On Friday I wrote about a United Airlines ‘1K’ status member threated by a flight attendant with being placed on a no fly list over accepting manicotti from another crewmember while sitting in coach.
On a Denver to Seattle flight on Thursday the passenger was seated in seat 7C, and a flight attendant brought him an actual meal, perhaps from first class leftovers. The cabin crewmember had spoken with him on his flight to Denver, and worked the flight with him to Seattle, and they joked about the manicotti. It was a great moment of customer service, but one that enraged another flight attendant on board – to the point that the woman confronted and threatened the customer over it.
It turns out that this passenger, who was on his 80th flight of the year enroute to Seattle, has already been flying United again. And he’s now getting the royal treatment from other flight attendants with the airline.
For his flight from Seattle to Chicago he was again in coach. United 1Ks and domestic upgrades often do not go together. However his status gets him a free economy snack and he ordered the Biscuits and Gravy (“it was surprisingly OK! …not disgusting or inedible”).
- He walked to the back galley midway through the flight to use the lavatory “and get a refill on a soda water.” The flight attendant there asked how he liked the food. He said “it was good” and he was thanked for his 1K status.
- She offered him seconds? And he replied “sure as long as it’s not the manicotti.”
[B]oth [flight attendants] looked at me and said “wait a second” and then they laughed out loud and asked it was me and both said the story is making the rounds on [flight attendant] gossip chain. They asked about the details and we laughed and one..handed me a second (now third) box of the biscuits and gravy and apologized. I gave the extra box to my seat mate who shared it with her husband.
The passenger heard from United after submitting a complaint about the original flight attendant interaction. His story has been picked up all over the internet. He relays that the airline told him, “we do not compensate for staff behavior issue.”
But he’s famous among United flight attendants now, at least as ‘the manicotti guy’. And he should clearly identify himself that way in all the galleys that he frequents.
Funny story. Great interaction with the flight attendants this time. It is nice when everyone can find humor in the situation.
How to say an FA is considered an ahole by other FAs without saying it.
Hope officious FA is seething.
United Airlines management destroying loyalty 1K at a time.
At least the hateful flight attendant didn’t beat the crap out of him and drag him off the plane.
I’m not sure UA considers its loyalty program to have much impact on its flyer’s behavior, so it would make sense that the airline really doesn’t care much about whether you are a 1K or not.
Kirby needs to be served some crow for directing the airline in such a direction through his renowned miserliness and long list of customer-unfriendly initiatives. Instead, he’ll flee when it’s time for blame to be apportioned, as usual. That’s how you separate management from actual leadership – leadership accepts blame.
We don’t compensate for staff behavior issues. WTF?!?
Maybe if hospitality industry fired those with behavioral issues and poor customer service skills the experience would improve
This guy needs to get a t shirt made and wear it when he flies on United.
Geez, if there’s anything you SHOULD compensate for, it’s for staff behavior issues. What is wrong with United?
@Thing 1
I could answer that but how long do you have to spare?
Anyone has flown with United lately would know that 1K does not mean anything. Save $24K a year for better things. 1K status with United is not worth.
I hope that the unfriendly FA is already on the lookout for a new job…