McTigerFan

Flew with spouse ORD-SFO Wed. Apr. 10. Booked return redeye April 14. The trip was part of a 25th anniversary celebration (ours) where we are taking a series of trips to make up for the times that biz travel has kept us apart. Because of work commitments for both of us on Apr. 15 we were very careful to be booked in first on return flight (Flight had R3 inventory when we booked it, and although I am 1K I had a GS friend upgrade us right away using his Regional upgrade instruments, 2 seats together.)

The trouble started on the outbound. When we arrived at the gate, the GA announced that the flight was delayed more than 4 hours due to lack of a flight crew (IRROPS due to bad weather). But... there was room for 75 of us on another flight leaving in 45 minutes.

Great.... called the 1K desk, had them change us to the other flight, and sprinted to the other gate. When we got there the GA said that the 1K desk had "done it wrong" but not to worry, there was still room on the flight. So he tapped away at his keyboard for awhile and eventually handed us two boarding passes. We got to SFO by 11 pm, a little late but ok under the circumstances.

But when I logged on to check us in for the return this morning, about 12 hours before the flight..... both our profiles showed no reservation at all, and the record locator "could not be found"! I immediately called the 1K line and they explained that on Wednesday whoever changed our flight had "done it wrong" (sound familiar?) and as a result, the computer thought we were still in Chicago and cancelled our (upgraded) return flights. I pointed out that we had both already received mileage credit for the Wednesday flights so obviously we were in SF and United knew it had brought us there.

The agent said the trouble was that the flight was now completely full, as was the other red eye to ORD. After a series of holds lasting more than 90 minutes, the phone agent was finally able to get my wife in first but not me. He couldn't even get me on the plane and started offering me connections through Houston or LA. When I refused he finally found me a middle seat in the back -- which given my early am work commitments I did not really want. He promised me that I would be in front of the upgrade list, shown as being in first as soon as space became available.

That also was not true. I went to check in online an hour or two later and was offered a buyup to first for $249!!!! I immediately called the 1K desk again and explained that that seat should be mine, and they claimed there was no seat to give me, that I would have to wait til i go to the airport.

The airport was no more helpful, and I finally bought a first class seat on American, went to terminal 2, and right now am posting this from first on the American redeye from SFO to ORD. I have my middle seat UA boarding pass with me, unused. I logged on to my wife's account and it shows that 20 people were upgraded on the flight (including her during the 2 hour phone call). Yet I was not given my upgrade even though it was confirmed two weeks ago and came from a GS member's account. Fare class was pretty high, too -- not Y but not deep discount either.

A compensation discussion awaits, but I can't imagine buying another ticket on United for a very, very long time. And I bought 100 tickets last year for myself and extended family. These problems run deeper than at almost any other company I have ever seen, in any industry.