United: Thanks for flying the friendly skies.

[3BCat]

As if there weren't enough ways to say thank-you to your elite customers, United, long known for their Gershwin and line drawing commercials, has changed their theme to a sad rendition of the ever popular "Thanks for the Memories"

What makes everyone feel good about having a chance at "winning" the right to purchase a free seat with FF Miles, is the assurance that there is a percentage of FF Seats set aside on every flight. The author, Brancatelli, fails to mention that zero is also a percentage. The mileage drop for purchasing trips using Frequent Flier Miles affecting the short haul segments is probably going to be the best remembered.

If you don't have time to read it, I'll sum it up. Take your loyalty and your miles and GTFO. Thanks for flying United.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/brancatelli/2006-04-24-brancatelli_x.htm

 

[banned username 1]

A YS-11? Former Piedmont?

 

[airspeedsalive]

Maybe Simmons or Midpac?

 

[Smoking Man]

Or Airborne?

Nothing like the shrill of the RR Dart.

 

[Gorilla]

I always thought the United ads were classy and effective. I'm surprised they've dropped them.

 

[WhiteCloud]

Nothing new here. UAL makes a deal and finds ways to avoid holding up their end of the bargain. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/brancatelli/2006-04-24-brancatelli_x.htm

 

[Fox-Tree]

What does this idiot expect? Oil is $75/bbl - people are paying over $3/gal for gas. The airline pricing/competition has been broken since deregulation, so they can't just raise prices on their tickets to cope with higher priced raw material. The airlines need to make a little more $$ than it costs them to fly passengers to their destinations - that's the whole idea of running a business. They can't just give stuff away when they're attempting to squeeze a small profit out of their operations. This is just a way to raise prices without actually "officially" raising ticket prices. You do what you gotta do. He even acknowledges that UAL is bringing their FF program charges in line with the other airlines.
US passengers, frequent flyers and seldom flyers, all want to fly across the country for the equivalent of bus fare. Somehow they still think the fact that it just cost them at least twice what it did 3 years ago just to drive to the airport shouldn't affect airlines.

 

[banned username 1]

Hey Fox...

Don't try to fool us with logic!

 

[WhiteCloud]

What does this idiot expect? Oil is $75/bbl - people are paying over $3/gal for gas. The airline pricing/competition has been broken since deregulation, so they can't just raise prices on their tickets to cope with higher priced raw material. The airlines need to make a little more $$ than it costs them to fly passengers to their destinations - that's the whole idea of running a business. They can't just give stuff away when they're attempting to squeeze a small profit out of their operations. This is just a way to raise prices without actually "officially" raising ticket prices. You do what you gotta do. He even acknowledges that UAL is bringing their FF program charges in line with the other airlines.
US passengers, frequent flyers and seldom flyers, all want to fly across the country for the equivalent of bus fare. Somehow they still think the fact that it just cost them at least twice what it did 3 years ago just to drive to the airport shouldn't affect airlines.

That's right. The customers need to pay a reasonable fare for their tickets. If the customers don't like it they can drive, take the bus or train, fly another airline or just don't go. Who needs 'em?

 

[theo]

That's right. The customers need to pay a reasonable fare for their tickets. If the customers don't like it they can drive, take the bus or train, fly another airline or just don't go. Who needs 'em?

Uhmm...who needs customers? Really, you don't think you need customers?