4 ms·

on United -- it was almost certainly a Global Services passenger. Those folks get whatever they want.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
pbhjpbhj 10y ago
Then the airline needs to leave a seat unsold to allow them to do this. I hope they get sued within a cent of their ability to continue operating.
- URSpider94 10y ago
  So, let's just say for a moment that this applied to 100 flights per day, and meant that United foregoes $1,000 in revenue per seat that they don't sell. They would be giving up $100,000 per day, or $1 million every 10 days, or roughly $35 million per year, by leaving a first-class seat empty on every flight. Weighing that against the risk of pissing off one or two first-class passengers a month for those times when everyone shows up for their flight and a VIP suddenly wants to claim a seat, just doesn't make good business sense.
  - pbhjpbhj 10y ago
    >just doesn't make good business sense. // I didn't say it did. They have to tell their top paying customer "no" or charge enough to make this possible. Humanity/morality should come in to the equation at some point too. An alternative of course is to run an auction to be bought out of the seat, but they can't absolutely guarantee a seat that way. If they want to guarantee a seat, they must keep one; nothing else is a guarantee of a seat, only a promise to try and give one.
  - JustSomeNobody 10y ago
    Surely they have metrics on how often a particular flight needs a seat for one of these "special people". On those flights, leave a seat. If nobody shows, then right at the end of boarding, allow another passenger to have that seat. I wonder how many millions all this is going to end up costing United in the end.
gambiting 10y ago
What's a Global Services passenger?
- tyingq 10y ago
  Super duper invitation only "elite" frequent flyer status. See the welcome kit here: http://pizzainmotion.boardingarea.com/2017/02/07/inside-2017-united-airlines-global-services-welcome-kit/ http://pizzainmotion.boardingarea.com/2017/02/07/inside-2017...
- briandear 10y ago
  Basically someone that spends $50k+ per year on flights. Basically a status for a passenger that could fly private if they wanted.
- gergles 10y ago
  It's United's secret top tier frequent flyer program. They get their ass kissed for literally everything, even above full-fare revenue passengers. There's no published requirements for it or information about it - here's the closest thing: https://thepointsguy.com/2016/04/top-perks-united-global-services/ https://thepointsguy.com/2016/04/top-perks-united-global-ser... Fun anecdote: a few months ago I booked a Star Alliance ticket and had a United segment ORD-EWR. I was the only (!) non-upgraded revenue first class passenger on the flight according to the gate agent, but boarded the plane 33rd, thanks to "Global Services" passengers (including the ones in coach) getting to board before me. They also got to order food first, so I was left with the leftover food item, and also got their drink orders and other attention lavished on them first, despite the fact that all the other Global Services passengers in F were flying on free upgrades to F instead of paying for it. Note that "they got to order first" meant that they literally just skipped over me when taking food/drink orders and when I asked what they were doing the FA brusquely said "We'll get to you in a moment SIR!"
  - gambiting 10y ago
    That website is almost upsetting: "The biggest benefit to Global Services is the excellent service that is given to those with the status. They receive what can only be described as the royal treatment. Below, some examples:[...] Irritated with a flight attendant or gate agent? Complain about it and he/she will be reprimanded by HR." So if you are a GS passenger you can literally get people reprimanded by their own HR? Fab.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

Then the airline needs to leave a seat unsold to allow them to do this. I hope they get sued within a cent of their ability to continue operating.

URSpider94 10y ago
So, let's just say for a moment that this applied to 100 flights per day, and meant that United foregoes $1,000 in revenue per seat that they don't sell. They would be giving up $100,000 per day, or $1 million every 10 days, or roughly $35 million per year, by leaving a first-class seat empty on every flight. Weighing that against the risk of pissing off one or two first-class passengers a month for those times when everyone shows up for their flight and a VIP suddenly wants to claim a seat, just doesn't make good business sense.
- pbhjpbhj 10y ago
  >just doesn't make good business sense. // I didn't say it did. They have to tell their top paying customer "no" or charge enough to make this possible. Humanity/morality should come in to the equation at some point too. An alternative of course is to run an auction to be bought out of the seat, but they can't absolutely guarantee a seat that way. If they want to guarantee a seat, they must keep one; nothing else is a guarantee of a seat, only a promise to try and give one.
- JustSomeNobody 10y ago
  Surely they have metrics on how often a particular flight needs a seat for one of these "special people". On those flights, leave a seat. If nobody shows, then right at the end of boarding, allow another passenger to have that seat. I wonder how many millions all this is going to end up costing United in the end.

gambiting 10y ago

What's a Global Services passenger?

tyingq 10y ago
Super duper invitation only "elite" frequent flyer status. See the welcome kit here: http://pizzainmotion.boardingarea.com/2017/02/07/inside-2017-united-airlines-global-services-welcome-kit/ http://pizzainmotion.boardingarea.com/2017/02/07/inside-2017...
briandear 10y ago
Basically someone that spends $50k+ per year on flights. Basically a status for a passenger that could fly private if they wanted.
gergles 10y ago
It's United's secret top tier frequent flyer program. They get their ass kissed for literally everything, even above full-fare revenue passengers. There's no published requirements for it or information about it - here's the closest thing: https://thepointsguy.com/2016/04/top-perks-united-global-services/ https://thepointsguy.com/2016/04/top-perks-united-global-ser... Fun anecdote: a few months ago I booked a Star Alliance ticket and had a United segment ORD-EWR. I was the only (!) non-upgraded revenue first class passenger on the flight according to the gate agent, but boarded the plane 33rd, thanks to "Global Services" passengers (including the ones in coach) getting to board before me. They also got to order food first, so I was left with the leftover food item, and also got their drink orders and other attention lavished on them first, despite the fact that all the other Global Services passengers in F were flying on free upgrades to F instead of paying for it. Note that "they got to order first" meant that they literally just skipped over me when taking food/drink orders and when I asked what they were doing the FA brusquely said "We'll get to you in a moment SIR!"
- gambiting 10y ago
  That website is almost upsetting: "The biggest benefit to Global Services is the excellent service that is given to those with the status. They receive what can only be described as the royal treatment. Below, some examples:[...] Irritated with a flight attendant or gate agent? Complain about it and he/she will be reprimanded by HR." So if you are a GS passenger you can literally get people reprimanded by their own HR? Fab.