Long unexplained lines, e-tickets, web check-in, machine check-in what is going on? If you are ever in SFO walk over to the United line and tell me if that doesn’t look like a line to a concert. The main United line has no splits and on a Wednesday morning the line would take 2 hours to get through. I ended up ditching this line and found the web check-in line. I had an e-ticket and no bags to check-in this should be a quick process right? No! It still took 1 hour to get through the web only e-ticket line. We tried to use the e-ticket machine, they found where I was going but couldn’t complete the deal. When I did get to the front of the line I was told I was in the wrong airline line oh my god!
At this point I start to observe and cannot figure out what the heck was going on here. As an IT professional and process oriented person I start looking for ways to improve this.
Drive Change Daily!
Now first of all, how do you do this everyday and still not improve this process? One thing I noticed United does not do is only have certain windows dedicated to certain flights. This maybe the old way but only those that need to be in line will be in line and the rest can wait until it is 3 to 4 hours before their flight. It is possible that they simply have too many flights, if so acquire more space then! Business is well!
I know people in these unions are simply sucking up pay checks and boy does it show. The slow operation of the workers moving at the speed of snails! On top of this they have many operators in training taking the time of others. The straw that broke the camel’s back are the three attendants it took to figure out how to use the machine that is supposed to eliminate the need for any attendant whatsoever.
Why have e-tickets if it doesn’t really help you check-in faster? Why have online check-in if that line is just as long as the regular line. Why deploy a user self help kiosk if it doesn’t work and can’t seem to ever read my passport anyway? On top of that the self help kiosk is so hard to use the guy guarding the line tries to help us use it. Idiotic!
At the end of all of this why do I book a United flight on United.com and my confirmation says nothing about Lufthansa! I have United 8828 and that is it. Then I am told I had to go to the Lufthansa line after 1 hour waiting in the wrong line.
Then why do I not have a freakin seat? Explain to me why I paid 2 months before and I did not have a seat. The flight was over 20 oversold and I barely squeezed onto the flight with middle seat. The flight was 11 hours!
It amazes me that airlines do this day in and day out yet still don’t get it right. It’s the process folks but I truly blame unions for this. My apologies to those of you such as teachers, grocery store workers and airline employees. I know that unions have done a ton for you to get paid what you feel you should get paid. However, this is a capitalistic market and we should be adjusting to the laws of supply and demand. Look what unions have done to the airline industry. Compared to international flights domestic flights stink. We have to pay for food and food is rarely served on flights anyways. Flights aren’t that cheap compared to Asia Air or Ryan Air in Europe and service well not really there either since attendants can’t be fired really what is the point. Look at America’s auto industry what unions have done. How are businesses able to compete if they are over paying their employees? The consumer ends up taking the hit!
Deep thoughts from a worn out traveller!
I am glad I held back in buying that J Rich jersey, because I had a feeling that he would be traded end of this year. Unfortunately with sport folks don't get to stay on one team for their whole career. But this article summed it up nicely. We all love J Rich, he plays with so much heart, so much speed and has been the only consistent Warrior that we watch and cheer for. He is also the only attractive player we have to trade for yes I said it KG? Heck man if we get KG in place I will pay any price for that. I might even think about getting season tickets for next year to watch that team play! We have done all we can with J Rich, it is time that the Bay Area got a super star (that isn't injured all the time) to play for us!
