Oxon Flyer

My submission for "worst redemption value for a considerable while" :

Travelled UA F LHR-ORD-ASE today.

Promised new UA 767 suite dreams config didn't materialise, instead got a seemingly 1970's vintage "tatty beige" config, complete with wood-effect tray table, carpetting up the walls, cassette tapes and various creaks and rattles, and of course a seat instead of a bed. bmi spoil us with modern airbuses....

Left LHR late and got into ORD just behind the BA, the AF and the LH, so immigration was a complete scrum.

Now in ASE, and they've lost our luggage. All of it. Bit of a bummer when you need it for skiing in the morning, and you've already paid out for the lift tickets etc

Still, we've got the emergency amenity kit containing some toileteries and, rather bizarrely, a huge white Skyteam t-shirt.

skywalkerLAX

Sorry to hear that, hope your luggage arrives soon. Keep receipts for everything, also for the lift tickets !

UA is a fkin joke when it comes to baggage handling. I miss a bag since FEB28 and havent even recieved a call from them. Yesterday I called my local office in Frankfurt and my mood was rather bad The usual bla bla... we check for it etc. Told them they only need to check the address where to send the check to. Idiots.

As I said, hopefully you will be more lucky !

Enjoy ASE :-:

NoY

Sorry to hear about your cr**y journey - but your sense of humour (thread title) did make me laugh out loud, once I read the content..

Swanhunter

Sorry to hear about the bags....but dare I ask where one gets an elephant sized Skyteam t-shirt?

alanw

I've been on that same UA flight, on an F award, with that same cabin from 1972. They should be ashamed of themselves. It was especially difficult after TG F LHR-BKK and SQ F BKK-LAX.

Brooklyn-LGA-Flyer

Good luck with the luggage! Time for some new, good value gear on UA ?

I've had a couple of problems this year with bags on the 'express' flights. In particular they are keen to not bother taking skis and letting you turn up at the airport for each consecutive flight to see if they arrive!

I've just got back from Frisco / Breckenridge CO and the conditions were fantastic for April. So enjoy!

Tiger_lily

Oxon, we've had the same on UA when flying to RNO via SFO.

What usually happens is that either

a) the plane is too small for all of the luggage and they hold onto it and stick it on a later (bigger) flight or
b) the TSA are having a nosey around your ski equipment and it missed the flight and will make it up later.

In your case it will probably end up on a flight to DEN and turn up at ASE by road at about 4am tomorrow.

Oxon Flyer

Well, the fine folk of Aspen have been spared the sight of me in just an oversized Skyteam T-shirt on the slopes, as all the missing bags have shown up at the hotel. I reckon they stayed in ORD overnight and came out on the first flight this morning. And its LH F on the way back. And Alfonso got a brace against United. Things are looking up.

sven60035

Is it a regular feature that the 1972 model is used lhr-ord? I thought of taking that one but given that this is now the 4th time I see the 1972 model mentioned I am not so sure anymore.

oliver2002

What is more concerning is that the UA 763 in question was built in 1993.

UA949 was operated by N663UA on 5 APR:

Whats consoling is that this aircraft is not exclusive to LHR

chrisny2

Haha I received one of those Skyteam t-shirts. But it was from Air France at CDG and was actually a normal size. They must give bigger ones to accommodate the larger ppl in the US :-)

Jaimito Cartero

I've never seen anything larger than an XL Skyteam shirt.

Traveloguy

XXXXXL reminds me of things that are often quoted on other websites.

skywalkerLAX

As this is about the redemption value as well, I consider each single redemption on UA as a bad redemption as there is nearly always another *A choice. Subject to availability of course...

I would have chosen LH in the first place ^ connecting somewhere more predictable, definetely not ORD which I try to avoid at all cost. DFW comes to my mind which is served with F, SFO or LAX as well.

UA treats their F pax like scum, be it on the ground or in the air.

cstead

I'm the first to agree that redemptions on UA are a complete waste of miles, but you really weren't promised the new config...FWIW, they have 1 763 and 1 747 in the new config, and 95 widebodies in the old config. They do get swapped all the time, and I really wouldn't be counting on the new config until they give the all clear that they've finished the refurb. I won't buy or redeem for C or F on a 763 until they finish refurbing all 763; same for 744 and 772.

Of course, once the refurb is done, we can still look forward to UA fantastic soft product