Flight Change without Authorization!
 

So I was scheduled to fly MSP-ORD-SFO this morning. Picking a particular itinerary because I wanted the 777 ORD-SFO flight. I had a purchased First (P) fare which put me in business from ORD-SFO and then used and RPU to upgrade to F on the 3-cabin 777.

I get to MSP at 4:45am and wait to board my flight and when I do I get the 3 beeps at boarding. Low and behold, somebody changed my flight at 2:55am to go non-stop from MSP-ORD and a regional jet. THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANTED or I would have booked it. And now of course the MSP-ORD is full in F (they upgraded somebody as I was waiting in line and put them in my seat) and the 777 only has middle-seats in business.

NOT HAPPY.

I'm assuming that this change was made at ORD or some other GS agent in order to snag my 777 First seat for a GS customer, absolute insane.

Email 1K voice get your RPU back, ORC & extra miles they throw at you. You got to SFO sooner at least. Did you have a legal connection at ORD? Was there any wx did you check to see if the ORD-SFO left on time? Think of the times people here cause a stink when they CAN'T get on the direct flight.

If you are not happy with compensation offered (I would be expecting $500-$1000) please file a DOT complaint.

Keep all documents and fight to the end. Good luck.

This simply demonstrates again the lack of customer SERVICE in the United Airlines culture. It is one thing to offer you an alternate flight. But they completely disregard the fact that you may be meeting up with others on a connecting flight, or some other reason you chose a particular flight. Shuffling people around like they are merely cargo is why United needs a complete overhaul at the highest level of management.

DOT won't care so long as UA fulfilled the ticket requirement of getting OP from MSP-SFO. Even class of service as booked won't matter so long as UA redeposit the cert (which is the fare difference as it were, between F and C).

I suspect that UA didn't bump OP for a GS UG, but rather for a paid F passenger who changed to the ORD 3-class either through direct change (F is changeable) or who misconnected.

Annoying, but don't see AA or DL doing anything different. Or, DOT giving a hoot.

This was a crappy thing for UA to do.

But honestly, for MSP-SFO, DL is just the much better choice with something like seven daily nonstops and all mainline service (although UA is upgauging the route to twice daily mainline this summer). To me, the choice between a mainline nonstop and a connection through ORD is a no-brainer for the nonstop, regardless how nice the aircraft is on ORD-SFO.

I'm reading this over and over and am a bit confused. I think you meant to write that you were rebooked on the nonstop MSP-SFO, right?

Edited for my own stupidity!! :)

Or more likely the nonstop MSP-SFO.

The weather at ORD was fine last night and this morning, but it could be possible that they were clearing seats to accommodate pax that were displaced for some reason and the computer realized they could get rid of you be rerouting you onto a nonstop flight - which 99.9999% of passengers would be thrilled with.

I'm confused.
Did you mean "somebody changed my flight at 2:55am to go non-stop from MSP-SFO and a regional jet"?

And, assuming that after you got put back on the MSP-ORD-SFO itinerary, this problem occurred?
"And now of course the ORD-SFO is full in F (they upgraded somebody as I was waiting in line and put them in my seat) and the 777 only has middle-seats in business."

Yes, I think it is clear he meant MSP-SFO non-stop.

Very, very annoying. Please report back how UA responds and what your compensation is.

Maybe a paying F customer caused this. I was once paged at the Club at ATL and asked if I'd give up my upgraded FC seat ATL-IAH-DEN for a FC seat ATL-DEN on DL (back when CO and DL were SkyTeam allies) for what I assume was a paying FC customer.

That being said, I would be livid had what happened to the OP ever happened to me.

OTOH no customer would appreciate a phone call from UA at 2:55 am asking whether the passenger would be willing to change to a different routing.

I'd be livid as well, but the Contract of Carriage allows this:

Rule 24.a.3

Schedules are Subject To Change Without Notice - Times shown on tickets, timetables, published schedules or elsewhere, and aircraft type and similar details reflected on tickets or UA’s schedule are not guaranteed and form no part of this contract. UA may substitute alternate carriers or aircraft, delay or cancel flights, and alter or omit stopping places or connections shown on the ticket at any time. UA will promptly provide Passengers the best available information regarding known delays, cancellations, misconnections and diversions, but UA is not liable for any misstatements or other errors or omissions in connection with providing such information. No employee, agent or representative of UA can bind UA legally by reason of any statements relating to flight status or other information. Except to the extent provided in this Rule, UA shall not be liable for failing to operate any flight according to schedule, or for any change in flight schedule, with or without notice to the passenger.

If OP was rebooked from a connection to a non-stop and has his RPU redeposited, it's annoying and UA will likely toss some extra miles or a smallish cert his way, but it's the UG's which go first when a paying customer shows up, as most likely happened.