butter and jelly. Since I was last to be served, I noticed 4-5 left after my service. The flight attendant then came back and asked to take my tray away. I asked for another croissant and the arrogant FA said in a joking but arrogant way: "You think this is a buffet??? That's all you get papa". I also have no idea why she was calling me papa. Okay, let's move on. She then came out of the blue and told me as she was going through the aisle: "For your information, we don't give snacks from the back to first class. I did it as a one time exception. We only give it to member with status" First of all, I didn't ask, just leave me alone and let me enjoy the rest of the flight.
I then replied back and said: "I do have status". She then replied... "Papa, you don't have status. Status is 1k or GS". Really? Is this the type of service I get after spending $2400 spent for me and my wife on tickets. Why do others that get free upgrade with status deserve better treatment and better choices? Why do I have to be treated this way with lower status. I was CK & EP (GS & 1k equiv on AA) for 15 years. I have small kids and decided to not travel much and don't build up status like others anymore. Again, very humiliating and arrogant flight attendant service. This person should be working somewhere else.
I then replied back and said: "I do have status". She then replied... "Papa, you don't have status. Status is 1k or GS". Really? Is this the type of service I get after spending $2400 spent for me and my wife on tickets. Why do others that get free upgrade with status deserve better treatment and better choices? Why do I have to be treated this way with lower status. I was CK & EP (GS & 1k equiv on AA) for 15 years. I have small kids and decided to not travel much and don't build up status like others anymore. Again, very humiliating and arrogant flight attendant service. This person should be working somewhere else.
Dec 20, 2018, 9:10 am
#2
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Dec 20, 2018, 9:17 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 523
I have a different point of view now that I travel less in regards to how they treat different tiers. I'm just as loyal as a 1k member, even though I travel less. They seem to treat 1k and GS like they are god or something. All but a few legs that weren't available, I gave UA premium class. Not only that, I have spent over $25k in trips this year with them if we combine my total spending as a family (wife and 2 kids). This is another place where airlines fail to track, family spending.
Dec 20, 2018, 9:21 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Better Luck!
Dec 20, 2018, 9:32 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 523
Thanks. She went on to even say something like. "I'm OCO papa, things are not the same. This is what you get now". After she said the buffet thing and need status to get other stuff, I mentioned that AA has the ability for us to choose before flight or get from the back if we liked. She went on again... "Why are you flying United then???" and gave me the look... I got a little akward because I'm not very confrontational. After a brief pause of about 5 seconds... she responded for me... "because you like us better papa, I know". I guess she was trying to be funny but at the same time arrogant and annoying LOL
Dec 20, 2018, 9:43 am
#9
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 523
https://www.urbandictionary.com/defi...ama-papa-combo LOL
Dec 20, 2018, 9:57 am
#12
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Dec 20, 2018, 10:23 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Dec 20, 2018, 10:27 am
#14
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You claim to have spent $25,000 on tickets on UA this year, so this seems like a single bad experience - or have you subjected yourself needlessly to multiple bad experiences and still won't switch away from UA? Do you expect UA to give everyone in your family 1K status because you spend $25K in total? A lot of 1Ks and GSs fly with their families and attain 1K or GS status based on their own spend. GS ad 1Ks get prioritized meal choice whether or not they are on a paid First or get upgraded - this issue has been discussed a nauseum - it's just the way UA has decided to reward it's most valuable individual customers. They fly much more often than you, so UA has decided to treat them a little better. UA flight attendants are put in a tough position since UA only caters (usually) the exact number of meals as there are F seats - they probably run into passenger disappointment regularly. I would certainly recommend choosing seats as far forward in the cabin as you can since that usually results in a better chance of meal choice. Sitting in the back rows diminishes chances usually.
Dec 20, 2018, 10:36 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Posts: 2,808
Arrogance is certainly a trait of UA's (and perhaps the US3's) FA's, I have it on nearly every flight, it's why I don't fly UA international anymore because there are so many better airlines with better products and attitudes that deserve and earn the money. From the roll-eyes when asking for a glass of water mid flight or whole can of soda on a trans con, to standing in line near the galley for the slim-line lav and seemingly encroaching on their 'people magazine reading space'. In the domestic market, there is little choice due to regulators allowing all of the anti-competitive mergers.
I've been humiliated a couple of times by UA FA's. The worst was when I was dressed down by a FA when boarding a flight. I was carrying my laptop bag behind me on my back per normal and she insisted I was going to 'hit' someone with it. I've never done that before, attested to that. She loudly insisted I carry it by hand in front of the whole plane so I wasn't rude to the other pax. She didn't do that to any other pax that boarded with similar bags. Plus I was in BG 1 so there were very few in the aisle at the time in the way per se. She just wanted to make a scene.
Point is UA doesn't seek out or train out the bad CS behavior, they just care about getting the plan out on time, staff showing up on time, and controlling costs. IMO the letter might get you some miles or a voucher but that's it.
I've been humiliated a couple of times by UA FA's. The worst was when I was dressed down by a FA when boarding a flight. I was carrying my laptop bag behind me on my back per normal and she insisted I was going to 'hit' someone with it. I've never done that before, attested to that. She loudly insisted I carry it by hand in front of the whole plane so I wasn't rude to the other pax. She didn't do that to any other pax that boarded with similar bags. Plus I was in BG 1 so there were very few in the aisle at the time in the way per se. She just wanted to make a scene.
Point is UA doesn't seek out or train out the bad CS behavior, they just care about getting the plan out on time, staff showing up on time, and controlling costs. IMO the letter might get you some miles or a voucher but that's it.