or
"when did United become a discount airline?"
or
"you're doing it wrong!"
Flew United Airlines domestically for the first time in many years. I remember United as being one of the "premium" airlines, but from the moment I booked I was assaulted by piecemeal pricing and upgrades. Relentless pitches to upgrade my seat, my check-in, my luggage options, etc. The implied message, delivered repeatedly, was "our default service SUCKS! please pay more to make this journey bearable". At the airport, more weirdness. Upon check-in, I was given a "departure management card", rather than a boarding pass, that got me through security but I still had to check in again at the gate to get an actual seat. This didn't happen on the return trip, so I'm not sure what the deal was. The per-bag fee caused the predictable chaos. On the plane, united had put diagrams on the overheads as to how to align max-size carryons most efficiently in the bins. And the bins were full. Everyone had large roll-on carryons. Getting everyone on and off the plane took a loooong time. How is this helping anyone? How does this help the airline? I have no idea.
How and why did United decide to become a discount airline? Southwest Airlines is a true "cheap and cheerful" play. United's attempt is neither cheap nor cheerful.
3 comments:
i'm all for enforcing carry-on rules, and can be swayed that a rule charging per-carry-on, beyond a reasonable minimum, is a good thing.
airlines should be charging for that, and not checked baggage. anything that forces those sitting towards the front to stow carry-ons towards the rear should be discouraged, just in the interest of getting people on/off the planes.
and for whatever reason, i have never liked United. it's like they've always done it wrong somehow.
I preferred American when I lived in the states.
I don't think charging for carryons makes sense, but I do really want all airlines to enforce their carryon policies. I wouldn't be opposed to a surcharge based on total weight of passenger+all-baggage.
Something else bothered me about the experience, although I can't quite put my finger on it. It's as if everything was too... casual? slovenly? And why are Americans so freaking loud all the time about everything? As my hearing loss continues to evolve, I was hoping for a quieter world, but the forces of obnoxion are outstripping my aural decay.
As a large framed man (with reduced body fat now) I don't like the concept of charging me more for my genetically programmed size. I already pay a penalty with no knee room, arms pinned tightly to rib cage, and not head support in a coach seat when I sit up straight - to add an additional fee because I am over the government charts for a small person adds insult to injury. I "fit" in the seat (just barely) so leave me be.
I've never enjoyed United or American. Both showed contempt to me as a non-frequent flier. Delta, and NW (when they existed) as well as Continental always treated me well as a business class or economy class passenger, in the plane. On the ground, Delta was often surly (talk to the hand). Compared to efficient Lufthansa, polite BA, stylish Alitalia or Air France, the US carriers have alot of catching up to do.
On the loudness, I think your exposure to Europeans is starting to overwhelm your senses. When I traveled extensively to Europe and Asia '99 to '02, I noticed the quietness, politeness, cordiality, congeniality of the Europeans and Asians (Oktoberfest drinkers and football hooligans exempted in Europe, and en-masse Chinese mobs in economy pushing & shoving not included). There was almost a relaxing serenity to traveling as an American among crowds of polite Europeans or Asians. On a US Domestic flight, it was loud, crowded, obnoxious, "ME FIRST ME FIRST" attitudes expressed throughout - typical of Americans.
This weekend we fly to Vegas for a co-worker wedding of Traci's on Southwest. It'll be my inaugural SW flight, and everything I've heard about SW, they are the diametric opposite of Tempe AZ based USAir, whose implied customer service reply is "sit down, don't complain to me, I hate working here too... and no, we ran out of any edible food for purchase at row 15, you're in row 22".
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