UA Allegedly Destroys $42K Wheelchair
Jul 11, 2017, 2:51 pm
#16
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Momentum like this takes years to change. But UA did this to itself.
Jul 11, 2017, 4:02 pm
#17
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I've always assumed that UA employees treat customer stuff with due care, but this incident (and many others) calls that assumption into question.
On top of that, if the baggage handlers can't be trusted to treat customer stuff with due care, then I wonder whether they treat UA's stuff (like $100 million aircraft) with appropriate due care.
Due to media zealots eager to make a few cents per click, not to their own actions.
Jul 11, 2017, 4:53 pm
#18
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The issue isn't who will pay for the damage - UA has accepted that responsibility. Discussions of insurance are irrelevant in this thread.
The issue is that UA loaned him a crappy wheelchair that broke down and then loaned him a manual wheelchair after their first cheap loaner broke down.
Because he lacks his custom-fitted power chair, his once-in-a-lifetime trip is impaired. He and his friends might say "ruined," but I think that's an overstatement.
UA's failures here include failing to properly train its employees so that they don't damage $42k custom wheelchairs and then failing to loan him an appropriate functional temporary replacement chair. If UA waived enough money around, it could procure an appropriate loaner. Apparently he's not important enough to warrant "whatever it takes" kinda spending. Not surprising from the airline that brought us "broken cashews to save a dime."
I've always assumed that UA employees treat customer stuff with due care, but this incident (and many others) calls that assumption into question.
On top of that, if the baggage handlers can't be trusted to treat customer stuff with due care, then I wonder whether they treat UA's stuff (like $100 million aircraft) with appropriate due care. If you can't competently handle an empty wheelchair and transport it from Paris to Newark without inflicting serious damage, then what unreported damage to UA's planes and other equipment is occurring?
Why does this matter? A couple years back, an airline had an employee or contractor drive a vehicle into a plane and damage it and did not report the incident. Aircraft airworthiness is called into question if damage occurs and is not inspected.
The issue is that UA loaned him a crappy wheelchair that broke down and then loaned him a manual wheelchair after their first cheap loaner broke down.
Because he lacks his custom-fitted power chair, his once-in-a-lifetime trip is impaired. He and his friends might say "ruined," but I think that's an overstatement.
UA's failures here include failing to properly train its employees so that they don't damage $42k custom wheelchairs and then failing to loan him an appropriate functional temporary replacement chair. If UA waived enough money around, it could procure an appropriate loaner. Apparently he's not important enough to warrant "whatever it takes" kinda spending. Not surprising from the airline that brought us "broken cashews to save a dime."
I've always assumed that UA employees treat customer stuff with due care, but this incident (and many others) calls that assumption into question.
On top of that, if the baggage handlers can't be trusted to treat customer stuff with due care, then I wonder whether they treat UA's stuff (like $100 million aircraft) with appropriate due care. If you can't competently handle an empty wheelchair and transport it from Paris to Newark without inflicting serious damage, then what unreported damage to UA's planes and other equipment is occurring?
Why does this matter? A couple years back, an airline had an employee or contractor drive a vehicle into a plane and damage it and did not report the incident. Aircraft airworthiness is called into question if damage occurs and is not inspected.
Jul 11, 2017, 5:26 pm
#19
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Jul 11, 2017, 5:46 pm
#20
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I thought I'd toss my 2 cents into this discussion, since I had a similar incident with UA. Two years ago, I broke both of my legs and was in a manual wheelchair for a year.
During that time I continued to fly on UA, both domestically and internationally.
On one fateful trip they:
It was a horrible ordeal at each airport baggage claim that I have occasional nightmares about still. I was trapped for hours in two different airports with no way to get around, even to the bathroom, while they came up with excuse after excuse about how they could do nothing.
After breaking the third chair, they were able to rent a manual chair locally, but then failed to pay the rental bill. The rental company kept calling to tell me they were coming to take back the chair since UA hadn't paid them. What many people who haven't been in a wheelchair don't think about is that your chair is your legs. When they take your chair away, they are taking your legs away.
UA works with a Canadian company to handle the "broken assistive devices" and they coordinate replacement equipment. It was 30 days before I had a replacement chair and then another 3 months before it was all sorted out with bills and insurance companies.
From that point on I only flew widebody planes with closets and armed with a copy of the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) presented myself at the gate early and told the gate agent that the wheelchair will be stowed on board in a closet. Still, if I see a person in a manual wheelchair at the gate with a pink tag on their wheelchair, I tell them they can stow their wheelchair on board. It is their right under the ACAA.
Those with custom electric wheelchairs don't have that option.
During that time I continued to fly on UA, both domestically and internationally.
On one fateful trip they:
- broke my wheelchair (by dropping it to the tarmac from the baggage compartment) without telling me, like I didn't notice the arm broken and the side panels missing. The axel was also cracked.
- broke the airport loaner chair they gave me in HNL (a 50 pound tank that gave me blisters on my hands)
- broke the new wheelchair which was sent from IAH to meet me at SFO and it was shipped in a box!
It was a horrible ordeal at each airport baggage claim that I have occasional nightmares about still. I was trapped for hours in two different airports with no way to get around, even to the bathroom, while they came up with excuse after excuse about how they could do nothing.
After breaking the third chair, they were able to rent a manual chair locally, but then failed to pay the rental bill. The rental company kept calling to tell me they were coming to take back the chair since UA hadn't paid them. What many people who haven't been in a wheelchair don't think about is that your chair is your legs. When they take your chair away, they are taking your legs away.
UA works with a Canadian company to handle the "broken assistive devices" and they coordinate replacement equipment. It was 30 days before I had a replacement chair and then another 3 months before it was all sorted out with bills and insurance companies.
From that point on I only flew widebody planes with closets and armed with a copy of the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) presented myself at the gate early and told the gate agent that the wheelchair will be stowed on board in a closet. Still, if I see a person in a manual wheelchair at the gate with a pink tag on their wheelchair, I tell them they can stow their wheelchair on board. It is their right under the ACAA.
Those with custom electric wheelchairs don't have that option.
Jul 11, 2017, 8:14 pm
#21
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On FT, it is language like that last sentence that polarizes members on such topics. I, for one, do not think that this topic is done and dusted.
Jul 11, 2017, 9:54 pm
#22
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[QUOTE=Pat89339;28548911]I thought I'd toss my 2 cents into this discussion, since I had a similar incident with UA. [QUOTE]
Appreciate the detail, I leaned something today!
Appreciate the detail, I leaned something today!
Jul 11, 2017, 10:37 pm
#24
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Something like this needs to be shipped in a crate. Airlines and common carriers are notorious for not being precious with packages. You're a fool if you think they'll be precious with an odd shaped chair.
Jul 11, 2017, 10:59 pm
#26
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Did a quick search, didn't find any prior postings on the topic.
It just doesn't stop ...
UA Allegedly Destroys $42K Wheelchair
It just doesn't stop ...
UA Allegedly Destroys $42K Wheelchair
Jul 11, 2017, 11:29 pm
#27
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Jul 12, 2017, 2:22 am
#28
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There is no media conspiracy to make United look bad. I don't think it's even possible in this day and age to pull off a good old-fashioned media conspiracy; power is too decentralized. United makes itself look bad and people say so.
Jul 12, 2017, 11:57 am
#29
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The media didn't make these stories up. And "media zealots" don't write / edit social media, where hundreds -- or thousands -- of personal UA horror stories circulate and get shared / upvoted / etc. "Media zealots" don't control United's own Facebook page or Twitter feed, where angry customers testify daily.
There is no media conspiracy to make United look bad. I don't think it's even possible in this day and age to pull off a good old-fashioned media conspiracy; power is too decentralized. United makes itself look bad and people say so.
There is no media conspiracy to make United look bad. I don't think it's even possible in this day and age to pull off a good old-fashioned media conspiracy; power is too decentralized. United makes itself look bad and people say so.
Jul 12, 2017, 12:36 pm
#30
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