LAX Meltdown; Scary Situation, unbelievable agents...
Mar 19, 2012, 7:43 pm
#181
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Southern California, GVA, SIN, LHR, BRU, CDG
Programs: UA LT GS 4.12MM (4.08MM BIS), AA EXP 1.86MM ,DL DM 1.1MM, HH LT Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 1,182
Very disturbing to hear of this weatherboy. United, be it pmCO or pmUA, *cannot* let these kind of failure occur should they wish to continue to stay in business. Please do let us know what happens if you contact UA over this.Excellent posts and dead on, IMHO. ^
Perhaps no, but on some levels it does align. Kellner himself once referred to FT as CO's "early warning system" (DO III, IIRC @ the big meeting Saturday afternoon) where if the same issues came up multiple times here, chances were it would - if not already - come up from customers at large.
IMHO the friction reported here from inadequate policies, procedures, and IT support *do* transcend FT to the customer base at large (of course there are those that are "unique" to us as a community, such as the reduced mileage foul up, but again I don't think that's applicable here.)
Perhaps no, but on some levels it does align. Kellner himself once referred to FT as CO's "early warning system" (DO III, IIRC @ the big meeting Saturday afternoon) where if the same issues came up multiple times here, chances were it would - if not already - come up from customers at large.
IMHO the friction reported here from inadequate policies, procedures, and IT support *do* transcend FT to the customer base at large (of course there are those that are "unique" to us as a community, such as the reduced mileage foul up, but again I don't think that's applicable here.)
Mar 19, 2012, 7:46 pm
#182
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SAN
Programs: AA EXP 4 MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 884
Mar 19, 2012, 7:47 pm
#183
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Coventry,UK. Las Vegas
Posts: 269
Glad to hear of your positive outcome! You saw the worst and my husband " heard" the worse. Long story short, his mileage ticket return flight had a schedule change which no longer would work. after several phone calls and 35 mins into the final phone call he was told it could be changed but there was no award ticket availability to change it to to. He pointed out that if you went online they were selling award tickets for the flight that would suit him., so the agent told my husband to go ahead and book the ticket while he remained online as he couldn't see it in his system, and then once he had the new conf number they would refund the 25,000 miles used for the new return. My husband booked it and gave to agent the new conf to which the agent said quote "sorry sir I won't be refunding those miles to you, is there anything else I can help you with"
He refused to refund the miles, would not explain why he lied and was deceitful and then hung up" we have wrote to united twice and they still refuse to refund the miles"
Husband will cancel his united cc tomorrow now his new starwood card has arrived. Would love to email smisek and ask him to listen to the phone call recording!
He refused to refund the miles, would not explain why he lied and was deceitful and then hung up" we have wrote to united twice and they still refuse to refund the miles"
Husband will cancel his united cc tomorrow now his new starwood card has arrived. Would love to email smisek and ask him to listen to the phone call recording!
I received a call from a Customer Care Manager who read this thread, was extraordinarily apologetic, and said not only are the comments being shared with the highest levels of the company, but with the LAX agents for training too.
I was offered 25,000 MileagePlus miles -or- a $500 electronic travel certificate as a token of appreciation/apology for this mess.
I have 3 more UA flights booked in the next few weeks, so I'll see how things go. I had bought F tickets to Hawaii for the summer but cancelled them; I want to see how things evolve in the coming weeks before throwing more premium fare cash around.
I was offered 25,000 MileagePlus miles -or- a $500 electronic travel certificate as a token of appreciation/apology for this mess.
I have 3 more UA flights booked in the next few weeks, so I'll see how things go. I had bought F tickets to Hawaii for the summer but cancelled them; I want to see how things evolve in the coming weeks before throwing more premium fare cash around.
Mar 19, 2012, 7:59 pm
#184
Join Date: May 2008
Location: WAS
Programs: AA Ex Plt
Posts: 1,630
Wow -
Question though. Paid F and still was going to lose a seat. Does the new UA not even like those fliers paying lots of cash for a seat? TOD upgrades but no love for a full fare F. Isn't this the epitome of the what have you done for me lately philosophy, ie, paid a lot for a seat in F. Absolutely crazy.
Question though. Paid F and still was going to lose a seat. Does the new UA not even like those fliers paying lots of cash for a seat? TOD upgrades but no love for a full fare F. Isn't this the epitome of the what have you done for me lately philosophy, ie, paid a lot for a seat in F. Absolutely crazy.
Mar 19, 2012, 8:20 pm
#185
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 11
I sent this email to United a few minutes ago.
Dear Mr. Smisek,
I would like you to read about my recent experiences on United Airlines.
I recently flew to Australia via United for about 11 days. My United Confirmation was REMOVED. My one pass number is REMOVED.
The flights on the first leg of the trip (from EWR to LAX then LAX to SYD) were fine. Aside from not having the video system in economy, I have no complaints. The issues began at about 8:30pm on Saturday March 17th when I received an email letting me know that my flight from SYD to SFO has been canceled. The email directed me to call the 1-800 customer service number. As everyone knows, since the merger calling United has been a chore. I understand that United claims to have hired an additional 600 phone representatives but it was impossible to tell. After receiving a generic cancelation email, while traveling outside of my home country I had to call a US phone number, at night in a foreign country. The only way that I could possibly call at that time of night (and not in my hotel) was with my cell phone.
Why couldn’t United automatically contact me and offer to rebook me on different flights? Is it normal to just strand someone in a foreign country? Why do I need to spend over an hour on the phone at $1.29 per minute to speak to someone, who doesn’t understand the airline, in order to get back into the country. When I finally reached a representative I was told that my flight from SYD to SFO was still on time as scheduled and that the call center rep hadn’t received notice that my flight was canceled after looking it up through my reservation number. I explained a few times that it was. She finally went to the United website to see that my flight in fact no longer existed. After a 45 minute hold time, I was about to get thrown off the phone without my major issue being resolved. Now that we established my flight has been canceled, she asked what I wanted her to do? I explained that she needed to get me from SYD to EWR. She was confused but after a few attempts to explain that I am currently in Australia, away from home, I needed to get back to Newark Airport. She asked if I wanted to change my flight from SFO to EWR. I said no, I need to get from SYD back to the United States. She again asked if I wanted to just adjust my SFO to EWR leg. I said, no I need to get back into the United States and then explained to her exactly what she needed to do. I told her you need to put me on flight UA840 and then flight UA090. She told me that she wasn’t sure how to do this so I was again put on hold. After another 5 minutes on hold, at $1.19 a minute she finally figured out how to make the changes. After confirming again with me, on the phone what flights I needed, I was put on hold for another 10 minutes. I was finally placed on the new flights, well over an hour later. My next issue came when I went to check into to the flight. The customer service rep told me I had been assigned to seats, both of which were aisle seats. When I went to check in, I learned that I had not been assigned seats and no longer had an aisle from SYD to Lax. I guess after all the other issues with my customer service rep, this was to be expected.
After an excessive hold time, an incompetent customer phone representative, and an international cancelation, I will not be flying United ever again. Maybe the Continental and United merger was supposed to create a better airline but this seems to be far from the case.
Thinking the issues were past me, I arrived at Sydney Airport three hours before the flight was scheduled to depart. The line for check-in was not long at all however it took well over an hour. The check-in agent took over 20 minutes to check my baggage in. He and his supervisor even had to pull out his instructional manual. How could a ticket agent not know how to simply check in a passenger? The flight left about 45 minutes late.
The next part of the saga begins in LAX. I was scheduled to be on flight UA090, departing at 1:18pm although I never made it onto the flight. The incoming flight from Newark was delayed although no one could provide a reason as to why. I later found out it was due to a mechanical issue. The gate agents were very slow to respond to questions and would just randomly walk away from the desks. Every so often they’d promise an update but wouldn’t provide one for a long period of time.
I finally was able to speak to a gate agent around 3:30 to find out if there were other flights available. I explained that I’ve been traveling for over 24 hours by that point and would like to know if there were any other travel possibilities available, including with a connection. They said no without even looking at the computer. I was told to sit down and wait for further announcements. The representative even said “it’s mechanical, it isn’t something that we can control.” A mechanical issue IS something that united can control. This was not a weather related delay.
As time went on the waiting area got progressively worse. One man did yell at the gate agents which forced them to walk away. Based on my observations everyone waiting for the flight was getting tired of waiting, of course very few people had already been traveling for 24 hours. The man who expressed his anger although incorrect in the way he spoke, was correct. We were told to stay near the gate; everyone was hungry, thirsty, and frustrated by the lack of information. 45 minutes after the passenger outburst the gate agents came back and told us everyone would be receiving meal vouchers. While this was definitely appreciated, it took well over an hour for 3 gate agents to process the vouchers for everyone. For a short time there was a fourth rep but a few minutes into the voucher process she said out loud, “I’ve been working since this morning. I’m leaving.” Although I didn’t say anything I wanted to ask her how we felt. When I finally made it to the front of the line to get a meal voucher I asked if our seat assignments would remain the same if they changed aircrafts. The gate agent assured me that I would be on the flight with my current economy aisle seat assignment.
At around 6:00 when the new aircraft was finally prepped and ready to be boarded some people learned that their current boarding passes were no longer valid, myself included. The gate agents claim that had no idea what happened although they had already printed out a list of which passengers were mysteriously kicked off the flight. I was told to wait on the side with about a dozen other people. In order to even speak to the gate agent I had to wait in another line filed with people yelling and screaming at each other and the gate agents. I am very surprised that a fight didn’t break out. The gate agent told me that I was going to get bumped from the flight and offered me a flight to JKF departing at 6:00 am with a shuttle to EWR. I was able to find a flight for later that night to IAD and a connection flight to EWR in the morning. I had suggested this alternative travel method and was confused why the gate agents hadn’t thought of flights with a transfer to help us. I did receive a $300 travel voucher which I feel is a very insignificant amount of money even for a 7 hour delay, let alone being bumped.
My flight to IAD left about 20 minutes late because the cleaning crew took a little more time to clean that plane than normal, although it arrived early, was fine. I made my transfer from IAD to EWR. In EWR I had to go to a different terminal to get my luggage because it couldn’t be taken off my old intended flight.
I find it hard to believe that these issues occurred on the few select flights that I was on. Based on this trip I do not think I can fly with United again. This year I have flown to Eastern Europe roundtrip with Continental and to Florida round trip with Continental Airlines but if this is how your customers are going to be treated, I will not be flying United again. I am fortunate that I have plenty of other airports and airlines that are very close and convenient for my travels.
Dear Mr. Smisek,
I would like you to read about my recent experiences on United Airlines.
I recently flew to Australia via United for about 11 days. My United Confirmation was REMOVED. My one pass number is REMOVED.
The flights on the first leg of the trip (from EWR to LAX then LAX to SYD) were fine. Aside from not having the video system in economy, I have no complaints. The issues began at about 8:30pm on Saturday March 17th when I received an email letting me know that my flight from SYD to SFO has been canceled. The email directed me to call the 1-800 customer service number. As everyone knows, since the merger calling United has been a chore. I understand that United claims to have hired an additional 600 phone representatives but it was impossible to tell. After receiving a generic cancelation email, while traveling outside of my home country I had to call a US phone number, at night in a foreign country. The only way that I could possibly call at that time of night (and not in my hotel) was with my cell phone.
Why couldn’t United automatically contact me and offer to rebook me on different flights? Is it normal to just strand someone in a foreign country? Why do I need to spend over an hour on the phone at $1.29 per minute to speak to someone, who doesn’t understand the airline, in order to get back into the country. When I finally reached a representative I was told that my flight from SYD to SFO was still on time as scheduled and that the call center rep hadn’t received notice that my flight was canceled after looking it up through my reservation number. I explained a few times that it was. She finally went to the United website to see that my flight in fact no longer existed. After a 45 minute hold time, I was about to get thrown off the phone without my major issue being resolved. Now that we established my flight has been canceled, she asked what I wanted her to do? I explained that she needed to get me from SYD to EWR. She was confused but after a few attempts to explain that I am currently in Australia, away from home, I needed to get back to Newark Airport. She asked if I wanted to change my flight from SFO to EWR. I said no, I need to get from SYD back to the United States. She again asked if I wanted to just adjust my SFO to EWR leg. I said, no I need to get back into the United States and then explained to her exactly what she needed to do. I told her you need to put me on flight UA840 and then flight UA090. She told me that she wasn’t sure how to do this so I was again put on hold. After another 5 minutes on hold, at $1.19 a minute she finally figured out how to make the changes. After confirming again with me, on the phone what flights I needed, I was put on hold for another 10 minutes. I was finally placed on the new flights, well over an hour later. My next issue came when I went to check into to the flight. The customer service rep told me I had been assigned to seats, both of which were aisle seats. When I went to check in, I learned that I had not been assigned seats and no longer had an aisle from SYD to Lax. I guess after all the other issues with my customer service rep, this was to be expected.
After an excessive hold time, an incompetent customer phone representative, and an international cancelation, I will not be flying United ever again. Maybe the Continental and United merger was supposed to create a better airline but this seems to be far from the case.
Thinking the issues were past me, I arrived at Sydney Airport three hours before the flight was scheduled to depart. The line for check-in was not long at all however it took well over an hour. The check-in agent took over 20 minutes to check my baggage in. He and his supervisor even had to pull out his instructional manual. How could a ticket agent not know how to simply check in a passenger? The flight left about 45 minutes late.
The next part of the saga begins in LAX. I was scheduled to be on flight UA090, departing at 1:18pm although I never made it onto the flight. The incoming flight from Newark was delayed although no one could provide a reason as to why. I later found out it was due to a mechanical issue. The gate agents were very slow to respond to questions and would just randomly walk away from the desks. Every so often they’d promise an update but wouldn’t provide one for a long period of time.
I finally was able to speak to a gate agent around 3:30 to find out if there were other flights available. I explained that I’ve been traveling for over 24 hours by that point and would like to know if there were any other travel possibilities available, including with a connection. They said no without even looking at the computer. I was told to sit down and wait for further announcements. The representative even said “it’s mechanical, it isn’t something that we can control.” A mechanical issue IS something that united can control. This was not a weather related delay.
As time went on the waiting area got progressively worse. One man did yell at the gate agents which forced them to walk away. Based on my observations everyone waiting for the flight was getting tired of waiting, of course very few people had already been traveling for 24 hours. The man who expressed his anger although incorrect in the way he spoke, was correct. We were told to stay near the gate; everyone was hungry, thirsty, and frustrated by the lack of information. 45 minutes after the passenger outburst the gate agents came back and told us everyone would be receiving meal vouchers. While this was definitely appreciated, it took well over an hour for 3 gate agents to process the vouchers for everyone. For a short time there was a fourth rep but a few minutes into the voucher process she said out loud, “I’ve been working since this morning. I’m leaving.” Although I didn’t say anything I wanted to ask her how we felt. When I finally made it to the front of the line to get a meal voucher I asked if our seat assignments would remain the same if they changed aircrafts. The gate agent assured me that I would be on the flight with my current economy aisle seat assignment.
At around 6:00 when the new aircraft was finally prepped and ready to be boarded some people learned that their current boarding passes were no longer valid, myself included. The gate agents claim that had no idea what happened although they had already printed out a list of which passengers were mysteriously kicked off the flight. I was told to wait on the side with about a dozen other people. In order to even speak to the gate agent I had to wait in another line filed with people yelling and screaming at each other and the gate agents. I am very surprised that a fight didn’t break out. The gate agent told me that I was going to get bumped from the flight and offered me a flight to JKF departing at 6:00 am with a shuttle to EWR. I was able to find a flight for later that night to IAD and a connection flight to EWR in the morning. I had suggested this alternative travel method and was confused why the gate agents hadn’t thought of flights with a transfer to help us. I did receive a $300 travel voucher which I feel is a very insignificant amount of money even for a 7 hour delay, let alone being bumped.
My flight to IAD left about 20 minutes late because the cleaning crew took a little more time to clean that plane than normal, although it arrived early, was fine. I made my transfer from IAD to EWR. In EWR I had to go to a different terminal to get my luggage because it couldn’t be taken off my old intended flight.
I find it hard to believe that these issues occurred on the few select flights that I was on. Based on this trip I do not think I can fly with United again. This year I have flown to Eastern Europe roundtrip with Continental and to Florida round trip with Continental Airlines but if this is how your customers are going to be treated, I will not be flying United again. I am fortunate that I have plenty of other airports and airlines that are very close and convenient for my travels.
Mar 19, 2012, 8:22 pm
#186
Formerly known as CollegeFlyer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: JRA
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA PLT, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 6,716
Wow -
Question though. Paid F and still was going to lose a seat. Does the new UA not even like those fliers paying lots of cash for a seat? TOD upgrades but no love for a full fare F. Isn't this the epitome of the what have you done for me lately philosophy, ie, paid a lot for a seat in F. Absolutely crazy.
Question though. Paid F and still was going to lose a seat. Does the new UA not even like those fliers paying lots of cash for a seat? TOD upgrades but no love for a full fare F. Isn't this the epitome of the what have you done for me lately philosophy, ie, paid a lot for a seat in F. Absolutely crazy.
I cannot resist a good pile on...
Earlier in this thread, there was talking of filming some of the problems at the gate...
I was on a UA flight this past summer and all hell broke loose at the gate. I was amazed how the GAs just ignored the problem or simply walked away. I was literally shocked that an employee could be that indifferent to an obvious "situation" right in front of them. SO I pulled out my phone and taped it. (It was a cluster of issues, overbooked, delays gate changes etc) When I got home, I sent the video to UA CS to let them know what I saw and how perturbing this was.
The response from UA
"You are prohibited by Federal Laws of filming and Airport personnel or United employees. It is illegal to do so."
Period.
Have not flown them since.
Earlier in this thread, there was talking of filming some of the problems at the gate...
I was on a UA flight this past summer and all hell broke loose at the gate. I was amazed how the GAs just ignored the problem or simply walked away. I was literally shocked that an employee could be that indifferent to an obvious "situation" right in front of them. SO I pulled out my phone and taped it. (It was a cluster of issues, overbooked, delays gate changes etc) When I got home, I sent the video to UA CS to let them know what I saw and how perturbing this was.
The response from UA
"You are prohibited by Federal Laws of filming and Airport personnel or United employees. It is illegal to do so."
Period.
Have not flown them since.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Mar 19, 2012 at 9:09 pm Reason: merge
Mar 19, 2012, 8:30 pm
#187
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
jetski1110
If I were you, I would send a much shorter letter but make my points.
Airline CEO or his assistants don't have time to read such a lengthy letter.
Just saying....
If I were you, I would send a much shorter letter but make my points.
Airline CEO or his assistants don't have time to read such a lengthy letter.
Just saying....
Mar 19, 2012, 8:31 pm
#188
Join Date: May 2006
Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF
Programs: COdbaUA 1K MM, AA EXP, Bonbon Gold, GHA Titanium, Hertz PC, NEXUS and GE
Posts: 5,839
This is absolutely ridiculous. If a situation like this ever happens to me, I'm going to be gone. I will be on AA with Sabre and top level treatment to EXP's faster than a sUA FA skips Jeff's message before the safety lecture. You don't treat GMs like this, let alone a 1K or GS.
Actually, as an LAX-based 1K, I think that is a distinct minority. OTOH, the LAX PMCO agents are among the worst I have seen in their system. Consistently rude and unhelpful, including in elite lines.
Agreed. They should have pushed people to other carriers - especially elites.
The sCO staff at LAX, as I said above, are the worst I have seen in their system. Ran into one the other day who had no business working in the PM-RCC.
OTOH, I absolutely love the sUA staff at LAX. Very few bad apples, and most are the best in the system.
PMUA staff work a fairly large number of the PMCO flights.
The stupid thing is that the ownership of the airline is 55 sUA/45 sCO.
ASE is indeed OO, and usually they are decent.
That is so incredibly wrong. That said, sCO's ground staff was not unionized and were absolutely terrible at LAX (and never as good as sUA staff as a whole).
Actually, as an LAX-based 1K, I think that is a distinct minority. OTOH, the LAX PMCO agents are among the worst I have seen in their system. Consistently rude and unhelpful, including in elite lines.
TBH, I suspect that the UACO personnel in charge did not want to spend the money to push the ticket to another carrier, and was hoping that uninformed pax would just give up and buy tix on another carrier themselves, thus allowing UA to (1) avoid paying any rebooking costs or denied boarding compensation, and (2) receive a windfall by keeping the pax's originally paid fare. IMO this kind of "strategic" treatment of pax should be illegal and should be heavily penalized.
OTOH, I absolutely love the sUA staff at LAX. Very few bad apples, and most are the best in the system.
The biggest drawback of unionized labor is the inability to easily reprimand, suspend and/or terminate someone who really does deserve it. Same thing happens with public school teachers... hard to get rid of the bad ones (this from my parents, who were both (good) teachers).
Mar 19, 2012, 8:33 pm
#189
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellingham/Gainesville
Programs: UA-G MM, Priority Club Platinum, Avis First, Hertz 5*, Red Lion
Posts: 2,808
Whatever happened to rule 240 and IDB compensation in the CofC? I haven't yet read the merged CofC, maybe all of that has been thrown out?
Mar 19, 2012, 8:37 pm
#190
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: Landry's President's Club, Marriott Silver, Awesomeness EXPLT
Posts: 20,417
Not so shocked by this sadly as I had a GA verbally abuse me right before the merger was completed at EWR. I asked when we were boarding as the flight was delayed and there wasn't an updated time on the board. He called me an idiot and told me to look at my boarding pass. Seemed like he was itching for a fight I promptly found a supervisor during the delay and they seemed to know who this was the moment I mentioned what he looked like.
Cheers
Howie
Cheers
Howie
Mar 19, 2012, 8:50 pm
#191
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: none
Posts: 1,668
I cannot resist a good pile on...
Earlier in this thread, there was talking of filming some of the problems at the gate...
I was on a UA flight this past summer and all hell broke loose at the gate. I was amazed how the GAs just ignored the problem or simply walked away. I was literally shocked that an employee could be that indifferent to an obvious "situation" right in front of them. SO I pulled out my phone and taped it. (It was a cluster of issues, overbooked, delays gate changes etc) When I got home, I sent the video to UA CS to let them know what I saw and how perturbing this was.
The response from UA
"You are prohibited by Federal Laws of filming and Airport personnel or United employees. It is illegal to do so."
Period.
Have not flown them since.
Earlier in this thread, there was talking of filming some of the problems at the gate...
I was on a UA flight this past summer and all hell broke loose at the gate. I was amazed how the GAs just ignored the problem or simply walked away. I was literally shocked that an employee could be that indifferent to an obvious "situation" right in front of them. SO I pulled out my phone and taped it. (It was a cluster of issues, overbooked, delays gate changes etc) When I got home, I sent the video to UA CS to let them know what I saw and how perturbing this was.
The response from UA
"You are prohibited by Federal Laws of filming and Airport personnel or United employees. It is illegal to do so."
Period.
Have not flown them since.
Shurely you can tell me that.
Mar 19, 2012, 9:01 pm
#192
Join Date: May 2000
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K 2.7MM, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Spire
Posts: 3,317
Just to add to the discussion, I just got off the phone with my mother who reported a similarly dissatisfying experience on UA on Saturday. ASE-ORD was oversold, and they needed 2 volunteers. The VDB offer was a measly $200. I can't imagine this would entice many people in a, er, um, different market, let alone out of Aspen. Nobody budged. Everybody boards. GA enters the plane, comes on the PA, and again asks for 2 volunteers or "the plane can't take off." Nobody budges. GA leaves. A "ground operations" staffer comes on the plane, next. Doesn't use the PA - just yells. And yells. "Nobody is going anywhere unless we get 2 volunteers." Still same offer of a measly $200. Savvy flyer checks the next ASE-ORD flight, and notices 2 F seats still available. He asks the "ground operations" manager that if he guarantees that he can sit in F for that flight, he and his wife will leave. Entire plane applauds. Staffer snaps back, "I'm not guaranteeing anything. The offer is $200 and that's it." Man and his wife thus stay on the plane. Staffer then, again, not using the PA yells, "Fine, if nobody wants to get off, then I'm offloading all the bags." And he did -- all of them. Plane takes off sans bags. Apparently FA's are extremely embarrassed about the situation, pass out free snacks to all of the passengers, and urge passengers to visit ualsurvey.com. Little did they know that ualsurvey.com no longer works due to the CO We Don't Care philosophy purveying this once great company. Mom gets to ORD. Next plane has a 2 hour mechanical. Her bag shows up today (2 days later). Welcome to the new UA. I'm about 1 straw away from breaking and going with AA. I'm sure they'll enjoy my 125,000 miles and A Fare purchases.
Why is this employee not fired immediately! Sounds like the guy who left JetBlue by the escape slide.
Mar 19, 2012, 9:04 pm
#193
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,193
I received another call from United, this time from the Director at LAX who was also extremely apologetic for what happened yesterday. He's sending me $500 in travel certificates.
We talked a bit about what went wrong and how things took a turn for the worse from there. He gave me some back story for the mechanical issue and apologized profusely for the handling. He described a perfect storm of sorts of junior staffers and the lack of proper training around these flights...along with the lack of involvement from senior supervisors who could have fixed things better/sooner.
I asked if they'll be reaching out to the others impacted, and he said yes, they'll be in touch with every passenger involved with Flight 90.
Considering I haven't called/written to United about this flight and only shared my story here, I have to give United credit for responding to this thread with action as quickly as they did.
We talked a bit about what went wrong and how things took a turn for the worse from there. He gave me some back story for the mechanical issue and apologized profusely for the handling. He described a perfect storm of sorts of junior staffers and the lack of proper training around these flights...along with the lack of involvement from senior supervisors who could have fixed things better/sooner.
I asked if they'll be reaching out to the others impacted, and he said yes, they'll be in touch with every passenger involved with Flight 90.
Considering I haven't called/written to United about this flight and only shared my story here, I have to give United credit for responding to this thread with action as quickly as they did.
Mar 19, 2012, 9:04 pm
#194
Formerly known as CollegeFlyer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: JRA
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA PLT, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 6,716
Because JetBlue cares about employee misconduct, whereas UACO probably approves of the lowball VDB / yelling at pax / offloading all bags to teach the pax a lesson, as it saves UACO a few $$.
Mar 19, 2012, 9:05 pm
#195
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Former 1k, Lifetime UA Gold, Starwood Gold; Avis Preferred; Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,732
This email (redacted) is *way way way* too long to get any response. I would seriously counsel you give 5 points upfront and send attachments or further explanation to document. No one is going to read this. Just trying to be helpful. Good luck in your qwest.