Classic UA screw-up
Aug 4, 2008, 3:21 pm
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: LAS-DEN
Programs: WN CP & B-list. Disillusioned fmr UA-1P/2P,F9-Ascent; Fmr AA-Plat,CO-Gold,NW-Silver,TWA-Elite
Posts: 1,630
that's 100 years' worth of being a 1K 
?Sorry to have offended many of you. I had a bad UA experience and I thought I would describe it. It seemed to me that there are a lot of things UA could learn from this experience that would help their profitability.
I won't post my UA experiences again.
Aug 4, 2008, 3:50 pm
#32
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,580
Aug 4, 2008, 4:03 pm
#33
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AA EXP, AAirpass, & CK 2MM, MR Plat Premier, DL Plat, US Plat, UA RECOVERING GS
Posts: 2,620
....I listen to channel 9, which is on, for the moment. We taxi out to runway 17L in DEN. The pilot turns off channel 9 as they taxi around to the holding pad while they work out some problem -- they never tell us what that problem is. They leave channel 9 off during the take-off (a part I really like to hear), then turn it on after they get into the air.
There is no listing of what music they have on what channel. I finally find my music by surfing around. No idea what songs will be played in what order. I watch a little bit of the in-flight video (re-runs of TV shows and advertising for NBC).
There is no listing of what music they have on what channel. I finally find my music by surfing around. No idea what songs will be played in what order. I watch a little bit of the in-flight video (re-runs of TV shows and advertising for NBC).
I also prefer WN's international routes to UA's.
I also prefer WN's widebody fleet to UA's.
I also prefer WN's business (have you seen the new generation intl biz seats??? Wow!!) and first product -- hard and soft -- to UA's.
I also prefer WN's alliance partners to UA's.
I also prefer WN's lounges to UA's, hands down.
....and finally, I also prefer WN's premium security, premium call center, and 1st class ticket counters to UA's.
Aug 4, 2008, 6:36 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS
Posts: 407
Because credit cards are designed to immediately take money from you and give them to the person charging you and are much less sophisticated at taking it back. Unless United takes extra time to send the request out this isn't their fault in the least; it can take 10 (or more) days for a refund to post to a card although it's often done in around 2. Use debt cards for purchases and you'll notice holds that last even longer.
Aug 4, 2008, 6:53 pm
#35
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: 36000 Feet
Programs: UA GS, CO Plat. DL Silver, SPG Plat, Marriot Plat., HH Diamond, Hertz PC, many more
Posts: 309
I wouldn't start down that path, even domestically, as between UA and UX they have SWA beat hands down. Add-in partnerships which SWA has and it is a smoke show. US Air and Continental both fly there anyways!
Aug 4, 2008, 10:07 pm
#36
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,580
As I said, you can claim UA serves umpteen times more destinations, but I think for travelers what matters a great deal is that an airline keeps serving their home town. Next year WN will still serve every city they serve this year. The same is not true for UA. FLL and PBI are hardly inconsequential destinations in my opinion.
Aug 4, 2008, 10:14 pm
#37
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 34
Because you are giving the airline, along with many other customers in your same situation, a 2 week interest free loan. Remember the OTM principle!
Aug 5, 2008, 7:58 am
#38
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: 36000 Feet
Programs: UA GS, CO Plat. DL Silver, SPG Plat, Marriot Plat., HH Diamond, Hertz PC, many more
Posts: 309
And all the loyal UA flyers in PBI and FLL, what good does that do them? All they get is a drive to MIA if they want to repay UA's loyalty to them.
As I said, you can claim UA serves umpteen times more destinations, but I think for travelers what matters a great deal is that an airline keeps serving their home town. Next year WN will still serve every city they serve this year. The same is not true for UA. FLL and PBI are hardly inconsequential destinations in my opinion.
As I said, you can claim UA serves umpteen times more destinations, but I think for travelers what matters a great deal is that an airline keeps serving their home town. Next year WN will still serve every city they serve this year. The same is not true for UA. FLL and PBI are hardly inconsequential destinations in my opinion.