malgudi

This belongs in the DYWKIA thread! OP needs to stop flying commercial with these unrealistic expectations.

malgudi

What weather? OP is GS, don't the weather gods know that???

Ari

I don't have more inside knowledge than the rest of us, but my understanding is that GS represents the top 1% of United's elite flying flying population and the quantity of members doesn't vary too much from year to year; rather the qualification matrix varies based on what the top 1% is. Maybe the UA/CO merger changed the numbers by a lot because the elite population increased, but so did the network. I wouldn't blame a decline in service on anecdotal reports of lower qualifying numbers here and there-- I would blame it on other factors.

One of my "extra-mile" GS moments was leaving an amenity kit full of medication in a seatback pocket on an ORDSEA flight and not even knowing it. Driving away from the airport in the rental car on the highway I get a call from a local number I don't recognize letting me know that I left something behind on the plane (and what it was--it was important). The airport GS rep on the phone said just to call her back at that number when I'm 5 minutes from the airport and she'll meet me curbside at departures so I don't have to park and go inside. No cape, but yellow scarf to the rescue-- she was my superhero that day!

WineCountryUA

Looking at the weather forecasts, that is about to change dramatically and start to see aspects of what is happening is some of the lower 48.

There are probably two different discussions here
-- the present change weather conditions and the impact on short term travel
-- The longer term level of GS service

Mixing the two is going to lead to a confused discussion

narvik

Keeping in mind that 1K is now Premier Platinum and a quarter!


The devaluation has occurred, and the service has dropped across all tiers.

zrs70

n198ua

I'm a meteorologist and calling this weather "once in a generation" isn't a stretch by any means. Some stations in the upper midwest had overnight lows and wind chill readings go lower than they have seen in the past 30 years. I don't know how this impacts airline operations, but you'd better believe that it will have a dramatic effect on an airline with a major hub right smack dab in the middle of the coldest air.

Sorry your flight was one affected - safe travels.

halls120

As for only being offered the Devil's Chariot, I believe you are off base in being upset. During periods of system wide disruption, you aren't going to necessarily get the ride you paid for.

As for not being notified proactively about the change, I'd be upset as well. Back before I was 1K and a mere Premier Executive customer, I was once called the night before a TCON by an agent who offered me a different flight because the one I had purchased was probably going to be delayed. Why the GS staff couldn't have at least sent you an e-mail so you werent caught off guard is surprising. Especially since proactive support is supposed to be what GS is all about.

s0ssos

Wait, aren't these the stories you read all the time in the Southwest magazine?

StuckinITH

The E75 at 4:40 PM on Friday still has 2 First Class seats available (down from 3 last night)

TomMM

EWR764

Often1

No idea how OP got his GS, but it generally suggests an experienced traveler. However, OP's complaints are misplaced and suggest a naive approach to the problem. Bottom line is that flights are being cancelled throughout the region due to extraordinary weather conditions, which include fuel lines freezing. That is a bad thing for people who don't want their aircraft dropping out of the sky.

1. Notice - If OP is signed up for texts & emails, it is surprising that he did not receive those as UA tends to send more rather than less of those, e.g. every time there is a 2-minute change. That is something to check in order to make sure that nothing is amiss.
2. Lousy Option - The later CRJ flight is the best and the worst option. That is because it is the only nonstop option and I suspect that it is OP's GS which snagged him a seat given that UA has 70 passengers to reroute. All other options are connections and that seems a bit silly for a short flight in order to sit in standard domestic F (presuming availability).
3. OP's Proposal - What is it OP wants? Any experienced traveler knows that air carriers are not mind readers. If the most important aspect of OP's travel is that there be an F cabin and that he is seated in it, that is what he must ask for. Be prepared to provide the phone agent the specific flights you want.

While not related to his status, OP is entitled to a refund of the difference between his F fare and the Y fare. That may not be much.

LIH

I too had to be more proactive in rebookings than usual this week ex-ORD. I also had to ultimately reschedule a ORD <> MCI day trip because UX cancellations made it impossible. All-in-all though I think the GS desk had me booked in F (D fare) on 7 different birds yesterday in my effort to get to southern Florida. No chance would I have made it as a 1K. So I had to pick up the phone a few times instead of them reaching out proactively. Big deal. GS still saved me.

david_oz