I have been booking a great number of flights over the past six months. Usually I fly coach but on trips where I am going to only have minimal time on the ground at the destination I book a 1^st class ticket. Expensive but at least I get to sleep on both legs.

Tonight I was trying to figure out how to fit Podcamp Ohio into my schedule and decided to see if I could book a ticket on United (my preferred carrier). Found a flight easy enough but on the return leg they had me stuck in Economy.

The price of the ticket was definitely 1st class pricing yet I could not reserve any seat on any flight coming towards Hawaii that day in 1^st class. So I called the United Premier Executive desk and sure enough got some lady from India that only understood every third word I said. After 21 minutes on the phone with her. I hung up on her.

United may be in financial trouble but when a long term frequent flyer calls because they are having a rare booking issue the last person you want to get is some idiot on the phone.

Shame on United. Maybe its time to start looking for a new preferred airline!