July 13, 2007

Today I was awarded $775.15 in the Burlington, VT small claims court. The original ticket only cost just under $200. United reps lied through their teeth about my flight being cancelled and my bag being lost and porperty missing when it was finally delivered to me days later. Obviously the Judge did not buy into their BS and I am finally being compensated. I think UNTIED.COM is the best thing since sliced bread. Keep up the good work.I cannot stress enough to my fellow passengers: Fight the fight. Do not take United's crap. Go the distance and document everything. The system CAN work for you if you persevere!

May 21, 2007

A ski vacation was partly ruined by United offloading the passengers' skis to make space for commercial cargo. Despite numerous promises, the skis were delivered too late for the couple to enjoy their full vacation. United promised a response within 60 days, but we all know about their promises. Untied.com suggests legal action: according to the DOT, the airline is liable for provable consequential damages up to $3000 per passenger (for domestic flights).

May 2, 2007

One of our readers won a Small Claims action against UAL but the airline wasn't paying up. After the former passenger filed papers threatening to garnish funds from United's corporate bank account, the airline suddenly came up with the cheque.

I have Premier Executive status and fly pretty often on United (as they have the contract with my employer for a number of transatlantic routings that I need to take for business). Last year I had an assignment that had me flying from Washington to Vienna about once every three weeks. As a Premier Executive member, I am supposed to receive double miles from United, as the Premier Executive rules state that Premier Executive members will receive a "100% redeemable mileage bonus when they fly on a paid United flight."

United doesn't actually fly between Washington and Vienna. Rather, they have a code-share with Austrian airlines. However, all of my flights were on a United ticket and all of my flights had a United flight number. From my perspective this should qualify as a "paid United flight." United disagreed. When I asked customer service and Premier Executive Customer Service about it, I was (after being on hold for quite a while) told that these flights were no "paid United flights," and that I would receive no mileage bonus.

I had everything documented (including all of my old United tickets/receipts and boarding passes), so I told them to small claims court for failure to comply with the terms of the Mileage Plus/Premiere Executive Status program. It didn't take that long, and the only tricky thing was figuring out who United's resident representative in my state (Maryland) was, but that was easily obtained from the State of Maryland's Department of Industry/Business. After United was served papers they responded that they would challenge the small claims suit. However on the day of the trial, there was no United representative present, and the judge decided in my favor, and awarded me $4050 ($4020 for the value of the miles I was not given and $30 for court filing fees).

Since then, however, United has failed to comply with the judgment. I have not heard from any one from United about any issues, including plans to pay the judgment (notwithstanding a fax to the Legal Department and a call to customer service). Under Maryland law, I can garnish funds from a United bank account, but I need to know which banks in the United States have United funds. Then the court can order the bank to turn over funds to me.

Ed note: Various readers noted that cheques were drawn from the Wachovia Bank of North Carolina, NA, Winston-Salem, another suggested the Chicago Federal Reserve, and yet another, Chase Bank. Most recently, an anonymous UAL employee indicated that he or she received a cheque from the airline draw from Wells Fargo Bank Ohio, N.A. in Van Wert, Ohio, account number 56-382/412. Many thanks to those who responded to our request for information.

Update -- June 19, 2007

About three weeks after I filed papers with the Maryland Court to garnish funds from United's accounts in Wachovia Bank, I was contacted by a representative of United's Legal Department. She apologized to me for the delay in any response from the airline, and she promised to have the entire amount sent to me within a matter of days. Today, I received a check (send priority overnight) from United for the full amount that was awarded to me by the court. It took a bit of time and energy, but United has now fulfilled its responsibilities to pay me the court-ordered amount.