ozstamps

Transpac ... I do know on It'l flights I have received SkyPacks or SkyChecks or something for a specificed ammount due to 747 footrests not working or whatever. Purser filled it out with her staff number on it, flight, date and reason and you mail it in, and they mail a $300 CS check or whatever. Maybe Bear was saying they are now not available on domesic flights?

Had one heck of a job getting last SkyCheck post 9/11 as I think they curbed a lot of in-flight freebies that used to be at the discretion of pursers?

I do personally agree the tearing up of $25CS up was boorish.

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~ Glen ~

basenji

Transpac-

Those vouchers you are referring to are gone, discontinued, byebye for some time now.

Bear96's point is that the flight attendant was trying to do all that they could to help remedy the situation.

The act of tearing up the voucher is childish and insulting. The flight attendant did what they could.

Such behavior does not belong in polite society....

basenji

The tone of this medium has gone downhill, especially when such insults are hurled at those of us who take the time to be of help on the board (and I know I've been of significant help to many, even intervening personally in particular situations).

Your post is out of line. Bear96 is deserving of an apology....

[This message has been edited by basenji (edited 06-22-2002).]

[This message has been edited by basenji (edited 06-23-2002).]

SFO_FT

bear96, basenji, jana: just wanted to let you know that there are a whole slew of us that TRULY value your contributions -- both in the air, on the ground, and in this forum. I feel confident in saying that 99% of us that read these postings (and that includes a whole slew of FT's that don't post frequently or at all) cringe every time a personal slam/comment is made against someone else, especially in a public forum. I just don't get that -- never will -- I use this forum to obtain/share info not to make friends/enemies. I hope others share my view that we really appreciate the insights you provide -- you add a personal touch to what for most of us (yourselves included) is a big corporation for which we have shown extraordinary loyalty. The insights you add helps me to better understand why things can/can't happen. Feel it makes be a better pax to the airline -- I've always felt that UA is one of the best at keeping me loyal (yes, even better than SQ!) OK, time to get off the soapbox.

richard

Basenji and Bear96, a few posts that are thoughtless or inconsiderate do not represent all the people who have benefited from your contributions, both on FT and offline. Thank you very much and prey continue!

cblaisd

I can only say "ditto" and "amen." You three have been consistently helpful, irenic in spirit, and kept a sense of humor. Thank you for all of those things, transpac 's jejune and small-minded and mean-spirited comment notwithstanding.



[This message has been edited by cblaisd (edited 06-22-2002).]

ozstamps

Basenji and Bear96. I like many others here have benefited enormously from your informative posts in the past, and hope they continue for some time. (And indeed those of your other fine FA colleagues like Liz and those in other UA areas like GGPillow, Frick, UAX@SFO, MarkRogers and many others.)

There are endless things you folks have announced here and or clarified with authority here that NONE of us would otherwise have known about.

* * I DO SINCERELY HOPE YOU RE-CONSIDER. * *

Many of the boards here on FT have working FA's as integral members due to their obvious enthusiasm for their own careers, and their true belief in their own companies. PUCCI GALORE for instance is a FA and is a key member on the BA Forum with 1,000 posts, and from what I have seen is always treated with great respect.

I have always greatly disliked the snide 'employee class' type remarks etc. I do hope posters can be more thoughtful with their comments sometimes, bearing in mind that UA employees are indeed always posting in our midst, and simply trying to assist US in their own time. These folks are not PAID to be here like Adam Burke or Starwood Lurker are by Hilton and SPG.

Mutual respect works both ways.

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~ Glen ~



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 06-22-2002).]

dhammer53

Bear96 and basenji,

I understand how you feel. I got involved in 'one of these' type of discussion; and didn't open that particular forum for a week. I was FUMING to say the least. You're right, who needs this sh!* anyway.

I understand the frustration of the passenger. He was 'dramatic' in tearing up the cert and that's ok. Just a pressure release valve, and no harm done. Maybe I would have done it differently.

Please don't let the mean spirited words of a few get you down. You know we love the 2 B's very much. We need you.

It's your 'voice of reason' that keep us UA flyers sane. Just imagine what would happen if you weren't here.

Funny thing is that I read this thread when it had just a few posts. After you posted that you were leaving, someone 'pulled the fire alarm' and managed to ring up dhammer53.

Looks like a flyertalk was an 'angel' today, instead of the other way around!

And one more thing...Please reconsider.

Dan

UAX@SFO

This topic got nasty quickly.

auggie doggie: I sincerely apologize that your trip did not live up to anywhere near your expectations. However, the tone in which you have written your letter would get little sympathy from me if I worked in WHQCS. Again, I'm very sorry about the events that transpired. Things can and will go wrong, and it's all about how it is handled. At least you got to LAX within a somewhat reasonable amount of time.

We at United & United Express honestly do try hard, and for the most part, offer what we believe to be a good product. Again, my apologies, and hope you would consider United again. And especially as a 1K, you would know more than anyone what can go wrong, due to the sheer number of segments you have flown.

We certainly do appreciate your loyalty.

everyone: While my presence is usually un-noticed (from my perspective), I lurk and do try to answer questions, etc. In some ways I sense growing hostility towards the employees on this board. While I'm a distant cousin of bear96, basenji, jana, et al., we work to keep the same customers happy. We don't get paid to contribute to this board. We go above and beyond the call of duty and try and keep our best customers happy and up-to-date.

We do expect a fair amount of criticism as we are still trying to regain our footing, but resorting to petty attacks on individuals is beneath every member of this board.

Kai
United Express/SkyWest - SFO

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My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer, SkyWest Airlines, or those of our major partners, United Airlines & Delta Air Lines, respectively.

[This message has been edited by UAX@SFO (edited 06-22-2002).]

tom911

>>>In some ways I sense growing hostility towards the employees on this board. While I'm a distant cousin of bear96, basenji, jana, et al., we work to keep the same customers happy<<<

I personally appreciate all the UA employees, be they F/A's, gate agents, or pilots, that take the time to educate us here on a daily basis. Keep up the good work!

basenji

I was a bit hasty in my post, and have edited it. Sorry - I wasn't intending to grovel for affection (although I will accept what I can get...heheh).

Let me tell you what I observed this week. I found the behavior disturbing and probably contributed to my hasty post.

I was pass-riding, seated in a half-full 757 First Class. 2 hour flight, leaving around 8PM.

I was impressed with the very junior crew. They were poised, polished - from welcoming every passenger on the lightly boarded flight, to the refills on the predeparture service etc. Top notch.

I was in 5D. The 1K passenger in 4C threw a complete tirade over the lack of meal service. Many of you may have noticed the short-haul meal service past say 7:45PM has been discontinued in favour of beefing up the breakfast offerings (which have been substantially improved).

Mr. Hungry 1K, who I witnessed gabbing on his mobile phone a full 50 minutes before departure at the gate, screamed profanities at the crew claiming he had no time to eat and what where they going to do about it? (Funny, there were at least 4 open food establishments within 100 feet of the gate, but I do accept that many times passengers with connections do not have time to grab something to eat before they board....this didn't apply to him, however.).

One of the flight attendants offered up her crew meal to the Hungry 1K to try and pacify his tirade.

He grudgingly accepted. His behavior, however, became worse. He didn't like the Chicken. He hated the Salad Dressing... "Don't you have anything else? I can't believe it.....blah blah blah"

He threw his roll on the floor in disgust. At this point, the meal tray was removed. His comment - "I wouldn't feed that to my dog".....

I thought I was at some DayCare center where the little boy in the hi-chair was throwing a tantrum.

After the flight, I discovered the crew had worked a full 12 1/2 hour duty day - this was their only meal provisioned, and the flight attendant who gave it her meal to the jerk was just recently back on the line, after being in the ranks of the unemployed for 6 months during furlough. Probably not too flush with cash to be spending money for food at her layover point.

I'm sure it made Mr. 1K feel good to engage in his behavior. There are times when we all want to act out over what we perceive as irritants. I've seen lots of injustices at this airline towards our customers.

However, it isn't always appropriate to act out just because it makes us feel good.

When someone is genuinely trying to help within their means, and you rip up that voucher, or you throw the food that has been offered to you, I find it reprehensible. Insulting behavior, however much it makes you feel good doesn't really go far to solve the problem, and eats away at your credibility in your complaint, irregardless of it's merit.

Moderator2

FLAMING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IF THE INTENDED PARTY IS AN UNITED EMPLOYEE, OR ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. MY APOLOGIES TO AUGGIE WHO STARTED THE THREAD IN GOOD FAITH, BUT ITS TIME FOR THIS THREAD TO FADE INTO THE ARCHIVES.

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Craig6z
Buzz & United Moderator
[email protected]

ozstamps

Great post basenji.

RichardMEL

*sigh* here we go again. It's pretty sad to see yet again some FT posters (not to mention pax in general, as per Basenji's story) don't have many manners, or choose to discard them at times when it all gets too much. I don't want to single anyone out because it's also interesting to notice some other posters who have had questionable judgement/interactions on this board in the past suddenly become the voice of reason.

I'm also alarmed by the anti-employee bent the board has been taking for the past little while. I'm not a UA employee. I got rejected when I applied (what does that say? ). However, some good friends of mine _are_ employees - some of whom read this board, some who even post from time to time, and others that don't. I would vouch for each one of those people personally in terms of their quality and caliber and dedication to the job - even when some of them work in the "back room" of UA in areas such as management, IT, whatever and are never seen by the paying customer. Every airline and industry has rotten apples - UA's workforce of 80,000+ is going to have some. UA's passenger load is also going to have their fair share. It reminds me of the old airline joke of the businessman screaming to an agent "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" with the pithy response of the agent to page the gate saying "This passenger doesn't know who he is. Can anyone help?" - just because I am a 1K doesn't mean I deserve bow scraping from employees. It means I should get treated according to the advertised rules/procedures, and with respect and a polite manner(unless I do something to not warrant such). The same goes for the first time flyer.

I've witnessed so called "employee class" and NON employee class. I've seen rude agents, but far more rude passengers, and strangely enough I've always had excellent dealings with agents, crews, f/a's, even the 1K room at Dulles (!) staff with a friendly hello or manners (for example, that means saying "Thank You" when passed a tray). It doesn't mean going out of my way to be a gentleman to everyone I come across, but to treat everyone the same way.

I'm sorry to read that some posters here have had bad days - we all do - but some of the comments/attitudes expressed above go beyond what is really acceptable. Flights are not perfect. Problems happen. Somee of the "premium" food on UA has left a lot to be desired, etc etc. So I accept it and move on.

Personally I don't blame folks like Bear and Basenji for feeling defensive because so often people make such generalised statements about employees that it's hard to take it personally (eg: the post the other day titled "It's the PILOTS fault!" - I'm sure someone like Mark Rogers would have been happy to read that).

Finally, it's human nature to forget/ignore the good things that happen/occur and focus on the negative. How many people here have had the odd mileage screw up in their favour, or a SWU not collected, or an op upgrade, or simply an early flight with a friendly crew? It's always easier to remember the 2 hour delay, the surly agent, the unexpected downgrade, or whatever. It would be nice if more people could try and think about all the good things, or at least those experiences that have not been negative in some way before jumping on the "this airline sucks" bandwagon.

Last but not least, let's not forget that everyone here - your fellow posters - are humans too with feelings such as pride - be they million mile flyers, employees or Randy himself. Let's try and remember that.

Thanks for reading...

(edited to correct poor grammar)

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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

[This message has been edited by RichardMEL (edited 06-23-2002).]

ldsant

Could somebody please explain to me this "thing" with food on an airplane? I mean, everybody who flies (and basenji noted that the passenger in question was a 1K) knows that there is no longer food on the plane! If food is that important to you as part of the flying experience (and I swear, I have never thought to myself, "Oh, wait, the flight to Omaha is serving better food than the flight to London, I'll go to Omaha!), then BRING your food onboard. Take responsibility for yourself.

Basenji, Liz, Jana, et. al., your posts are wonderful as always. I for one, along with many others, appreciate the time you spend here.