Penbank

I used to love UA. What got me started was in the mid 80's, service was decent, the blue, red, orange livery was nice, and AA earned a temporary boycott due to a service issue.

Now I am cattle. UA does nothing for me. The only saving grace is occasionally getting to sit in E+ when I check in late or on time (not early) and if they fly where nobody else flies. As far as destinations, they don't fly where nobody else flies. The only possible exception that I might fly them is SFO-LAX or from/to IAD. However, they are not worse than DL/AA.

davef139

I think that with ORD being #1 for so many years that odds are you passed through ORD more then IAD as they serve almost all locations (domestic) the same, I know of 1 (JFK) that doesn't connect to ORD. This all in turn brought much hate, I hate IAD for the setup and the fact you gotta use a train now.

NYCWahoo

I tell people United is the only major US carrier without a hub in the South. ^
I rather deal with Chicago snowstorms any day over connecting through the South.

CMK10

I merely say they go where I want them to, I get benefits on US and CO and they're usually reasonably priced. I've had too many issues with employees, their changes to the elite program ($50 1P standby fee, more restrictive hub-hub routing etc.) in the last couple of years to "defend" them to anyone who doesn't like them.

Plus I've learned that most people I deal with are rarely are open to changing their opinion so it's hardly worth trying anyhow.

cordelli

Interesting choice of words, Defend instead of Sell.

Airlines to me are like Cell Phone companies. They pretty much offer the same things, but people become very loyal to one and pretty much hate the others. Over time people may switch too based on bad experience, but if there is good experiences they are willing to deal with the bad from time to time.

People know it's rare that I ride in coach, and people also know I don't pay for luggage, don't wait in lines, and most of the other things all the airlines offer their people with status. The question I'm asked more often is "how do I get treated like that?" not "why do you fly <<insert airline name here>>"

When there's a discussion about travel and people are complaining about the baggage fees "I don't pay those". Boarding hassles "I don't have those, I'm the guy sitting down you are sneering at when you go by" etc.

The biggest thing though is peoples reactions when they ask why are you going to .... for a weekend, travel is such a hassle. When you explain to them it doesn't need to be a hassle, and it can actually be enjoyable, they start getting it.

HeathrowGuy

Tell them what a United Customer Relations rep. told me:

"We're going to be Continental next year!"

FlyinHawaiian

To paraphrase the opening of one of my favorite movies (The Song of Bernadette), ""For those who believe ... , no explanation is necessary.
For those who do not believe ... , no explanation is possible."

river_rower

MP, 1K treatment, and most important of all....

...SWU's!

I fly international 6-8 times per year, and the upgradability of coach fares is critical for me and my lumbering 6'4" 230+ frame, especially to Oz!^^

I'd sell anyone who has to fly international on that one alone.

pinniped

I can't defend UA or any U.S. legacy at all to a non-FF. If a family member has one trip planned, I urge them to fly a non-legacy in the U.S. or a foreign carrier abroad.

For a low- to mid-tier elite, it's easy: I'd defend UA because of E+. It's a great concept and the main reason I've been with UA since about 2005.

For a very frequent traveler, I'd pimp the SWU's - UA's policy for using them (at least in my recent 1K years) is far better than most other global airlines who have a similar concept. Every year I was 1K, I was able to confirm all of my SWU's each year at booking time, usually at a total upfare of $75-125 per direction (the difference between the UA W fare and the lowest Oneworld or *A fare bookable at all).

mmack

When we moved to Kauai UA started the non-stop service to SFO ( a coincidence, I think). As another poster wrote: they fly everywhere we want to go, and by being 1K our flying experience is pretty good. I like the UDU too, so far we've been 100% on our flights between LIH-SFO

harryhv

It's difficult to defend UA to someone who has tried to communicate with UA by phone, but instead got connected to the stinking ICC.

Calling CO or any other airline may not bring the desired result, but at least a conversation is possible.

For frequent flyers the #1 differentiator is not the seat, the lounge or IFE: it's what happens when things go wrong. Are you made to line up 200 deep at a service desk? Can you call the airline and speak to someone sensible?

aluminumdriver

That's easy, they have the best pilots!

AD

Mike Jacoubowsky

If that was the case, my OAK-SFO flight would have included an under-the-bridge pass on the way. Or at least have channel 9 on for what must have been an interesting exchange!

More seriously though, why would someone defend UA? Wouldn't it make more sense to defend your own flying on UA?

bniu

if i had a choice of which part of UA I like best, in economy, it'd have to be UX operated by ShuttleAmerica on the E70's, the most comfortable ride in coach ever! no middle seat, seats that are 1.25" wider than 747 coach, two lavs, wide armrests, best UA ride in coach systemwide. Next up would be coach on Skywest. Friendly FA's == great service.

of course, International First Class is still great. Sure, it ain't CX or SQ or even EK, but it's still really good.

UpstateNY

Yep, that's it for me as well -- also 6'5". And that between UDU and SWU's, I've only flown coach a handful of times in the past few years, domestic or international. Plus, as a 1K you're in like Flynn with waitlist priority, customer service on the phone, baggage tracking, and all of the other assistance you need if you're flying in the Northeast and have to deal with irrops caused by thunderstorms in the summer and snow in the winter.

And, if I'm defending UA to an aviation geek, I would mention Ch. 9.