From the non-existent customer "service" to the surly counter staff to the "we-could-care-less" on board attendents to the filthy and broken down status of the aircraft interiors to the inept and sloppy baggage handling this airline should be ashamed to call itself United. A once good airline know for service and quality has eroded into a terrible state. I have spent my last travel dollar on United and will in fact gladly pay more to use another line. It is so bad that if United is the only option to travel to some location then that location will be scratched from list. Our most recent experience with United to/from Maui just underscored this. Returned yesterday and while the time in Maui was wonderful getting there and back on United was terrible. I commented that it too bad that Southwest, an airline that knows how to do things RIGHT, does not have service to Hawaii...if they did then United could go ahead and die. I suspect that since Southwest has begun service in Denver that it is only a matter of time until United is gone...the sooner the better.

Of course I know I can not blame the employees. If I had been through what they have been I would be in a bad mood too. It must be very maddening to continue to have wages cut, pensions dropped, etc. etc. when the top dogs continue to loot the company and draw down their multi-million dollar salaries. Sad but true in most US companies these days.

If United were to shut down, how many people would be out of jobs?

And what do you think the impact on fares is when competition was reduced in any given market?

Like I said I will galdly pay more to avoid ever flying on United again. They have seen the last of my money. What good is a cheap fare (and United sure as hell ain't that cheap) if there is no customer service, the planes appear to under maintained (and that is just what is visible God forbid that one even think what must be going on with the mechanical aspects), filthy, torn and broken interiors, run down toilets, surly on-board service, POOR on-time record, filthy baggage facilities - oh the list just goes on and on and on. This has to be the worst US airline in the air and it will be no loss (except to the poor workers who have been getting screwed but not kissed for years)when it deservedly dies.

Finally, someone who hates US as much as I do (problem is, my husband has no greater problem with this airline than any other and flies frequently Boston-Chicago, on which route it is best priced and scheduled carrier - that leaves us with many FF miles that I end up using)

gail, it is UA (United) that you hate, not US (USAir). Use your UA miles on US if you want or on another *Alliance partner. DH can fly on UA and have the miles accrue to an ANA account if you want. If flying on United is that awful then you can use those miles for lots of other things.

I stopped flying United in 2001 and switched to American Airlines as my preferred carrier. I too have family in Chicago, so United is an obvious choice, but not one that I'll ever make on purpose.

Sorry to hear that United has slipped so fast. I flew them about a year ago and their people were so much friendlier and more helpful then Northwest.

Keith

Isn't it sad that we seem to be forming small sub-markets based on which airline we hate least?

I like Continental's new ad campaign (things we're not cutting back on) -- wish the idea would spread and wish Continental went more places we (in this household) need to go.

And it would be nice if Continental gave full FF mileage credit on their lower-priced tickets, too -- which they don't.

CO does give full FF miles; it's EQM that's the problem. 50% for most fares on CO, NW, DL and others. 100% EQM if you use continental.com, and all KL flights are 100% EQM.

CO does have the worst FF program among US airlines; and UA has of the most generous.

I might be starting WWIII but I think someone can find negative things about ANY major airline. Yes, I agree, almost none of the majors are what they used to be and because I live in the BWI area Southwest has taken over with a vengence.

I am not that impressed with SWA. Yes they have lower fares and therefore keep the fares lower in the markets in which they service. But it still feel like a "Cattle Call" to me. Truth be told, if I was a gazillionaire, I would by-pass commercial airlines all-together and have my own private jet. Since that's not happening anytime in the near millieum (sp) I will try to upgrade to first class whenever I can for the long hauls and pray for an aisle or exit row for the shorter plane rides. And YES I am one of those passengers who would gladly pay extra $$$ for an exit or aisle seat. It was a lot easier when I was an Elite member but now I have changed jobs that does not require much travel.

But, need2travelasap, I thought that it was all first class on Southwest.

I flew LAX-IAD-LAX last weekend on United for around $327 roundtrip. I chose UA 946 for the eastbound flight because it is was a Boeing 777-200 with a 3-class international configuration (the flight continued to Amsterdam). I upgraded to the international business class using five 500-mile upgrade certificates (the certs are earned by flying, 4 certs for 10,000 miles, or can be purchased for $50). The return flight UA 947 was only a 757 so I decided not to upgrade and got an exit row seat in E+.

mrwunrfl,
Just to clarify, and as someone who flew over 40,000 miles on UA last year, you have to have status with the airline (min 25,000 miles per year) to get the 500 mile upgrade certs and they are of course $50 each...when you can use them!

I fly United because they offer miles and EQM on the lowest category of tickets and procvide a non stop service between SFO and London as well as reasonable connections in Asia. If AA offered direct flights to London from San Francisco I would switch.

However with a $427 flight rtn to London next week...yes including taxes...I really can't complain!

Question..what does EQM mean? Thanks.

Hey Loveitaly, sorry to interrupt quot;> but I finally posted the La Scala ticket buying experience

VS

Loveitaly....EQM = Elite Qualifying Miles.....The miles you earn toward elite status with any given airline.Not all ff miles go toward a particular status...Gold,Silver,Platinum, 1-K, Global Services, etc etc and on and on.You may earn the miles, but not all will help you earn status.

Yes, brit, you are right: I was referring to elite status perks.

It might have been worth your while to somehow squeeze out the last 10,000 EQMs to get to step up from Premier to Premier Exec where the upgrades are easier to get. I actually flew only 37,000 miles on *A last year but had 54,000 EQMs, enough to qualify for Premier Executive, but was bumped up to 1K status for this year.

But why are you flying United? AA is not your only option. You could fly nonstop on Virgin or Continental or BA. I know that Virgin had those cheap fares for this month like what you got on United.

I'm happy with United, for now, anyway. This is even though my bags went on from LAX to Guatemala !! on Sunday night and didn't get back to LAX until Wednesday morning. I was late for the flight and got to the plane just as the FA was closing the door! Note: do not allow your luggage to be gate checked unless they can be claimed at the arrival gate. Maybe I should vow to never fly United again, but I was pushing the envelope and United had never given me baggage trouble before in the dozens of flights I've flown with them. And they actually handled the situation fairly well: I was not a happy camper. And anyway, other airlines have delayed and lost bags, don't they?

mrwunrfl -
You're right I really should have made Prem Exec last year. I booked a ticket to England going out Oct 24 and returning about 10 days later. This was before they announced the double EQM promotion which started on Oct 25th - I'd missed it by one day and double miles one way didn't quite give me 50,000. Next year I'll definetely go for the double EQM or just pay up for the extra EQM.

At least I qualified for the March madness triple miles which I've really taken advantage of with a flight to Singapore and now one to London!

I have considered Continental but I think their redemption and their FF program in general is far inferior to United's.

BA isn't even in the running because of their stingy milegage policies and Virgin, which is clearly the best of the bunch, just doesn't have the partnership network for me. How would I have got those wonerful FF tickets in business to Armenia a few years ago with them?!!


The question is how did you go from 54,000EQM to 1K? Was it a status match?

In general I'm pleased enough with United at least they haven't sent my bags to Guatamala City!

Yes, they said it was a status match though I have no other FF elite status. My bonus EQMs were from the "Great Offer" last spring, not the double-EQM offer.

So your two March Madness trips to SIN and LHR should score you around 90,000 miles, about 28000 EQMs (enough EQMs to get fast-tracked to Premier Exec now).

Sounds like a cheap roundtrip SFO-ORD-SFO during the double-EQM period last year would have been enough to get you over the top. Or a weekend in New York SFO-LAX-JFK-LAX-SFO at single-EQM. Or an MP Plat Visa (5000 EQM) and a day trip to a Broncos home game.