A very nasty encounter with UAL employee
#77
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
Posts: 9,686
it wasn’t to me, especially as she posted 2 threads, the other, with massive formatting issues (a copy and paste from some other software) then this one edited down a bit. Within a couple of minutes of each other, it appeared the OP was editing this as well. That dupe thread was deleted by a moderator. It was confusing, at least to me, in light of both posts being cut and edited. Was my question difficult to understand, so much that it wasn’t answered, but replies didn’t address what I quoted? Now in retrospect, that you all see it in the light that to me, was a possibility, I believe that your interpretation is correct, but at the time, with the dupe threads in different states of editing, it was confusing, so I asked for clarification on a specific, quoted line
#78
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BWI
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 165
Small item, such as a bag, not exceeding 9x10x17 is my read. The rule may be ambuguous but I am not "wrong". If they used the words 'such as an item that is 9x10x17' as you suggest, that would create an arbitrary size limit and make enforcement very difficult. This is not the first instance of a poster on this site complaining that their bag which exceeded 9x10x17 and which they had to fold/stuff/creatively adjust to squeeze into the sizer was not allowed under the BE fare.
And if it needs to be 'flattened' to attain those dimensions, it clearly exceeds the dimensions in the first place. And if it's not a 'personal item" its not allowed either. It appears OP had a series of personal items in an oversized bag.
Please show me the rule that states 'the item may be brought on board provided it can be jammed into the sizer'...
And if it needs to be 'flattened' to attain those dimensions, it clearly exceeds the dimensions in the first place. And if it's not a 'personal item" its not allowed either. It appears OP had a series of personal items in an oversized bag.
Please show me the rule that states 'the item may be brought on board provided it can be jammed into the sizer'...
#79
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Chicago IL US
Programs: UA 1K; National Executive Elite; Hertz PC & Hotels Galore
Posts: 946
These days the sizers even have the dimensions written on them. Modern sizers are not intended to approximate the size of the area under the seat but rather they are fabricated to provide a 3D representation of the permitted dimensions of each axis (L,W,H) for carry on bags. In fact, some underseat areas are smaller than the sizer and some are vastly larger.
Here's a pic of the modern UA sizer that I took yesterday, please read what it says:
Note the height and width arrows and stated rule on the face of it.
Maybe those on this thread who insist the smaller sizer represents the size of the area under the seat can tell us what the larger sizer represents...
EDIT: many many many many people (pax and employees) believe sizer = size of underseat area. I'm guessing this is why UA now more clearly shows the allowed dimensions on the face of the sizer, along with the applicable rule.
Here's a pic of the modern UA sizer that I took yesterday, please read what it says:
Note the height and width arrows and stated rule on the face of it.
Maybe those on this thread who insist the smaller sizer represents the size of the area under the seat can tell us what the larger sizer represents...
EDIT: many many many many people (pax and employees) believe sizer = size of underseat area. I'm guessing this is why UA now more clearly shows the allowed dimensions on the face of the sizer, along with the applicable rule.
Last edited by onthesam; Mar 18, 2018 at 1:51 pm
#80
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
#81
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: UAL 1k, AA Gold, Delta Silver
Posts: 64
The sizers are available in the check-in area, so you can double check the size of your items once you get to the airport https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/tra...eCarry-On.aspx.
You still haven't posted a single reference to a rule that states that BE carry-on must fit in the sizer. I can show you 5+ places where UA states that BE (and other personal item) bags cannot exceed 9x17x10 including this graphical info prominently displayed on their website :
,or
Note the words "MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS," We need to be careful not to make up our own rules or spread misinformation on these forums.
You still haven't posted a single reference to a rule that states that BE carry-on must fit in the sizer. I can show you 5+ places where UA states that BE (and other personal item) bags cannot exceed 9x17x10 including this graphical info prominently displayed on their website :
,or
Note the words "MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS," We need to be careful not to make up our own rules or spread misinformation on these forums.
#82
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: United Mileage Plus
Posts: 86
This post right here is the key. Look carefully - there are two sizers. BE is only entitled to use the sizer for the "Personal item" (9x10x17)and NOT the sizer for the "carry on". So, if the OP's fabric bag (folded, unfolded, rolled or whatever) did in fact fit in the "personal item" sizer, then the employee was out of line. However, if the OP was insisting that her bag fit into the "regular" carry on sized sizer (and frankly, this is still the one most commonly found at airports) then I must -- however reluctantly - agree with UAL.
#84
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Independent! But mostly BKK, BCN, SFO, PDX, SEA...
Programs: Lawl COVID
Posts: 1,060
This was over $25? Was it really worth it? For most people the value of the time it took to resolve the issue and submit a complaint about must be well into the $100 range and possibly even higher.
And what is there to even complain about if the bag was allowed at the end??
And what is there to even complain about if the bag was allowed at the end??
#85
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: yorba linda,ca usa
Posts: 36
I couldn't ask anyone for help, I was standing at the kiosk, and the place was a mad house (if anyone knows what LAX is like during the week in the morning). She was the one that started screaming that "I was being a BIG PROBLEM" AND SHE NEEDED HELP!! and said it multiple times, screaming it while people stared at me. I'm sorry, this kind of behavior to a customer is unacceptable, totally. How did I know that I needed to scream bloody murder like that to get help?. There were no signs and no help. Excuse me for reporting EXTREMELY RUDE BEHAVIOR on United. My bad was tiny, it had a very small laptop, a small purse, and a sweater in it. It was quite obvious that it would fit under the seat, which I kept telling her, but she ordered me to go and pay the $30 to check in my small bag (oh, yes, I really wanted to check in my purse with my ID and credit cards in it, so it could get lost and I would be screwed totally. She said "it won't fit in the size bins", and I said, "yes it would, let me show you." She said "I can't leave this area. NO !!!", yelling at me the whole time. I reported it to United, but they never sent me the $50. I kept telling her that was all that was in there, but she kept yelling at me to pay to check it in, standing there, pointing at the bag check, holding my ticket for ranson. She wouldn't process my ticket. I was getting closer to the time I needed to check in, and didn't have time to argue with her for 10 minutes). Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?? Unbelievable!! I reported it to United, but they never sent me the $50. I did describe her looks to them.
#86
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
Programs: DL DM, 5.7 MM, UA 3.1 MM, MARRIOTT PLATINUM, AVIS FIRST, Amex Black Card
Posts: 4,479
I couldn't ask anyone for help, I was standing at the kiosk, and the place was a mad house (if anyone knows what LAX is like during the week in the morning). She was the one that started screaming that "I was being a BIG PROBLEM" AND SHE NEEDED HELP!! and said it multiple times, screaming it while people stared at me. I'm sorry, this kind of behavior to a customer is unacceptable, totally. How did I know that I needed to scream bloody murder like that to get help?. There were no signs and no help. Excuse me for reporting EXTREMELY RUDE BEHAVIOR on United. My bad was tiny, it had a very small laptop, a small purse, and a sweater in it. It was quite obvious that it would fit under the seat, which I kept telling her, but she ordered me to go and pay the $30 to check in my small bag (oh, yes, I really wanted to check in my purse with my ID and credit cards in it, so it could get lost and I would be screwed totally. She said "it won't fit in the size bins", and I said, "yes it would, let me show you." She said "I can't leave this area. NO !!!", yelling at me the whole time. I reported it to United, but they never sent me the $50. I kept telling her that was all that was in there, but she kept yelling at me to pay to check it in, standing there, pointing at the bag check, holding my ticket for ranson. She wouldn't process my ticket. I was getting closer to the time I needed to check in, and didn't have time to argue with her for 10 minutes). Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?? Unbelievable!! I reported it to United, but they never sent me the $50. I did describe her looks to them.
How about some paragraph breaks? I can not read this.
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
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