Feb 9, 2022, 10:55 am
removing service agents from clubs? New direction: combo in-person / virtual agents
Feb 6, 2022, 10:02 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 235
removing service agents from clubs? New direction: combo in-person / virtual agents
Was in the UA Club near B6 at ORD last night and the area where the service agents sit (2nd floor top of escalator) was barricaded off. On the way out, I asked the check-in agents about it and she said they were going all virtual and there would be no more in-person agents available to assist with travel needs/issues going forward. I told her that having an in-person agent was one of the reason people pay for the club. She agreed and suggested I write to United. Anyone else aware of this?
Feb 6, 2022, 10:10 am
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,554
Was in the UA Club near B6 at ORD last night and the area where the service agents sit (2nd floor top of escalator) was barricaded off. On the way out, I asked the check-in agents about it and she said they were going all virtual and there would be no more in-person agents available to assist with travel needs/issues going forward. I told her that having an in-person agent was one of the reason people pay for the club. She agreed and suggested I write to United. Anyone else aware of this?
Feb 6, 2022, 10:17 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Feb 6, 2022, 10:18 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,014
I guess this affects mainly hubs? I’m thinking of Clubs like HNL or LAS where there’s no dedicated service desks I.e. where the agents check entry credentials and can help also with reservations. Pretty hard for agents at hub Clubs to do the same, considering the traffic.
UC members/admitted better get priority for day-of-travel issues, which is probably more likely to occur at hubs.
UC members/admitted better get priority for day-of-travel issues, which is probably more likely to occur at hubs.
Feb 6, 2022, 1:29 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: EWR, PHL
Programs: UA1k 3MM, AA Plt, peasant on everybody else, elite something or other at a bunch of hotels.
Posts: 4,637
This is not good. I used virtual assistance at SFO in mid-December and it took about 5 minutes of pressing buttons on the phone, listening to options, etc, until I finally got to speak to someone. A real person would have answered my question in less than 10 seconds.
Feb 6, 2022, 2:28 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Haze gray and underway
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, HH Diamond, Marriott 'clink clink' Titanium
Posts: 1,784
It's like calling in and then deciding to chat. Oh yah right that will work when I'm driving!
Feb 6, 2022, 3:19 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,132
I thought this was a done deal for a long time already. I don't recall exactly when as travel during 2020-21 was quite a foggy time, but the agents at ORD B6 have been gone since early 2021 I believe. At first it was due to low traffic due to covid. Most people probably didn't' notice because you just walk by without paying attention if you aren't going there to seek assistance. It just seems as if they'd rather drive everyone to the app, chat or phone now. Another Kutback I guess.
AA still has agents in their Admirals clubs.
AA still has agents in their Admirals clubs.
Feb 6, 2022, 4:05 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,125
Although it may sound strange in this day and age, some people do not carry a phone with them when they fly, especially internationally. I am one of those people. I've used the Club agents many times during IROPS (which happen quite often at hubs like EWR or ORD), and I would be very disappointed if they are gone for good. There's little else of value in many UCs.
Feb 6, 2022, 4:25 pm
#12
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,766
There are agents by the entrance downstairs. In B18 the lower level still has an agent on duty as well as on the entry floor level.
Feb 6, 2022, 4:28 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,919
Feb 6, 2022, 4:30 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,132
Feb 6, 2022, 4:57 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Of course I have - albeit not as much as it seems to happen to everyone else on this forum. The vast majority of my flying had been international - and other than the occasional delay - never had an issue. The extremely rare times I've had a cancel, I'd know before I left for the airport. Now that I've been in Hawaii the past 10+ years - those flights rarely cancel or delay and in the very rare times they do, I've never had an issue getting auto-rebooked - and nowadays I'd just call the GS line to take care of things.