How are 1Ks being treated by UA?
 

I'm back flying again after 20 months. Finally getting to use my 1K status again. One of the perks I like is pre-boarding but so far on both flights it's been "We now welcome 1K - and Group 1"
In both cases there was also no way to stand to the side and slot in just before Group1 (which seems to be the majority of the passengers). Am I doing something wrong or is this a new approach by United.
I'm often thanked for being a 1K member but how about preserving the perks. Or maybe I was just unlucky.

This has been the approach for some time, though usually they mention 1K first. But as a 1K you either have to find an area near the Group 1 box and then push forward or get in Group 1 and push through. I've thought it's a mess especially for any flight where there are a lot of 1Ks (which is basically most hubs).

Some solutions are posted starting at post #266 in this thread... https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...-airlines.html

I had a quick flurry of flights last month, after going for about a year without flying UA. I was pretty happy with the 1K experience -- all things considered, I feel like the amount of recognition / above-and-beyond was a little higher than pre-pandemic (although the whole flying experience is unambiguously less pleasant than pre-pandemic).
- I didn't have any difficulty preboarding when I showed up on time for boarding, and when I showed up during Group 3-4 the gate agents facilitated (as per policy) quietly jumping the queue via the Group 1 line.
- I always got my free drink / food item when in economy, with no fuss. I like the new payment system (FA uses credit card on file), because it conceals that fact that I'm getting something for free and minimizes awkwardness with seat mates.
- One flight I asked for an IPA (none available) and then a gin and tonic, without realizing that only wine and beer were served in Y. FA politely explained, then leaned down and whispered "I see you're a 1K, so let me see if I can get one from up front when I'm done with this service." 5 minutes later she quietly dropped off a gin and tonic. This impressed me very positively -- it felt like an unrequested "above and beyond" moment.
- On my last flight (SFO-IAD on a 764), the purser came back to Y between boarding and takeoff and thanked me for being a 1K. I presume he hit all the 1Ks. Not a big deal, but made me feel like an effort was being made to recognize 1K.

I wish upgrades were clearing, but with all the PlusPoints getting burned up, no surprise there.

Anyway... OP, I'd say you've been unlucky (or maybe GAs on the routes you fly have different habits). I share your appreciation for the preboarding perk, and commiserate with your frustration.

To address some of the comments hinting at DYKWIAness... personally, I wouldn't mind very much if 1Ks consistently boarded with Group 1. But I do get frustrated with inconsistency. You gotta make a choice -- hang out in the preboarding area, or get in the Group 1 line (which is a cattle chute so you can't really slide out of it easily). If I'm in the preboard area and they don't call 1K, I either go around and join the end of the 1K line (which can lead to overhead bin space problems) or try to queue jump (which is awkward). But if I'm in Group 1 and they do call 1K, I feel like I'm missing out on a defined benefit. So -- again, for me personally -- all I want is consistency. And I've been lucky enough to experience consistency over the past month, so my condolences to the OP.

My last RJ flight during preboarding:

“And we’d like to welcome our two 1K passengers on this flight to board”, me and some other dude took the cue…

Took 4 flights last week, two of them allow 1k to preboard, one put 1k and group 1 together, I board last on the 4th flight since I almost missed it :p

Specific to the boarding/pre-boarding process, recommend following what bluedemon211 does:

If there are other aspects to being and flying as 1K that are concerning/differing, let us know.

David

Not as well as Global Services.

All my flights have had separate 1K boarding, even my CRJ-200 flights where I was the only 1K.

I was even greeted by name when I was asked what meal I want yesterday :tu:

Eh - in terms of in flight recognition there are plenty of times where I receive identical treatment and prioritization as 1K's (which sometimes entails no recognition at all!). I find flight attendants are either good at recognizing status across the board for 1K and GS or are not. It's only on international routes when I fly consistently that I sometimes notice better attentiveness and recognition for being GS (partially because there used to be so many on those flights).

Certainly in other areas such as dedicated private check-in at hubs, generous exceptions to standard policies on tickets, and other aspects of the program GS is better recognized.

In my experience:

1) in "premium" cabin, inconsistent at best.
2) in economy, including premium economy, nonexistent (as in, you are no different than someone w/ no status on a BE ticket).

Once 1K's realize they aren't particularly special - then they can be surprised and delighted when recognized. Keep your expectations low - then it is upside from there.

That's why I treat my 1K as a Silver as much as possible....

HNL.... I tend to agree in terms of keeping expectations low. I have about 60 segments this year and it seems hit/miss about recognition as a 1K - and then hit/miss with getting my name right. While these are nice things because I sense they are being nice and it appears sincere, sometimes it is a little awkward when my neighbor is like "who are you and why are they thank you?" I dont expect to be treated like royalty - and I dont want to. I think UA has treated me very well as a 1K thru all of this (upgrades, flight changes, reliability, and safety) - and I thank them not just with my business, but my appreciation to the FA, pilots, ground crew etc as I know they have been hit hard and continue to struggle.
So, maybe it is not about keeping expectations low - it is keeping them reasonable....
and recognizing that the circumstances vary with things like how quickly the flight needs to board, how many seats are on the plane and occupied, how many in each group, etc.....

because at the end of the day - we just want to get from point A to point B as quick as possible and if a FA fails to greet me by name but we arrive 20 minutes earlier, I call that a win....

-m

I've been flying as a 1K throughout the pandemic and have logged over 100K BIS miles so far this year. My experience:

1. Flying in F (most of the time for me): You're a nobody. Everybody up there is a paying (and often non-elite) customer these days, so expect nothing special.
2. Flying in Y: Some of the crews know about the 1K perks and an awful lot have no idea. Other than that, you're the same as everybody else.
3. Re-booking in IRROPS has been very good, but not as proactive as pre-pandemic.
4. UG space availability has been abysmal, so don't expect to be able to use your PPs anytime soon. Now, this really isn't UA's fault because, as I said above, almost everybody in F (I fly mostly transcons) is a cash customer.
5. There is some international J UG space available but you need to book as far out as you can.
6. We just lost the most valuable 1K perk IMO, and that was Hertz PC status.