auggie doggie

Just thought I'd share my complaint letter from a crappy flight:

1K Number: 0017XXXXXXX
Ticket Number: 016-xxxxxxxxxxx
Cost: $1,993.34

On Thursday, June 20, I was traveling from Ottawa, Canada to Los Angeles via Chicago. Upon arriving in Chicago, I made my way to Gate C-24 for the departure of UA105. The flight was posted as on-time, and we boarded and pushed back without incident (except for the fact that even with adequate time for boarding, flight attendants chose to giggle and chat in the galley rather than perform their service duties with regard to pre-departure beverages).

After beginning our taxi to the departure runway, the plane stopped, and the captain informed us that the two rear lavatories were inoperative. How this fact could have been missed before we left never explained. We returned to the gate where we were promised several times that it would take only 10 minutes to fix. Well, after an hour at the gate, it was clear that maintenance had no idea what they were doing. Gee, if they can�t figure out how to fix a simple toilet, how am I supposed to believe they can fix something more complex�.like an engine.

My prediction came true when the captain said we would be transferring to another aircraft. Unfortunately, it was at the END of the B concourse, and we were deep into the C concourse. Mayhem ensued as the passengers made their way to the B concourse only to mob the counter when we arrived. One look at the plane, and I realized that the aircraft had been downgraded from an A320 to an A319�a very common trick with United. While the agents were trying to figure out who to downgrade and how to reassign seats, another agent came on the intercom to berate the passengers by saying that if we didn�t get on the plane and sit down quickly, the crew would go illegal. Hey, tell your agents to give it a rest with berating passengers. If the crew goes illegal, it�s not because I couldn�t put my fanny in a seat fast enough. To add insult to injury, as they �began� the boarding process, they realized that the �extra special screeners� were nowhere to be found. So, we had to wait once again.

We finally departed 2 hours and 38 minutes late. Completely unacceptable. Another unacceptable incident: food on the original departure was supposed to be dinner in First. Along with the aircraft, the food was downgraded to a cold snack. Having been in transit for many hours, the cold hard sandwich was disgusting. I took one bite and couldn�t stomach the rest. To �satisfy� (???) me, the flight attendant gave me a $25 voucher. What an insult. A voucher that represents 1/80th of my ticket cost??? You have to be kidding. I ripped it up and set it on top of my sandwich.

The measure of good customer service isn�t how you handle things in good times; it�s how you handle things in bad times. When flights are delayed or toilets back-up, your customer service agents need to be more SERVICE oriented. Be nicer, give out some free drinks, just do something! Indifferent attitudes, rudeness, and snide comments will not be put up with.

I�m sure you�ll find an appropriate way to compensate me for this grave shortcoming in service. An acceptable solution would be a cash refund of the ORD-LAX portion.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Auggie Doggie

ozstamps

Sounds like a mess - my sympathies.

Personally I think it is way too long.

But if it is to be long, be nice if you could consider adding to end of first par bolded words:

... regard to pre-departure beverages which ual.com promises in writing that all First Class passengers shall be offered.).

You follow rule #1 for all letters to airlines and suggest precisely WHAT you might like them to offer you. I think there is NO chance they will refund on the ticket, or offer ANY kind of cash refund under these (or most) circumstances.

I do think if you are a little more moderate and suggest a $300-$400 travel cert or something similar, that they will probably oblige. That is in line with their usual response for shorter delays and fairly minor hassles.

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~ Glen ~



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 06-21-2002).]

transpac

Bad experience, good letter. Hopefully you'll get some additional recompense. Under these circumstances I've asked for, and received, one or two upgrades.


Caveat: Do be prepared for some FT'ers and/or UA employees here to say that you are a whiney SOB, with an attitude; who cares if you're a 1K, and why even mention it. UA got you from point A to to point B so sit down and shut up.

Buster

I have nothing of substance to add here -- I just wanted to tell auggie doggie that I like his username!

Colin

An utterly ridiculous letter. Toilets break, equipment gets downgraded, food mixups happen (especially with an aircraft change), ORD is a big airport.

Your expectations are way out of line. An appropriate response from United would be a letter of apology for any poor customer service. You got to LAX less than 3 hours late. Get over it. IMHO.

auggie doggie

Wow, United must love you! A customer with REALLY REALLY REALLY low expectations. Have you ever walked around with a sign on your back that says "Kick me" ?

I agree that things happen...you obviouslly missed the point...that while things happen it's the way they're handled that matters.

j379pa

I guess I'm just trying to understand why anyone would pay nearly $2,000 for a flight within the same continent. Maybe I travel in different circles. I'd be a lot angrier about that than a lost 3 hours!

JP

Tennen

JP, I was thinking about the same thing. I certainly hope that what auggie doggie bought was an F ticket, because I can't imagine paying $2,000 for a Intra-N.A. ticket in the back.

Anyway, auggie doggie, I hope that you receive appropriate compensation. I don't think that UA would provide a refund for the ORD-LAX flight, though... At best, they will write you a letter of apology with travel vouchers and/or upgrade certificates (actually, I wouldn't know, since I've only gotten CS25s and CS50s). Best of luck to you.

Seiple

While you are probably justified in writing a letter and perhaps requesting compensation for being late, sarcasm and insulting the airline will not help.

I don't think that lines like "�a very common trick with United. " are very conducive to getting your wish of a full refund, which as many have already posted is probably unreasonable.

Making the letter shorter and sticking to facts rather than snide side comments will probably yield some sort of compensation. Often times, insulting letters are ignored, even if the shoe fits.

Jana

Your experience was a bad one. I'm sorry it happened.
I'm thinking that the majority of the time mechanics spent in school (by the way, at a considerable personal expense) was indeed spent on the maintenance and repair of engines and very little time was spent on lavs. Ditto exit doors and lightbulbs. These things take more time to repair than a problem with any engine. I have a great auto mech and a good plumber and both agree that they know just a passing amount about the other profession.
Wouldn't you say it stands to reason that the engine and hydraulic system be more important than how to fix the lav?
As a gate agent, I want to dig a hole for myself when I hear that there's a problem with the lav.
It isn't so neat a trick to switch an A-320 to an A-319 as it is to find ANY aircraft that isn't already working. That's a neat trick!
As for the gate agents not treating you in the manner befitting customers so dis-serviced, I can understand your frustration. Please try and understand ours- even just a little bit. You were gone already. A flight boarded up and DONE for the day (for us). Now you're back and we have to spread what short staffing we already had just a bit thinner. Please pardon the gate agent (most are junior assigned to work through their meal break to take care of the sudden irregular flight) for their "demand" that you get onboard and sit as quickly as possible or the crew will "time out".We do this out of a sense of urgency because the crew timing out means finding another crew and sometimes another aircraft. People don't always listen to us anyway, but- we feel the need to try and instill a sense of urgency. We don't want you hanging around the gate for another possible 4 hrs and you don't want to be there either. Certainly not when five minutes could mean the difference.
I'm not entirely sure if this is correct or not, but it's possible that the Capt could have okayed the disabling of both lavs in the rear for use and designated the FC lav for use of the entire aircraft. (I worked for another carrier that did this,however reluctantly, on a number of occasions.)
How much would you have enjoyed your meal then? I mean that with all due respect, too.
I can't imagine any carrier reimbursing you for the fare paid (mentioned before,but- the airline did what it was "contracted" to do). However, I can see UA giving you some upgrades to use.
In closing, I would like to quote a portion of your own letter back to you for reflection:

"The measure of good customer service isn�t how you handle things in good times; it�s how you handle things in bad times."

Isn't that also the measure of a reasonable human being?
I do hope that UA hears your complaint and responds favorably and to your satisfaction.

RichardMEL

Just a thought on the cold meal issue. Sounds like UA pulled the A319 which was obviously destined for other duties, perhaps a much shorter flight than the midcon of ORD-LAX, and they'd already stocked the galley. Would you have prefered they pulled out the galley and stocked it from your original aircraft incuring some further delay for you to get a hot meal?! Seems to me UA were trying to get the flight out ASAP after an already fairly lengthy delay.

Just my 2 cents.

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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

ldsant

OK, 2 more cents (hmm. . .with all of us weighing in, perhaps this will give you that compensation of ORD-LAX after all ). . .jana - wonderful post and welcome to FT. You sound very reasonable in your post. Auggie Doggie - I too get frustrated with UAL on a number of occasions. However; now I just take my business elsewhere. If you're that dissatisfied as you say you are, reduce your spending and your time on that airline.

richard

I think it's too long and sounds rather petulant, if you don't mind my saying so.

But you did ask, so...

I would write something like this or along these lines:

---------------------
Dear UA:

On xxx flight on xxx date, both rear lavs were inoperative.

No preflight drinks were offered in F.

The flight was 2 hours 40 minutes late taking off.

Food was downgraded to a cold sandwich which most people found unappetizing, unfortunately, not up to the usual standards of UA and not the hot meal promised.

I spent $x,xxx,xxx.xx for the ticket and was extremely disappointed as this is not typical of the very high standards I have come to expect.

I wish to continue flying on UA and I spend a great deal of money on profitable, last minute air travel so I would like to request either a refund of the ticket price or some other equivalent, appropriate compensation.

Thank you.
--------------------------

I doubt you'd get a refund, but the letter above gives them credit where credit is due, has the facts without value judgments, and makes it clear what is in their best interests (taking care of a good customer like you whose faith is shaken in the great UA)

Bear96

Tearing up the voucher offered by the F/A (which is ALL we have to work with on board to remedy such situations as these which are beyond our control) and setting it on top of your sandwich is a VERY classy touch. Hope it made you feel better.

transpac

This is a wholly inaccurate statement.

I have been given two hand-written upgrade vouchers (these look a lot like personal checks), and one $200 travel voucher, by Pursers on UA flights. These have been a result of pretty major in-flight screw-ups, about which I made little or no mention.

And if it made this passenger felt better to tear this voucher up so be it. { "Hope you feel better" sounds like a bitter comment from an atypical employee, at least I hope you're atypical?. Feel free to remove that bug from your a$$ at anytime.}

I've returned more than a few useless vouchers to WHQ, and yes it did make me feel better to refuse insulting accomodations.