lhrsfo

It's great to see a thread expressing what I feel about UA. I only have to fly on another carrier (any other carrier, whether *A or not) to remind myself that 95% of the interactions with UA employees, as a 1K, leave a favorable impression. Yes we can grumble about this or that, but I still look forward to trips on UA and slightly dread trips on other airlines.

CCIE_Flyer

Two things I would say about this:

1. Some people who have never held 1K or GS status develop some fairly wild notions about being able to eject other people holding seats that they want and so forth. So you can probably expect some jealousy when you post something like this.

2. UA apparently keeps pretty close tabs on this forum, so you can just see that company-wide memo going out that says "under absolutely no circumstances are you to upgrade a 1K's wife on a non-upgradable fare."

So I personally would think twice. I know I've done a few things for people in my life with an understanding that it was a favor. If I later found out they were posting on the Internet about it (even naming my office location), I'd be pretty upset.

But like I said earlier, I do think the gal did right by you (and your wife obviously!), assuming nobody else in the back suffered for it.

FlightNurse

Now, if everybody was upgraded and two seat open, what would UA care? you are taking care of a elite member, doing what needs to be done to make them happy. That is customer service and that is what its all about!!! I hope UA reads that!

I would have to assume the seats were open to have TA to upgrade her to C. But then again, as 2P how would you upgrade to C, its been a while but do 2Ps get SWUs?

German Expat

It is a very busy route that I fly quite often. I hardly ever see a free seat in C. I doubt they did deduct the SWU from you, from all I know the system won't allow them to do it.

ivoryboi

This seems like a good moment to re-post my experience in 2002.

How I became a 1K.

I was a 2P at the time. I was travelling xxx-IAD-LHR. I asked at check in to upgrade the domestic portion with E500s. Joking with the GA I said how nice it would be to upgrade all the way to LHR. She then handed me BPs for C all the way home with a happy smile and 'keep flying UA' comment. She said there was a spare middle that 'nobody wanted'. I took that to mean there was no waitlisted pax.

That one act of kindness from a nice UA employee has put as much of my travel $$ UA's way ever since and I have been 1K every year since.

Yes, it may be breaking the rules, but if no-one else loses out or gets hurt - this can have long lasting impression on the pax involved and improve UA's $$$.

gengar

Even if no one was waitlisted, what the agent did still breaks the rules. One problem that arises from rule-bending and rule-breaking is that it changes the expectations of everyone else. Those who read this thread may think that it's often possible to use SWUs on non-eligble fares... and maybe even they'll expect that agents will do it. And this can hurt UA's revenue, too - if I know that some check-in agent at some random station I pass through will upgrade my non-eligible fare, then why would I pay extra for an eligible fare?

Obviously bending/breaking some rules have more impact than others, but there has to be a line drawn at some point, especially since (hopefully) there are good reasons why rules are they way they are.


Note that the backstory of this whole thread is that the subject of the OP was sponsored with an SWU. Now with mileage co-pays, there are other ways to get upgraded as well.

stupenal

Does the 95% hold true when including phone agents?

I've yet to have a horrible experience flying United, but have definitely had my fair share terrible phone agents.

AZjohns

OK, digesting what everyone wrote….

First of all thanks to all that understood my intent or feelings of what a joy it was to help out a significant other with my first time status (never wanted to deny anyone else’s status of upgrades).

To the others, you may read between the lines or be paranoid of the ramifications of what I posted. Personally, do I feel UA is really reading my post and going to condemn the agent involved? No, I don’t think I or this thread is that important (lol).

Is UA reading this thread and maybe getting a clue that they had an event that made a 1K a lifelong supporter? Maybe, but then again I don’t think this thread or I am that important to UA.

Do I think maybe I’m just enjoying a pink cloud like maybe most of you did when reaching 1K? Maybe I’m just a newcomer at awe at not hearing “no” or “I’m sorry but….”

I was just was sharing a special moment today and the details behind it. And to those that took it as just that, thank you!

Oh come on, just hold your horses and breath in...

GimmeLegRoom

It may be late and water under the bridge, but I would take out the date and exact flying pattern to protect the agent who did process the upgrade...

I've actually been offered "would you like to upgrade all the way to GIG" with a SWU at check-in, and when I protested I was only on a T fare, my husband kicked me and I accepted the offer

CCIE_Flyer

Yes, that was my point basically.

No SWUs of their own, so most likely miles + copay or an SWU sponsorship. And I was speaking hypothetically - I'm personally 1K.

Madisonman39

How many times have we called customer service in a large company only to be told "that's against company policy?" Often, if you pursue it high enough you can get the matter resolved. On the other hand, when an employee uses his or her discretion to go the extra mile and make a customer happy, that is a wonderful experience. Too often, people never say anything when it is good.

Here, we have a good experience about United from AZJohns. He will tell his friends, his family and post it here, creating a good impression for United. To compliment an employee and a company when they did something nice for his wife goes a long way when so often all United hears is complaint, complaint, complaint--and many times, deservedly so.

PATRLR

Breaking company policy is not a perk, correct.

But, do you know they broke a policy? They were able to make the seat change, something in the system let them do it. As long as they (UA personnell at the station) can justify their actions to the degree necessary for their management, they probably didn't break any policy.

What none of us know, or will likely ever know is just what mechanism did they use to make this happen. It's one reason why I asked if the SWU had actually been deducted.

And there is also good reasons why there are mechanisms in place to allow the rules to be broken.

I don't accept the argument that becuase someone might read that it was done here, they will expect it to be done here again or done anywhere else. I don't think any reasonable person would think that way, and the few unreasonable ones who might are insignificant to UA's revenue stream, IMO.

gengar

Then you haven't read enough posts on FT. There are plenty of threads and posts on the UA forum and others on FT where people complained because one employee was not willing to break the rules when others had.

Romolo

Will someone please explain the controversy regarding the problem of frequent flier program, I am confused!

FlightNurse

I doubt what you wrote regarding expectation is true, the people on this board KNOW the rules better then most UA employee's. The OP knew what the rules were and there is NOTHING wrong with asking. Either UA says No or as what happened with the OP the person was UG. I highly doubt the OP is going off and telling all of his friends ( well except here on FT) about this and I doubt that we will go to the airport and say anything. It didn't cost UA anything but it gained alot (to most of us)