onlyquestions

I feel for her pain, but she didn't need to be an a-hole about it.

I remember once connecting through New York on AA...upgrades did not clear, we just missed it to some EXPs...it was the last JFK-LHR flight of the night, and ended up being cancelled because of mechanical problems. We missed our connecting flight to India because of it.

All of the other Passengers were extremely irate! We were very pleasant with the GA about the whole problem, GA booked us on the next day's flight, I inquired about applying our unsuccessful upgrade requests to this newly booked flight, the GA gave us a wink and a nod, and handed us BPs for biz class -- WITHOUT applying the upgrades/copays. Then he thanked us for our patience and our loyalty.

So many passengers just don't get it: we attract more with honey than vinegar. One can be assertive without being offensive.

Looking forward to making 1K this year.

why fly

Perfect! everyone should be happy! ^ gate agents dont need hassles like that!

nerd

The status in your profile says you're lying.

spkg

I happen to think that's the real problem with UA now days. Giving customers free stuff so their jobs could be easier in the future (because more customers would be inclined to be nice to them or even kiss their a$$es). In this case all that seem to be at the expense of United, but the costs would be ultimately be distributed throughout all paying customers. Also in many other occassions it would be at the expenses of other customers directly. I've even seen customer bribing GA with boxes of chocolates and other goodies, and get upgrades in return. I'm not blaming any customers here, but rather many GA's selflishness.

There are many customers who are not familiar with UA's policies, and have to ask the GA for many things that might annoy them. Take seats for example, there are so many people who dosen't know the difference between "confirmed without seat assignment" and being on "standby". How could you possible blame someone like that for asking for their seats, because they're worried they might not get on the flight otherwise.

And in the case of the Woman in the OP's story, i think she kept asking because she was worried about exactly what happened, and has anyone thought of the possibility that she needed to have the upgrade because she had a tight connection and she wannted to sit at the front of the plane, or maybe her e500s were expiring soon after the flight.

I don't know why everyone here at FT is defending the GAs and so critical of our fellow travelers.

buaya00

Good for you.....PR, GS or 1k does not excuse the attitude. Maybe she'll learn from this.^

Grace B

I'd advise you not to try this kind of stunt with me, sweetie.

I don't yell at people (as a rule) but I could make the odd exception.

yyznomad

Made me happy just reading about it

mre5765

The OP ended the squabbling and unpleasantness.

The offender was making a big deal over an upgrade from SFO to PDX, not SFO to SYD.

You know the expression: "The battles are so vicious because the stakes are so small."

Besides which, 1Ps get so few e500s. UA's PC travel desk says it is a 551 mile trip; isn't that two e500s? Really a poor use of upgrades. The OP saved the 1P from a mistake.

KMHT FF

[Edited by moderator to delete a quoted post (and reply) now deleted.]

This is one of the reasons why a lot of airline personnel can't stand low- and mid-tier elites.

Know enough of a little, but not the whole picture, to cause a lot of problems.

mlcrx2b

Another ^ to the OP. I would have done exactly the same thing if I were in your shoes. It's always fun to knock the DYKWIA people down a few pegs.

germansoks

the poster you quote was talking about his experience on AA. I also disagree with your logic no matter which airline you apply it to.

JenGal

Oh please. There are plenty of 1Ks and then some that don't know squat about the rules. When I upgraded myself and my parents to BIZ on a trip to Europe last year, the GAs and FAs were all the nicest I had ever seen to my parents because THEY KNEW my folks were not big elites and they weren't going to have to deal with BS from them (were even given a free bottle of wine to take home with them on the return).

hmmm... why did this make me so ornery on a fine Saturday morning?

Okay... back to the topic. The woman was out of control. No reason whatsoever to act the way she did and I have no problemo with what the OP did.

stanfordhokie

The massive ^'s to the OP are really bizarre. It was a fight that he was NOT going to upgrade, but did so purely out of spite. That's weird in any circumstance. OP should have minded his own business instead of going out of his way with a vengeance and then bragging about that behavior here.

This thread is so weird, if not disturbing.

Moving on.

violist

I was all set to get bent out of shape by OP's cruelty, but given the
circumstance as described, I might well have done the same thing.

JenGal

I don't think all people are necessarily saying that they would do it. I wouldn't think of it --- and I also don't have the status to do it.

And noone really knows the lady's circumstances. If it was as bad as the OP described, I don't think this is vengenance, I think it was (1) saving the GA (which I know is not our job, but I have found many nice ones in addition to some monsters and "they are people too"), and (2) having the woman take a step back and get herself under control.

I've been bursting with anger at times in my life, usually built up from several things going wrong at once, but you can't take it out on the poor soul that "breaks the camels back". The few times I've let rip on someone undeserved, I have felt terrible about it. REALLY wanting an upgrade is okay -- being verbally abusive about getting it, particularly for such a short flight, is ridiculous. Nothing wrong with her getting a reality check.