Originally Posted by
rmadisonwi
Wait. Are you seriously suggesting that someone whose boarding pass suddenly stops working/disappears while at the airport standing in a security line waiting to get their BP scanned should, logically, call UA on the phone (the process which takes at least a minute or two to find the phone number and dial it, then another minute or so get through the menu options to say representative, followed by anywhere from 2 to 45 minutes on hold) rather than walking right over to the check-in counter? That’s one of the most ridiculous suggestions I’ve read.
.... Yes, I am, especially considering all of the other factors that OP already mentioned, including extremely long waits to get to his position in line. He could have stepped to the side while making his call.
The phone number is available in the app, and is tappable. It should recognize OP’s Premier status and route him accordingly. Two words are likely needed: “Yes” (“I see that you have a flight today from Houston to Denver; are you calling about that flight?”) and “representative.” (“How can I help you? You can say flight status, MileagePlus account servicing, or for everything else, say “representative.”)
99 times out of 100, the behavior that the OP experienced is exactly what you’d want; people want protection, and they’d prefer to clear the extra flight prior to getting to the gate when time is less pressing. Having the boarding pass disappear is a harsh reminder to fix the ticket, but at least it forces action. Yes, the OP ran into the 1 time out of 100, but then doesn’t seem to have done anything, really, to address the situation. If OP was at the metal detectors 10 minutes prior to boarding, it should still have been possible to make the flight, even with all of the other factors. Heck, even with going back to the kiosk, if he had insisted upon an escort to the front of the line — “I’ve already waited through this line once,” — or used the time to look up faster routes through security at IAH, he’d probably still have made the flight.
OP: You can certainly write to Premier Voice about your experience and express your dissatisfaction. They might throw you an ETC. Do not mention “denied boarding” (you weren’t) or use overly emotional language. Try to keep it in three sentences or less: “By the time I got to the front of the line, my boarding pass had mysteriously disappeared from the app, and I had to go back to find an agent to get it resolved.”