United has better customer service than American?
Apr 14, 2004, 11:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: San Francisco, California
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, AA CK 2MM, DL DM 1MM, WN CP, AS MVP, B6 Mosaic3, Marriott Titanium Lftm, Hyatt GLB
Posts: 943
United has better customer service than American?
Before y'all rush for the exits to switch to AA...
American shares service complaints
To help keep customers, airline asks flight attendants to improve
12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, April 14, 2004
By ERIC TORBENSON / The Dallas Morning News
Poor service from flight attendants may cost American Airlines Inc. crucial business customers in the Northeast, according to focus groups with some of the carrier's top customers.
Fort Worth-based American detailed the bad news in a recent letter sent to thousands of flight attendants – and asked them to improve their performance.
If it weren't for American's schedule and frequent-flier program, top corporate fliers said, they'd switch carriers, according to the letter from American regional manager John Tiliacos. Travel managers at major companies "are being pressured by their employees to seek an alternate carrier to do business with instead of American," the letter said.
<snip>
American's service quality isn't as good as United's right now, said industry consultant Michael Boyd of the Boyd Group in Evergreen, Colo.
American should count itself lucky that United, the nation's No. 2 carrier, is busy reorganizing itself in bankruptcy protection and doesn't have the resources to try to swipe American's customers, he said.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...ght.c3d7c.html
American shares service complaints
To help keep customers, airline asks flight attendants to improve
12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, April 14, 2004
By ERIC TORBENSON / The Dallas Morning News
Poor service from flight attendants may cost American Airlines Inc. crucial business customers in the Northeast, according to focus groups with some of the carrier's top customers.
Fort Worth-based American detailed the bad news in a recent letter sent to thousands of flight attendants – and asked them to improve their performance.
If it weren't for American's schedule and frequent-flier program, top corporate fliers said, they'd switch carriers, according to the letter from American regional manager John Tiliacos. Travel managers at major companies "are being pressured by their employees to seek an alternate carrier to do business with instead of American," the letter said.
<snip>
American's service quality isn't as good as United's right now, said industry consultant Michael Boyd of the Boyd Group in Evergreen, Colo.
American should count itself lucky that United, the nation's No. 2 carrier, is busy reorganizing itself in bankruptcy protection and doesn't have the resources to try to swipe American's customers, he said.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...ght.c3d7c.html
Apr 14, 2004, 11:27 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: CT
Posts: 317
Originally Posted by ORD_UA1K
Poor service from flight attendants may cost American Airlines Inc. crucial business customers in the Northeast, according to focus groups with some of the carrier's top customers.
Apr 14, 2004, 5:51 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicagoland/ORD
Programs: UA Million Miler (Gold), Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,458
It's not just the FAs with AA. Customer service in general is an oxymoron. No updates on flight time changes, no idea where lost luggage is, etc.
Apr 14, 2004, 6:19 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: arlington, va
Programs: AA Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Plat
Posts: 660
I too have had better customer service experiences with UA than AA over the last year. It's like maybe a 10% better experience for me overall taking UA over AA (that's not much but it's enough to notice). The morale seems a little better overall at UA (or maybe there's more of an appreciation for the risk of bad service-- happens when you've fallen from #1 to #2 and are in CH11). I see the difference as UA realises they have to do something to positive to survive; AA just isn't sure what to do and they haven't been forced as close to the edge of the cliff (yet). Areas where I find UA superior to AA: Slightly more responsible information about flight schedules and irregularities; entertainment options on more flights; economy plus is a shade nicer than mrtc; channel 9; and free drinks in Y on overseas flights. Have found staff attitudes to be a toss up. From my experience though, I can count several instances where airport and cabin service staff at UA have done really unexpected and nice things to help me out whereas with maybe one exception AA staff have been cold, unhelpful and downright mechanical. Mind you, there are plenty of the same at UA (and there are some real prize winners there for sure) but I just finding AA to be getting increasingly cut throat and bottom-line oriented - to the extent they may be cutting their own throats and driving us to UA and the rest.
Apr 14, 2004, 7:57 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: san jose, CA USA
Programs: AA, UA
Posts: 196
I am surprised by the report. I do find AA FA's & service to be better than UA, not sure of phone service (have not used them much lately - I could do upgrades on web for a long time on AA).
Still I am a 1K and just a Gold this year with AA - why - I do quite a bit of travel to Asia and UA has lot more options.
Still I am a 1K and just a Gold this year with AA - why - I do quite a bit of travel to Asia and UA has lot more options.
Apr 14, 2004, 8:35 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: GRU
Programs: *A Gold, OW Sapphire, SPG Gold, HH Diamond, Accor Plat
Posts: 3,367
UA and AA service are miles apart. UA is currently 1K better than AA.
The previous poster has summed up interesting points.
Having flown same routes on UA and AA I say it's incredible different, specially in coach: Eg: Seat belt sign is ON for the majority of the flight regardless of being a 90 min ride or a 10 hour flight. If one dares to get up (healthy exercise, loo, whatever) one will surely meet a GestAApo FA who will summon one back to the seat. If it's not her voice it'll be her looks that will make you do as ordered (ooops, should say instructed). And AA airplanes have a shabbier look when compared to UA's. And yes, finding an AA employee who's happy or smiles at you is rare - and because it's so rare it draws my attention - it's soothing.
I dare say AA marketing strategies are more effective for John Doe as only when he'll become a frequent flier he'll notice he has been somehow deceived. Becoming AA mid-tier elite is a joke, piling up miles is a piece of cake and getting MRTC is everything one can dream. Then one realizes that being mid-tier doesn't grant all those benefits, miles usually require a payment to be redeemed and even additional payments to change dates, also awards seem to be more expensive, finally getting an award is painful - read current threads at AA forum on no availability. Oh, and MRTC still being advertised yes if you don't fly their many 757 and Airbus- Wait you can fly in a cramped seat (757/airbus) and have IFE OR fly MRTC (MD-80 and others) and no IFE - What a choice. Exception for AA 767 (MRTC+IFE) and AA 777 (MRTC+PTV). Finally routes where UA serves a meal, AA serves... beverages.
The unique point I can't comment, other than "hear say" is the coveted EXP level, claimed to be better than UA 1K - But then so many things at AA land are said to be better and one gets there notices that the grass is so much darker, that I'm not as interested as before in getting EXP - not to be deceived again.
The previous poster has summed up interesting points.
Having flown same routes on UA and AA I say it's incredible different, specially in coach: Eg: Seat belt sign is ON for the majority of the flight regardless of being a 90 min ride or a 10 hour flight. If one dares to get up (healthy exercise, loo, whatever) one will surely meet a GestAApo FA who will summon one back to the seat. If it's not her voice it'll be her looks that will make you do as ordered (ooops, should say instructed). And AA airplanes have a shabbier look when compared to UA's. And yes, finding an AA employee who's happy or smiles at you is rare - and because it's so rare it draws my attention - it's soothing.
I dare say AA marketing strategies are more effective for John Doe as only when he'll become a frequent flier he'll notice he has been somehow deceived. Becoming AA mid-tier elite is a joke, piling up miles is a piece of cake and getting MRTC is everything one can dream. Then one realizes that being mid-tier doesn't grant all those benefits, miles usually require a payment to be redeemed and even additional payments to change dates, also awards seem to be more expensive, finally getting an award is painful - read current threads at AA forum on no availability. Oh, and MRTC still being advertised yes if you don't fly their many 757 and Airbus- Wait you can fly in a cramped seat (757/airbus) and have IFE OR fly MRTC (MD-80 and others) and no IFE - What a choice. Exception for AA 767 (MRTC+IFE) and AA 777 (MRTC+PTV). Finally routes where UA serves a meal, AA serves... beverages.
The unique point I can't comment, other than "hear say" is the coveted EXP level, claimed to be better than UA 1K - But then so many things at AA land are said to be better and one gets there notices that the grass is so much darker, that I'm not as interested as before in getting EXP - not to be deceived again.
Apr 14, 2004, 9:46 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Fullerton, CA
Posts: 319
Originally Posted by ORD_UA1K
Before y'all rush for the exits to switch to AA...
On the whole, AA's FA's are very professional and most try to provide outstanding service, particularly in the premium classes. Unfortunately, this memo throws to wide of a net on the problem.
Whatever the case, someone inside the company is finally making a big deal out of the 5 to 10% of FA's who have bad attitudes. Has anyone said anything of the like at UA? Don't expect Jane Allen to speak up. She was brought in from AA to pacify the UA FA's. She was good at doing that at American. She did very little to improve the service levels.
There was a time when AA used to compare itself to United. The new benchmark at AA, however, is Continental. That's why, according to another internal memo, AA restored meal service to pre- 9/11 levels in all premium cabins. That is why AA instituted complimentary upgrades for EXP's. They want to beat Continental at its own game. They no longer really care what United does.
Apr 14, 2004, 10:04 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Fullerton, CA
Posts: 319
Originally Posted by ORD_UA1K
American's service quality isn't as good as United's right now, said industry consultant Michael Boyd of the Boyd Group in Evergreen, Colo.
American should count itself lucky that United, the nation's No. 2 carrier, is busy reorganizing itself in bankruptcy protection and doesn't have the resources to try to swipe American's customers, he said.
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American should count itself lucky that United, the nation's No. 2 carrier, is busy reorganizing itself in bankruptcy protection and doesn't have the resources to try to swipe American's customers, he said.
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I also fly a lot, particularly through Chicago. Apparently, Mr. Boyd hasn't stepped foot in Concourse F. What a disaster?
Hey, Mr. Boyd, thanks to AA's great management talent there is a Concourse G for American Eagle. He should visit it sometime before he starts spouting about what the passenger in Chicago cares about.