UnitedConnection

This argument is especially common given my location (BOS), since we're one of the few major cities in the US without an an airline hub, and thus no natural location-based choice.

LAX

IMHO, I often wonder whether I would fly UA myself if I don't have any status. E- is just as bad as many other carriers' Y if not worse. UA usually doesn't have the lowest fares on most routes. On average, service on UA is subpar. Add them all together, why would a non-elite bother with UA?

LAX

dgcpaphd

I agree with most of the above. However, I do not believe a passenger is treated like "trash" if they are non-elites.

I have good friends who fly only a few times each year. At my recommendation, they consistently fly United.

They have no elite status. Nonetheless, they usually can score an upgrade to Europe using their miles plus a coach fare ticket.

By no means, are they treated like trash by United.
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mahasamatman

I see no need to defend UA. All I say is that if everyone wanted the same things, life would be boring. (In other words, the exact opposite of Bill Gates' famous statement that choice is bad.)

nzpilot

I'm not sure I feel a need to defend UA. I just say, "it works for me."....

unavaca

I can't defend flying UA unless you have a 3P or higher. It's a terrible experience as a GM. WN and VX do a much better job, especially on the West Coast.

fastair

In over two decades, my paycheck has always been on time and never bounced. It's often short, but only for overtime they forgot, and that gets fixed on the next check, as long as I catch it. That's enough for me.

ECOTONE

Many many of my coworkers are top-tier elite fliers with some domestic carrier, but I don't spend time trying to defend my choice with UA. Here in DC, if you're interested in international travel it's an easy choice (for me) to stick with UA. Most of my coworkers opt for US due to the ease of using DCA vs. IAD.

tcook052

+1.

The FT phrase is YMMV and to each their own.

anc-ord772

Mmm, defend? No. My colleagues had no loyalty to any airline when I showed up. After a few times walking past me on their way to coach they got smart enough to ask what the deal was.

usa18dca

I once walked past the President of the University from the Y bulkhead into the F Cabin, and we were flying to the same event. He asked me "what the deal was...I was an undergraduate student...how did I afford F".

canadian_golf_guy

As someone who lives in Canada, it may seem odd that I chose UA over AC for my flying needs, but I picked them for several reasons:

1. There are only two major domestic airlines in Canada: AC (*A) and WS (nada). So I wanted to go with a *A carrier.

2. That leaves me with 4 choices in NA: UA, CO, US and AC. First off, US is a terrible airline, and after I was stuck on the tarmac for SEVEN hours in LAS, I don't feel like flying much of them again. CO doesn't serve as heavy of schedule to YYC (home) as UA or (duh) AC. So CO's out.

3. That leaves two. I found that I like travelling to the US more (it's warmer!), AC is crazy expensive for intra-Canada flights, and their upgrade policies kind-of suck (only expensive fares and what-not). Plus, I like the idea of 6 SWU's, liberal routing rules, and a network of hubs accross the US.

These reasons are why I chose UA late last year, and I'm happy so far as I rocket to 1K by the end Oct.

abmj-jr

I just stand up (6'5") and say "Economy Plus - extra legroom." If pressed, I point out that I am at about 75% successful UDU and use my miles to go places my friends and coworkers only dream about - in C or F.

Mike Jacoubowsky

Defend UA? I used to actively promote the company. Many of our customers are employed by them, and the MP Visa is far and away the most-common credit card we see at our business.

But for the moment, I'm on hiatus. How they respond to my experiences last week (Gate agent hell at ORD- UA meltdown) will determine the future.

It's funny... those post-flight surveys, where they ask you for each & every flight, would you recommend UA to someone? As if the answer could change from one flight to the next. I guess it can.

mobilebucky

Not much to defend, I mostly fly INTL from Chicago. I much prefer clearing custom in Chicago than any other US cities (think Duty Free). That narrow my choice down to UA or AA. For TPAC flight options, UA beats AA by a mile.