This is why you use a CREDIT card and not a DEBIT card. This is on you. DEBIT cards are evil, evil things... for this very reason. Use a credit card and have it auto-pay your bill in full monthly from your bank account. MUCH better scenario.
A credit card would have done exactly NOTHING to mitigate this problem. The money would have been just as gone with a CC as a Debit Card. Both put a hold on those funds and both require the same many days to return. BTDT.
Because they don't, actually. They authorize it, and your bank puts a hold on the money. The money is still very much in your account, just not available to you. See this article for more.
A distinction, without a difference.
Amazon.com doesn't charge your card when you purchase a book; they charge it when they ship it to you. If they don't have the inventory, you never see the charge.
Exactly! They could wait till confirmed. Many other companies don't charge or authorize for the full amount, until they know they can procede with the transaction. UA does it because they can get away with it.