UA Perks for status pax in J include getting the last steaks!

[JohnPhelan]

And in this instance they wouldn't have known except for the fact they sat beside the people who got their first choice. The FA answered honestly and has effectively been berated for telling them the truth.

Yes exactly. I have no problem with UA making the decision based on status, but I believe it's poor customer service for the FA to have told the other passenger that he missed out because his status wasn't high enough. There are much better ways it could have been done, so no-one was made to feel second-rate.

 

[anat0l]

There are much better ways it could have been done, so no-one was made to feel second-rate.

Care to give an example?

I am curious, because you can't help but mention status as the reason (although you may not use the word 'status' since the mere mention of that word can be contextually displaced, e.g. instead of FF status one misconstrues as 'social' status). Let's not forget there may be transcription error between the letter and what was said by the staff member (even if the staff member mentioned all of those words they said they did, it might have been more than that but the aggrieved has only heard a few).

What I still don't quite understand though is how does not getting a meal and being told that they prioritised based on status (not the exact wording, indeed, but that was what happened) equates to humiliation. What is it with some people and humiliation.... Had the letter closed with something like "I paid for my J ticket just like they did - why should they get better treatment than me when we are in the same class?" then that's probably more 'acceptable'.

 

[Smackbum]

Care to give an example?

I am curious, because you can't help but mention status as the reason (although you may not use the word 'status' since the mere mention of that word can be contextually displaced, e.g. instead of FF status one misconstrues as 'social' status). Let's not forget there may be transcription error between the letter and what was said by the staff member (even if the staff member mentioned all of those words they said they did, it might have been more than that but the aggrieved has only heard a few).

What I still don't quite understand though is how does not getting a meal and being told that they prioritised based on status (not the exact wording, indeed, but that was what happened) equates to humiliation. What is it with some people and humiliation.... Had the letter closed with something like "I paid for my J ticket just like they did - why should they get better treatment than me when we are in the same class?" then that's probably more 'acceptable'.

The example has already been given. If you have limited "first choice" meals and will be allocating them by some elitist methodology, then ask passengers for their preference in rank order. That way they know exactly what they will be receiving without rubbing their noses in the fact that they have perceived less worth to the airline.

Random thought ... the airline status programs are based on the workings of the Indian caste system. Discuss.

 

[Sprucegoose]

We will never understand from the writers perspective why they feel humiliated. It is probably not that Important in any case.

How could it be done better? Not sure. I like the honest approach, as was used. You do know where you stand. Although in some cultures (and we don't know the cultural interplay here) it could be be humiliating, a western woman telling a religous cleric, say, he can't have his favorite dish!! We don't really know those circumstances.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Random thought ... the airline status programs are based on the workings of the Indian caste system. Discuss.

Not today Smack, were not at Uni now, this is the real world and the man with the gold makes the rules.

A rude awakening for some no doubt.

 

[Moopere]

Not today Smack, were not at Uni now, this is the real world and the man with the gold makes the rules.

Ha! The second time in two days Spruce that your comments have caused me to read and laugh out loud. Excellent.

As with many things its funny because its true.

 

[Sprucegoose]

hahah. I laughed out loud. Good comment.

Titanic inspired!

 

[JohnK]

Fillet mignon or ravioli? Is that the choice offered? I know which I would choose and I would be surprised if more than 10% of people would choose ravioli. If my assumption is correct then you would think that an airline would have more sense and only load 4-5 ravioli meals for 52 business class seats and then we would not be having this discussion.

 

[Austman]

Remembered a link where I whinged and whined about this over ten years ago! It had some good replies from UA staff - including that they don't know who is on a paid fare and who is upgraded.
"Odd" things that I think happen on United's paid first class domestic flights - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[samh004]

Fillet mignon or ravioli? Is that the choice offered? I know which I would choose and I would be surprised if more than 10% of people would choose ravioli. If my assumption is correct then you would think that an airline would have more sense and only load 4-5 ravioli meals for 52 business class seats and then we would not be having this discussion.

Ravioli for me

 

[simongr]

looked surprised and said “Mr Simpson, we take enough on board so that everyone [in F] can order each dish on our menu.” Now that’s the way to do it.

I am in two minds on this - this is very wasteful. I personally wouldn't EXPECT the to be three times as much food on board as is required. Sure some might go for crew meals but even so the waste would be well wasteful...

 

[Blackadder]

I'm surprised they thought the Fillet Mingon would be of edible quality. :shock:

 

[Austman]

Yesterday, flying BNE-MEL in J class. I was booked on a 17:55 flight but got to the airport early and could move it to 16:55. About an hour before the flight, I looked at qantas.com and saw that a few J seats were still vacant, including 2E, beside me.

But once on board, all J seats were taken. I mentioned to the nice lady beside me that her seat seemed unallocated just an hour or so ago and she said "yes, I checked-in 30 minutes ago".

When the meals came there were the usual 2 choices on offer. I was asked for my choice ahead of the lady in 2E which I thought was a bit strange. Then the next orders where taken from row 3 before the lady in 2E was asked. By then there was only 1 choice left.

It turned out she was family of staff, travelling on a staff ticket. So even QF does offer the meals based on passenger priority, if they want to ...