eng3

Please merge if you find this doesn't deserve it's own thread

Flying out of ORD. To people in line. Two agents. One guy checking literally 8 bags. Another guy asking allot of questions. I'm on the phone so a little distracted until I realized I've been standing in line for 15min. I see 2-3 agents on the premier access side standing around chatting. One walks over to our side but he is going on break not lending more help. I goto the premier access line, check in and as I'm going to tsa pre, I see the guy in front of me still standing there.

I was in the line two weeks ago and recall a fairly long wait

I specifically don't like the kiosks at ORD because 90% of the time, the scanner is not able to read the boarding pass barcode on my phone and I'm too lazy to manually type it in so I goto the 1k line

Yes I could just start going to the premier access Lane or even economy but what's the point of a benefit if it doesn't get used. Like people who don't check bags because UA is too slow.

SFHokie

Would manually typing your MP# take less time than standing inine at the 1K desk?

eng3

In the past, having the agent my Id was faster than finding my ff# and typing it in. Now I guess it isn't, which is the whole point of my post.

I'm not saying this is a huge issue, but it is another UA annoyance. Why bother having the lines at all if theyr'e going to be slower.

I assume even I call the 1k line the wait is less than normal

kale73

You'll wait in line for 15 minutes but can't summon the energy to input 6 (PNR) or 9 (MP#) characters in at the kiosk?

You and I have entirely different priorities. Mine is getting past the check-in counter as quickly as is humanly possible. I always use the kiosk first.

You don't have it memorized yet?

onthesam

To answer the question in the thread title: It is slower because for some reason UA decided to lump 1K members in with all of the Polaris pax (with their large amounts of luggage, passport checks, interlining on separate tickets, etc.).
,

eng3

They can lump but they should properly staff it to support the level of service they are trying to provide. Ie. If you're standing around doing nothing and have no customers and see your coworkers busy with a line, maybe go over and help out

i also want to speed up checking in. The line use to be faster than the kiosk for me

No . The number is saved in the web and app and automatically gets added. When I check in I usually scan my phone at the kiosk. They have different scanners at ord. Everywhere else it works. I don't memorize things I never use.

DELee

Well, then you'll be standing in line waiting for the next agent to remember your MP "number"*.

David

*: sorry, anything sequence that has both letters and numbers is not a "number".

kale73

Hexadecimal?

StuckinITH

My wife and I also experienced a rather long wait for the check-in at the Polaris desk at ORD last year. And we made the mistake of advancing towards the desk when the previous passenger left. We were told in a rather curt manner to go back to where we were waiting. And then the agent did not even know that a Polaris First Class passenger could have one guest to the Polaris Lounge. Good that we know better.....

DELee

I would concur that hexadecimals are representations of numbers. I do not agree with United that Mileage Plus identifiers are numbers.

David

p.s. back on topic, I think that the time to use the combined Polaris/1K line is when there are lesser numbers of international flights departing ORD. I think that if you need to use the line, you get to pay the price in units of time for not memorizing a Mileage Plus identifier if you are also able to get your service request satisfied either a) via a kiosk or b) printing a physical boarding external to the airport.

eng3

Memorizing the MP "number" is irrelevant. My contention is that it use to be faster (and easier) to use the 1k line vs the kiosk regardless of whether or not you know your "number". I would think that is the point of having the line.

Now, or at least the past few times, it has been much much slower.

I don't think it is right to then never use the line ever again. Sometimes my baggage is slow, but I don't stop checking bags. Sometimes precheck is slower than the regular line, I don't stop using precheck. If anything, it gives a reason to cut the benefit all together

I at least remember that mine has an X so it's not hex

zrs70

WineCountryUA

How many observations is this conclusion based on? Over what period of time? At how many airports?

I ask because there are occasionally anomalies and there is a consistent pattern.

However I rarely use counter check-in as I have no need for my travels except for that rare occasion of checking bags and then use kiosks as they are generally faster.

eng3

I also have the expectation that the agents working today line are better trained and nicer so you have a lower chance of an error or getting a rude agent. Maybe that isn't true either

Kacee

I thought that was a requirement of FT membership

I always swipe a credit card when using the kiosks.

That said, I hate the new system. Friday at SFO, they had ONE agent manning the Premier bag drop. No separate 1K/Polaris line.