BenjaminNYC

I've heard GS called alone several times. GS members are allowed to PRE-BOARD any aircraft. That's before ANYONE, including F, C and Elites.

PATRLR

Absolutely, no doubt about it.

Since being embarrassed in FRA in the past over this issue (I've mentioned it before in this forum), I pay close attention. And, I don't recall ever hearing just UGS called. Maybe I have, but, it's seldom.

And, considering they tell UGS they can board early, before everyone else, they should call them seperate.

arj-lax

This dude called GS and then no one stepped up and so he then started boarding First and the MP members.

job151

Have had it only a couple of times, and each time it was for TED, somehow seems to fit adding insult to injury

Axey

The PHX station is very good at doing this since they understand we GS have to crawl over hundreds of gate lice standing in front of the gate reader with zone 3 passes.

I've also been called up by name at EWR.

Whenever this happens, I tell the gate agent how much this is appreciated.

sbagdon

What about special-assistance and exit row (and no, that is not a rhetorical or snide comment/question...)?

Steve B.

sbagdon

When you start getting called by name by the GA, it's either time to run, or re-evaluate your travel patterns...

Steve B.

Beerman92

Or be thankful for great customer service. I'm only 1K but had something similar happen at LGA. It was Sunday early afternoon and the terminal was a mess. They called 5 or 6 of us up to the podium before they opened the boarding door. Both the GA and the service director were there and said we wanted to get you out of the zoo and right here before we start boarding. They shook our hands, thanked us for being loyal UA customers and opened the door for us to board. ^

ajthegreat

In my eyes this is big brownie points, I have also seen this in ORD when boarding a ORD-SAN flight back in May. Since I know a few of the GA's in PHX when they are working my flight I get the special treatment too even though I am only a lowly 1K for now

SEA_Tigger

Actually, you are a Premier Executive [1P], even if you have not generated 50,000 EQMs or 60(?) EQS'.




And as BenjaminNYC requested, here is my "UGS macro":

United Global Services was launched in 2003 as a way to recognize (and cultivate the continued loyalty and lagresse of) what United considers to be their absolute best customers. Before the launch of UGS, United had a VIP program, which was station-specific (so you could be a VIP in SFO, for example, but maybe not in DEN or ORD).

Like the VIP program, it is invite-only. Like Mileage Plus elite status, you can earn UGS at any time during the year. I don't recall if UGS status ends on an MP calendar year (February), or if it ends one year from the date status being granted. You may be re-invited to the program, either on a recurring basis or after having been dropped for one or more years.

Based on UA's own information, it is revenue-based, roughly the top 1% of UA's elite members and is rumored to be around 18,000 people in 2005. However, there are people who have been invited who, on the surface, do not meet this revenue criteria. They may be old VIPs who have been added (this happened in 2003, at least, when UGS replaced the VIP program), they might influence a great deal more revenue then they themselves generate (travel director of a Fortune 50 company, for example), and some just fly hundreds of thousands of miles a year, or for some reason or another, UA feels they are worth inviting into the program. It has been said that UA Regional Sales managers also have the ability to recommend (if not actually invite) people into the program, which might explain why one person gets in when another does not when they have similar revenue patterns. It has been claimed that the top 100 accounts for the previous year in each Sales Area are invited into the program.

Fare basis also matters to some extent in the calculations. A refundable B Economy Class fare upgraded to Business Class is said to have more weight then a non-refundable Z Business Class fare because it implies the person is more likely to buy an expensive last-minute fare on UA then choose a cheaper fare on a competitor, and UA wishes to encourage that behavior.

There is no published criteria, so our information is both incomplete and conflicting.

Present and past benefits as stated by UGS members include(d):

• Automatic Star Gold/Premier Executive status (also known as GP).
• 100% Redeemable (RDM) Mileage Bonus
• 120 Hour Upgrade Window when using 500 mile certificates.
• Ability to open award and upgrade First and Business seats when none are available (not a guaranteed benefit - especially now that the ranks have swelled).
• Ability to use the International Arrivals Lounge, regardless of ticketed cabin (normally restricted to revenue and award First and Business passengers).
• Ability to use the First Class check-in counter, regardless of ticketed cabin.
• Access to the International First Class Lounge, regardless of ticketed cabin (this seems to be more station specific and/or you know the IFL staff personally).
• Ability to board first, regardless of assigned Seating Area or ticketed cabin.
• Access to private Customer Service offices at most hub and gateway airports (similar to the old "1K Rooms") to handle ticketing and travel issues (note that they are not intended to be pseudo-lounges like the 1K Rooms were).
• Access to a private, toll-free (domestic and international) reservations number.
• Access to special "UGS Conciereges" at many international gateways and hubs who will escort you to connecting flights/terminals, similar to the old "United First Concierge" program.

In addition to the automatic Premier Executive status, UGS members can also be Premier Executive 1K's (GK) if they earn 100,000 EQMs or 100 EQS' during a qualifying year. So in addition to their UGS benefits, they also receive the six annual SystemWide Upgrades (SWUs) that 1K status grants. To my knowledge, there is no special code for Million Miler UGS members - they are either GK's (if 1K) or GP's (if 1P).

iwebslinger

This happens at SYR. I am usually the only UGS on the flight.

flyinryan

I thought all GS members were issued a big shiny black Tazer, so you could just zap right through the crowd to get to the gate.

Axey

Paging one of these gadgets to the Ted A gates at DEN.

RobotDoctor

No, there is no special code for MM members who are also UGS invitees. This UA M+ 1K MM flyer is simply known to UA as a GK.

auh2o

True. It does also kinda blow that UGS is all that shows up on the screens and manifests (unless the agent digs). They have no idea if you fly or were comped UGS in 99% of the cases.