Desk help at all airlines has really gone downhill - totally agree. However, if you guys stood in line with a line closed sign and didn't approach those other GAs to call for someone - I gotta ask what were you all doing??? Also - you say you've been a regular UA flier but you didn't make the call to the 1K (presume?) or other call center location to take care of the rebook immediately?

All you had to wait on line for at that point would be the cab, hotel and food vouchers. Sure, you would still be there but the anxiety of can I get on the flight and what horrible seat will I get would at least be over (and the ticket wouldn't have been messed up). We had friends miss the HKG-SIN flight coming in from SFO, similar to you they saw us pushback and leave as they were coming in. Similar circumstances but customer service in asia is better than in the US. I figure the RCC was already closed so that wasn't an option - the timing is always close with those late night flights. Sorry about the bad timing but it does happen.