Welcome to United

[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...

 

[Amberjack]

Hands down the worst treatment I've EVER had is on United.

 

[tomgoodman]

Whether working a flight, commuting, or non-revving, never lower yourself to bribing agents and F/As with candy.
Bribe them while standing up.

 

[shon7]

make all the positions have a 5 year term no matter what.
do away with the closed shop.
put self service devices at the gates for listing.
thats the only way this will improve.

 

[redflyer65]

Hands down the worst treatment I've EVER had is on United.

Same here.

 

[NEDude]

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.

Don't forget it was in Newark where a passenger body slammed a gate agent, breaking his neck, and the passenger was found not guilty. I'd be a bit angry if I worked in an environment where my customers were, by default, legally allowed to break my neck if they get upset.

 

[CA1900]

Yeah, but knowing Newark, the agent was asking for it! :laugh:

 

[UpNDownGuy]

Hands down the worst treatment I've EVER had is on United.

Unfortunately, I have to agree. I've given up on UAL. The biggest problem isn't a rude gate agent, it's that they never know whether a UA guy is already on the JS. The last two times I've tried UA (SEA and DEN), I've been yanked just as I got to the bottom of the jetway. In one case (DEN), 3 minutes AFTER scheduled departure. The other time, both of the JS's were already taken (UA guy and the FAA), and the gate agent had zero clue. I've been pulled from the actual JS too many times to count.

There is clearly something wrong with their system, since they don't seem to have any idea who/how many jumpseaters are actually on the airplane. I hope the CAL merger changes some of their procedures.

 

[chqflyer]

Unfortunately, I have to agree. I've given up on UAL. The biggest problem isn't a rude gate agent, it's that they never know whether a UA guy is already on the JS. The last two times I've tried UA (SEA and DEN), I've been yanked just as I got to the bottom of the jetway. In one case (DEN), 3 minutes AFTER scheduled departure. The other time, both of the JS's were already taken (UA guy and the FAA), and the gate agent had zero clue. I've been pulled from the actual JS too many times to count.

There is clearly something wrong with their system, since they don't seem to have any idea who/how many jumpseaters are actually on the airplane. I hope the CAL merger changes some of their procedures.

I've had this happen over a half dozen times as well. I showed up at the flight deck to find both jumpseats already occupied. Quite annoying. My gate agent from hell story actually involves a US Air agent in Philly. She was the rudest, nastiest demon I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with. In over a decade of dealing with airline BS, she was the only time I actually wrote a formal letter of complaint. Of course it was a complete and utter waste of my time, but it felt like the right thing to do.

 

[nimtz]

There is clearly something wrong with their system, since they don't seem to have any idea who/how many jumpseaters are actually on the airplane. I hope the CAL merger changes some of their procedures.

Ah sorry to say bringing CAL into this situation is kind of like expecting Hugo Chavez to teach Castro the benefits of a capitalism.

 

[Continental]

Hands down the worst treatment I've EVER had is on United.

Here at United we are trying to piss away all customers. It's Jeff's new goal. Seems to be working.
There was a big meeting where all the top MGT got together to try to decide how we could continue to fail at everything. I think the consensus was just keep doing exactly the opposite of everyone else. I would beg to differ but they didn't ask my input.