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Originally Posted by UA 882
I had a bit of an issue with the Purser while I was flying from SFO to NRT in F about 4 weeks ago. To cut the long story short, he didn't like the fact that I was young and flying First Class... . He probably also thought I was using my dad's 1K card like all the other FA's were guessing on the flight :rolleyes:
In capitalist nations, why would FAs care about the fact a young customer flying in F cabin? :confused: Maybe, the purser didn't like the way how capitalism works. :D Honestly, I wouldn't like to see a kid flying F/C class by his parents' money. BTW, I don't think you should be considered young. Born in 1983 makes you a grown-up person. |
Originally Posted by SGT C
WOW! This makes me think of a "technique"... 1. Have a friend buy a full-refundable First Class ticket on a flight I want an upgrade on. 2. Go to the airport and verify that I am at the top of the upgrade list (using whatever means necessary) 3. If I am at the top of the list, get REALLY excited and call my friend and tell him to cancel his seat. 4. Get REALLY pissed when my master plan does not work :eek:
NOTE: Again, this is just an idea that comes to mind when I read the story. I am NOT making any accusations. I live in E+ and I do not understand the complicated "Business upgraded to First Class" world. :confused: As Phil Hartman once put it, "Your world frightens and confuses me... your iron birds, your magic-picture boxes. I do not understand these things. You see, I am just an unfrozen caveman lawyer, and while I do not understand these magic cavepaintings, I do know that my client is entitled to $4.4M in compensatory damages..." :D Quick summary -- I would like my SWU salvaged (if it was not expiring anyway), and be happy with a domestic upgrade if that's all they provided. I have a stack full of upgrade coupons that expired back in the 80's, and was pretty bummed that they would not take them later on, but after a couple of OP UPS or good service through the years you kind of figure it works itself out. I say keep flying, get your million mile status in a few more years, then a lifetime 1k, and plenty of seats near the nose will follow. :cool: |
Originally Posted by SGT C
WOW! This makes me think of a "technique"... 1. Have a friend buy a full-refundable First Class ticket on a flight I want an upgrade on. 2. Go to the airport and verify that I am at the top of the upgrade list (using whatever means necessary) 3. If I am at the top of the list, get REALLY excited and call my friend and tell him to cancel his seat...
Dummy BusinessFirst reservations is what encouraged Continental to stop clearing int'l upgrades at the gate on the day of departure (and when they married that concept with the HoKeY upgrade lottery, I jumped to UA). btw, can anyone explain how dummy reservations used to actually help CO elite flyers clear the BusinessFirst waitlist at the gate on the day of departure, vs. non-dummy reservations? I guess it could cause the Waitlist to max out sooner but other than that I never saw how it could have made a difference. |
The dummy reservations effectively block anyone actually wanting to pay $$$$ for the seat. The reservation gets cancelled, no one was able to purchase it, and it goes in to the pool for upgrades. The upgraders win, but the airline looses out on potential revenue.
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Originally Posted by UA 882
I wanted your opinion on whether I am entitled to any compensation.
He told me that he would make it up to me the next time, to which I immediately informed him that there won't be a next time. What do you think is appropriate for compensation? |
Originally Posted by John26
I've heard the Automated Upgrade list that Reservations uses does not roll over automatically to become the DM list at the airport on the day of flight (i.e. that you have to check in and be placed on the DM list). Is that true? If so, what is the point of that? To make us all race to the airport to see if that will help us beat another elite travelling on the same fare and status?
Originally Posted by John26
The original CR agent should have either confirmed the upgrade to First through Inventory Management or remained firm with an alternative offer to compensate you for the original incident.
A good agent should understand and be very familiar with acceptable and approved compensation. I'm not against creativity but being "creative" caused this problem. One is creative when one understands how the system works and then applies a solution that is possible within the system constraints. The downside risk is great - an angry, or worse, a lost customer. Some customer suggested solutions are not possible. In fact, I'll argue against letting the customer set the expectation every time. The OP is a great example. Offer what is possible. If the customer chooses not to accept what is possible then invite them to contact customer relations. Then help them in that contact. One of UA's (and other airlines as well) "structural" problems is people who decide to go Rambo and do what they want to do despite instruction, training, coaching, etc... to the contrary. This is a management issue that requires constant and consistent reinforcment and monitoring, not to mention explanation why to the employee. The number one enemy of customer satisfaction is failing to meet the customer's expectations. |
Man, I think you spend way too much time feeling alternatively entitled or discounted. If I asked for compensation every time an airline employee misquoted the rules, made something up, or just got it wrong I would spend all my time in supplicant mode.
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Originally Posted by transpac
Instead of asking for compensation for future flights you should just inform UA that you are taking your business to another carrier, and then make good on that promise you made to the agent at HKG? Why continue to give money to UA for services you find unacceptable?
In addition, despite the fact that I have had to experience a lot of service failure in the past, there have also been some incidences where I was glad that I was travelling on United.
Originally Posted by Dresden
If I asked for compensation every time an airline employee misquoted the rules, made something up, or just got it wrong I would spend all my time in supplicant mode.
Originally Posted by LHR Tim
The dummy reservations effectively block anyone actually wanting to pay $$$$ for the seat. The reservation gets cancelled, no one was able to purchase it, and it goes in to the pool for upgrades. The upgraders win, but the airline looses out on potential revenue.
Originally Posted by N227UA
Honestly, I wouldn't like to see a kid flying F/C class by his parents' money.
If my upgrade didn't clear to SFO because the whole cabin was full with the same customers who had been confiremd in FC before my call to CS (which took place an hour before my departure to the airport), then I wouldn't have a problem. But the fact that I found out that someone else was cleared ahead of me at the gate is what frustrates me. Don't they say - what you don't know, won't hurt you? :rolleyes: |
Originally Posted by UA 882
Because I already had difficulty moving most of my flying to UA, after being loyal to Northwest over the years. After the amount of flying I did increased even further last year, I am having even more difficulty choosing a different airline for my regular travel.
In addition, despite the fact that I have had to experience a lot of service failure in the past, there have also been some incidences where I was glad that I was travelling on United. So were you lieing to the agent in HKG when you said this was your last flight? Do you own them compensation or an apology if you keep flying UA? ;) Yep, the problem is the original promise of being at the top of the waitlist. That was a prescription for failure. I'd also lilke to know what happened on the previous flight that got this whole ball rolling. |
Originally Posted by Dresden
Man, I think you spend way too much time feeling alternatively entitled or discounted. If I asked for compensation every time an airline employee misquoted the rules, made something up, or just got it wrong I would spend all my time in supplicant mode.
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Originally Posted by transpac
Why continue to give money to UA for services you find unacceptable?
1. After over a million flown miles I have yet to make a formal complaint to United. I must be doing something wrong. 2. As a MMer 1k UGS, if I found out that missed an international upgrade because it went to someone else who did not have the right to be ahead of me, I would not be to thrilled. |
Originally Posted by 787
As a MMer 1k UGS, if I found out that missed an international upgrade because it went to someone else who did not have the right to be ahead of me, I would not be to thrilled.
UA 882, Are you also a UGS? If you are then, you are right about being upset. However, if you are not, the person who got the F seat before you could be 1K and UGS, who should have higher priority. If both of you are 1K and UGS, then the person paying the higher fare should have the upgrade. I understand you travel on paid business ticket. Is it Z, D or full C fare? I am also more interested to find out what happened on the initial flight when you had issues with the purser. Could you share the detail? |
I've noted radio-silence since being asked about the incident in which the pursor "didn't like" him... Call me jaded, but I'm starting to get suspicious.
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UA 882 why don't you fly SQ? You're based in SIN and you don't seem to like the service you get on UA or NW.
I've flown in F for the past 3 years and I'm a young guy to and have never been treated poorly. In my experience the people who get treated poorly usually have done something or said something to deserve it. |
Originally Posted by John26
I've heard the Automated Upgrade list that Reservations uses does not roll over automatically to become the DM list at the airport on the day of flight (i.e. that you have to check in and be placed on the DM list). Is that true? If so, what is the point of that? To make us all race to the airport to see if that will help us beat another elite travelling on the same fare and status?
As for the op, the UA agent NEVER should have promised you something like that. Next time, take the "sure thing" up front and have the issue resolved. It's only going to stress you more to prolong the compensation issue over sweating out an upgrade. Personally, I'd be very angry about this incident. Then again, I would have never accepted a "we'll move you to the top of the STANDBY list for upgrades." Creative? Yes. But it leaves the possibility that you won't clear that list at all. I'm taking such a hard stance because Customer Relations agents should be resolving issues, not creating them. What a ridiculous form of compensation to offer! I hate to say it, because it definitely sounds creative, but they shouldn't have left you hanging like that (especially since they already deal with other pax w/o a legitimate issue who complain about upgrades not clearing...they should know better than to create that monster). At this point, I'd call Customer Relations back, give them the incident # of the original problem (or have a CR agent look it up and give it to you first), and then ask for a Service Director, Manager or Supervisor (someone who oversees other CR Agents). They need to know that their own CR agent was offering this, and might be using this particular service solution with other pax, as well. You can send a letter to WHQ if you want to, and one of Glenn's secretaries will respond in a few weeks. Be clear with what you want, and offer them several options if there are different things that could work. One-segment confirmed upgrade on the UA system seems appropriate here. Other options could be miles or a CS voucher. The original CR agent should have either confirmed the upgrade to First through Inventory Management or remained firm with an alternative offer to compensate you for the original incident. |
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