Welcome to United

[talespin]

Wow I just read the position report from this week and I was taken back to my Air Wisconsin days when we flew under contract for United Airlines. I thought our treatment was a product of being the red headed step child, however it is very clear the same old culture still exist today.

There were many commutes back then that were less than pleasurable, due only to the gate agent you were unfortunate enough to deal with. Earlier this week I walked up to the gate and ask for the jump seat only to have the agent raise her voice at me with a big "NAA AAHHH your not getting on this flight, the flight is closed". I calmly told her the flight doesn't leave for 15 minutes and the jetway is still attached to the aircraft. "Did you hear me the flight is closed"! Thankfully the gentleman at the gate took care of me.

Let me be very clear that the United Pilots then and now have been very accommodating, which reflects their professionalism. It is the rest of the United corporate culture that brings me back when. I'm sure Continental has it's share of some disgruntle employees, however in the past 7 years I've spent at this airline I can honestly say I've never been a victim of an angry gate agent. At Continental I've only been treated with the respect of a fellow employee. Maybe I've been lucky or maybe it is what it is.

 

[greyhound]

Had my first run in with the gate agent from hell in Houston the other day.

I Know what you mean!!

 

[Boxboy]

That blows.... I'm sorry to hear that. I've dealt with some very good CSAs and once in a while, extremely rude ones at all airlines. Sadly enough, they have forgotten the meaning of the word "service" -Customer Service Agent. Fortunately, they can be replaced in a heart beat.

 

[Jetjockey]

Go to the window, wave furiously and try to get the attention of the crew. A good flight crew will take a walk out in the gate area to make sure no tyrannical agent is leaving stand-by passenger behind.

 

[xjhawk]

You think those are bad, the old NWA ones in MSP were a real treat to deal with. Sometimes I had to call my scheduling department and tell them that the gate agent would not let me board even though I explained to them that I was positive space. No skin off my back you old Bat, I will not be at fault for missing my dead head and my next flight canceling-it will be you. Their phone usually rings in a few minutes and I am handed a boarding ticket. Things had improved after Mesaba was bought by NWA and actually are even better with the delta change over. I think there is more on everyones mind lately than taking their aggression other employees

 

[waveflyer]

I had a habit of walking up to the gate area 5 prior to departure to check for jumpers and nonrevs at bad stations-
I stole the habit from a UAL captain and think its a good reminder here

 

[waveflyer]

That blows.... I'm sorry to hear that. I've dealt with some very good CSAs and once in a while, extremely rude ones at all airlines. Sadly enough, they have forgotten the meaning of the word "service" -Customer Service Agent. Fortunately, they can be replaced in a heart beat.

And the airline's leadership forgot that their "service" agents are humans and have treated them so awful and put them in such in-winnable, undermanned situations- while slashing pay and granting themselves immense bonuses- it's amazing that anyone shows up for work-
I agree- but it starts at the top at united. I hate the employee on employee crimes- but lets place blame where it begins

 

[ATRCAPT]

That kind of thing pisses me off. When did it cease to be the captain's airplane, and become the gate agent's airplane?

 

[AMRCostUnit]

AA is terrible too...agents are under orders to close the door 10 minutes early. I look for JSers in the computer when I pull the flight plan and walk the gate area until under 5 minutes of scheduled departure, much to their displeasure. They will leave people at the gate with empty seats. As I've heard AA agents say, "It's my job to close the door on time, not put people on." Not on my watch....

 

[waveflyer]

That kind of thing pisses me off. When did it cease to be the captain's airplane, and become the gate agent's airplane?

Only one person can release the parking brake. Be judicious, but never forget that.

 

[waveflyer]

Well done AMR- we need more like you-
Add a bit of "kill the agents with kindness, while you stand your ground- and employees will have better experiences everywhere

 

[Boxboy]

And the airline's leadership forgot that their "service" agents are humans and have treated them so awful and put them in such in-winnable, undermanned situations- while slashing pay and granting themselves immense bonuses- it's amazing that anyone shows up for work-
I agree- but it starts at the top at united. I hate the employee on employee crimes- but lets place blame where it begins

I am with you... starts at the top, no doubt. However, there's no excuse for treating another human being with disrespect. Labor has taken a huge beating; we've all been through hell, but it doesn't give any one of us an excuse to take it out on someone. At the end of the day, no one put a gun to our heads to sign up for this. Tough reality of life!

 

[joe_pilot]

I had a habit of walking up to the gate area 5 prior to departure to check for jumpers and nonrevs at bad stations-
I stole the habit from a UAL captain and think its a good reminder here

This is a great idea, thanks. I always check on the way down, but I'll add this to my list of tricks.

-JP

 

[shon7]

Labor has taken a huge beating; we've all been through hell, but it doesn't give any one of us an excuse to take it out on someone. At the end of the day, no one put a gun to our heads to sign up for this. Tough reality of life!

worst offenders are flight attendants followed by gate agents so for all you guys thinking you're doing a great deed by supporting your FAs no matter what - you're only feeding this behaviour.

Unfortunately the situation will only get worse unless you get a bunch of managers actually willing to deal with these issues. If you want decent service fly on an Asian or Middle East Carrier. Domestically try Southwest or Virgin. Jetblue too has started to show signs of strain.

The US airlines are headed down the path of the car manufacturers.

 

[densoo]

Top Airlines Never Flown

Turkish Air, yes.
United, no.

http://travel.usatoday.com/deals/in...10-best-airlines-youve-never-flown/54178736/1

 

[Muskycat]

That kind of thing pisses me off. When did it cease to be the captain's airplane, and become the gate agent's airplane?

I had a gate agent do that to me years ago, claim it's "their aircraft at the gate". I asked the question, if you, the gate agent ram the jetway into the aircraft and cause damage, are you allowed to make an entry into the aircraft logbook? Needless to say he didn't have an answer to come back with and his attitude went bye bye.

 

[C-150ETOPS]

Sorry to read about your treatment from United.

FYI, come fly with AA. Our system and agents treat everyone equally like sheet.

If you're trying to get on an AA flight, and the agent is blowing her skank about the flight is closed out, go wake up the half asleep AA pilot that appears of questionable intelligence in the chair by the podium, ask him about the JS. Once he wakes up, if he looks at the agent and says, "If I go, we both go, or you eat the delay", that will be me.

If the pilot boarded 65 minutes prior with a bag of pork rinds and a "I love Tom Horton" kitbag sticker, that will be a DFW based hack and not me. (Not to insult the good union guy DFW non-hacks).

It's so easy a caveman could do it.

 

[CA1900]

I'm sure Continental has it's share of some disgruntle employees, however in the past 7 years I've spent at this airline I can honestly say I've never been a victim of an angry gate agent...

You must not have seen the woman in Newark a few years ago, practically climbing over a podium as she screamed (at a paying customer), "You will not $*@()!ing disrespect me at my gate!"

All of us on the moving sidewalk were turning our heads like penguins to watch the exchange. It was something else.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Gate agents is something that I do not miss about flying in the US!

 

[BentOver]

My favorite is getting an overly rude agent while in uniform (Netjets). It was my pleasure to inform her that not only was I a paying passenger, I was also a member of their "elite" status.... And if she had any comment cards behind the desk......

Only thing better was getting a regional Captain call back and have the FA approach me after pushback to ask why I didn't check in with the pilots... I would try to explain but seemed to get the deer in the headlights look...