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Associated Leff posted What Today’s United Computer Glitch Tells Us About the State of the Airline in response to United’s Wednesday computer meltdown.
The article and comments posit that something is wrong with the airline, Dana added:
My feel is that United is adrift, with no culture of attention to detail. Safety, operations and service are different areas, deficiency in one does not necessarily mean deficiency in the others. Better to focus on safety than service. Still a service culture so lacking may be a window to the wider organizatio.
I don’t have high expectations of United service. When you hear “Newark-based flight crew,” pixies misting ambrosia in the cabin do not leap to mind.
Usually I just ignore everything and enjoy the privilege of a business class seat. I find being overly critical diminishes my own experience. With United in the news and un-edited Kingsman on the AVOD I decided to take notes on United 89 Newark-Beijing on Friday. For the record I was on a paid business class ticket and have Platinum status.
Prior to departure:
- No greeting by gate agent when scanning boarding pass, not a sound or eye contact.
- Flight service leader gave my seatmate an amenity kit and menu, then gave me an amenity kit, forgetting the menu (or maybe we should share?).
- “They left somebody on the plane,” I hear from flight attendant in the aisle. 2nd door was used for boarding and had been closed for departure. Neon-vested ground crew was in the aisle near 1st door along with several flight attendants. After a few moments, we heard, “Flight attendants, disarm doors…”
- 5 minutes after getting my and seatmate’s meal order, flight attendant returns to me, “I forgot to write down your order.” Then went away. 3 minutes after, she was back to speak to my seatmate, “I forgot to write down your order.”
After departure:
- Following all the blah, blah, blah announcements, AVOD screens still black. I asked a flight attendant who was heading up the aisle with an empty cart. She did not even slow her stride, turning her head slightly, “It’s not on.” And then did nothing.
At this point, not 10 minutes into the flight, I shook my head and stopped taking notes. None of these require Singapore Airlines service. This is basic sloppiness in an environment with no standards.
To borrow from Kingsman:
Anyone telling CEO Smisek to shape up:
And, the question for United:
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