United Airlines deadheaders
 

The hits keep coming. If you are a United Airlines commuter, be aware that they decided this year not to invite FedEx pilots into their "invitation only" Global Services status. It's not just a FedEx thing, but at least 6 long term Global Services FedEx pilots I'm aware of did not requalify this year despite spending over 6 figures on United airfare in 2023. Plan accordingly for 2024. To my knowledge, American and Delta still appreciate FedEx money. United...not so much.

I also got the news today that I was not invited back to GS. I spent around $80K last year on United tickets. I've already started looking at other carriers for my upcoming deadheads.

Soneone is already drafting an open letter to UA and so far have nearly 100 signatures. Any affected pilots interested in joining please send me a private message!

Does it really matter? Isn't 1K status good enough?

What does this mean? You're going to kick United commuters off your jumpseat or something?

I was 1k for years before becoming GS. There is a very significant difference between the two with the most important being how you are handled during irregular operations. For us, that’s job security. As a GS, I’ve had my reservations reworked before I was even aware there was a problem. Weather, maintenance, ATC problems, doesn’t matter. If they identify you might not make a connection, they start working a solution. Either a different flight, or they meet you at the gate and drive you across the ramp, or through the terminal to your next flight. Since it also comes with lounge access, you also gain the benefit of a United agent in the lounge who can help work issues. Can’t count how many times I’ve walked past lines of a thousand people in IAH or ORD waiting for customer service, and I’ve walked into the lounge to an agent with no line. 1k comes with none of that. Really the 1k benefits for the kind of travel we do are essentially useless. We’re flying in business class for most international flights anyway. That means you’re boarding in group 1 no matter what your status. The 1k “hotline” can take 45 minutes to get someone on the phone. You get your first choice of meal, but the food isn’t that good anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. And when the sh*t hits the fan in a commute or deviation, you’re mostly on your own to find a solution.
To each his own, but once you experienced the difference, it’s pretty easy to see the difference.

Weird that you would even consider that as an option. United commuters don’t create United policy.
We have a choice on who we deadhead on. I spent well over $100k deadheading on United last year. It’s a free market. If they don’t want my money I’ll fly on someone else. But this isn’t the first time one of the legacy airlines has tried to treat FedEx pilots as second class citizens. They typically reconsider when it becomes apparent it will cost them money. Hopefully this will be another example of that.

That makes more sense.

Although there are plenty of people on APC that would do something silly like I suggested.

Well, I won’t argue with that point. Unfortunately, you might be right.

Nah they reserve that sort of hostility for anyone who voted NO on the TA.

If you do decide to switch carriers look into status match at your new carrier of choice. Most will honor whatever level you had at UAL instantly so you don't have to start at the bottom.

So… this post had nothing to do with contract negotiations but you felt the need to play the victim and keep trying to divide the crew force…Bravo.

Thanks for this, going to try and get some AA and UA leverage off my Delta Diamond.

How do they know you’re a FEDEX pilot?

I was diamond for a long time and wanted to try out UAL. All I had to do was send in some documents and 2 weeks later I was 1K.

I wouldn't expect to be treated differently at Delta. They revised their rewards program and made it much harder to advance and maintain status.

Most Intl FedEx pilots will reach Delta’s new diamond status requirements in 4-5 months.

That’s what’s you get for using your commuter cash on United instead of Delta. Massive mistake by YOU. Now hold this L buddy. Don’t be upset because a Frontier with a little more infrastructure and cheap screens on their back seats is bending you over after they took your money.

I think we can all say the US cabin experience sucks on any American carrier. If we could we would choose SIA, JAL, ANA, KAL, CP, etc. Star Alliance is not even a comparison compared to Skyteam.

Yeah. I read all those news articles just a few months ago about how great it was being a frequent flier at Delta. Those were some entertaining stories as Delta quickly backpedaled after screwing up its entire Skymiles program. To its credit, at least it tried to screw all of its loyal customers instead of just the top tier. I'll keep your suggestion in mind though. The Skyteam Alliance is a nice also ran option, and having access to Aeroflot and MEA would be kind of cool if I ever wanted to vacation in a war zone.

Can someone explain the actual complaint with United. Are they denying status that has been earned via their FF program? If so I would think a lawsuit might be in order!

Global Services is by invitation only… and they don’t publicize what it takes to get the invite. It’s not like 1K status that you obtain by flight segments/miles flown.

What ugleeual said. Typically the threshold for an invitation is about $50k spend on United tickets in a year. For years and years, FedEx pilots have been invited into the program if they meet or exceed that threshold. This year, it appears no FedEx pilot was invited. At a minimum, 100 qualified with an average spend of over $75k. Meanwhile, non-FedEx pilots were invited to join with even less than $50k spend.
It’s purely a business decision in both directions. United has decided it doesn’t care about the revenue generated by a contingent high spending FedEx pilots. At a minimum, roughly $7.5 million dollars in 2023. Those FedEx pilots are asking “do you really want to do that?” If United says “Yeah, F you”, the next move is on each FedEx pilot who cares. American and Delta both have similar programs for roughly the same amount of money. So far, they continue to welcome FedEx pilots into their invitation only programs. So each pilot can make their own decision on whether they continue to fly on United, or take their travel bank elsewhere.

Thanks for the explanation. I suspect in the end picking a FF program will come down to where someone lives.

Unfortunately I live in Denver, but I'll just fly to SFO and take the Asian carriers as much as possible. It's a much nicer travel experience on JAL/ANA/SIA, and the way UA has been devaluing the MP it's really starting to make a lot of sense to spend my money elsewhere.

It seems like United doesn't understand we have control of how our travel banks are used. They're about to find out quickly.

That’s a key factor. Unless you live somewhere like Memphis or Indy which aren’t airline hubs. To generate $50k in travel money you mostly need to be flying international. At that point, most flights are going to be two legs unless you live somewhere like Atlanta or SFO. So that does make it easier to choose any of the major US carriers as your primary. At least for the international part.

I agree, thx for the breakdown. I mainly do American, since Delta mostly flies the old, worn out, 1990 Business class A-330's to Europe. Which is a terrible hard product. Have no idea why they haven't upgraded these A330's to the nicer Delta One that is on the A330-900 NEO. Because it stinks. And when I go to Asia I use JAL and get the American points. ANA is good , but JAL a little better IMO.

So why is this relevent to anything? "Hits keep coming"? What hits?

If you don't understand why a major US airline deciding to deny its highest status level to FedEx pilots who spend a lot of time commuting and deadheading as part of their FedEx careers is "relevant" to an internet site where FedEx pilots discuss issues that impact their work environment, it's not worth trying to explain it to you. Find another thread.
If you aren't aware that there have been several rather significant disruptions recently in our happy little FedEx existence...read just about any thread posted on this site in the last 6 months. Maybe start with the one titled "Worth staying?"
Or better yet, let me know what you've been drinking.

He probably meant that this is an issue only for a very small subset of FX pilots so nobody cares except the few guys DH'ing all over Tarnation.

Yeah, they said that about lie flat seats, too.

There are more DH's across all bidpacks then you would expect.

My guess, and this is only a guess, is that it has to do with the discounted rate that those tickets are being purchased at. This has happened before.

It is still money spent. Money that we have the ability to choose to spend somewhere else. Loyalty programs work for both sides. If they won't show us the loyalty another carrier will, then some of us will certainly be making a change.

If you ran a company would you reward your most profitable customers or those who spent the most. They are different things.

I feel your pain but it is supposed to be an ultra exclusive club and they have made the decision that you water it down. Hopefully DAL and AA won't. Good luck.

I agree with you to some extent. However, many of us are fully aware of this and intentionally book the highest fare classes, and avoid discounted tickets completely in order to get the highest status. I think there is more to this than some people buying discounted tickets.

And that is the bottomline for me. Business is business and my (Fred’s) money will go to the business that treats me best. For me, that was United. If they don’t have a change of heart, it’s a no brainer to shift my loyalty. No point in spending more than what it takes to make 1k on United, if there is no chance at a higher status level. Especially when other airlines still offer that potential. And as has been noted, will match my status level at United with little more than a paperwork shuffle.

The flight attendants know. I was on a CDG deadhead last week in business class. Before we landed the FA asked how long I had in Paris and where I was going next. I thought it was a little strange of a question. So I said I'm only here for about 36 hours and going to EWR. I also told her I flew for FedEx. She said I know, most of you fly back to Memphis or another European city.

I have no distinguishing tags on my luggage or backpack saying I'm a pilot or work for Fedex. (Maybe it was the jeans and running shoes ;) )

Last month we had a mid trip deadhead on United cancel. I called the GS hotline to ask about alternatives. She said “I see your traveling with another FedEx pilot. Let me see what I can do.” I didn’t tell her I was FedEx and the other guy had no status on United.

When Global Travel books your ticket, there is a remark at the bottem of the reservation that says you are a FedEx crewmember.