NEWS Fuck You United Airlines

[picklesuit]

Nice of them to keep me in the loop. Always easier when someone communicates...

 

[HuggyU2]

Did you ask United to bring the bag to you, and that you were unable to come to the airport to retrieve it?

 

[wink]

So you are NOT paying MORE for overhead bin space...you are paying LESS to NOT use it.
It is a tiered ticket rate, and they are just offering a lower priced ticket with different options.

Yes, and infact, AA went to this some time ago. Group 9 boarding is hand bag under seat carry on only. The ticket is less expense than all others. I am surprised how many folks opt for it.

The problem is not oversize carry on bags. I very rarely see a bag carried on that doesn't fit. And I do see AA agents divert people to the sizer. The problem is number of bags carried on, which the new UAL and AA policy attempts to fix by incentivizing people to not carry on by giving them a break on fare. That benefits the rest of us who need space for our carry on bags

I know it seems illogical that we board aisle seats before others, but lots of money is spent on research to determine the fastest way to board. If boarding aisles last was faster they would do it. It means $$$$. Meanwhile, consider SWA boarding. Most people fill aisles first, yet SWA is hearlded as the most efficient boarding. Hum.

 

[Angry]

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.19.2106&rep=rep1&type=pdf

If you truly wish to geek out on this...

 

[picklesuit]

Did you ask United to bring the bag to you, and that you were unable to come to the airport to retrieve it?

If you want something done right, do it yourself...
Plane was landing at 2100 (2230 in actuality) and there was no way they were going to make the 46 minute drive to the base at midnight.

I took the few hours out of my day to hang out with WiFi and the duty driver so I could hang up the khakis.

 

[HokiePilot]

Yes, and infact, AA went to this some time ago. Group 9 boarding is hand bag under seat carry on only. The ticket is less expense than all others. I am surprised how many folks opt for it.

The problem is not oversize carry on bags. I very rarely see a bag carried on that doesn't fit. And I do see AA agents divert people to the sizer. The problem is number of bags carried on, which the new UAL and AA policy attempts to fix by incentivizing people to not carry on by giving them a break on fare. That benefits the rest of us who need space for our carry on bags

Within the past week, AA changed the policy and is now allowing carry ons for Basic Economy (group 9) customers. It surprised me. The basic economy fare is designed to get some of the passengers that would go on low cost carriers while still maintaining the higher fares of legacy carriers for most passengers. The fares include restrictive rules to discourage most passengers from using them.

I was around for a discussion between the gate agent for my flight and our lead flight attendant. We were at the gate early and just chatting. She (the gate agent) mentioned to him (the flight attendant) that rows 1-10 were empty and 11-25 were full. Many of the customers were group 9 she could not move their seats. He would have to spread out the passengers as he wished.

It wasn't really a weight and balance issue. I've never gotten bad W&B in the -700/900. We get bad W&B in the -200 all the time and have to move passengers aft.

Make no mistake. Airlines are businesses that have a duty to their shareholders to return a profit.

 

[insanebikerboy]

If you want something done right, do it yourself...
Plane was landing at 2100 (2230 in actuality) and there was no way they were going to make the 46 minute drive to the base at midnight.

I took the few hours out of my day to hang out with WiFi and the duty driver so I could hang up the khakis.

A few years ago I flew Qantas to Sydney. My bag was delayed in LAX and they gave me a bag with toiletries, a T-shirt, shorts, and slippers, plus a voucher for some food before I left the airport.

They even delivered my bag to my hotel, which was a follow-on flight and then an additional hour and a half drive.

 

[wink]

Thanks. I didn't know

Within the past week, AA changed the policy and is now allowing carry ons for Basic Economy (group 9) customers. It surprised me. The basic economy fare is designed to get some of the passengers that would go on low cost carriers while still maintaining the higher fares of legacy carriers for most passengers. The fares include restrictive rules to discourage most passengers from using them.

I was around for a discussion between the gate agent for my flight and our lead flight attendant. We were at the gate early and just chatting. She (the gate agent) mentioned to him (the flight attendant) that rows 1-10 were empty and 11-25 were full. Many of the customers were group 9 she could not move their seats. He would have to spread out the passengers as he wished.

It wasn't really a weight and balance issue. I've never gotten bad W&B in the -700/900. We get bad W&B in the -200 all the time and have to move passengers aft.

Make no mistake. Airlines are businesses that have a duty to their shareholders to return a profit.

Thanks. I didn't know. Have been out on a medical for 4 months now. AA changing their policy recently is curious given UAL is going to it.

 

[Fallonflyr]

Flew United all the way from KSEA to Naha, Okinawa, via SFO and Narita.

24 hour travel day, on a weekend. I’d give UAL a B- overall.

Flights themselves weren’t bad, SEA to SFO was ontime departure, early landing. I got the free upgrade to an exit row when I checked in at SEA with the military ID and asking for “more legroom.”

Layover in SFO was about three hours, which was just enough time to get one of my two bags on the plane. I’m not a translog guy, but I always kinda thought the bags would pretty much go on as they came in and reverse order out, staying close-ish together.

Regardless, the majority of my flight gear/uniform stuff is still in the USA as I type this from Kadena.
Luckily I packed my khakis and a flight suit, unluckily neither set of footwear to go with. Cramming the size 13’s into a pair of 11.5’s for the day today.

SFO to Narita was around ten hours, winds were fairly light. I had the option to take my window seat at 40A, or get more legroom in economy plus in the middle seat. I opted for the window, which was the right call. Ended up next to a couple of fluffy Americans, one of which was a a YNC on his way to Guam that was waaaaay out of regs for size.
Immediate neighbor on the right was a plump 25 y/o midwestern girl in a pair of Lululemons doing yeoman’s duty (see what I did there?) holding in years of processed food attached to her thighs.

Those thighs repeatedly encroached on my side of her armrest, which, in her defense, may be a direct result of the size of the barrel-assed YNC to her right.

Either way, I was able to escape to my wall and window, and she didn’t seem too upset when I used my “man space” legroom to stretch and squished up against her rolls.

Thankfully she was well laundered and bathed, and had appropriate antiperspirant applied, as there was no malodorous contributions to the flight from her.

Can’t say the same for me, after eating the meals United provided...I had ramen or chicken/rice for “lunch” (at 14-1500 PST?) so went chicken/rice. I was missing MRE’s by the end of that meal.

Free beer/wine was nice, but due to the location outboard of two beefalos I did the tactical dehydration, only had to pee once the whole flight.

Movie selection was the best part of the deal, managed to see 4.6 good flicks. The content editing on Kingsman 2 was a little heavy, though, enough to be distracting.

Breakfast (at 2100 PST?) was an omelette that was actually decent.

Got to Narita in fine shape, and in a good mood, which I lost along with my bag between immigration and customs.

Japanese were helpful, UAL baggage lady walked me through customs with my paperwork for the missing bag. Supposedly it is arriving tonight, so may take the duty driver to retrieve it...

Domestic terminal at Narita is a throwback to my days riding Greyhound out of Bakersfield. Crowded, hot, with TV I couldn’t understand. Are my noodles and Kirin in peace before it got really crowded, then hid out to watch videos on the iPhone.
AC would go a long way to make that terminal respectable.

Flight to Naha was about half military and half locals, but of course I got to sit by the Indian/Bangladeshi guy with swamp-nuts. We were an hour late off deck, of which we spent thirty minutes waiting on the little bus from terminal D to the plane.

Thankfully we had an empty seat between us, so I discretely pointed my vent and the middle vent at him and launched his odors across the aisle.

767 seat is about as comfortable as the ejection seat in the T-6, and baggage handling in Naha was almost as slow as my lost bag.

Thankfully I had a good buddy picking me up, so I got in at a reasonable time.

Now I get to start hinge-ing.

UAL needs to get their translog side working better, the customer service part was solid.
Pickle

Most bags lost on international connections are due to Uncle Sugar’s blue shirt idiots. I’m sure there are some TSA dudes sporting some bitchin flight gear back in SFO.

 

[RobLyman]

Gotta love AA experience from Jax to Norfolk today. 0847 flight through Charlotte cancelled 2200 night before. Switched to 1247 through Philly. Delayed until 1320, then 1350, and then 1405. APU inop, so gate start and gate (weak) air.

 

[HuggyU2]

So to summarize:
- "Flights themselves weren't bad."
- Ontime departures
- Early arrivals
- You got a free upgrade to an exit row... and even got the window seat you asked for on the next, long flight.
- You were offered free beer and wine, but turned it down.
- Great movie selection. BTW, airlines don't control the "airline edit" versions of movies that are played.
- Breakfast was "actually decent".
- Arrived refreshed and in a good mood.

For the negatives:
- You sat next to overweight "fluffy" people. United's fault?
- You didn't care for the Economy meal for lunch. Did you expect a gourmet meal in Economy? Did you look at United's meal selection online before you boarded? Did you know that SEA has some awesome restaurants in the terminal... some of the best in US airports... and that you can buy food there and carry it on, and not deal with "airline food"? I'm assuming that you are an experienced airline traveller and would know this.
- Narita domestic terminal isn't good and needs air conditioning. Does United own, build and upgrade the Japanese airport infrastructure? Is it their fault?
- Your bag was delayed.
-- That said, the Japanese United lady was helpful and walked you through the process.
-- United would bring you your bag, but you elected not to use that service because "If you want something done right, do it yourself..."

And that's a B- on your report card?

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Huggy’s right. Pickle you should be thankful you didn’t get your ass beat and drug off the plane.

 

[zippy]

Huggy’s right. Pickle you should be thankful you didn’t get your ass beat and drug off the plane.

I’d personally be disappointed... that’s worth $millions.

 

[Pags]

So to summarize:
- "Flights themselves weren't bad."
- Ontime departures
- Early arrivals
- You got a free upgrade to an exit row... and even got the window seat you asked for on the next, long flight.
- You were offered free beer and wine, but turned it down.
- Great movie selection. BTW, airlines don't control the "airline edit" versions of movies that are played.
- Breakfast was "actually decent".
- Arrived refreshed and in a good mood.

For the negatives:
- You sat next to overweight "fluffy" people. United's fault?
- You didn't care for the Economy meal for lunch. Did you expect a gourmet meal in Economy? Did you look at United's meal selection online before you boarded? Did you know that SEA has some awesome restaurants in the terminal... some of the best in US airports... and that you can buy food there and carry it on, and not deal with "airline food"? I'm assuming that you are an experienced airline traveller and would know this.
- Narita domestic terminal isn't good and needs air conditioning. Does United own, build and upgrade the Japanese airport infrastructure? Is it their fault?
- Your bag was delayed.
-- That said, the Japanese United lady was helpful and walked you through the process.
-- United would bring you your bag, but you elected not to use that service because "If you want something done right, do it yourself..."

And that's a B- on your report card?

The whole "no air conditioning bit?" Welcome to Japan. They dont really get/do AC so I'm not surprised. Sure, a culture/temp shock coming from SEA but such is life. When I lived in base housing in Japan we were lucky if the temp inside was below 80 with the AC running full blast.

 

[Gatordev]

I was lucky I even had AC in my first condo in Hawaii (one unit in the living room, one in the bedroom). I didn't have any in the second place I lived. Although living next door to Paul Mitchell's and Michelle Pfiefer's mansions and walking 100' to the beach made living with ceiling fans okay.