Originally Posted by
JAXPax
I would not recommend writing DOT as one of your first courses of action. DOT is, for lack of a better term, the nuclear option. The airline's goal is to avoid a DOT complaint. I would write to the carrier, being sure to document the timeline, and if you do not get satisfactory resolution, then to follow up suggesting involving DOT to facilitate action (rather than a threat). At my last carrier (about 11 years there), once a customer wrote to the DOT without giving us opportunity to first resolve, you were essentially dead to us as far as helpfulness. You get the bare minimum, which is going to be a written response within the prescribed timeline. Niceties that are discretionary over and above like vouchers, bonus miles, etc., aren't as forthcoming because you've gone ahead and done what those items are meant to discourage.
This has not been my experience with UA (or, at least, I've never known that it was, anyway). I've had to contact them twice due to UA's braindead, broken refunds process which frequently refuses a refund even when one is clearly due. I've gotten a satisfactory response -- beyond the bare minimum -- in each case.
If UA wants to have fewer DOT complaints, they should fix their broken systems.
I do agree that it shouldn't be your first response without even contacting customer care. However, the phrase "escalating" suggested to me that OP has already done that. Not knowing anything else about the complaint, I'm hesitant to suggest OP embark on what could turn into a long run-around just to prevent UA from the DOT.