United Airlines deserves credit for having by far the best customer-facing tech of any US airline, especially when it comes to the mobile app. It’s materially better than Delta’s, and in a completely different league than American’s. Along those lines, United is now rolling out yet another awesome app feature, which passengers will no doubt…
Continue reading: United Airlines’ Awesome New Seat Alert Feature
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Personally not a fan of this enhancement. This will make it really easy for those desired seats to be snatched, and therefore harder for us experts to get those seats.
My thoughts too. Could almost always count on getting out of my middle seat by being smart with the app. Now it’s gonna be a game of whose got the fastest fingers and internet connection
Agreed. Sometimes, making things too easy penalises those who are willing to make an effort…
The people that ‘lose’ are those of us who know how to make seat alerts already.
This is really about UA collecting data so it can price seats in a way that more people would pay for them.
Don't they already have that data from requiring payment for certain seats for years?
The data they currently have aren't sufficiently granular. They have no takers for many seats they tried to upsell, because they lack the ability to target individually and price seats in a way that passengers would be more willing to pay for them.
Awwwww you poor things. Yeah those seats are just especially for you. Get over it! They should be available to all, greedy!
Not exactly accurate… one can currently state your preference for aisle or window in your Mp account.
If more than one customer is requesting a specific seat (which I suspect will almost always be the case) I wonder what criteria UA will use to determine who gets it.
United is still terrible, lipstick on a pig.
Their maintenance on aircraft ability is insanely bad 9 issues this year lack of customer service. The United CEO flys on privet jet because he has no trust in onTime arrivals or maintenance of United flights.
That means I can request a seat that doesn’t have a door that pops off at 15,000 feet?
making things too easy penalises those who are willing to make an effort…
Not sure I've ever seen "Boomer Mentality" summed up so succinctly.
not at all the same thing. one is a preference for potential purchases, and the other is for a situation in the now. the seat you may choose now doesn't have to match the preference specified in the profile.
Dumbest reply I've ever seen. Not sure I've ever seen Millennial Mentality summed up so succinctly.
I adamantly disagree that United has a superior app to Delta. Sure, maybe for specific things *you* care about, Ben, but from a general user interface perspective the United app is trash. Advertisements everywhere and silly UI interaction elements that make navigation tedious.
Delta’s simple tab layout works fine, and Delta’s iOS iMessage integration makes customer service interactions delightfully simple.
But sure, let’s keep taking cheap shots as Delta because everyone here loves that apparently.
United APP is light years ahead of Delta, and AA is useless!
But really? Ugh this hurts experts from grabbing the seats.
As someone who flies on both, I objectively agree that United has the superior phone app. Much easier to navigate, and the ads you claim to be everywhere are on on the home page or bottom of the screen, not interfering with actual app navigation.
Disagree all you want, but to call it "trash" is completely incorrect.
This will absolutely become monetized in a decade. "Oh, looks like seat 12F is in high demand! Bid some $$ to guarantee you get this seat if it opens up." Or maybe on Spirit airlines "Looks like seat 7A is taken. Pay $88 to boot them from the seat and secure for yourself? Pay an extra $100 to prevent someone else from booting you and lock that seat in".
I would assume they'd reuse the upgrade priority rules (ignoring ones that don't apply).
No that's only an option on a Boeing plane.
On Airbus you would have to bribe an airline mechanic to rig it special for you.
Okay I won’t call it trash, but easier to navigate is a stretch. Delta’s app is simple yet effective.
Who the hell wants to fly United, operating Boeing casket airlines! AVOID BOIGN AND UNITED
Wow can’t believe the negative comments. This is a phenomenal improvement for United flyers. Wonder how they will deal with the chargeable seats. I guess they will just charge your credit card.
United has very good IT. That’s why everyone is searching for star alliance awards on it.
You get a in-app notification and have to complete a Sudoku puzzle. The fastest time wins the seat.
Correct me if I'm wrong. So United customers will be able to switch seats if they are available..of course contingent of what they paid and/or status. Correct? They can't do that now? Sorry, at AA, you can change your seat any time if it's available. Are you saying they will alert you if a seat you desire comes open? If so, that's cool, but HARDLY lightyears.
Such an over the top reaction. Delta, American, Southwest all fly Boeings and just because you hear United more on the news doesn’t mean the other airlines don’t have issues
First class is just barely better that coach was 40 years ago. Meals, a slightly wider seat, the only difference tbh was free drinks.
When you grow up and can comment as an adult, then feel free to speak. Your comment is childish, uninformed, and clearly uneducated.
“Boomer Mentality” ? You meant to say this now makes getting a seat adjustment so easy, even *lazy Millennials* and *GenZ’ers* can manage it.