Say goodbye to First Class on UAL

[GogglesPisano]

Lots of self-loathing on this thread.

 

[barnyard]

If a loyal paying customer paid for a coach seat, why would he be entitled to a first class seat?

It's not about entitlement, it's about treating your CUSTOMERS as well as you possibly can.

When you put a uniformed crew member (int'l crew rest arguments aside...) in a first class seat and then parade 125 PAYING customers on by to wedge them selves into their seats, your airline has just pissed off 125 PAYING customers. It doesn't matter what they paid, hell a full Y fare can be more than a FC fare in some circumstances. Hell I've seen 219$ FC fares before, you can bet your a$s there are coach customers that have paid more than that.

I'm not advocating that anyone lose their 'perks' but to say that an airline employee is entitled to a FC seat over a paying customer is asinine. Just another example of why service on US airlines at best a joke- the attitude that your CUSTOMERS are just cattle to be herded around.

Why can't the airline find a deserving soul for the FC seat and put the non-rev in the back? When a gate agent offers me FC, I'll say no thanks, or, if there is someone deserving in the boarding area as in a servicemember or a vet, then they get the FC seat offered to me. The most deserving was the woman holding the folded American flag.

-Barnyard

 

[Abernathy]

Wow, something customer service oriented, what a shock. I could never figure why they didn't do this before.

Because then no frequent flier would ever pay full fare for a first class domestic ticket. They would just sit standby hoping for a shot at a first class seat for the coach fare. The airline would inevitably lose the customer that would have paid a grand or two for the first class ticket but instead went "fu** it" and got the same seat standby for coach fare.

 

[thruthemurk]

It's not about entitlement, it's about treating your CUSTOMERS as well as you possibly can.

When you put a uniformed crew member (int'l crew rest arguments aside...) in a first class seat and then parade 125 PAYING customers on by to wedge them selves into their seats, your airline has just pissed off 125 PAYING customers. It doesn't matter what they paid, hell a full Y fare can be more than a FC fare in some circumstances. Hell I've seen 219$ FC fares before, you can bet your a$s there are coach customers that have paid more than that.

I'm not advocating that anyone lose their 'perks' but to say that an airline employee is entitled to a FC seat over a paying customer is asinine. Just another example of why service on US airlines at best a joke- the attitude that your CUSTOMERS are just cattle to be herded around.

Why can't the airline find a deserving soul for the FC seat and put the non-rev in the back? When a gate agent offers me FC, I'll say no thanks, or, if there is someone deserving in the boarding area as in a servicemember or a vet, then they get the FC seat offered to me. The most deserving was the woman holding the folded American flag.

-Barnyard

You may have a different opinion when the ink on your license dries.

 

[barnyard]

You may have a different opinion when the ink on your license dries.

Nice try.

I notice you don't try to argue or refute my points. Got anything constructive to add???

 

[CA1900]

If a loyal paying customer paid for a coach seat, why would he be entitled to a first class seat?

Because it's a specifically loyalty benefit in their frequent-flier program.

 

[aewanabe]

Barnyard, it's called dilution of product. Airlines that upgrade their Elite-level FFs have a set procedure to do so, and it's done ahead of non-revs. Elites typically can use mileage instruments, sticker-type products, or system-wide upgrades to get that Business-class seat. If said Elite(s) does not feel that particular flight is worth using the upgrade instrument, then it goes to a non-rev, or out empty.

If we constantly upgrade pax just for being there (CO, NW, DL, and now soon UA domestic aside for elites), there is zero incentive for passengers in the know to spend money on a product they will most likely receive for free. With a few exceptions, elite level FFs are savvy about flying and about non-revs being offered First, and most don't care. The other 200 pax who are "pissed off" about the crewmember in First aren't likely to ever give the airline enough business to earn the upgrade.

 

[GogglesPisano]

Because it's a specifically loyalty benefit in their frequent-flier program.

Understood. I believe we were discussing upgrading run-of-the-mill coach pax ahead of a non-rev or vice-versa -- not FF's.

 

[propdog]

You may have a different opinion when the ink on your license dries.

I think he is a corporate pilot-hence the attitude against employee Business/First travel.

I fly all over the world in FC....it is part of my employment package. I agree with upgrading elite/platinum members on domestic flights. But international....it is a whole different story. It is an airline's premium product...and they charge a premium for it. Airlines have asked routine FC passengers their opinion on passenger upgrades....they absolutely do not want a coach passenger paying 1/5th of what they paid in a nearby seat. The majority of them don't mind an employee...they have travelled enough to understand employee perks. If they get pissed off seeing me in my pilot uniform sitting in business class, tough $hit....I don't get pissed off at my doctor for parking his Mercedez in the VIP parking spot at the hospital.

That said, I treat my FC privilege with respect. I usually dress in business attire for personal travel. I have helped FAs with some cabin-pax issues. I once was invited to the flight deck as they wanted an extra oipnion with a fuel system problem....I was glad to be of some help. At the end of the day....a pilot upfront in business is a great asset.

 

[CA1900]

Because it's a specifically loyalty benefit in their frequent-flier program.

er... "specific," I meant.

Understood. I believe we were discussing upgrading run-of-the-mill coach pax ahead of a non-rev or vice-versa -- not FF's.

Ah, OK -- that's indeed different.