sobore

As a kid in the 1970's I remember flying ORD-SFO coach and having pretty good hot meals. I recall receiving lots of UA goodies like playing cards and pens. This is when I fell in love with UA, I remember very kind and accomodating FA's who really made me feel special. (I still like most of the FA's today) The best part in those days was real customer service all the way around, no ICC nonsense to speak of.^

SEA1K4EVR

If you are standing at the bagel restaurant in the North satellite and look towards the wall closest to you there are a couple white doors (I'm pretty sure there are just 2 doors but maybe there are 3). The door on the right leads to some crew/operations room that is still in use but the door on the left was the 1K room. There is an opaque piece of glass just to the left of the door but you can see the outline of the counter inside on the left.

SJUflyer

It's funny I found this thread... I was going through some old files a few weeks ago and found some old ticket receipts and boarding passes from my high school days (early 90s). Thanks for my dad's miles, I was able to upgrade every now and then flying back to CCS, and when the upgrade was actually to First Class on a 757, rather than to Business as it was later changed (or Connoisseur ). Granted, I haven't flown United in ages, but here are few things I remember. After checking in for F, a Concierge with a red carnation would escort me upstairs to the Intl First Lounge (JFK). There would also be one to escort the people on the flight from the lounge over to the plane, and would usually stay there to handle any last minute issues. I recall some nice salmon canapes, and some great desserts and cookies. There might have been free flowing champagnge... I was too young -ha Vintage Dom Perignon was served on the flight (1990, if I recall correctly -- but since it was 1992/3... ). Caviar was served, and they listed it as Beluga on the menu, but I remember seeing a jar of Oscetra -- still delicious. There was a huge salad I had once that was an appetizer that could have been a meal, and a box of Godiva chocolates that went around the cabin a couple of times. I remember the grey, rectangular leather amenity kits, and I remember a purser who once said "I've had you before on this flight!" -- made me blush.

cbender

I was 'gifted' an unopened 1L bottle of water on a midcon last week.

goingbananas

I used to get free bottles of Dom to take home from my INTL F/C trips.

rockrich

Service even in coach was a treat on transcons. I recall several flights BOS-SFO late 1980's on the stretch DC 8s. Seat pitch in coach was quite roomy. Those large Douglas portholes to enjoy the view. "Coast to coast service" included a good meal, choices frequently included a decently cooked steak or a well crafted cioppino, even a SF native could enjoy.

I too recall the paper upgrades you were sent in the mail, these could be taken to a UA ticket office, now all gone, and redeemed easily for "Conoisseur Class" seats on now extinct routes (most memorably SFO-CDG nonstop in the old 763s.)
Ah for the good old days.....

whlinder

Free bottled Frappuchino in coach.

goalie

it's still done tho in my case, i've never commented about the vintage* and have been given a bottle simply with a thank you for your business (or something similar)

*save for one extraordinary australian red as i wanted to write down the label info so i could look for it on stores tho i never was given one of those

cogitate

In October 1995 UA gave beer mug gifts to passengers in F who flew to or from ORD. I made one round trip that month, so I have two of those mugs, and I continue to use them at home to this day! The lettering on the mugs:

United Airlines
Prosit! (in large letters)
(Some wavy lines)
Oktoberfest 95

Prosit is German for the classic toast "to your health". Any others with these mugs?

Ted S

I'm not quite as old as you but as a kid in the 80s things were fairly similar. I started flying solo at age 5 (the minimum) doing transcons and recall getting to go in the cabin constantly, being handed little plastic "wings" to pin on my shirt, getting decks of cards, good hot meals, even sundaes from upfront if there were left overs. Heck, it wasn't all that uncommon for them to move me up to the front of the plane in what must have been F or C so they could keep a better eye on me.

Great FAs, great experiences and even the people I sat next too were almost always friendly (poor people). Back then it was logical to put your 5 yearold kid on a plane and have someone else pick them up 5 hours later... now I'm not so certain.

Recently I've been trading emails back and forth with customer care hoping to get my old accounts all linked up (relatives would create new ones each time I flew) so I can get those lifetime miles back. Not having much luck so far [my name is unique enough to be only one of them but they require old addresses... not the easiest to find].

Of course I have no idea what status would have done for me... but it didn't really matter. as a kid I got to board first with the FAs [and deplane last] which was always pretty cool. Wish I had saved some of those old trinkets...

Maybe one day when the industry isn't getting slaughtered and everyone isn't lawsuit happy some of the old can return.

baglady

There was Charlie on the 1k email and he actually cared and took care of things. In flight pursers who truly did care and took care of things like when special meals didn't arrive and would put things together and make a meal out of nowhere so you actually had something to eat (and this happened on more than one occasion - trans pac - c class - same purser!). Carts to meet you at your flight when you were delayed to get you to your next flight because they wanted to ensure you made your connection. FAs who would refill your drink on a consistent basis and be happy about their job.

DenverBrian

Not so very long ago they had these satellite places known as City Ticket Offices, where some of the nicest, most professional reservations staff would make complicated bookings in person, taking the booking as a challenging problem to be solved for the satisfaction of the customer.

My God, I think I'm going to cry.

mauiUAflyer

I remember the DC-10's to HI, with the big, open, airy FC cabin (no overhead luggage bins for the interior seats; I guess they assumed the F cabin pax only had money clips with them). They would put out bottles of champers, flowers, and nicely folded linens. Flowers in the rest room. HI boarding music.

The best thing about being a 1P back then was one would call the 1P number and get a real live human after a couple of rings. They were quite good about solving one's problems!

Back in the '90's, my upgrades would almost always clear (e500s) out of DEN.

The two biggest complaints about food in coach back then were 1] the quality was terrible, and, 2] the portions were small

la2jax

Also don't forget, the average age of the flight attendants back then was about 17 years younger than it is now!

ButIsItArt

"On behalf of all the the employee/owners of United Airlines, we thank you for flying the Friendly Skies with us today..."