Mobissimo

I fly. I fly a lot. I fly Star Alliance only. Except short hauls. Anyway, I'm approaching close to a million miles flown and the sad thing about it - I've paid for 99% of all of them, no business travel here. I've been with Mileage Plus since I could walk. With the recent troubles at United and its emergence from bankruptcy, a new vibe is definitely in the friendly skies. They love to fly, and it shows - am I mixing slogans? Pilots, yes, the guys who should be focusing on the 100 ton machine they're controlling are taking a more active role in customer service.

Under the program, you'll be more likely to see an actual pilot at the gate to explain to you why your flight is delayed. While airborne, frequent fliers may find a flight attendant pressing a note from the pilot into their hands: a personal thank-you for being aboard. And kids traveling alone will in some cases be offered a chance to call home while in flight, using a pilot's credit card.

Nice. And this isn't just pr driven fluff. On a recent international flight, the flight attendant brought me a business card from the pilot with a note expressing his appreciation for my flying United. A nice touch. Later on the train to switch terminals, his name was emblazoned on his luggage, so I introduced myself and thanked him for his card, we talked for a bit and then proceeded to the airport bar where we got completely hammered and then he flew a 767 to Newark. Just kidding. A good marketing campaign for United, costs them virtually nothing, but the little things, yes, the little things are what count.