Why Must "the Rules" Be Secret?
 

Why must "the rules" be secret, and not available to the flying public via the internet, or otherwise?

As a 1K with 900,000+ lifetime UAL miles, I am still amazed at the lack of consistency in applying "the rules" by generally well-meaning UAL employees who vary greatly in their knowledge, experience, and initiative.

Examples include the details of PMO codes on certificates, qualification for hotel and meal vouchers if stranded, ability to request cash travel credits in lieu of a free ticket voucher if bumped, 1K ability to make same-day changes without penalty, upgrade rules (i.e., 1546 miles takes only three 500 mile certs because 50 miles overage is ignored, certs needed on DEN-ORD-MIA connecting flights computed as DEN-MIA direct flight), etc.

It is so frustrating that agents often don't know the rules - and we don't have access to them to give them the code or rule # to look them up. Why can't they be available?


[This message has been edited by Colo1K (edited 03-25-2002).]

Can't think of any area of life where all of the rules are explicit, transparent, consistently applied, universally accepted, and stable.

If you expect your mobility to be vital to your career or personal life, the Rules are the price.

Anyway, my $0.02.

In my opinion, I think that is a an easy excuse to take blame off of an airline for not being explicit on something as simple as rules. We have the right to know these rules, and I expect to know them. Colo1K is correct in saying that it is appalling that the agents vary so greatly in the application of said rules.

I understand that the rules are very many and complicated and that in a perfect world, everyone would know everything and everything would be fine and dandy. However, for an agent to know an airline's policies and rules is not asking too much. The level of inconsistency we've been experiencing has simply gone off the edge. It almost feels to me like we're doing THEM a favor by flying them. Something wrong there, you think?

In addition, it is not always correct to blame individual agents on their personal incompetencies in applying said rules. There is evidence that United does NOT provide training to certain non-Service Director type reservations agents and simply expect them to either find out for themselves or say "no." Great approach.

Case in point. I posted earlier about the ability to see on United's reservations system some internet fares (not e-fares, the ones you get every mid-week day) on united.com. We've all been told "sorry, Sir/Ma'am, we can't see that fare - it's an internet fare." AFAIK, it's a load of hot air, because they CAN see it, just that only Service Directors were ever trained to look at them, so the rest of the agents are left on their own.

So in conclusion, the lack of consistency in training contributes to part of the entire story of dissatisfaction and lack of reliability. In essence, the disservice we deal with is partly a product of the management's failure to properly inform and train their employees and in the end, who loses out? EVERYONE - the customer who is increasingly fed up with inconsistencies like we are noticeably getting here on FT, the employee who feels like they are left to fend for their lives because they have no idea what their company policies are especially if they have changed (re: SWU 2003, non-upgradeable fares, fare rules) and in the end, UAL because some of us will defect if this doesn't stop.

Consider this a stern warning, United.

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When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci



[This message has been edited by *HighFlyah* (edited 03-25-2002).]

You actually don't believe the above, do you?
I thought you were smarter than that! Maybe some more e-mails from Charlie Johnson will help. (No http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif on purpose)

Very funny, Marty http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


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When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci

You won me over. I have a healthy tolerance for "undocumented benefits", but little patience for management tossing rookie customer service agents at more-experienced customers, and obligating us to discern fair treatment from poor training.

We shouldn't have to call back until we like the answer we get.

Exactly, well-spoken, supposable.

I just realized that we've been calling back again and again (we've even established that as the "FlyerTalk mantra" in a way) not to get benefits we aren't entitled to but really to (most of the time at least) get what we deserve. It's not right.

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When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci

What's just as annoying to me is being told (for international flights) that there's only a more expensive M or B fare available when you can see H5 on ual.com as clear as daylight. "Sorry, sir, I can't see that". Why on earth not? Is an H fare an internet-only fare? I've frequently had this response, hung up, booked the H fare at ual.com, and then called again to have it upgraded, successfully. Doesn't sound like an internet-only fare to me.

At the further risk of sounding like a chronic whiner, how many times has anyone here felt like jumping through the phone and strangling whoever is dealing with you? Now I realize that it's not always the agent's fault, that if we were to strangle someone, there are quite a few "someone's" to strangle in management instead.




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When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci