Jan 4, 2017, 12:02 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Last year's thread United Consolidated Compensation Thread [2016]
And earlier United Consolidated Compensation Thread [2015]
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. I think I deserve something from UA -- whom do I contact?
- Flight attendants: get compensation onboard for aircraft/inflight-related items. (NEW)
- 1K/GS: Contact UA via the emails on the back of your MP card.
- Other UA Elites: PremierVoice
- All others (including all non-UA elites): Customer Care
Except for a few exceptions (see below), UA is under NO OBLIGATION to provide compensation but may instead provide a goodwill gesture as an appreciation.
2. What is the Customer Appreciation website?
It is a website dedicated by UA for proactive compensation/goodwill offer.
If you have been:
a. Told inflight to go to this website/Received e-mails from Proactive Recovery Operations Team
b. Received a "We are sorry for the inconvenience" card.
You should go to the website and claim your offer first before contacting Customer Care.
3. What do I get if UA decides to provide me the compensation/goodwill gesture?
UA's compensation/goodwill gesture generally will be provided in a form of ETCs or miles based on your elite status. Currently, the ETCs and miles offered maintains 2 cpm ratio ($50 ETC =2,500 miles).
4. Should I take miles or ETCs, and which one is better?
It is a personal preference on how you use the miles/ETCs.
Miles don't expire if you have account activity at least once every 18 months or have a qualified Chase UA-branded credit card. ETCs have a 1-year validity from initial issuance and can be used on flights operated by UA or as UA Express ONLY
Miles are likely to provided greater value than 2 cpm for those booking international premium cabins. ETCs might have greater value for domestic trips. For example, a $100 ETC may be sufficient enough to cover much of the cost of your future trip, its equivalent miles (5,000 miles) does not. And the ETC trip will earn PQDs (no value subtraction), PQM/Ss & RDMs. See Consolidated "Various tips for using an electronic certificate (TCVA & 016)" [Merged] for detail.
5. What recourse do I have other than Customer Care?
You should consider everything with Customer Care is final. However, if you want to push further, you can try emailing UA executives (including the CEO). UA is known to respond customers' emails.
UA's Executive Contacts (Credited to Christopher Elliott)
6. What about DOT?
If you believe your issues may fall within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), contact DOT via the Air Travel Complaint - Comment Form.
NOTE - What the DOT does is to refer your complaint to UA and require UA to respond. DOT does not handle complaints unless they involve in violating DOT regulations.
7. What about if I have been "Involuntary Denied Boarding" (IDB) by UA?
See Is this IDB? Am I entitled to IDB compensation? [Consolidated]
8. What if I get downgraded (traveling in a lower cabin then I was booked)?
See Downgraded from First/Business Class on United (Questions, Compensation, etc.) [2016]
9. What about baggage claim?
Contact Baggage Resolution Service Center
10. What about if I have a EC261/2004 claim against UA?
See Best Practices for Filing EU 261 Claims Against United?
And earlier United Consolidated Compensation Thread [2015]
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. I think I deserve something from UA -- whom do I contact?
- Flight attendants: get compensation onboard for aircraft/inflight-related items. (NEW)
- 1K/GS: Contact UA via the emails on the back of your MP card.
- Other UA Elites: PremierVoice
- All others (including all non-UA elites): Customer Care
Except for a few exceptions (see below), UA is under NO OBLIGATION to provide compensation but may instead provide a goodwill gesture as an appreciation.
2. What is the Customer Appreciation website?
It is a website dedicated by UA for proactive compensation/goodwill offer.
If you have been:
a. Told inflight to go to this website/Received e-mails from Proactive Recovery Operations Team
b. Received a "We are sorry for the inconvenience" card.
You should go to the website and claim your offer first before contacting Customer Care.
3. What do I get if UA decides to provide me the compensation/goodwill gesture?
UA's compensation/goodwill gesture generally will be provided in a form of ETCs or miles based on your elite status. Currently, the ETCs and miles offered maintains 2 cpm ratio ($50 ETC =2,500 miles).
4. Should I take miles or ETCs, and which one is better?
It is a personal preference on how you use the miles/ETCs.
Miles don't expire if you have account activity at least once every 18 months or have a qualified Chase UA-branded credit card. ETCs have a 1-year validity from initial issuance and can be used on flights operated by UA or as UA Express ONLY
Miles are likely to provided greater value than 2 cpm for those booking international premium cabins. ETCs might have greater value for domestic trips. For example, a $100 ETC may be sufficient enough to cover much of the cost of your future trip, its equivalent miles (5,000 miles) does not. And the ETC trip will earn PQDs (no value subtraction), PQM/Ss & RDMs. See Consolidated "Various tips for using an electronic certificate (TCVA & 016)" [Merged] for detail.
5. What recourse do I have other than Customer Care?
You should consider everything with Customer Care is final. However, if you want to push further, you can try emailing UA executives (including the CEO). UA is known to respond customers' emails.
UA's Executive Contacts (Credited to Christopher Elliott)
6. What about DOT?
If you believe your issues may fall within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), contact DOT via the Air Travel Complaint - Comment Form.
NOTE - What the DOT does is to refer your complaint to UA and require UA to respond. DOT does not handle complaints unless they involve in violating DOT regulations.
7. What about if I have been "Involuntary Denied Boarding" (IDB) by UA?
See Is this IDB? Am I entitled to IDB compensation? [Consolidated]
8. What if I get downgraded (traveling in a lower cabin then I was booked)?
See Downgraded from First/Business Class on United (Questions, Compensation, etc.) [2016]
9. What about baggage claim?
Contact Baggage Resolution Service Center
10. What about if I have a EC261/2004 claim against UA?
See Best Practices for Filing EU 261 Claims Against United?
United Consolidated Compensation Thread [2017]
Aug 27, 2017, 4:29 pm
#526
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,720
- Plat flying Ethiopian on a paid J ticket.
- Outbound & inbound international segments were on UA 016 ticket.
- 8-hour delay on ET that resulted in missed connection to LH and a horrid 12 hours stuck at ADD with zero support from ET.
- Called UA to request missing EQM and RDM for delayed ET flight which failed to post. Also suggested that they dump ET as the level of service did not meet my expectations for a *A partner.
Surprised and delighted to receive a $300 e-cert even though there was no fault on the part of UA.
(miles also posted)Will definitely be a factor in retaining my loyalty though I won't be flying ET again.
Alas no travel insurance claim because this was paid with the corporate card.
Aug 28, 2017, 11:38 pm
#527
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1
Atrocious Service even on biz class - Polaris
My first post....cos i am really pissed and angry!
I took the united flight 497 from Newark to San Francisco on August 2017. On hindsight, i should have avoided taking united.... the behaviour of united is extremely unreasonable and rude.
My wife and I had specially and specifically bought business class tickets in view of the negative publicity of united airlines (throwing passengers out of the aircraft) in the recent months, as we did not wish to have any potential unpleasant experiences, given that this was our honeymoon. As newly weds, we also had specifically requested that our seats were together. We paid the extra costs just so that we could avoid any potential unpleasantness.
Notwithstanding the above, it is unfortunate that we still had a terrible experience with united airlines
At the check-in, my wife and I were seated as requested. Our original boarding pass had reflected this as well. However, when we were about to board the plane, the united staff just unilaterally handed a new boarding pass to my wife, without saying anything further, and requested that we proceed to board the plane.
Just as when we were about to board the plane, we realised that my partner seat was changed. Nobody had mentioned to us about the change of seat. When we requested for an explanation from united, the staff merely told us to check with the ground staff and that she was not involved in the change of seats.
After an extremely long wait (as there was a long queue) to request for us to be seated together, we were informed that this was not possible, as many of the seats had been broken! Mind you, we are talking about the "hyped" Polaris Business seats.
I am highly doubtful of the adequacy of maintenance carried out by United in view of the numerous broken seats. Worse still, United front staff did not have any sympathy or empathy when I explained that this was our honeymoon, and we wanted to be seated together. In fact, united staff had retorted saying that she did not care if we were unhappy about it, and it was not her job to appease us. She further added that she could not do anything about it, unless we were agreeable to downgrade to economy class and be seated together.
Such comments and behaviour were extremely rude, and it is really appalling that we were treated this way, notwithstanding the fact that we had paid for business class seats. Clearly, united airlines did not even bother to provide an alternative option and instead, suggesting us to downgrade to economy class when we paid full price for business! Further, the staff rude comments that she did not care and that it was not her job was clearly uncalled for.
Unfortunately, we were left with no choice but to board the plane as per the re-assigned seats, but this incident had obviously left a bad taste in our mouths. It was an extremely unpleasant incident which had occurred during our honeymoon.
United - your service is truly atrocious!
What can i do to seek for a proper apology and compensation?
I took the united flight 497 from Newark to San Francisco on August 2017. On hindsight, i should have avoided taking united.... the behaviour of united is extremely unreasonable and rude.
My wife and I had specially and specifically bought business class tickets in view of the negative publicity of united airlines (throwing passengers out of the aircraft) in the recent months, as we did not wish to have any potential unpleasant experiences, given that this was our honeymoon. As newly weds, we also had specifically requested that our seats were together. We paid the extra costs just so that we could avoid any potential unpleasantness.
Notwithstanding the above, it is unfortunate that we still had a terrible experience with united airlines
At the check-in, my wife and I were seated as requested. Our original boarding pass had reflected this as well. However, when we were about to board the plane, the united staff just unilaterally handed a new boarding pass to my wife, without saying anything further, and requested that we proceed to board the plane.
Just as when we were about to board the plane, we realised that my partner seat was changed. Nobody had mentioned to us about the change of seat. When we requested for an explanation from united, the staff merely told us to check with the ground staff and that she was not involved in the change of seats.
After an extremely long wait (as there was a long queue) to request for us to be seated together, we were informed that this was not possible, as many of the seats had been broken! Mind you, we are talking about the "hyped" Polaris Business seats.
I am highly doubtful of the adequacy of maintenance carried out by United in view of the numerous broken seats. Worse still, United front staff did not have any sympathy or empathy when I explained that this was our honeymoon, and we wanted to be seated together. In fact, united staff had retorted saying that she did not care if we were unhappy about it, and it was not her job to appease us. She further added that she could not do anything about it, unless we were agreeable to downgrade to economy class and be seated together.
Such comments and behaviour were extremely rude, and it is really appalling that we were treated this way, notwithstanding the fact that we had paid for business class seats. Clearly, united airlines did not even bother to provide an alternative option and instead, suggesting us to downgrade to economy class when we paid full price for business! Further, the staff rude comments that she did not care and that it was not her job was clearly uncalled for.
Unfortunately, we were left with no choice but to board the plane as per the re-assigned seats, but this incident had obviously left a bad taste in our mouths. It was an extremely unpleasant incident which had occurred during our honeymoon.
United - your service is truly atrocious!
What can i do to seek for a proper apology and compensation?
Aug 29, 2017, 12:15 am
#528
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,852
This standard process is to write an message to Customer Care if you don't have any elite status.
A couple of suggestion,
1) keep the message short and focus on one or two key items -- I suspect in your case being separated in seating.
2) While understanding your are angry; a clam, business-like letter is going to work better.
3) Don't go into the history of events you were not a part of, you want to build some sympathy to address your situation and not try to bash the person you are asking to address the situation.
You can look online to see examples of a good complaint letter.
Sorry things when bad on your trip -- I hope you did not let it affect the honeymoon.
A couple of suggestion,
1) keep the message short and focus on one or two key items -- I suspect in your case being separated in seating.
2) While understanding your are angry; a clam, business-like letter is going to work better.
3) Don't go into the history of events you were not a part of, you want to build some sympathy to address your situation and not try to bash the person you are asking to address the situation.
You can look online to see examples of a good complaint letter.
Sorry things when bad on your trip -- I hope you did not let it affect the honeymoon.
Aug 29, 2017, 1:35 am
#529
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott/SPG Gold
Posts: 12
So United isn't offering a vegetarian breakfast option on p.s. flight in E+. Air crew said that I should request a special meal next time (already on my profile) but p.s. flights don't have that option. E-mail to United and got a $50 ETC next day with an apology for not accommodating dietary restrictions.
Aug 29, 2017, 2:18 am
#530
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK
Programs: OZ Diamond (*G), KQ Asante Gold (ST+), Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,511
Wifi/Streaming not working on PDX-SFO flight netted me a $50 ETC. Thought that was supposed to be $100 though. Should I push for more? I did mention I am *G, but I doubt they care.
Aug 29, 2017, 8:14 am
#531
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: CLE (mostly)
Programs: UA Plat, Hyatt Explorist, Mlife Gold, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 823
The few times I've received $100 ETC for IFE/Wifi it's been on 3-3.5h flights.
Aug 29, 2017, 10:56 am
#532
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 1
Delayed 3 hours due to a faulty APU, DEN-NRT. This caused us to miss our connection in NRT to BKK. United put us up in a hotel for the night and rescheduled us for the same flight the next day. Contacted Customer Care and they offered my wife and I either 2 $250 travel certificates or 7,000 miles each (lol). We took the $250, obviously.
Aug 29, 2017, 11:47 am
#533
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
My first post....cos i am really pissed and angry!
I took the united flight 497 from Newark to San Francisco on August 2017. On hindsight, i should have avoided taking united.... the behaviour of united is extremely unreasonable and rude.
My wife and I had specially and specifically bought business class tickets in view of the negative publicity of united airlines (throwing passengers out of the aircraft) in the recent months, as we did not wish to have any potential unpleasant experiences, given that this was our honeymoon. As newly weds, we also had specifically requested that our seats were together. We paid the extra costs just so that we could avoid any potential unpleasantness.
Notwithstanding the above, it is unfortunate that we still had a terrible experience with united airlines
At the check-in, my wife and I were seated as requested. Our original boarding pass had reflected this as well. However, when we were about to board the plane, the united staff just unilaterally handed a new boarding pass to my wife, without saying anything further, and requested that we proceed to board the plane.
Just as when we were about to board the plane, we realised that my partner seat was changed. Nobody had mentioned to us about the change of seat. When we requested for an explanation from united, the staff merely told us to check with the ground staff and that she was not involved in the change of seats.
After an extremely long wait (as there was a long queue) to request for us to be seated together, we were informed that this was not possible, as many of the seats had been broken! Mind you, we are talking about the "hyped" Polaris Business seats.
I am highly doubtful of the adequacy of maintenance carried out by United in view of the numerous broken seats. Worse still, United front staff did not have any sympathy or empathy when I explained that this was our honeymoon, and we wanted to be seated together. In fact, united staff had retorted saying that she did not care if we were unhappy about it, and it was not her job to appease us. She further added that she could not do anything about it, unless we were agreeable to downgrade to economy class and be seated together.
Such comments and behaviour were extremely rude, and it is really appalling that we were treated this way, notwithstanding the fact that we had paid for business class seats. Clearly, united airlines did not even bother to provide an alternative option and instead, suggesting us to downgrade to economy class when we paid full price for business! Further, the staff rude comments that she did not care and that it was not her job was clearly uncalled for.
Unfortunately, we were left with no choice but to board the plane as per the re-assigned seats, but this incident had obviously left a bad taste in our mouths. It was an extremely unpleasant incident which had occurred during our honeymoon.
United - your service is truly atrocious!
What can i do to seek for a proper apology and compensation?
I took the united flight 497 from Newark to San Francisco on August 2017. On hindsight, i should have avoided taking united.... the behaviour of united is extremely unreasonable and rude.
My wife and I had specially and specifically bought business class tickets in view of the negative publicity of united airlines (throwing passengers out of the aircraft) in the recent months, as we did not wish to have any potential unpleasant experiences, given that this was our honeymoon. As newly weds, we also had specifically requested that our seats were together. We paid the extra costs just so that we could avoid any potential unpleasantness.
Notwithstanding the above, it is unfortunate that we still had a terrible experience with united airlines
At the check-in, my wife and I were seated as requested. Our original boarding pass had reflected this as well. However, when we were about to board the plane, the united staff just unilaterally handed a new boarding pass to my wife, without saying anything further, and requested that we proceed to board the plane.
Just as when we were about to board the plane, we realised that my partner seat was changed. Nobody had mentioned to us about the change of seat. When we requested for an explanation from united, the staff merely told us to check with the ground staff and that she was not involved in the change of seats.
After an extremely long wait (as there was a long queue) to request for us to be seated together, we were informed that this was not possible, as many of the seats had been broken! Mind you, we are talking about the "hyped" Polaris Business seats.
I am highly doubtful of the adequacy of maintenance carried out by United in view of the numerous broken seats. Worse still, United front staff did not have any sympathy or empathy when I explained that this was our honeymoon, and we wanted to be seated together. In fact, united staff had retorted saying that she did not care if we were unhappy about it, and it was not her job to appease us. She further added that she could not do anything about it, unless we were agreeable to downgrade to economy class and be seated together.
Such comments and behaviour were extremely rude, and it is really appalling that we were treated this way, notwithstanding the fact that we had paid for business class seats. Clearly, united airlines did not even bother to provide an alternative option and instead, suggesting us to downgrade to economy class when we paid full price for business! Further, the staff rude comments that she did not care and that it was not her job was clearly uncalled for.
Unfortunately, we were left with no choice but to board the plane as per the re-assigned seats, but this incident had obviously left a bad taste in our mouths. It was an extremely unpleasant incident which had occurred during our honeymoon.
United - your service is truly atrocious!
What can i do to seek for a proper apology and compensation?
I would expect no compensation for this. You don't really deserve anything… seats are not guaranteed.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 29, 2017 at 2:33 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Aug 29, 2017, 3:29 pm
#534
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: All the programs!
Posts: 1,006
I want to run this scenario by FTers.
Late intl arrival to EWR. Special meal ordered was not provided. Missed connection to IAH was rebooked by United prior to landing.
I get to the gate for the rebooked flight before boarding closes and they had given my E+ seat away.
They gave me back the E+ seat and another E- bp for the person in "my seat." It was up to me to move the pax.
What's the expected compensation for this?
I was given $0. I suspect this is because they had compensated me for not providing the requested special meal on the outbound portion of the trip a week earlier.
Late intl arrival to EWR. Special meal ordered was not provided. Missed connection to IAH was rebooked by United prior to landing.
I get to the gate for the rebooked flight before boarding closes and they had given my E+ seat away.
They gave me back the E+ seat and another E- bp for the person in "my seat." It was up to me to move the pax.
What's the expected compensation for this?
I was given $0. I suspect this is because they had compensated me for not providing the requested special meal on the outbound portion of the trip a week earlier.
Aug 29, 2017, 4:37 pm
#535
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,852
Aug 29, 2017, 7:48 pm
#536
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: All the programs!
Posts: 1,006
Both directions; going and return.
Yes a slightly longer version of this writeup.
Aug 29, 2017, 8:00 pm
#537
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,852
The inclusion of the non-compensational delay issue may have distracted from the meal issue.
Aug 30, 2017, 11:35 am
#538
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,098
Probably didn't type your email correctly, I would contact customer service.
Aug 30, 2017, 3:06 pm
#539
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: ORD | LGA | 2E
Programs: UA GS 1.6MM UC | AA CK 0.7MM AC | Bonvoy Ambassador | Hyatt Globalist | Hertz PC
Posts: 1,053
I had an FA spill an entire glass of wine on my laptop about 6 months ago. Laptop was "OK" after that but never quite the same (especially the keyboard). I wrote into United and they basically gave me the option of a) mail it into them and let them analyze it/try to fix it/compensate me for it in cash if it was broken or b) take I think something like $800 in ETC and agree to deal with it on my own. I took the latter offer knowing that my firm was about to get me a new one in the course of the next few months.
Aug 31, 2017, 12:03 am
#540
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK
Programs: OZ Diamond (*G), KQ Asante Gold (ST+), Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,511