Sfo bos on ua
 

I arrived at SFO at 4:30 am for a 6:00 flight. I checked in online, so I dropped my bag off curbside. I went right to security, where I waited in a queue for 10 minutes.
I had breakfast in the terminal, and went to the gate. I find the domestic terminal at SFO to be less efficient than the International Ternminal.
10 minutes after the scheduled boarding time, an announcement was made, saying that we did not have enough flight attendants for the flight to depart. 15 minutes later, boarding commenced, or so we thought. 2 minutes into boarding, it was announced that there were technical problems with the aircraft, a 757. At 6:00, we all got on the plane and waited. I asked about getting off, but they said that due to security and luggage reasons, I couldn't. They offered me a beverage, so I took a diet coke. They gave me the full can. An interesting note, I asked the F/A how old the plane was, and she replied "very old." I think that United Airlines needs to do a fleet update. After one hour, they announced that they didn't have the necessary part to fix the problem with the control panel. After this announcement, people were permitted to deplane, and wait in the boarding area. I waited there until 7:30, when we finally got on the plane and took off.
I am seated in 11F, which is UA's Y+, with more legroom. Overall, the seats are comfortable, and there is enough room. Beverage service commenced about 40 minutes after reaching cruising altitude (FL 350). At the same time as the beverage service, another F/A was selling the BOB food. (Buy-On Board.)
I took a snack pack, which had all kinds of processed crap in it.
After the beverage service, I was able to get a drink whenever I want. Again, I am given full cans of soda whenever i ask for one.
Due to the delays and mechanical errors, I don't think that I'll fly united anytime soon.

You will find that can happen to any airline, not just UA.

Due to the delays and mechanical errors, I don't think that I'll fly united anytime soon.

Based on that logic, I should never fly USAirways [some delayed experience and cancelled flights in the past 20 years] Lufthansa [ditto USAirways with some delayed experience and cancelled flights in the past 20 years], Delta [ditto Lufthansa experience], Air France [ditto Delta experience], American [ditto Air France experience], Alitalia [ditto American experience], British Airways [ditto Alitalia experience], SAS [ditto Alitalia experience], BMI [ditto SAS experience], Thai [ditto BMI experience]etc. I've flown all of the above at some time since 1970.

So when the original poster finds an airline which doesn't have delays from mechanicals or weather or whatever, I want to know so that I can enjoy apparently guaranteed delay-free travel.

There are 757 as new as built in 1999, until you know the reg# on that plane, one cannot say the plane is old or new.




You were only experienced 1.5 hour delay, which was really minor, and basically it would catch up most of the lost time once it get airborne. Afterall, you still seems like getting good service from the crew, and you even get E+ (I am guessing you are not status pax as you don't seem to be a frequent flyer). Then what airline are you going to fly that has absoultely 100% no delays and mechanical errors ? :td:

A 1.5 hour minor delay for one flight already made up the mind of a pax to switch carrier seem quite pathetic. :td:

I agree with you, but think about the infrequent traveller who doesn't belong to a loyalty program. Let's say the OP travels once to twice per year or less--and think of the millions of people like him/her--one bad experience with any airline will be enough to turn them off of the airline for life, or until they experience enough delays with other airlines to realize it is just a part of air travel.

Welcome to FT adroualt, you will have probably noticed it gets a bit "rough and tumble" in here sometimes, (most of the time actually.) I'm sorry you had a bad experience with the delay. Hopefully you are due a nice smooth trip next time you fly.

Regards Larry.

I should preface what say by saying that I am not a frequent flyer. Last year I did not fly at all. That said I would agree with the others that having a 1.5 hour delay is a poor reason to write off an airline. If you fly enough you either should find that delays do happen and if you take that approach then you will eventually write off the commercial airline industry as a whole. That said, my worst delay was 4+ hours SFO-TPE.

Honestly, this sounds like one of the complaint letters on untied.com