Nice Gestures
 

I don't fly nearly as much as some of regulars, but am happy that I will get UA status this month. Although I live in another airlines' hub city, and have flown that carrier for 10 years, I have been flying UA since last fall at the request of a client who is reimbursing the trips. At first I complied due to my clients request, but I am now sold on UA. As an example:

On a recent flight out of DEN, I was in row 5 in E+, with an empty seat next to me on an otherwise VERY full flight. I was trying to work but there was an unhappy infant across the aisle, and a family of 5 with the most unruly children imaginable directly in front of me. About an hour into the flight, the FA from first class stepped back and gave me a complimentary glass of wine, whispering that something to the effect that it looked like I might need it based on the behaviour of the kids in front of me. This probably cost UA less than $2, but was so appreciated, and just reinforced my resolve to fly UA.

In 10 years of flying my ht airline I only once (and that was after pleading) experienced the type of nice gestures I have in 10 months of flying UA. Have others experienced similar nice gestures from UA staff?

A colleague and I were returning from a business trip on a LGA-MDW-SFO booking. When we got to the check-in counter, the rep looked at our itinerary and informed us that the weather at MDW had traffic backed up for about 3 hours, and offered to switch us to a JFK-SFO flight that was departing in a little over an hour. It wasn't a huge deal (and we had to pay the cab fare), but it saved us a lot of wasted time and hassles.

When did UA start flying to Midway?

Kinda what I was wondering...

Back to the OP....yes, I've definitely seen such gestures from UA staff & especially the FAs. There are a lot of complaints about the FAs around here (and kudos too), but for the most part I've had fantastic from them and have seen many doing more than "just what I have to"

Just this past Saturday on UA212 OAK-IAD, hubby was reading and I was watching the (horrible) movie after lunch, when a hand came across and put something on the console between us (we were in F). For some reason, our very nice FA had given us a full container (at least a dozen) of those chocolate-filled long straw-like cookies (they have a name but I'm having a senior moment here) that are served with the hot fudge sundaes. I have no idea why she did it (we most definitely do not look malnourished ;) ) but it was awfully nice of her.

Ack...my mistake, I just booked a flight through Midway on another carrier. The UA flight was through ORD.

Last November, I was on ORD-LHR, exit row in coach. The FA stopped to ask if I was willing to help out in the event of an emergency, and jokingly I said, "if you bring me champagne from biz or F, I'll do most anything you ask." That got a big smile from her, and 5 minutes later, I was quite surprised to be enjoying the good stuff.

A few years ago I was flying MUC-LHR on LH and then LHR-JFK on UA. I had been up the night before rather late and had, maybe a gallon or so too much beer (it was Octoberfest). Octoberfest ends pretty early but my coworker and I had some sort of problem when we got off our train and couldnt find our hotel. We were wondering through fields in the middle of the night (cannola plants as I recall). We finally managed to come across a hospiital appropriately enough and found a taxi to take us to the hotel. Then my very early flight that morning was delayed by thunderstorms and heavy turbulance. So by the time I got to LHR I was really late. After checking in they radioed for a cart to meet me as soon as I went into the departure area and ferry me to the gate where they were waiting on me. All of this to say I was in really bad shape. And, sitting in coach. As soon as I sit down, I close my eyes and hear this screaching noise. No, it isnt my liver leaving my body, it is about a 4 year old kid in the row behind me. I fixate on this and I realize the kid is screaming for his dad, who is about 4 or 5 rows in front of me and apparently moved because he doesnt want to be by the noisy kid. So I a hearing this incessant scream of "daaaaaaaadddddyyyyyy". I look at the dad and figure, okay, he is a real little guy, this will be easy. We get to altitude, the seat belt sign comes on, I walk up to him whisper in his ear, "if you dont change seats with me and sit by your lovely child I will take you out right where you sit". And then give him a big grin.

As this is going on one of the FAs walks down the aisle. She passes me, and stops, turns around and comes back. I guess the look on my face took a row or two to sink in with the sreaming. She says, "sir, as soon as we take off and it is safe to move I will come back and get you and move you to the back, I can get you an entire row to yourself". I thank her profusely. About 5 minutes later she comes back and says, "they're loading a few more bags, get your stuff and come with me right away." Yes, the little things can go a long way.

I know that UAL FA and personnel get a bum rap but I personally have found them to be extremely friendly. I was on a delayed flight from ORD-MSY and was lucky enough to get on the earliler flight (albeit in coach). The FAs knew I was a frequent flyer and were bringing me free wine from F. In all my years as a CO "Star" similar to UAL UGS this has never happened to me. On CO if you are in the back of the bus you are treated just like everyone else.

I have also been impressed with the RCC staff

I must admit, something like this has never happened to me. However, once when I was in F and hubby was stuck back in Y, I asked the F FA if I could buy a drink for poor hubby, and the FA cheerfully took a double scotch (in a real glass) back to him. When I offered to pay for it, the FA said it was on the house. It was very nice of the FA, and hubby was happy, if a little embarrassed.

Did the movie star a certain sweet-faced blonde actress who has been in some (much) better films? Yeah, that's an awful movie.

To date I've received four bottles of wine from cabin crews as a reward for various good deeds. There were also some long-ago flights when the FAs would bring drinks & cookies from First Class back to the first few rows of Coach.

Yep, that's the one.

Have been reading for some time but this is my first post (this story is one of my favorites). Anyway, SFO-LHR in C (used a SWU). About 7 or so hours in I got up and walked around and then hung out by the galley where there were two really nice ex Pan-AM FAs and we had a great conversation for about 45min. In any case, I head back to my seat and then just after the seat belt sign came on for landing, one of them comes over, bends down next to me and tucks something between me and the side of the seat and says "make sure you keep your belt on" and smiles. Clearly trying to be coy, I just sort of felt what the "thing" was, and turns out she just put a bottle of wine in a plastic bag and let me have it. Some UA FAs are just miserable, but most who are like these are a complete treat.

Maybe I just deal with them too much?
 

In all my experience in all my years, I think I've had to deal with no more than 5 rude/flippant/nasty/not quite nice people at UA.

Then again, I don't really ever LOOK for "extra" stuff...they give me upgrades and bonus miles and what have you just because I fly in the first place, that's perfectly fine by me. And any time I *have* had a problem, it's been something minor and I get a profuse apology along with some sort of compensation (albeit small of late).

I spoke to a lovely girl at MP tonight, I was missing a segment from SYD-LAX from back in the beginning of last month and just now noticed it...before I even got finished telling her what my problem was, she had already found it, fixed it, AND posted my online booking bonus for the flight (apparently those don't come through automatically when they have to force a seg :rolleyes: ). I suppose that's why I love UA so much. They're so gosh darned NICE to me.

p.s. no, I'm not being sarcastic, thanks for asking.

Still happens! I've also "seen" ;) Biscoffs brought back from F on the short non-service (Y) morning flights or when Y is getting pretzels. And don't forget the "doggy bags" (i/o bottles of wine)! :)