Comments on: United Furthers Trend to Offer Elite Benefits to Everyone Else

By: Evan Stone

Evan Stone — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:14:00 +0000

I enjoy my Elite Status, and I do make some effort to make sure I achieve it. I also am a blatant snob. I loved it when only snobby people like me got to enjoy elite status. But, I have to admit that I agree with the anti-snob Avleen – these benefits should be available to the occasional flyer that is willing to pony up the money. If someone only travels once or twice a year they should be able to buy an elite benny like Priority boarding. But…. United would be smart to maintain the value of this benny by capping the number they will sell at any given time. Meanwhile, I fly over 60 flights per year – and even if the benefit is just avoiding 60 $25.00 fees that is petty good. That works out to over $1500.

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 02:47:36 +0000

It’s the same at my home airport (ATL), but even so, it’s annoying to see people slow up the line.

I guess if I were a GOOD American, in the spirit of Sam Adams and Thomas Paine, and the people who launched the Boston Tea Party… and not just a pathetic sheep… I would clog the line myself and complain about how stupid and counterproductive the TSA’s Security Theater is… but I am ashamed to say, I am just a sheep… and all I want to do to just get through that process as quickly as possible. Yes, intellectually, I know the TSA’s idiocy will probably cause us to lose a plane some day… and I honestly do pray to the Lord that won’t happen (while fearing that it probably willl), but my selfish, unpatriotic, self-centered goal is still just to pass through the Security Theater as quickly and easily as possible. Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa. I know that I owe my fellow passengers, and myself, altruistic civil disobedience… but I am no longer in the mood… I just want to get home as quickly as possible, so I put my liquids in 3 oz bottles, take off my shoes, smile while they X-Ray people’s 1/4 inch flip-flops, and just hope that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson will somehow forgive me, while I hurry home to my family.

By: Nicholas Barnard

Nicholas Barnard — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:19:16 +0000

Dan – At many airports (SeaTac comes to mind) the elite access line only gets you to the ID check quicker, not through the actual security line quicker.

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 03:22:59 +0000

There’s another problem with selling access to elite security lines; you add infrequent travelers, who are willing to pay an extra $25 to access a quicker line, but who don’t travel frequently enough to actually move through the line quickly and efficiently. By limiting access to people who actually fly all the time, at least you ensure that all the people in the priority line actually know how to comply with the TSA’s absurd (and probably safety-compromising, but that’s a different matter) rules and regulations, so that at least the line moves quickly. It’s not fair to allow clueless one-time-a-year travelers who can spring for an extra $25 to slow down the elite lines for the actual road warriors who have to deal with these lines weekly, but who at least know what to do to keep thing moving quickly (if stupidly).

By: Louis B.

Louis B. — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:20:12 +0000

I think the criteria for UA GS is $50K on first/biz per calendar year. That is my guess, based on my experience.

By: Albert

Albert — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:45:10 +0000

Err, posted that too fast.

I also wanted to comment that I’ve got a special place in my heart for US. UA managed to lose my bags in JFK during a Christmas trip 3 years ago and because I got transferred to a US flight (after the cancellation of a UA flight and thus the misplacement of said bags) to DC US was then responsible for tracking my bags. The people at … DC (forgot whether it was IAD or DCA) were very helpful and friendly.

I’ve got another trip coming up starting in about a week’s time and by coincidence (well, it was the availability of T-fare seats for the Star Alliance NA airpass) the domestic US flights are mostly with US with 1 CO and 1 UA flights. I’ve applied all the lessons learned from travelling back home to the States the past few years and I hope that there really will be no drama this time around …

By: Albert

Albert — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:39:13 +0000

I’m not sure how UA does its calculation for UGS but SQ’s SGD 25k requirement for PPS club is SGD 25k first/business class only. That is, racking $25k in econ seats is not going to get you anything despite the fact that you’re bringing in the same amount. I’m guessing this has to do more with profit margins and all that.

By: AC

AC — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:25:25 +0000

Avleen-I totally agree, you shouldn’t have to have an status to get good treatment but sadly I don’t find that as the norm on any airline. I just checked in for a United flight (booked through US Airways) and the customer service rep was rather rude when I asked her to add my FF mile number to the reservation (why it didn’t transfer I have no idea).

On Alaska-once I was flying back from the West Coast and United and they had overbooked the flight. It was a red-eye and I was quite fine with window economy plus seat. They called my name and told me they could send me direct from SeaTac to Boston (avoiding the connection in SFO) but it would be the middle seat in the back row that didn’t recline. Um-no!!!

I’ve never flown Alaska but they have virtually no presence in Boston. It’s USAirways, United or American really so I stick with US Air. I know most people hate them, but they treat me well.

Respectful treatment should be the norm but sadly it just isn’t.

By: Avleen Vig

Avleen Vig — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:49:06 +0000

AC, i’m glad you get some great treatment from US Airways.
But to be honest, it sounds like the treatment I get form Alaska all the time, regardless of my frequent flier status.
I had been flying with them semi-regularly for a few months (every 3 or 4 weeks).
One time, my flight was delayed, and I missed two connecting flights.
They put me on the next flight to an airport 50 miles farther away. They upgraded me to first class to apologize for the delays (which were NOT their fault), and paid for a taxi to get me home.

All airlines should be like this, all of the time. You shouldn’t have to be a high flier to get great treatment.
This was my point, that is all :-)

By: Louis B.

Louis B. — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:54:19 +0000

well, as a Global Services Mileage Plus member, this should be no surprise in this economic climate. After all, United only sees me as the money I bring them every year and if I decrease my flying with them, GS membership goes away. Loyalty? Yeah… it is all about the money!! That said, I do enjoy the perks of GS!