Hi,
This complaint is two part:

a. Issue with not upgrading to First
based on the E-upgrade certs available and upgrades cleared
b. No
pre-boarding with kids.


For the first point:
I was travelling with my
family from BOS to SEA on July 20, 2008. The record locator for these
trips are
****** 2 pax
****** 1 pax (myself)
I had requested upgrade
for IAD-SEA leg only for all 3 pax and had requested to use my 500-mile
upgrade. I have 16 certs in my account. The distance with IAD and SEA is
2306 miles and should be covered by a total of 15 certs.
Nonetheless,
while checking in at BOS airport I was told I was upgraded (******)
using 5 certs. But for my family the agent incorrectly requested 6 certs
each. This made my account short by 1 cert. Instead of listening to my
argument that the IAD-SEA leg which is 2306 miles requires only 5 certs,
the agent wanted to sell me 4 certs for $200. It was like a used car
salesman
s opening salvo.
Of course after spending close to $2000 for
the trip I was not interested in spending more to cover up the agent’s
ineptitude. Not being able to upgrade because of the agent’s apparent
lack of interest to help a pax out was the first insult; which I may be
able to forget because of the amount of traveling I have done with
United and other airlines.
But the second point which I am about to
illustrate completely appalled me.
At IAD, I was with my daughter in a
stroller and patiently waiting to be pre-boarded. I was in line behind
another parent with a stroller. The gate agent let the parent (6A with a
child) in front of me pre-board and then had the temerity to tell me
that there is no pre-boarding and United does not do this. Before I
could reply, she quickly announces that all First, 1K and GS are invited
to board and directs me to the back of the line. I did board soon and
would not have complained about not being able to pre-board. But the
agent’s attitude and sheer discrimination has led me to complain about
this.
I understand these are trying times for the airline industry and
there is a need to sell upgrades and differentiate the elite customers
to retain and drive business. These are great strategies and much needed
in the business world but the agents are clearly not getting the right
message and treating the non-elite and mid-elite customers like
inconsequential eye sores.
The incidents, were they isolated, would have
made me fret and fume a few minutes. But the combination to both in the
same trip leads me to believe of shift change a higher magnitude.
I have
been a loyal customer of United for several years and have flown several
thousands miles in just 5 years. The loyal customer base is the key to
survival in the tough times and you will be a losing one soon.

================================================== =====

I got $250 in e-certs but that still does lessen the pain about the discrimination the IAD GA had shown.

With e-500s, you get to only upgrade one companion on the same flight/segment. I am suprise they even let you upgrade a total of 3 people with e-500s.

I have no explanation why you need 6 e-500 though. Could it be that your IAD-SEA is not a direct flight?

As the GA (correctly) said and since you have been a loyal UA customer for years, then you should know that UA doesn't pre-baord families.

Is it possible the person ahead of you was a GS or F customer.

As far as the upgrade.... were you trying to upgrade BOS-IAD-SEA or just IAD-SEA?

No it was a direct flight. I had checked with customer service 3 separate times before the flight that I could use all my e-500s for my family.

The unfortunate part is that they never clear the upgrades because of no/low status. They cleared it this time.

I was able to preboard on SEA-IAD flight. In fact the GA at SEA came over in the passenger seating area, applied the tag and asked us in before annoucing

The person ahead was seating area 4 in coach

Upgrade only for IAD-SEA direct flight

Consider it luck in SEA.

The upgrade issue is puzzling. Although formite is correct, I don't think you can actually upgrade more then 1 or 2 companions. I do know for sure 4 is too many, but I have seen that rule bent as well (on a lite load)

To the OP.

It may be moot, but I would delete your PNR from your post.

OP - personally I'm amazed and a bit appalled that you're complaining after getting $250 in e-certs when it seems that the 1) you got a bonus upgrading all with e-500s to begin with and 2) the gate agent was following the rules. IMO, you deserved nothing at all for these indicdents other than a redeposit of the two certs they took from your account when the system overcharged you. Of course politely asking for a supervisor at that time instead of creating a hostile environment with the agent wouldve served you better to address the issue, as well.

- You can only upgrade ONE passenger travelling with you using 500s regardless of your relationship or anything else - ONE - you were allowed two which if someone else was waiting for an upgrade that you got, its unfortunate for them as the rules were bent for you regardless of what a telephone agent had told you. That is not an easy route to upgrade on depending on day/time of travel so be very happy you cleared at all, esp under the circumstances.

- There is no pre-boarding of families on UA - period. You have no idea what the deal was with the other parent and stroller in front of you. 6A is a bulkhead so maybe she was with someone in a wheelchair that was just taken down or a crew member or gs, etc ... YOU have no clue so for you to go on a rampage is well,

These are indeed trying times. Now sympathize with these GAs as they try to deal with people who misunderstand the rules or are otherwise misinformed. Your inflated and incorrect expectations make it no easier on them.

You should have been able to upgrade only one of your companions for 5 certificates each on the IAD-SEA leg. It is unclear whether your upgrade was cleared or whether it was waitlisted, but since the upgrades are pulled when you check in to First, it seems likely that there is some detail that you are missing or misunderstanding here, since it would have been impossible to pull 3x6 from your account. I also find it highly unlikely that all three of you would clear on a Sunday transcon.

As others have stated, UA does not preboard families. I think your compensation is due for what seems to be a misunderstanding on the GA's part for the number of e500s, but I would be happy with what you got. The GAs were already bending the rules in your favor by trying to upgrade the three of you as a group and clear you as a group (when you should have cleared on the merits of your own status).

You have GOT to be kidding me.

If not, then think about the discrimination I feel every time I'm not allowed to preboard because I don't have kids.

UA doesn't allow you to preboard just because you have a kid. Even Southwest quit doing that - now the kids board at the end of the A group.

It does or doesn't? Personally, I'd say you were shown a decent resolution.

Ahhh yes.....Totally agree...Every week I get the "pleasure" of dealing with the family travelers feeling of entitlement for pre-board etc. and the lovely nasty looks I get (like a Yankee fan gives to a guy wearing a Red Sox hat or vis a vis) as it is my fault or something.....

What really disappoints me the most with this, the "entitlement" attitude is usually, these are people of FF status that should better in the first place how things are.

All,
I have read all the comments and thanks for the points; they are all valid and I do not have a sense of entitlement because I have kids. The issue with preboarding is that the GA allowed a parent who was neither a GS or First class and without wheel chair board ahead of all. Now that passenger could be a crew member traveling with her kid. That's the only possibility I can think of.

Regarding the upgrade: All the upgrades had cleared completely waiting for e-certs to be pulled. Three of us had to be downgraded from First as the agent thought I needed 18 e-cert vs. 15.

At both occasions I did try to reason and discuss with the TA and GA respectively, but to no avail.

I am like most of you who fly UA and have a nice feeling at the back of my mind when I am getting board and mentally calculating RDM/EQMs to be earned.

Peace

The word 'discrimination' is so loosely tossed around these days, it has lost all meaning.

I would like to hear what the GA has to say.

Here is the confusing part:

I believe BOS-IAD-SEA upgrade WOULD require 6 500's (1 for the BOS-IAD seg, and 5 for the IAD-SEA seg). But you say you were ONLY upgrading IAD-SEA, and that you were told while checking in at BOS, that you needed 6 certs. The agent must have been thinking BOS-IAD-SEA rather than just IAD-SEA for the upgrade? Somewhat understandable mistake, but the agent should have listened to you when you tried to correct the error, certainly. @:-)

As for the other problem, the early boarding of someone who you believe was not "entitled," well, I would just let that one go -- even if you had NOT been compensated as you were!