Dream on E+ is going to go next.. there is nothing else left but to pull E+ and add extra rows back. My reference to VX and B6 is relevant. Why risk a UA C- Seat upgrade when you get a consistent B6 product or why wouldn't you fly VX's premium product or gate upgrade to their F product.

We all were like you once, supported UA and cheered them on even during previous management stupidity, but wake up, the only thing the are doing is trying to maximize share exit value for the management team. A team that won't be here in a few years and could care less what happens to UA.

Bloomberg has an article on it now
 

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...yXo&refer=home

It's officially out from UA's PR team.

Ending E+ definitely changes the equation. But I don't agree that B6 or VX beats E+, let alone any type of F/C. VX will not upgrade and reports seem to indicate that F sells out on the transcons at least. And more importantly, neither of them gives me miles that allows me a couple of C trips per year on LH.

I do not blindly cheer UA. But they still provide the best value for me. Others' circumstances may be different. What I don't see in so many of the complaints in this thread is an analysis on why changing makes sense.

Sorry I was working and wasn't able to confirm this. Yesterday another f/a gave me the news, and I was laughing, until I realized it was not a joke. I sat and read through this whole thread. The whole situation is completely depressing. I don't even know what to say. :(

Couple notes...

FAA minimums on the 777 are 8. Number of pax are not the only factor in the FAA mins. Mins on the old configuration 747 are 8, the new, 10.

BOB will be free in C along with beverages. There was no discussion of biz paying for anything, or being sold as 2 cabin, like AA.

FWIW other f/a's are horrified. No one feels this is going to be less work. Quite the opposite. They think the cuts are both ridiculous and embarrassing. And remember minimum crew often means more work for each of us, not less.

If I hear anything else I will let you know, unlike the 1K desk.

Other than that, I am speechless. :td:

Thanks Liz. We appreciate you & the other UA FAs etc.

A few things people missed:

* Several pages back an article that said the airlines have nickeled & dimed their passengers w/ minimal complaints so they feel fine w/ implementing new fees. My 2cents - the new fees will continue, but I'm not sure how much is left to be charged on. However, I have total faith the airlines will amaze me by figuring out something else :rolleyes:

* A lot of those who are saying they'll 'quit' UA aren't doing it just cuz of this stoo-pid bonehead move, but because it's the last straw in many bonehead moves.

* And not to put too fine a point on it, but how can UA continue to tout itself as a premium carrier while acting worse than a LCC.

I've got close to 2MM on UA (would be 3mil, but I used to do the whoever was convenient before discovering FT). I've been very loyal through thick & thin. But for the first time ever, this year all the changes (not good ones) truly have me saying screw it - maybe it's time to do a status change or maybe it's just time to give up on FF programs. I acknowledge that now that I no longer work at a F50 company UA will not care about me, but there are others who do have say (including one FTer whose boss ovrsees $15mill of air travel) who are also going to say screw it, why go w/ UA.

Truly a sad day (after many).

On a dif note - when UA is trying to save its sorry arse from going into bankruptcy once again as they probably will late this year or sometime next, what promos do you think they'll throw at us? UA is very much huggy/kissy when they think they're going under & then screw you when they think they have the upper hand. Sweet spots anyone?

Cheers.

Only an idiot like Tilton would spend spend millions on cabin refurbishing and advertising, and them turn around and remove meals on TATL flights, and introduce BoB on domestic business.

I honestly think they have no strategy, other than to screw everyone.

There is such a strategy called re-branding, and during re-branding there is nothing wrong with angering, causing adversarial relationships with, and saying sayonara to some of your oldest, most loyal customers if they do not contribute profitably to your bottom line. I have long believed, since my business school class project on this topic (a long time ago now @:-)), that U.S. domestic airlines do not need to maintain full F service in order to attract the very few passengers who still pay full F. (Most F FFs go by their own planes now; if they don't they should, or otherwise humble themselves and join the rest of us in steerage :D.)

I am not surprised to read so much vitriol coming from people on this thread who are going to bolt over the prospect of having to receive a free BOB instead of the lousy old omelet or pasta surprise. But I am not impressed, either. Go, I say. If CO and other carriers can be profitable offering full domestic F, good for them. As far as I can see, what UA plans to do to F domestically will not be much different conceptually than what intra-Europe flying is already like on BA, LH, and OS.

Loyalty is a two-way street. If UA can change itself and successfully start providing consistent service, reliable schedules, and reasonable fares, they will attract a new breed of loyal customers. The jury is out on that, but I guess I'm sticking around to find that out because I will not be one of those who feel offended or betrayed that my upgraded F seat will somehow carry less "value" without a hot meal.

And are people assuming that international C will be getting free BOBs, too? :confused: The memo says nothing of the sort.

Service is all about intangibles
 

I think you're missing the point here. UA has one of the most generous FF programs on paper, but they continuously downgrade the value of FF status and the miles I've accumulated. That bait-and-switch approach leads to ill will among those who took the bait. Service is about the intangibles - I doubt anyone on this board would ever argue that the food and beverage service in domestic F is worth the work it takes to get there. It's the sense that we're being rewarded for loyalty that makes upgrades important (plus the additional legroom/quiet), not the free food and booze.

UA has a combative relationship with their customers. For that reason, I prefer the predictability and reliablity of VX and WN. My problem is that I have to fly internationally, very frequently, from San Francisco. That means that while I no longer consider UA to be worthy of my loyalty, my choices are increasingly limited unless I'm willing to put up with connections.

UA has decided to liquidate whatever value customer loyalty might have had for them in exchange for ancillary revenue. That strikes me as a foolish and desperate business decision. If that works for you, I can only say that you have exceedingly low expectations. I don't share them.

And it's simply not true that it's the nature of the airline business that leads to customer dissatisfaction. It's poor management. LH, while not my favorite, is consistent with its customers and does not put itself in an adversarial relationship with its frequent flyers. The same goes for myriad other airlines, including US domestic and international carriers.

Have our expectations of fairness and honesty been reduced to the point that it seems reasonable to defend UA's actions? I find that shocking.

I do agree that airlines are like cable companies: the instant people have a choice, they switch. People only continue to buy products they hate when choice is constrained (how do you think comcast gets by???).

Why was I not surprised to see the responses to this thread? :)

As much as I agree that these are more in a long line of cuts, once again I'll be one of the ones who accepts it relatively quietly. The lack of complimentary meals in TATL Y may actually affect me, but I've never enjoyed airplane food and it's only seemed to get more unappealing over the years. I doubt that I would (often) pay $9 for BOB fresh food - I can get equal or better fresh food in the terminal for that kind of money, and I'd probably be doing that anyway given my (recently increasing) dislike of airplane food.

If and when I can sit in domestic C regularly, I'll probably lament the service downgrades, but as a Y customer who never enjoyed airplane food, I'm just keeping quiet. Other than this post, of course. :)

Personally speaking, my flying UA is tied to one thing: E+. If E+ goes, I go back to Lufthansa. LH beats UA hands-down in every department... except comfort in Y. Since I don't like recovering from a longhaul flight, I choose comfort - and hence UA - over all other intangibles.

This move by UA is penny-wise and pound-foolish... but most FF will eventually regain their bearings and just either pack accordingly or stock up on food at their departure airport.

I understand why this nickle-and-diming is ticking people off, though.

Thanks for those links. Well - it does indeed look like the story may be true unless, of course, the "leaked internal document" was intended as a balloon to test customer reactions. If that's the case its pretty clear that this is already a public relations disaster on a grand scale. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what the response of UA's "competitors" is. If they respond with similar measures then the poor domestic US flyer is in for some rather hungry moments on transcontinental flights.

Perhaps this is the new management thinking style at UA.

These AS commercials from the late 80's can truly apply to UA these days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q8ylG4c3qE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjkiCmPYz7Q&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYspsgIjb4U&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thDbVKB2v7w

Enjoy!

Really? On IAD-LHR BA flies 3-4 times a day and VS twice, and IAD is NOT THEIR HUB.

OK, let me hyperventilate more.
Your assessment is probably correct for time being, but I could bet my last dollar on scenario that BOBs will only get more expensive and crappier as time goes on. :td:

Can't say I've ever head the "pleasure" of experiencing the BOB. I boycott the Snack Boxes (IMHO, processed food such as that is pitiful), and on trans-cons/Hawaii flights where they are offered, I have always upgraded.

That said, I guess on my up-coming DEN-IAD flight in October, I might buy the trial Fresh Food BOB. I guess I won't have a choice on the continuing segment onto FRA now. I think I'll buy Wendy's (time allowing) in the terminal. Oh how I wish I had chosen to connect through ORD...got IAD on the way back from MUC, too. GRRR!

In reference to the above post, I for one enjoyed the meal I was served in May in Y on my LHR-DEN flight. It was lasanga, and along with the side meals, was infinitely better than the Charlie Trotter meal I had forced upon me in C on the out-bound segment.

If they are going to offer BOB, that's bad enough. But, at least offer a larger hot meal option for purchase. A sandwich/salad just ain't enough.