My story about proactive United compensation caused quite a stir yesterday.
Some speculated whether I was on the United payroll while others wondered if I was the only passenger who received compensation due my oft-United-focused blog. Apparently a journalist even reached out to United to see if everyone on the plane received compensation for the lack of wi-fi…
A friend in the United press office contacted me to remind me why I had received compensation. It suddenly all came back into focus. Indeed, I left out a key detail yesterday; inadvertently, of course.
This flight departed Paris at 9:15 A.M., meaning eleven hours of daytime flying. While I generally try to stay up the night before and sleep on my westbound flights to the USA, I was seated in economy class on this flight and had slept well the night before at the Hyatt Regency.
When the internet did not work, I asked a FA if she could reset the system. She did restart the system, but it did not solve the issue. I asked her try once more and she did. Still nothing. Without asking, she whipped out her United-issued iPhone and offered me compensation the spot: miles or a voucher. I chose the voucher but it was never delivered to my inbox. United blamed this issue on a technical error. Ironic, isn’t it? A technical error spurred another technical error…
CONCLUSION
The mystery is solved; I just needed some help recalling a key detail. That makes my compensation a bit less interesting than had UA just contacted me out of the blue. Even so, I appreciated the unexpected voucher several months later. Sorry dear readers, it wasn’t special treatment.
Its better to miss being first with a story than misreport it.
Only in the case I did neither: I simply could not remember the FA offering me compensation until it was brought to my attention. I’m not that desperate for a few extra clicks. If I wanted to be dishonest, I would not have posted this update.
So, a blog post that never should have been a post…… The end result is you got two stories out of it. All we got is you have a friend that works for United PR…..
I write about United all the time. You don’t expect me to build relationships with the press office at United, just like I do with Delta, American, and other airlines?
8 comments. Quite the stir indeed
I was talking about private communication.
He also filters his comments so people can not post negative items about him or his reviews….even more lame!! What a fraud he is!
He even goes as far as to remove them later.
I only remove profanity and trolling.
That is hilarious! At least they (probably) didn’t audit you! Although now that you suggested it…
I’ve honestly got nothing to hide.
I’m not saying it’s necessarily special treatment, but I’ve certainly had a bunch of flights (especially recently) where I’ve had wifi problems and done exactly what you did, exceptionally politely and without being a PITA about it. Not once was I offered compensation by an FA. I was always told to request a refund online.
Have you ever seen how you show up on the FA’s iPhones? If UA were smart, you’d be flagged as special, and if so, I do wonder if that sometimes influences how you’re treated.
This is the only time this year I have received compensation. Sadly, I’ve had dozens of flights with poor wi-fi.
United WiFi is an epic joke. 50% success rate if lucky.
I got 5,000 miles for a delayed UAL F international flight. I don’t have any status with UA. To assuage any doubt, remind your readers that your UA relationship isn’t what folks think it is, i.e. a pay-to-print shill and hack, by reposting the time UA threw you off (thankfully whilst still on the ground) of their plane for taking pictures.
Matthew gets rewarded when he’s good to United and tossed off planes when he isn’t…. he’s printed a flood of unmerited puff pieces on UA lately so they’ve been generous to him.
If only I were so lucky.
On a different topic, for Matt or anyone else, what is the fastest way to get from Terminal B in Dulles (IAD) to both the A and the C terminals? Just in case someone wants to use the Lufthansa or Turkisk lounges but is departing on United…
You can walk to the A Terminals – it takes just 5-7 minutes.
I take the “mobile lounge” (moon buggies) from A to D, then walk to C. I don’t like the train…
Whoops! Meant to say the C and D terminals from the B terminal…
I recommend mobile lounges.
I did receive proactive compensation from UAL in the past. The email was in my inbox before we even landed. I think it was in lieu of broken IFE though. No status on United.