Say Vandelay

One year anniversary today. Last flight was ABQ-IAH-BWI on 9 Feb 2020. Was supposed to connect through ORD but there was a snowstorm, and I got a CPU on ABQ-IAH at the gate. I don't have the United app on my phone anymore, but I still come here regularly to read the trip reports from those do travel and learn about the latest Chase promotion to get more points for when I travel again.

drewguy

1) For leisure, I'd much prefer to take a vacation in a place that offers things I can't find at home (skiing, history, etc.)
2) For work, my job involves personal interactions and relationship-building, which can't be done as effectively via Zoom etc.

I don't fly enough to make it tedious - still exciting, whether a couple of domestic flights or a long RT to Asia. I could understand how someone who flies as much as ua1flyer might reflect upon it and find it tedious.

paule123

I'm also in the Cleveland area - just curious where you got your antibody test? I had read an article from a Cleveland Clinic doctor early on in the pandemic saying the antibody tests were not reliable, but maybe things have changed?

bocastephen

My Dr told me the same thing - the tests are useless after 3-4 months. I was almost certain I had this virus back in January last year and was horrified that I might have been one of the Patient Zero's in Singapore, so I wanted to check and be sure that I did or did not have it, but after discussing the limits of the test, he explained that it was generally accepted that antibodies would not last long enough to be detected by the test and provide any conclusion about a prior infection unless the test was given within a few weeks of illness.

ctownflyer

I took the Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG (100% sensitivity rate and 99.6% specificity rate, for a predictive value of 92.9% at 5% prevalence) at Quest in May and was positive.

Then I took the Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2, test code 164068 (100% sensitivity rate and 99.8% specificity rate, which has a positive predictive value of 96.5% at 5% prevalence) at Labcorp in June and was positive again.

Last month Labcorp starting administering the Roche SARS-CoV-2 Semi-Quant Total Ab, test code 164090, which gives you the exact antibody titer level. The cutoff for a positive result is anything above 0.8 U/mL. I took that test and my numbers, some 11 months after infection, were 192.60. The max number on the test is 250 U/mL.

Labcorp is in Walgreens now, and is great-I'm in and out within 5 minutes. The qualitative tests were covered in full by insurance, but the quantitative test was $60 and required more blood and some extra time for the results.

Based on my repeated antibody tests, I feel pretty confident about the low risks I'm taking by traveling, but to each their own

Now, how do we get the CLE UC open again?

Sounds like nonsense to me based on discussions with several infectious disease physicians and my own experience.

WineCountryUA

Let's return to UA discussions please. Best place for COVID antibody testing discussion is Coronavirus and travel

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator

Weatherboy

What I do find surprising is United hasn't offered any promotion to encourage me to fly. As a Global Services member, I never qualified for the frequent promotions they'd throw out there for flying X miles and earning Z bonus miles. So I don't know if being GS automatically made me ineligible from future marketing campaigns or what, but while others have reported various bonuses and promotions to get them flying again, I haven't received anything ...nor did I qualify for some of the promotions discussed here.

For those of you grounded for the last year, has UA offered any promotions to you to fly again?

I wonder if they just consider their higher frequent flyers a lost cause until later this year (or beyond) when some semblance of normal business travel returns.

HNLbasedFlyer

Those of us on UA Corporate Rates have been offered discounts on leisure travel not available to the general public - known as Break from Business fares

CALMSP

a substantial discount or $50 off a flight discount?

HNLbasedFlyer

I generally see 10% off - also applies to F fares.

titaniumfemme

My anniversary is in about 2 weeks. Last flight was a short hop, IAH-DFW. Definitely no phone calls from United to this lowly 1K!

SPN Lifer

If you bought a Plus Pass for $50K, perhaps UA feels safe that they already have your loyalty for a year.

United (UA) Pass Plus Secure/ Flex -- Benefits, Value, Questions .... [Consolidated]

WineCountryUA

People due realize with a reportedly 75 - 100K 1Ks, at 5 minutes each, this would take 5+ person years of staff time to do and to get done in a month -- 60+ people

TomMM

One good call center in India can knock that out in days and one robocall shop in hours.

HNLbasedFlyer

Then we'd have a thread with 10,000+ posts about a call center in India calling me about flying or an annoying robocall.