United - We're not satisfied until your not satisfied.
United Airlines - We're not satisfied until your not satisfied.
I wish I could claim the credit for that slogan but it's down to my little brother!
Eight hours into a ten and a half hour flight may not be the ideal time to update your blog, but it does have the benefit of focusing one's attention. As I've said before, at these times, the little things mean a lot.
First, the praise, there is little enough of that due, so why be stingy. The coffee was great! So few people back here in 'cattle class' that it was still hot and fresh when I was served. In point of fact, it was so good I'd actually drunk it when the cabin crew came back two minutes later whisking everything away.
And therein, the downside, though somewhat of a mixed blessing. Even with the rapid-fire service it points up the truly ghastly nature of the food being served these days on United. I used to think it was cold and nasty because it took so long to be served to the back of the airplane, now I know it was always nasty from the get-go. I really must find out the name of the chicken dish we were served out of London, it truly was 'fowl'. Something I shall spend the rest of my life avoiding.
Something else worth mentioning is the 'Infomercial' which now passes as the Safety briefing. I'm surprised that the Feds have signed off on this farcical bit of theater. It would seem that cabin crew are still required to stand in the isles but with nothing to do but prop up the adjacent seats, so do we watch the infomercial or the cabin crew?
The folks, I have to admit, who actually did get just a 'smidgen' of my sympathy were those in Economy Plus, you know, the folks who paid $129.00 to sit in the same seats, in the same cabin with the same food but with at least two inches of extra knee room! Looked like there was about 60% load factor up there. I don't quite know why, but none of them came back to claim a full row of seats for themselves. I guess, if you pay that much for two full inches??
Finally, the entertainment system. It is quite clear that United acquired Continental's in-flight entertainment system but in the time since have failed to upgrade or even maintain it. Perhaps the software engineers left or were fired but there are still no Music channels. Lots of old movies and games are about it. Maybe they want us to buy the entertainment as on the US domestic flights.
Now it may appear the I single out United Airlines, and I do, because they fly the routes that I travel, and so have experience with. Are they the only carrier engaged in this mad race to the bottom of the customer service barrel; again, probably not but unless we protest, this fee fall will go beyond the cabin and then what?
I wish I could claim the credit for that slogan but it's down to my little brother!
Eight hours into a ten and a half hour flight may not be the ideal time to update your blog, but it does have the benefit of focusing one's attention. As I've said before, at these times, the little things mean a lot.
First, the praise, there is little enough of that due, so why be stingy. The coffee was great! So few people back here in 'cattle class' that it was still hot and fresh when I was served. In point of fact, it was so good I'd actually drunk it when the cabin crew came back two minutes later whisking everything away.
And therein, the downside, though somewhat of a mixed blessing. Even with the rapid-fire service it points up the truly ghastly nature of the food being served these days on United. I used to think it was cold and nasty because it took so long to be served to the back of the airplane, now I know it was always nasty from the get-go. I really must find out the name of the chicken dish we were served out of London, it truly was 'fowl'. Something I shall spend the rest of my life avoiding.
Something else worth mentioning is the 'Infomercial' which now passes as the Safety briefing. I'm surprised that the Feds have signed off on this farcical bit of theater. It would seem that cabin crew are still required to stand in the isles but with nothing to do but prop up the adjacent seats, so do we watch the infomercial or the cabin crew?
The folks, I have to admit, who actually did get just a 'smidgen' of my sympathy were those in Economy Plus, you know, the folks who paid $129.00 to sit in the same seats, in the same cabin with the same food but with at least two inches of extra knee room! Looked like there was about 60% load factor up there. I don't quite know why, but none of them came back to claim a full row of seats for themselves. I guess, if you pay that much for two full inches??
Finally, the entertainment system. It is quite clear that United acquired Continental's in-flight entertainment system but in the time since have failed to upgrade or even maintain it. Perhaps the software engineers left or were fired but there are still no Music channels. Lots of old movies and games are about it. Maybe they want us to buy the entertainment as on the US domestic flights.
Now it may appear the I single out United Airlines, and I do, because they fly the routes that I travel, and so have experience with. Are they the only carrier engaged in this mad race to the bottom of the customer service barrel; again, probably not but unless we protest, this fee fall will go beyond the cabin and then what?
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