UA Snafu
Just wanted to relate a recent situation and see if any others experienced a similar issue and how it was handled.
Was traveling on an AP reward ticket on the return portion. HKG>SIN>LHR>YYT.
HKG>SIN with UA
SIN>LHR with SQ
LHR>YYT with AC
First portion with UA had a tight stopover....1 hour. Sat on the tarmac in HKG as the UA flight waited for connecting passengers from EWR. Waited a good 45 minutes for 4 passengers and at this time figured I would miss my connection with SQ. Sure enough, landed at SIN about an hour late and flight to LHR had already left. This was 1am mind you. Was directed to Transfer area B by SQ ground staff. No UA ground staff to meet arriving passengers. Was told by SQ attendant that I would have to wait until 4 am for UA personnel to show up. Other passengers with similar missed connections were in the same boat. Since it was UA faux pas it was their responsibility. SQ staff could not rebook. I wasn't very happy with this situation. Fortunately I had lounge access and used the 24 hour star gold lounge and tried to get a bit of rest.
I was really looking forward to flying with SQ for my first time as they are a 5* airline and wasn't happy about being downgraded to a 2* (my opinion) UA flight pattern. But what choice did I have? Furthermore there was no one I could even talk to until 3 hours later. Wasn't happy at all.
Waited until 4am and went down to the transfer desk and there were two SQ employees at the UA desk. I guess UA contracts out the service. They called down to the UA check in and I was told I could only connect SIN>NRT>EWR>YYT and all with middle seats. I had a window seat on my SQ flight but was told there was nothing else available for the 5 and 11 hour legs but middle seats. Now I was really annoyed. Not only was I downgraded in airline quality but lost my window seat on these long flights. The UA staff at check in counter relayed to the SQ attendant that there were no other options. I wasn't satisfied and asked for compensation. It was relayed to me that none would be offered and I would have to make a complaint via the UA website. I didn't accept the offer and went downstairs and cleared immigration and proceeded to the UA check in. Two UA uniformed employees were not helpful and after much arguing finally agreed to give me a $200 voucher.
So, I lost my leisurely 2 stop itinerary with one segment on a 5* airline and had a 3 stop nightmare on cattle car UA and arrived home 9 hours past my scheduled time and for this inconvenience all I received was $200 travel voucher that I had to beg for.
I will register a complaint with UA, whatever good that will do. I cannot understand why there was no UA representative to meet arriving passengers, instead just leaving them there sitting for hours. I also called AP using my personal phone in SIN and was told by AP that it was UA's responsibility and there was nothing they could do.
Anyone experience anything similar?