Denied boarding because didn't have Visa for China, though only connecting there.
Jun 17, 2014, 8:55 pm
#76
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Just when I thought these UA apologists couldn't get any worse...
OP, file a complaint to the DOT, contact UA to get your money back, compensation, and to get the agent fired/reprimanded. If all else fails, and I usually don't suggest this, but file a lawsuit. If this is actually how it went UA is 100% at fault.
OP, file a complaint to the DOT, contact UA to get your money back, compensation, and to get the agent fired/reprimanded. If all else fails, and I usually don't suggest this, but file a lawsuit. If this is actually how it went UA is 100% at fault.
Jun 17, 2014, 9:18 pm
#77
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Jun 17, 2014, 9:28 pm
#78
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100% UA fault.
Aaron, you should jump in and fix this for the OP.
Aaron, you should jump in and fix this for the OP.
Jun 17, 2014, 9:31 pm
#79
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To the OP, I simply want to say how very, very sorry I am that this happened to you. I was once denied boarding due to an agent incorrectly (mis)understanding TIMATIC, delaying an important business trip by a day. I remember how incredibly powerless I felt in the face of utterly invalid abuse of authority. My experience as a solo business traveller cannot begin to equal what your family went through in this long-planned trip of a lifetime.
The advice you have been given on seeking attention from UA (and one hopes UA Insider too) is good, as is not threatening legal action but undertaking it as a last resort. All I really want to add, though, is my own sympathy to many others for what you've gone through. I hope UA makes this right and somehow your family gets to carry out this reunion soon.
The advice you have been given on seeking attention from UA (and one hopes UA Insider too) is good, as is not threatening legal action but undertaking it as a last resort. All I really want to add, though, is my own sympathy to many others for what you've gone through. I hope UA makes this right and somehow your family gets to carry out this reunion soon.
Jun 17, 2014, 11:32 pm
#80
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I hope UA compensates this traveler in full. This sort of outrageous incompetence at UA needs to stop.
Jun 17, 2014, 11:40 pm
#81
Join Date: Oct 2000
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The best place to check this is during check in before the boarding pass is issued.
I also blame UA on POOR TRAINING. This is not the passengers responsibility, the fault is entirely on UA.
Last edited by meFIRST; Jun 17, 2014 at 11:53 pm
Jun 17, 2014, 11:47 pm
#82
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,657
After 5 hours total of being on the phone that morning, it ended with the United Airlines rep, telling us to file a complaint with Air China because they owned the tickets and that they would do an investigation and decide if we would get a refund or to go to the ticketing counter at the Airport to work it out. They would not help us any further.
[Name deleted by Moderator]
[Name deleted by Moderator]
If this happened to me, ( it wouldn't) but if it did, I would seek damages for losses incurred and would not be satisfied until those two employees that denied you boarding were fired, and the remaining employees retrained.
THIS IS ENRIELY UNITED's FAULT. Don't let them get away with it.
Jun 17, 2014, 11:58 pm
#83
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Shorten the letter by 75%. Get to the point.
Jun 18, 2014, 12:05 am
#84
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Just traveling USA to China and return does NOT qualitfy for YWOV because it is not TRANSIT
Jun 18, 2014, 12:06 am
#85
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Yes, you are missing something here. They (and their bags) were being checked through to an int'l flight. When you travel on a domestic flight to an int'l connection, the bags are checked through and the passengers are checked in for the int'l flight. One is not checked in just to SF where they would have to pick up their bags and check them in again. Intl travel does not work like that.
Jun 18, 2014, 12:17 am
#86
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It is very likely this was ultimately United's mistake, as they certainly appeared to have incorrect information, but as a human being traveling to a foreign country, OP should have been better prepared for this situation.
My philosophy is that every single person in the world should have a visa when they enter a foreign country as a baseline default, regardless of if they are transiting for an hour or living there for ten years.
My philosophy is that every single person in the world should have a visa when they enter a foreign country as a baseline default, regardless of if they are transiting for an hour or living there for ten years.
Jun 18, 2014, 1:02 am
#87
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Jun 18, 2014, 1:05 am
#88
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Jun 18, 2014, 1:09 am
#89
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Jun 18, 2014, 1:13 am
#90
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And it's not just the US. On flights from Africa to Germany I have witnessed military board the plane before any passengers were let off and not let anyone off the plane unless they had a visa (or were from a country that didn't need one). If you were from Ghana (Yeah! We Won!!!) and didn't have a visa, they wouldn't let you off the plane.