UAs Official Response to HKG Ticketing/IT Error: Redeem @ Correct Amount or Redeposit
#1336
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike...
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,339
How could these snooze outlets all get it wrng? The RGN mistake was the first real test. Just ask KE.
#1338
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,588
#1339
Formerly known as hcampana
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AMS
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 463
I was initially intrigued by this situation and now find the whole thing quite depressing. It's disturbing to see this side of human nature. I'm no preacher or moralist and I'm not perfect myself, but I have to wonder what has happened to basic honesty. On top of that, to take such proud public glee in thievery, like this comment. It's beyond my comprehension, truly.
If someone leaves a door unlocked to you tell all your friends and go loot, or do you alert the owner? If your $80 item rings up for 8 cents at checkout do you go back for ten more, or do you tell the clerk there is an obvious mistake?
What is wrong with you people?
If someone leaves a door unlocked to you tell all your friends and go loot, or do you alert the owner? If your $80 item rings up for 8 cents at checkout do you go back for ten more, or do you tell the clerk there is an obvious mistake?
What is wrong with you people?
This is not the first time Ive unsuccessfully tried to change a ticket. I can go on and on. On many occasions I've been blatantly lied to on the phone by united representatives. They try anything to scrape every last penny out of their customer in cases like this.
I do not understand why it makes me a bad person to want to take a flight that they issued to me by mistake. United doesn't go easy on me when I make a mistake, they never have, and never will.
#1341
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: SkyMiles Gold, AA Plat, UA Gold
Posts: 92
Can we please stop having the stealing/unethical/immoral back and forth. Its been over three days now. I think everyone's positions are clear. Those who got in didn't wander into grandma's unlocked house and steal her pearls while she was at church baking apple pies for the homeless. United chose to go with a crappy IT system, and it bit them in the butt.
But in all seriousness, everyone's views on the morality question are quite entrenched. Let's move on.
But in all seriousness, everyone's views on the morality question are quite entrenched. Let's move on.
#1342
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Sydney
Programs: QFF, Krisflyer, US Air DM, VelocityRewards, Hertz Gold, Hilton Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 446
I would tend to agree with you under normal circumstances. And there is no doubt some people that took advantage of this were motivated by greed. But many people who post here fly UA regularly and have had to sit idly by while UA has taken advantage of ans even abused some of us over the last 4 months. People were stuck in China for 3 days and UA refused to put them on other carriers to get them home. Others have missed weddings and funerals due to MX's and the new UA refused to either issue refunds or get them to their destinations on other carriers. In short, UA has really abused many many passengers since the merger. Passengers that the old UA would have helped it taken care of. I did not get in on this deal. Not cuz I was against it but because I saw no reason to grab a flight just cuz it's free. I fly enough and have no interest in flying more. Most people got 1-2 tickets for themselves and took advantage of a glitch in an otherwise VERY rigid system that allows no compromise. Some took advantage and IMO I hope UA makes it hard on them to fly. But for most of these people - have a happy trip
1) ICN-SFO, arrived at airport flight 5 pm flight cancelled. Took them 3 hours to arrange transport to a hotel. UA staff member tells us "oh this happens maybe 20 days a month!"
2) At hotel get message under door, we will pick you up at 10am for 2 pm flight, but on the bus someone says, actually we are on a 5pm flight. So not only was flight 24 hours late but their messing us around meant we couldn't actually use that time visiting Seoul.
3) Check in took 3 hours as staff didn't really know how to do it! Turned out later they had re-booked and cancelled our flight.
4) SFO-EWR, supposed to be in J but we were downgraded (perhaps if they had known what they were doing at 1), 2), 3) would have been OK. No apologies.
5) EWR-Montreal. Lucky I checked the day before because my booking now says flights is cancelled, spent 2 hours on phone fixing. 1st CSR tells me (after 1/2 hour on hold), you cancelled it so you need to pay $150/ticket and wouldn't be convinced or transfer us to a supervisor. Hang up and rang again, next CSR fortunately did have more than half a brain cell.
6) arrive at airport and checked in, get to gate - sorry your flight is cancelled.
7) Arrive at Montreal, no bags! Fortunately our next flight was AC and they were much more helpful when we got to Vancouver.
So you wonder why people are happy to stiff UA, perhaps because UA stiff them all the time.
#1343
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 184
Now that this thing has already made it onto DOT's radar, I feel we're in an all or nothing situation (by all, I don't mean necessarily that UA will honor all 75 tickets, etc.). But, since all we're doing is playing the waiting game anyway, hypothetically, had United called on Monday afternoon and made some sort of offer in exchange for cancelling the ticket, what would you view as fair?
For the sake of this hypothetical, if your only answer is either "fully honor the ticket as booked" or "cancel without further compensation," or something strikingly similar, please move on. I'm curious what people would have thought before this thing took off and views got so entrenched.
I, for one, very likely would have gladly cancelled for a relatively small token of appreciation, given that I knew I was booking a mistake and never really expected them to honor.
For the sake of this hypothetical, if your only answer is either "fully honor the ticket as booked" or "cancel without further compensation," or something strikingly similar, please move on. I'm curious what people would have thought before this thing took off and views got so entrenched.
I, for one, very likely would have gladly cancelled for a relatively small token of appreciation, given that I knew I was booking a mistake and never really expected them to honor.
#1344
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,376
If United cancels even one ticket on this deal without notifying the customer first -- and there is some evidence that they already have -- then they have even lied to us in this thread! LOL.
Last edited by Xyzzy; Jul 19, 2012 at 7:27 am Reason: Fixed UBB code
#1345
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: UA Silver/Marriott Gold/Hilton Gold
Posts: 540
I have two tickets booked, for two different weeks in October. The first was booked in coach, the second in first class (once I realized my first tickets had a potential schedule conflict).
What do people think the odds are of them honoring only the first one booked, and would it make sense to cancel the first one in coach (especially because the second one is much better for me schedule wise)?
What do people think the odds are of them honoring only the first one booked, and would it make sense to cancel the first one in coach (especially because the second one is much better for me schedule wise)?
#1346
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 184
I have two tickets booked, for two different weeks in October. The first was booked in coach, the second in first class (once I realized my first tickets had a potential schedule conflict).
What do people think the odds are of them honoring only the first one booked, and would it make sense to cancel the first one in coach (especially because the second one is much better for me schedule wise)?
What do people think the odds are of them honoring only the first one booked, and would it make sense to cancel the first one in coach (especially because the second one is much better for me schedule wise)?
Of course, it'd be insane to actually call them about any aspect of this.
#1347
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: CLT
Programs: US CP, SPG Gold
Posts: 592
- Within 24 hours or perhaps until midnight on Monday, I would have let it go. That's their customer policy and no reason it shouldn't be a two-way street.
- After 24 hours, I consider the minimum now the change/redeposit fee I as a customer would have been charged if I had made a mistake. They make you pay that in new fresh money, too, so I'm not sure that's uncalled for here either? Again, their policy, it should work both ways.
I've been stung by UA's rules and inflexibility many times over the years, so I don't have a lot of compassion now. But yes, I would have let it go on Monday, no questions asked.
Last edited by jghassell; Jul 19, 2012 at 7:17 am Reason: .
#1348
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,378
Crazy situation here: people keep using their tickets while everyone waits for the music to stop. And the musician isn't saying anything.
I'm sure somebody has already gone to their boss this week and said, "Well, I may be taking next week off to go to Hong Kong. But I have to wait to see if United will honor my reservation."
I guess you don't know until the aircraft door closes. At least UA has said that if you get out of the US, they'll fly you home (if you trust them).
Logic would suggest this situation can't go on much longer. Of course logic has already flown out the window, so who knows.
Travel on!
I'm sure somebody has already gone to their boss this week and said, "Well, I may be taking next week off to go to Hong Kong. But I have to wait to see if United will honor my reservation."
I guess you don't know until the aircraft door closes. At least UA has said that if you get out of the US, they'll fly you home (if you trust them).
Logic would suggest this situation can't go on much longer. Of course logic has already flown out the window, so who knows.
Travel on!
#1349
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
I was initially intrigued by this situation and now find the whole thing quite depressing. It's disturbing to see this side of human nature. I'm no preacher or moralist and I'm not perfect myself, but I have to wonder what has happened to basic honesty. On top of that, to take such proud public glee in thievery, like this comment. It's beyond my comprehension, truly.
If someone leaves a door unlocked do you tell all your friends and go loot, or do you alert the owner? If your $80 item scans for 8 cents at checkout do you go back for ten more, or do you tell the clerk there is an obvious mistake?
What is wrong with you people?
If someone leaves a door unlocked do you tell all your friends and go loot, or do you alert the owner? If your $80 item scans for 8 cents at checkout do you go back for ten more, or do you tell the clerk there is an obvious mistake?
What is wrong with you people?
#1350
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: MileagePlus, AAdvantage
Posts: 18
Can we please stop having the stealing/unethical/immoral back and forth. Its been over three days now. I think everyone's positions are clear. Those who got in didn't wander into grandma's unlocked house and steal her pearls while she was at church baking apple pies for the homeless. United chose to go with a crappy IT system, and it bit them in the butt.
But in all seriousness, everyone's views on the morality question are quite entrenched. Let's move on.
But in all seriousness, everyone's views on the morality question are quite entrenched. Let's move on.