Originally Posted by 318i

Short, bulleted tale from a new UA flyer (matched 1k from DL):

- Scheduled for 7:00a departure ORD-STL on UA, operated by Trans States.

- At 6:45a, the ERJ hasn't boarded yet, there's nobody at C7, and the next flight is posted on the screen.

- I know something's up, so I check the departures board, and see that my flight has been delayed to 9:45a.

- I call the 1K line to be placed on the standby list for the 8:15a flight. The powerless agent is unable to do this, and redirects me to a supervisor who happily places me on the list.

- Head over to C1 for the 8:15a flight, of course, I don't see my name on the standby list.

- Call the 1K line again, they say that they're unable to do this, the supervisor I spoke to was wrong, and I need to go to the counter. Of course... there's nobody at C1 either.

- I walk to the C-concourse customer service center; they place me on the list and I miss it anyway.

- At this point, I say screw it, it's just a day trip and I can be more productive in the office vs. waiting for a flight that will probably never leave. I call the 1K line, and ask for my ticket to be refunded. They say I need to go to the website and "un-check-in" before my ticket can be refunded. I plead ignorance on how to do this (which is actually the truth) and the agent places me on hold for 10 minutes while tracking down a web process resource to un-check-me in (un-check-in me?).

Again, forgive me, I'm new here... but is this the way UA operates? I'm familiar enough with poor operations at regional carriers, but are the RSAs completely powerless when it comes to simple tasks like placing pax on standby lists, removing them from checkin lists, and the like?

I'm venting a bit, but this was an incredibly frustrating experience and I don't want it replicated in the future. Talk me back onto the bandwagon (and away from the bAAndwAAgon).