We’re a long way from even beginning to humanize computing as much as we’ll need to.

1) Daughter just got screwed over on flight from Vancouver, son-in-law to be lost luggage (sorry) on flight from London.

Daughter decided to tell United that she’d rather fly Aeroflot!

2) NYTimes on frequent flyer mess:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/business/13bug.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

Sounds like VRM issue

Ciao
Chip

It reminds me of: “If GM had developed technology like Microsoft…”

Fortunately, Snopes has tracked down the details:
http://www.snopes.com/humor/jokes/autos.asp

I’m very glad United puts its emphasis on aircraft maintenance, instead of website development. Now if we were willing to add another $20 to each ticket and earmark it “for website development”

Try getting a real person to talk to when you attemtp to engage a covnersation with social networking platform operators like Linkedin and Facebook……impossible….

The users of the platforms have taken the medium and are using it to engage while the operators are treating it like any business treats its customers.

Get it?

So, off to Orbitz. Did the job for the flight I wanted in minutes. Even offered me a great hotel deal…

There have been plenty of opportunities. I’m approaching a million miles with United. I’ve been a 1K flier for a couple of years, and close to that level for most of the last two decades. They’ve never lost my luggage; and it’s been so long since the last time I had a luggage problem that I can’t even remember when that was.

My complaints are few.

1) They cheap out on coffee and food in their Red Carpet Clubs. (Where I’m a lifetime member, thanks to a smart purchase by my wife 18 years ago.) Their old cappuccino machines at least made something resembling a cappuccino. Their new ones, now several years old, make several sugary drinks that are all terrible. And the machines are usually broken. Their pastries in the morning are the kind that come in sticky bags that you’d expect find in bad vending machines.

2) One can’t specify preferred seating when putting in for upgrades. As a result I usually don’t get upgraded, because I don’t put in for it. I’d rather keep a window in coach than have a nonwindow seat in business or first.

3) Their website is slow. They also recently subtracted more value when they stopped offering itineraries in iCal file form as well as in text and tables.

4) Their Easy Update system is broken. It used to be useful and informative. Now it makes mistakes and often doesn’t call at all.

5) The audio jacks on many seats os many planes are so worn that they barely work.

On the plus side, they go to many places, treat me well and still offer cockpit chatter on an audio channel — something no other airline does, and which I like a lot.

;o)