Nostalgia time: Things we miss/ don't miss about UA from 20 years ago
Aug 21, 2022, 3:07 am
#76
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: PHL, EWR
Programs: UA Gold; AA; Amtrak Select Plus;HH Diamond;Hyatt Disc;Hertz PC; Total Wine Grand Reserve!
Posts: 2,401
CO had a minimal presence at PHL compared to UA. Flights to a few of its hubs only and no lounge. Whereas, UA and US had a pretty tight codeshare agreement and even reciprocal lounge membership for a while. PHL used to be one of the airport maps listed in the back of the Hemispheres magazine.
Also, until shortly before their merger with UA, CO was in the Skyteam Alliance.
Also, until shortly before their merger with UA, CO was in the Skyteam Alliance.
Aug 21, 2022, 8:34 am
#78
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,671
I miss competent airline management who viewed leadership and success through a partnership with employees and customers, and who stopped to listen to customers, understand their priorities, what they loved, what they hated, and adjusted the product accordingly....people like Larry Kellner, Greg Brenneman, and while he could be a cantankerous old gasbag sometimes, Gordon Bethune executed the greatest product and service turnaround in aviation history, and set the stage for many great product innovations. Many of us remember the old CO "Do's" and how our interaction with management promoted many positive changes, and reversed some bad ones (i.e. the 757-300 getting 12 F seats).
None of these guys worshipped at the feet of obnoxious idiots like Hunter Keay, and none would ever hire someone like Kirby into a management role.
The root cause of everything we suffer today was an incompetent, greedy board at CO who pushed out Kellner and brought in Smisek who destroyed what was once an amazing airline, engaged in criminal activity (perhaps more than we know), and led a merger that was an exercise in seeking the worst of each company and dumbing it down further.
Whatever glimmer of hope we had with Oscar didn't last long, and now we're basically back to Smisek v2.0, now only laser focused on enriching friendly institutional stockholders and himself, customers and employees be damned.
None of these guys worshipped at the feet of obnoxious idiots like Hunter Keay, and none would ever hire someone like Kirby into a management role.
The root cause of everything we suffer today was an incompetent, greedy board at CO who pushed out Kellner and brought in Smisek who destroyed what was once an amazing airline, engaged in criminal activity (perhaps more than we know), and led a merger that was an exercise in seeking the worst of each company and dumbing it down further.
Whatever glimmer of hope we had with Oscar didn't last long, and now we're basically back to Smisek v2.0, now only laser focused on enriching friendly institutional stockholders and himself, customers and employees be damned.
And on that note, miss CO Insider/Scott O'Leary being actively engaged with FT in soliciting feedback and providing customer service to everyone on FT that was orders of magnitude superior to anything UA offers to its GS members today.
Aug 21, 2022, 8:40 am
#79
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,505
Aug 21, 2022, 8:41 am
#80
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellingham/Gainesville
Programs: UA-G MM, Priority Club Platinum, Avis First, Hertz 5*, Red Lion
Posts: 2,808
i don't miss
-the summer from hell (still not over that one).
-shag carpet interiors
-magnetic BP readers at the gates (which only worked about half the time)
-the early versions of the easy chicken
I do miss:
-Shuttle by United (in the West anyways)
-United's dominance/mini-hub in SEA - they owned the N satellite at one time
-1K rooms
-Ansett as a *A partner (they were the best!)
-The SYD ticket office at the Sheraton/Stamford, that was so convenient for everything
-the summer from hell (still not over that one).
-shag carpet interiors
-magnetic BP readers at the gates (which only worked about half the time)
-the early versions of the easy chicken
I do miss:
-Shuttle by United (in the West anyways)
-United's dominance/mini-hub in SEA - they owned the N satellite at one time
-1K rooms
-Ansett as a *A partner (they were the best!)
-The SYD ticket office at the Sheraton/Stamford, that was so convenient for everything
Aug 21, 2022, 2:08 pm
#81
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,205
Aug 21, 2022, 2:31 pm
#82
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,638
Surprised no one mention United Connection software. It let you buy tickets on 016 stock on itineraries without any UA segments. It’s almost like having your own GDS. Still superior over any OTA today.
Aug 21, 2022, 2:34 pm
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,461
Aug 21, 2022, 3:09 pm
#84
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Morris County, NJ
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Avis Pres, Marriott Plat
Posts: 2,305
That said - the merger was happening with or without Jeff. Would we have been better off with someone else in the drivers’ seat? That, I’m not entirely convinced of.
As for the whole PANYNJ scandal …. Far from surprises me. And maybe I’ve lived in the area too long but it doesn’t offend me as much as it should. Says more to me about the PA than it does UA, but again, par for the course. Just used
to looking at the PA as a self regulated patronage factory, I guess.
Aug 21, 2022, 3:12 pm
#85
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,205
Aug 21, 2022, 3:14 pm
#86
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,854
Smisek was never charged with wrongdoing and instead Port Authority Chairman David Samson was convicted of a felony for impeding an airport project to coerce United Airlines to fly to an airport in South Carolina, near a home that he owned
Aug 21, 2022, 3:53 pm
#87
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
If I can ignore the 20 year marker.....
Miss - Eastern Airlines (except for its last year).
Miss - CO 772 first lay-flat seat, menus available online before the flight, and the crew. Many, many flights in 8E. (Yes, the privacy of Polaris odd-number window seats is great).
Miss - Miles for Virgin Atlantic flights.
Miss - Access to US lounge with UA membership
Miss - Access to UA lounge without flying
Don't miss - Carting around an Amex pocket sized timetable
Don't miss - Life before smart phones and reliable on-board WiFi (and disembarking from a flight, running to the nearest payphone, and calling my voice mail).
Don't miss - Life before Clear, Global Entry, and Pre-Check
Miss - Eastern Airlines (except for its last year).
Miss - CO 772 first lay-flat seat, menus available online before the flight, and the crew. Many, many flights in 8E. (Yes, the privacy of Polaris odd-number window seats is great).
Miss - Miles for Virgin Atlantic flights.
Miss - Access to US lounge with UA membership
Miss - Access to UA lounge without flying
Don't miss - Carting around an Amex pocket sized timetable
Don't miss - Life before smart phones and reliable on-board WiFi (and disembarking from a flight, running to the nearest payphone, and calling my voice mail).
Don't miss - Life before Clear, Global Entry, and Pre-Check
Aug 21, 2022, 5:26 pm
#89
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,205
Aug 21, 2022, 6:32 pm
#90
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
miss:
- the 2-5-2 777s and the total absence of 3-4-3 777s.
- The cheap full fares ex SIN and SYD
- The Australia-Europe return awards for 120K miles
- Keeping the seat next to 1Ks empty if possible
- More 767s