richard

At CDG yesterday, I decided to upgrade myself and my entire family. We had paid $400 total per person, so with taxes UA got about $330.

I am not a "$3000" 1K -- most of my travel last year was deeply discounted, but I did a number of trips at Y or B fares (some of the domestic ones). I am neither amongst the most profitable customers nor the least, I would imagine.

So yesterday I used SWUs and got a great, enjoyable trip in business class for all four of us.

I felt guilty because all the wonderful service and effort and terrific seats, all for a measly $165 (one way). Making it worse was the fact that the F section was 1/3 full and the Y section 1/3 full.

It bummed me out. I would gladly pay more for this fare than I did.

But when I wanted to upgrade with miles (a little before the trip), at the time I would have had to pay $2000 more per person, plus the miles. So I had no choice but to use SWUs.

Crazy, the whole convoluted thing...getting such wonderful service and comfort for so little money, not being able to hand UA more money even though I would have liked to.

I can see why UA changed the SWU plan. They really have no choice.

boolean64

But with the new SWU rules, you would have had to pay the extra $2000 anyway. Instead, it sounds like you would have stayed in coach. So now, you are a very happy United customer and you flew in an otherwise empty seat. The new rules meant that you would have sat in coach, United would not have made the extra $2k, and you wouldn't be nearly as happy with United as you are right now. Now multiply that by 20,000 people, many of whom would never dream of paying the extra $2k on a vacation, but pay $5k on a business class ticket once or twice a month for business. Some of those people just walked out the door because United tried (unsuccessfully) to squeeze an extra $2k out of them for what would have been an empty seat. If the seat would have been taken by someone else who was willing to fork over the $2k, so be it. But if it's going to fly empty anyway, might as well make another happy customer.

skofarrell

richard, you're kidding right?

Since you upgraded late, UA wasn't going to sell those "C" seats. So you ended up costing UA in the neighborhood of $80 more in food, what's there to feel guilty about?

Next year UA should feel guilty about making you pony up $2000 more in the form of an "H" fare for you to get a comfortable seat and a nicer meal.

[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 02-04-2003).]

suzy1K

Dude, you earned those certificates by crossing the country/globe many many hours with United. What's to feel guilty about? It's just a big fat thank you gift equivalent to 150,000 miles. What's funny is you can buy a ticket and give them 60K miles to upgrade to Europe or just use 80K for a free b/c ticket (ah but then you don't get double miles)
PS If I didn't get the SWUs, there wouldn't be any reason to requalify for 1K. Might as well split my loyalties between two carriers at 50K miles each. I'm not going to feel guilty sitting in 15A ORD-SIN on a $739 tix.

avek00

Richard:

I admire your willingness and courage to admit the obscenity that UA's Intl. SWU policy had become.

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Thank you for choosing Continental Airlines, a proud member of the SkyTeam Alliance.

iluv2fly

Hmm, that must mean Richard is the cowardly lion and you are the scarecrow and tin man combined.

skofarrell

Better to let the seat go empty, right Avek?

In other words, no one winning is better than someone winning.


[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 02-04-2003).]

avek00

No, it's better for United to demand a BREAKEVEN Coach fare before even considering an upgrade request.



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Thank you for choosing Continental Airlines, a proud member of the SkyTeam Alliance.

skofarrell

And that's going to fill the "C" and "F" seats?

[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 02-04-2003).]

Punki

avek00 thinks this is a grand decision.

The folks at UA WHQ think this is a grand decision.

Many 1ks think this is a bad idea, which may well contribute to their decision to jump ship.

avek00 did not fly 100,000 revenue miles on UA last year .

The folks at UA WHQ did not fly 100,000 revenue miles last year.

All folks who have currently qualified as 1ks for 2003-2004 have flown 100,000 revenue miles in the past year.

If you were running this business to whom would you listen?

squeakr

delete...dup

[This message has been edited by squeakr (edited 02-04-2003).]

squeakr

on the chance this thread will contribute to some interesting discussion about upgrades, guilt etc I will let it go for a bit...but play nice, OK??

squeakr
UAL Moderator

avek00

Punki:

Some of those 1Ks COST United a great deal of money last year due to their travel habits. My business with United was breakeven in 2002, so I believe that I'm in as good a position as any to comment.

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Thank you for choosing Continental Airlines, a proud member of the SkyTeam Alliance.

007

I think nowaday in this industry. It's not about how many miles you flown last year. It's how much money you spend last year on the airline. I spent around 8K last year on UA and I am only 2P.
I'm sure many 1k spent less than me.
Does that mean I am less important to UA than 1k customer who spent 6k to attain his 1k last year?

Punki

Squeakr, please do not misinterpret my meaning. I really like almost all smart, opinionated young people in general and specifically admire avek00. He is a very bright kid who has a lot going for him--he has managed to hold his own on FT for almost 4 years which is a lot to be said for a young man of his age--God knows that at his age I would have been way over my head in this crowd.

On this particular issue I just happen to believe that he, right along with the theorizing Harvard MBAs at UA WHQ, seriously misunderstand the market and the ripple effect that this decision will cause. Many of us 1ks were already at the point of leaving before this decision and this is just the straw that will break the camel's back.

I honestly hope that avek00 and the UA Brain Trust are right and that I am wrong because I have way too many UA miles on the line to want to see them go under. I am afraid, however, that this may prove to be one situation where I will be sadly in the position of saying, "I told you so."