Enhanced gate "reader" boards and Employee class
 

I am not a big UA or DL flyer but I have had the opportunity recently to see their respective enhanced gate information displays- The DL one was impressive - though it moved pretty quickly - it constantly showed the Standby List etc - but most importantly it had a running tally of passengers in F and Y that were 1:checked in 2:booked but not checked in 3: seats available - I think I got this right - but I do know one thing - My first thought was - THIS WOULD PREVENT EMPLOYEE CLASS NONSENSE AT UA !!! - Having that much information makes it MUCH harder for an agent to not process a legitmate(key word) upgrade request and put an employee in first - just an observation - kazman

Not really, because under your logic, someone who walked up and bought a same-day first class ticket would set off your 'Employee Class' alarm as you watch the DM list change (but not change)...

Obviously, someone could purchase a full fare at the last minute - BUT - the DL system shows the actual list - I don't know if UA does - If I understand correctly, UA processes their upgrade lists, according to their signs in LAS 20 minutes prior to departure - it is highly unlikely that someone would purchase and be processed within the final 20 minutes - so , given the DL system, at the 20 minute mark, you would see the list and your position on it, and the actual number of seats available - I presume that Employees are on the list as well on DL - At UA, from what I have seen , only seat numbers of possible upgrades are listed, there is no way to dispute it when an agent says that F class has checked in full and proceeds to board Employees - on DL this doesn't seem to happen as the numbers are in plain sight and show actual current check-in numbers, those numbers booked but not checked in, and remaining seats - That is a lot of info to be armed with - I am concerned more with Int'l than domestic as I have , like many others here, been left with a legitimate upgrade and legitimate upgrade request and my non-upgraded seat on Int'l flights only to see SA's on the manifest - NOT positive space, but SA's. Just an observation - HK

Realize that such a system isn't as fool proof as you would think. "Checked in" means just that, but you can check in 3,000 miles away. If you've already received a boarding pass, you are not required to be on the plane until something like 5 minutes before departure for a mainline flight. So what that means is that 20 minutes out, there are several people who have checked in but may not make the flight. And the closer you get to departure, the more the agent needs to get the flight out on time.

Please give the agents some slack in this. United tracks their departures as "on time within zero" as opposed to "within fifteen minutes after departure" that the DOT uses. If the flight goes out one second late(as measured by ACARS, and that has something to do with when the brakes are released) that delay must be accounted for. If the gate is messing around with upgrades, then the gate takes responsibility for the delay. Yes, the number one priority should be accomodating the needs/desires of a frequent flying revenue passenger, but there is a numbers game that the entire system is required to play.

Then it should be a good excuse, within the "system," for the departure to be slightly delayed due to gate agents' processing of upgrades. As you say, the entire system must play the game. But if the rules of the game do not correctly incentive proper customer service... Change The Rules.


[This message has been edited by Buster CT1K (edited 12-12-2001).]

I'm not familiar with the United system, but the Delta system is great.

The screens display full standby list, live and constantly changing as new people check-in. If you are flying a peak hour flight to Atlanta and trying to standby on an earlier flight, seeing that you are number fifty-five on a plane with only 3 unsold seats and only 8 non-check-in seats means that you can leave the crowded gate area and grab a bite, etc., without the stress of waiting for the gate agents to yell out those who cleared.

Most importantly, it clears up work for the gate agents so they actually have more time to get the flight out on time, while processing more upgrades!

1. Passengers are no longer asking the gate agents where they stand on the waitlist, so the gate agents can just deal with passengers checking-in, etc.

2. When it comes time to clear the upgrades (or Coach Class standby list), all those who clear transfer to a new screen on the flatscreen displays with their new seat number. They can take their old boarding pass to the boarding door, and the electronic gate reader will spit out a new receipt for the new seat. If you are upgrading, it will deduct the e-upgrade points. While many gate agents do the traditional blurt out the names and issue BP's at the gate, they don't have to. So more pax get upgraded with less work for the gate agents!

That's how it works at Delta. I'm not sure if United EasyCheckIn is that advanced.

So if a high tier elite asks to stand by for a flight lateish in the process, his/her name will go up to the top of the list, moving everyone else down?

That actually sounds like fun http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Of course UA's "solution" to this "problem" will be messages on the screens such as:

United employees flying on a space-available basis may expect to sit in one of the following seats: 1B 1D 2A 2B 2C 3A 3B 3C 3D

Good point, FF. Not great PR to advertise how empty first of three is on domestics. Although I suppose employees WOULD appreciate that...