lucky9876coins

So this afternoon I got off of my IAD-SFO flight and got an EasyUpdate that my SFO-LAX flight was cancelled, the second time in my last three flights on that route. I went to the RCC, hoping to have my favorite agent, but instead got an agent I hadn't dealt with before, a middle aged Asian guy (just a description, I have his name as well).

Here's approximately how our conversation went. I might have one or two things wrong since I didn't have a tape recorder, but it's pretty close, at least for the important parts.

Me: Hi, my SFO-LAX flight got cancelled, I'd like to rebook onto another one
Agent: Is LAX your final destination
Me: No, I'm continuing to SAN
Agent: Why don't you just fly straight there?
Me: Because I'm meeting a friend there
Agent: For 90 minutes?
Me: Yes, is there a problem with that?
Agent: Hmmph, United really doesn't like customers like you, we'll get rid of passengers like you soon. You're not good customers
Me: What do you mean?
Agent: All of these people breaking the system to earn more miles
Me: Um, I don't make the fare rules, United does. The fare rules allow four transfers each way, so you shouldn't be blaming me. CO, DL, and NW typically only allow one connection each way without a price increase, so maybe UA should match them and you shouldn't be telling me this.

We then discuss the options, and since the only option for my original routing was coach I decided to go SFO-SAN nonstop, since it had plenty of room up front.

Agent: So what about your friend in LA?
Me: I'm sure he'll be fine without me
Agent: Your name looks familiar, you're one of those people
Me: What do you mean?
Agent: There's only a couple of people that do the same stupid thing you do, and we know them around here.

(I didn't even think about telling him that there's plenty more than just a few).

I could go on and on, but this guy was extremely rude, nosy, and unhelpful considering that I spend $300 a year to join the RCC and get premium customer service as one of the benefits. I would usually just have said "none of your business" to begin with and asked for a supervisor if he kept up the garbage, but I decided not (for good reason).

That being said, next time he better watch out.

FireEmblemPride

I can't help but wonder if I've dealt with this same person myself given the description.

Sorry to hear about this experience. Doesn't reflect on the attitudes of people in SF at all.

ecofreak

Really? I find it reflects on the attitudes of most UA airport agents in SF.

prestonh

fairy typical of SFO. Unless you are an international pax, not only do they not care, you inconvenience them when they are inconvenienced to help you. Actually, according to Q1 financials, every domestic pax United doesn't like as they all lost money. Are they planning to get rid of all domestic O/D pax?

lucky9876coins

The funny thing is that I have a few friends at the SFO RCC in the meantime, and I even brought them a gift, hoping they'd be there. Sadly none of them were there, and I ran into this butthead.

timenprayer

I am really sorry that this happened, especially to you. You have helped so many of us on this board learn helpful and useful things. Your experience and wisdom has likely turned people toward choosing UA, and then this happens to you. Really sorry to hear about that.

gj83

Quite unprofessional in my book to talk about customers behind their back, even more unprofessional to tell them about it.

exerda

I've no idea why it seems like so many RCC agents are anti-MR. (It's probably more like they are just anti-customer-service.)

I once needed to go on a non-stop because my inbound had been delayed enough that if I caught the rebooked connecting flights, I'd be stranded at a connecting airport. (I was flying DCA-ORD-MSP-DEN-SBA-LAX, and DCA-ORD was delayed over 2 hours.) The RCC agent told me, "You booked it that way, you fly it that way." And refused to put me on standby for the nonstop... As usual, a kind GA fixed it right up and put us on the ORD-LAX nonstop. ^

Yet GAs seem to either not care about MRs (for those who even know what they are) or even encourage them. I've even had GAs suggest better routings for more miles!

p.s. I bet we just missed each other today--I also flew IAD-SFO, but on the 7:10 am flight (UA187). Due to the weather, I hung out at SFO for a while after arriving, then decided to drive around and try to get some photography in... and gave up in the rain. Of course, by the time I got to the hotel, the sun had come out.

mre5765

I'd have demanded a supervisor right there and called the 1K line while I was
waiting.

Anyway, given this was a re-route, you'll get MP credit for the miles and
segments for SFO/LAX LAX/SAN right?

lucky9876coins

Right, I'll get original routing credit. Trust me, I would have, but I had reason not to.

NZ_Flyer

Wow and you put up with that! If this had happened with an NZ or QF agent then they would probably be dismissed or at the very least put on baggage handling for a long long time! What amazes me is that (in my experience), UA and AA ground employees are so so rude, and the passengers just put up with it!

Lucky, you need to complain and not let UA just take your complaint and just shred it. Follow it up and make sure they tell you what sanctions they're going to take against the agent for his absolutely foul customer service!

UnitedF1RST

Absolutely unbelievable and totally unacceptable. I'm sure I don't have to tell you to write in about this issue. I can't believe someone in the 21st century would use the phrase "you people..." and who the hell is he to tell you what your flying needs are? Even if you weren't mileage running and had actual business to conduct in each of your stops - say, signing documents in each city at the airport - its none of his business to judge you based on your flight routing for heavens sake. What incrediblly unprofessional behavior.

cheepneezy

You guys confuse me. On the one hand. Lucky is annoyed that the RCC Agent wants to fly him straight to SAN, yet exerda is upset because the RCC Agent wants to enforce the routing that he booked. Isn't that the inherent danger of a Mileage Run? And I imagine the original revenue stream would be different for a nonstop vs. 5-stop. I don't think these agents have a chance with these bookings and trying to make people happy when irrops occur. Hmmm, what's more important, getting there, or getting miles? For everyone, it's different.

That said, Lucky's RCC agent certainly has a right to feel that way about Mileage Runners, but the last thing he should be doing is voicing that opinion to a customer.

arifjk

This conversation brings me to a question... is M/R actually allowable? Or United actually discourages (if not prohibits) M/R?

zzyster

I think I know which goof this is... he needs to be put out of our misery.
I was on int'l first (paid, not miles, not that it should matter) on my return home when connecting to my domestic flight, and i encountered him.
I showed my boarding pass, and he said, "Oh, you figured out the super
secret way to get in. This is a private club. United should really enforce members-only blah blah blah..."

zzyster