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]
Jul 26, 2017, 8:21 am
#451
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Tulsa, OK
Programs: United, American
Posts: 14
iirc it was due to "Operations" and lasted almost 6 hours
Jul 26, 2017, 9:21 am
#452
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,452
Jul 26, 2017, 9:21 am
#453
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
Posts: 1,272
Jul 26, 2017, 9:35 am
#454
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,452
Right. I was responding to a different poster's statement that "I would expect closer to $250 for a 3+h delay." Personally, I wouldn't expect anything unless the delay exceeded 4 hours, and then only if it was due to mx.
Jul 28, 2017, 9:25 am
#455
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Tulsa, OK
Programs: United, American
Posts: 14
Couple things:
UA988 FRA-IAD no IFE for approximately half of the flight in Business (although I think the whole plane had this issue). Offered 125$/6250 miles via customer appreciation.
UA4531 ORD-TUL tonight continuous delays. 7:15pm scheduled eventually left at 1am. The customer appreciation link offered 75$/3750 miles.
Both seem a little low, but wanted opinions from others.
I have Silver if that means anything
UA988 FRA-IAD no IFE for approximately half of the flight in Business (although I think the whole plane had this issue). Offered 125$/6250 miles via customer appreciation.
UA4531 ORD-TUL tonight continuous delays. 7:15pm scheduled eventually left at 1am. The customer appreciation link offered 75$/3750 miles.
Both seem a little low, but wanted opinions from others.
I have Silver if that means anything
Jul 28, 2017, 12:15 pm
#456
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 742
I am an Amigo Diamond if that meant anything
.
Jul 28, 2017, 12:17 pm
#457
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: United Platinum
Posts: 43
Hoping for some advice here: I'm a UA Gold booked an international flight on UA ticket that started on UA and connected to an SN flight with a 3 1/2 hour layover in BRU. The original UA flight out of IAD was delayed due to mechanical issues (ended up being a 4 1/2 hr delay for that flight) so much that it was clear I would miss my connection in BRU. So UA rebooked me on an itinerary that was UA to LHR then a BA flight out of LHR. The UA flight to LHR was delayed, also due to mechanical issues for 1 1/2 hours. So all said and done I was delayed about 6 hours.
In addition, my checked bag did not arrive with me because UA dropped the ball and kept the bag in IAD for an extra two days. They ended up giving the bag to BA which took it to me at my destination about 4 days late.
I wrote to Customer Care about the whole incident, and all they did was say sorry that happened, and "unfortunately, I am unable to offer you compensation because your final carrier is not a member of the Star Alliance."
Seems like I should have gotten some miles/$$ for the long delay at least. My questions are:
Should I write a separate complaint to UA leaving out the baggage issues and just mention the delays in hope for some compensation on that end?
What are my options about the bag delay? Clearly was UA's fault and would prefer compensation through them given I don't ever fly BA. Is my only option to claim through BA?
In addition, my checked bag did not arrive with me because UA dropped the ball and kept the bag in IAD for an extra two days. They ended up giving the bag to BA which took it to me at my destination about 4 days late.
I wrote to Customer Care about the whole incident, and all they did was say sorry that happened, and "unfortunately, I am unable to offer you compensation because your final carrier is not a member of the Star Alliance."
Seems like I should have gotten some miles/$$ for the long delay at least. My questions are:
Should I write a separate complaint to UA leaving out the baggage issues and just mention the delays in hope for some compensation on that end?
What are my options about the bag delay? Clearly was UA's fault and would prefer compensation through them given I don't ever fly BA. Is my only option to claim through BA?
Jul 28, 2017, 12:25 pm
#458
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 742
Hoping for some advice here: I'm a UA Gold booked an international flight on UA ticket that started on UA and connected to an SN flight with a 3 1/2 hour layover in BRU. The original UA flight out of IAD was delayed due to mechanical issues (ended up being a 4 1/2 hr delay for that flight) so much that it was clear I would miss my connection in BRU. So UA rebooked me on an itinerary that was UA to LHR then a BA flight out of LHR. The UA flight to LHR was delayed, also due to mechanical issues for 1 1/2 hours. So all said and done I was delayed about 6 hours.
In addition, my checked bag did not arrive with me because UA dropped the ball and kept the bag in IAD for an extra two days. They ended up giving the bag to BA which took it to me at my destination about 4 days late.
I wrote to Customer Care about the whole incident, and all they did was say sorry that happened, and "unfortunately, I am unable to offer you compensation because your final carrier is not a member of the Star Alliance."
Seems like I should have gotten some miles/$$ for the long delay at least. My questions are:
Should I write a separate complaint to UA leaving out the baggage issues and just mention the delays in hope for some compensation on that end?
What are my options about the bag delay? Clearly was UA's fault and would prefer compensation through them given I don't ever fly BA. Is my only option to claim through BA?
In addition, my checked bag did not arrive with me because UA dropped the ball and kept the bag in IAD for an extra two days. They ended up giving the bag to BA which took it to me at my destination about 4 days late.
I wrote to Customer Care about the whole incident, and all they did was say sorry that happened, and "unfortunately, I am unable to offer you compensation because your final carrier is not a member of the Star Alliance."
Seems like I should have gotten some miles/$$ for the long delay at least. My questions are:
Should I write a separate complaint to UA leaving out the baggage issues and just mention the delays in hope for some compensation on that end?
What are my options about the bag delay? Clearly was UA's fault and would prefer compensation through them given I don't ever fly BA. Is my only option to claim through BA?
Jul 30, 2017, 9:17 pm
#459
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: EWR/LHR/SFO
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 574
That sounds about right, congrats. For reference on WX comp, as a 1K, I received ~$100 or miles equivalent for every Sunday where I took a 2h+ delay hit into SFO thanks to the runway MX (which they blamed on ATC). I also got $150 for a 3:10 delayed SEA-SFO (combination of WX and switched inbound).
Jul 30, 2017, 10:19 pm
#460
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 214
Hoping for some advice here: I'm a UA Gold booked an international flight on UA ticket that started on UA and connected to an SN flight with a 3 1/2 hour layover in BRU. The original UA flight out of IAD was delayed due to mechanical issues (ended up being a 4 1/2 hr delay for that flight) so much that it was clear I would miss my connection in BRU. So UA rebooked me on an itinerary that was UA to LHR then a BA flight out of LHR. The UA flight to LHR was delayed, also due to mechanical issues for 1 1/2 hours. So all said and done I was delayed about 6 hours.
In addition, my checked bag did not arrive with me because UA dropped the ball and kept the bag in IAD for an extra two days. They ended up giving the bag to BA which took it to me at my destination about 4 days late.
I wrote to Customer Care about the whole incident, and all they did was say sorry that happened, and "unfortunately, I am unable to offer you compensation because your final carrier is not a member of the Star Alliance."
Seems like I should have gotten some miles/$$ for the long delay at least. My questions are:
Should I write a separate complaint to UA leaving out the baggage issues and just mention the delays in hope for some compensation on that end?
What are my options about the bag delay? Clearly was UA's fault and would prefer compensation through them given I don't ever fly BA. Is my only option to claim through BA?
In addition, my checked bag did not arrive with me because UA dropped the ball and kept the bag in IAD for an extra two days. They ended up giving the bag to BA which took it to me at my destination about 4 days late.
I wrote to Customer Care about the whole incident, and all they did was say sorry that happened, and "unfortunately, I am unable to offer you compensation because your final carrier is not a member of the Star Alliance."
Seems like I should have gotten some miles/$$ for the long delay at least. My questions are:
Should I write a separate complaint to UA leaving out the baggage issues and just mention the delays in hope for some compensation on that end?
What are my options about the bag delay? Clearly was UA's fault and would prefer compensation through them given I don't ever fly BA. Is my only option to claim through BA?
If you want comp from UA, make it clear that it is for the delay; sounds like their response is focusing on the bag.
Jul 31, 2017, 8:21 am
#462
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,452
That was on UA b/c they knew well in advance SFO was shutting a runway but neglected to take any steps to mitigate against what they knew was coming.
Jul 31, 2017, 8:45 pm
#463
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: UA GS, MM
Posts: 165
I'm rather disappointed in this one:
Paid A fare (regional NA flight)
Cancelled, rerouted next day
$275 Voucher, after emailing Global Services
Paid A fare (regional NA flight)
Cancelled, rerouted next day
$275 Voucher, after emailing Global Services
Jul 31, 2017, 9:02 pm
#464
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: 66,850
What did you think would be appropriate?
Did you consider an alternative carrier vs waiting to the next day?
Jul 31, 2017, 10:10 pm
#465
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: UA GS, MM
Posts: 165
It's a little less than 20%.
IDK, I guess I was just expecting a little more. I probably would have been happier with miles.
I did request to be moved to AA, but shortly after I was moved I learned I would miss a connection (weather) so I had to ask AA move me back to UA. My flight was cancelled at 16:30, I left the next day at 8:15.
IDK, I guess I was just expecting a little more. I probably would have been happier with miles.
I did request to be moved to AA, but shortly after I was moved I learned I would miss a connection (weather) so I had to ask AA move me back to UA. My flight was cancelled at 16:30, I left the next day at 8:15.