1. Yes, a new employee does need help!
2. No spare pilots at JFK
3. Unsafe piloting, oxygen and thunderheads
4. Three engine problems in 24 hours
5. When will I get my United Airlines wet suit?
6. Better bumped than boarded
7. I'm not a slob, they drenched me twice
8. Is safety worth $150 at United?
9. Overbooking akin to Cattle Herding
10. Seems United just isn't learning
11. United cancels flight but waits 38 days to tell
12. United charges helpful passengers
13. Can't do it
14. United loses expensive suit
15. Duty free short-changing
16. Employee ill will
17. Tracking flight crews

Yes, a new employee does need help!
from: Sam Aljabi, Columbus, Ohio
Mon, 1 Sep 1997 23:55:26 -0400 (EDT)

I bought 2 tickets for my parents from Columbus to Chicago, with a connecting flight from Chicago to Jordan (overseas). We got to Columbus airport early, stayed in the line at the ticketing and the lady who worked there happened to be new and was not familiar with handling international flight. It took her almost an hour to issue boarding pass. Her supervisor asked her if she needed help but she said she did not.

After everything was ready, it was 20 minutes before the departure. And the lady told us that all of our luggages had to be searched. I told her that there was not enough time and she should have checked them before, when we were waiting. She apologized and explained to us that she was new employee there. She said they could let the captain wait for us during the search. So, we let them search my parents' 4 luggages. They started to look through my parents' clothes piece by piece while the time was running out. They made a huge mess and left big pile of clothes on the floor. My 70-year-old parents started crying and had to put all their clothes back in the luggages. After we were done, we ran like crazy to the gate and got there exactly 2 minutes late. But the gate was closed and the captain said he couldn't let us in even though the aircraft was still there.

The supervisor calmed me down and told me he could fly my parents to Chicago with American Airlines which would depart in 2 hours. I was relieved knowing that they could still catch their connecting flight from Chicago to Jordan. We waited for 2 hours but later we found out that the airplane was full and my parents' name were on waiting list. Fortunately, we found 2 nice people who were willing to give up their seats, so my parents were able to board.

The next morning, I got a call from Jordanian Airlines saying that my parents were still in Chicago because they could not catch their flight. They had spent the night at the airport and the worst thing was they could not speak English. This was Thursday, and the next flight wasn't until the following Monday. The only alternative was to fly my parents to New York the same day in order to catch a flight to Jordan in the afternoon. But, my parents had to pay additional $200 for tickets to New York. With this new schedule, they also had to spend 1 additional night in a layover. The next day they were on the flight to Beirut, Lebanon.

On Monday, I got a call from my parents telling me they finally got home, exhausted, and that their trip was the most horrible experience in their life. It took them almost 5 days to get home. Some vacation!

Unsafe piloting, oxygen and thunderheads
September 15, 1997
This area formerly contained an exchange of letters between a US Air Force pilot and a UAL employee. The Air Force pilot had raised some serious concerns regarding passengers safety, which were disputed by the UAL letter writer. Since I am not an expert in these matters, I solicited feedback from the FAA as well as other pilots. Based on the feedback I received, there remains little justification for keeping the letter (along with its allegations) here. Again, I endeavour to be fair and honest, so that this site remains relevant for all readers. This means removing letters that are reasonably disputed by officals from UAL, or elsewhere.

Three engine problems in 24 hours
from: Fabien Pichard
Wed, 23 Jul 1997 10:35:47 -0700

Last week, returning to Seattle from France, we taxied to the runaway then back to the hangar; the captain told us that there was a generator problem. We waited 3 hours while they tried to fix the problem, after which they told us that they had to cancel the flight and the problem should be fixed by the next day.

We were dispatched to the nearest hotel with apologies, and rebooked on a flight to San Francisco, scheduled to arrive at 9:55AM. We arrived at 10:55AM and all the people going to Seattle missed their connections. I was lucky enough to be out of the plane very fast and was one of the first to claim another ticket to Seattle at 4:30pm. All the others were in stand by and were not issued ANY plane tickets!

While waiting for my plane, the 3pm flight to Las Vegas was cancelled due to engine problems. Then my 4:30pm flight was delayed due to engine problems -- the third engine problem in 24 hours!

When will I get my United Airlines wet suit?
Passenger's letter to United
Sun, 20 Jul 1997 16:39:52 +0800

Dear United Airlines
I also got drenched twice and I'm no slob either. On flight #1275, November 15, 1996, I was sitting in the exit row on the wing in the window seat, waiting for the plane to be deiced. When they began to sluice the de-icing chemical fluid in huge quantities over the wing, it came right through the exit door which apparently was not properly sealed, so that I was soaked and got a good shot in the eye.

We had to go back to the gate so the door could be sealed before take-off and to get medical attention to me, except no sterile eye wash was available. And the pilot was really nice to put his arm around me and say, "Honey," to make me feel better. (I'm being sarcastic.) I suppose Mr. Greenwald and Mr. Edwardson were too busy being employee-owners to answer my letters, and it was Christmas. I felt really heartened when finally I received a letter in January from a customer relations person saying "we regret the unpleasantness caused..." And even though "it's not [the] policy to compensate customers based on DISSATISFACTION with our service," (Tell me about it!) there was a $100 discount travel certificate. How generous and kind.

Maybe you remember that on April 9th flying to Auckland in Connisseur Class, the attendant spilled an entire tray of orange juice on me, onto my blazer and cashmere sweater on the seat next to me and into my open flight bag. My feet got soaked. She never returned to clean it up and I even cleaned up the tray, glasses and ice dropped by her in the aisle. MY blazer finally was taken away, but not to be sopped up and sponged, it lay up on the side of the galley to get stained and yukky, hung up to dry as it was.

No help at Auckland, although promised: "Are you insured? Try your insurance company. Oh, here's a form to fill out for a $25 travel voucher." I expect repayment for my ruined, stained clothing which I was unable to replace in Australia. BUT WHAT I REALLY SHOULD GET FROM UNITED IS A WET SUIT WITH THEIR LOGO ON IT!

United's earlier reply
January 3, 1997

Thank you for writing us and for your patience while we awaited internal feedback about the incident you've reported. We're very sorry to learn about your experience aboard flight 1275, and we regret the unleasnatness caused you in this instance. Generally we do not follow up with customers unless requested to do so as a result of an inflight injury report. We do apologize for any miscommunication about whether UA would initiate contacting you or wait to hear from you as to the extent of the incident. It is airline policy to take all situations seriously and we can appreciate your comments about our handling of the matter.

Based on the components of the de-icing fluid, any potable water would work for rinsing the fluid off of the body. Nevertheless, we will pass on your suggestion to our inflight division, and we'll be pleased to reveiew any medical expenses incurred if you'll send us copies of such bills. Although it's not our policy to compensate customers based on their dissatisfaction with our service, we want to offer the enclosed ($100 travel voucher) as a more tangible expression of our apologies. We hope you will choose United again soon and give us an opportunity to provide more enjoyable service.

Dominick Falcone,
Customer Relations

The passenger comments that on her subsequent trip on United, she was drenched again (see above). So much for enjoyable service.

United's second reply
August 7, 1997

I'm sorry to say your June 14 letter just recently turned up in our mailroom and was temporarily misplaced. In response to that letter and the most recent you sent including a replacement receipt for the new trousers purchased, I would like to apologize again for your dissatisfaction with us. With regard to my earlier letter, I can only assure you that it wasn't a form letter. Moreover, it's troubling to hear that you feel our company isn't customer focused...

The passenger comments:

Fancy my letter turning up in the mail room! In my response to the writer today, I suggested they might want to change their computer letter format to say, "I would like to apologize for the bad experience you had on our airline," rather than assigning the apology to my feelings and attitude (dissatisfaction). In all fairness, I must add that I have now received a check for the trouser replacement -- instead of a travel voucher, which I will no longer accept from them....We should all send them in, convince them to contribute the amounts to charity, since none of us appear able to use them for various reasons

You are doing a great service to United by offering angry consumers the opportunity to ventilate and to provide the management with the kind of feedback that other corporations pay huge amounts to obtain through marketing firms. So kudos to you.

United's third reply (International Customer Relations)
Mon, 08 Sep 1997 16:07:37 +0800

...to put closure to this matter [of spillage] and eleviate [sic] any further inconvenience to you, we are sending you a check for $250 as settlement... as well as something extra for you as a gesture of good well.

The passenger comments:

The cost of cleaning and clothing replacement not yet paid for comes to $300.94. Therefore, the United "good will" is minus $50.94!

Passenger's final note
Wed, 5 Nov 1997 02:56:21 -0500

Six months after my Orange Juice Spill, I have finally been reimbursed for damage to my clothing. But the way hasn't been easy! Too many letters, too many problems. They seem to have an attitude but it's not a friendly one---It's an ATTITUDE. It seems as though the Customer Relations folks are intent on building bad relations instead of good relations. Maybe they need to read their own new ads? P.S.: No, I did not receive a wet suit. A Former Frequent Flyer

Better bumped than boarded
Tue, 15 Jul 1997 23:12:00 -0400 (EDT)

In Spring 1995, my United flight from London to New York was grounded for mechanical problems apparently caused by inadequate maintenance. While I do appreciate UA not wanting to fly an unsafe plane, their handling of the situation was terrible:

UA kept all passengers in the plane for several hours -- just long enough to assure that every other flight from London to NY had departed once they decided to let us off. Those of us expected back home for business the next day (or otherwise needing to get in touch), were refused permission to leave the plane to make a call.

The whole time we were kept hostage on the plane, the flight crew refused to provide even minimal service: no food, nothing to drink. While the passengers had to make their way to the back for tap water, the flight crew spent their time relaxing and drinking lemonade (which was not shared with the passengers).

When UA finally announced they were cancelling the flight, they also warned us that they would not guarantee us a room for the night, or space on any other flight to NY. UA did apologize, but emphasized that the flight crew was inconvenienced as much as the passengers. (Really? At least the flight crew got paid for their time.) They deplaned us, and sent the first class passengers to the nicer airport restaurant, and the rest of us to the airport cafeteria, where we were told to await further direction.

For several hours after being deplaned, UA did not send a single rep to tell us what was going on. UA employees we located at the airport declined to give us any information. By about 10 p.m. (after being deplaned around 6 p.m.), UA finally paged us (it still wouldn't send anyone to face us) to leave the airport for buses to hotels (no help with baggage was offered, and UA refused to arrange storage for baggage at the airport).

When we finally reached the hotel (a decent enough one), none of our rooms were ready. UA shuttled us in through a back door, and made us wait another hour while one hotel clerk worked his way through about fifty passengers. (The UA rep got her room right away and promptly disappeared). We were told around 10 p.m. to call the UA desk at the airport to get information on flight arrangements. However, UA did not keep its desk open late, so its phones of course went unanswered by 11 p.m., when we finally got into our rooms. This left us unable to get any information at all on whether UA had made alternative arrangements, or such useful information as the time of the flight.

Any other airline I can think of would at least have offered a flight coupon as compensation. UA didn't offer anything at all. Coincidentally, UA also managed to destroy my checked bag, and refused compensation. But hey, it's UA!

Wrap up: After I wrote to UA with these complaints, they did send me a $200 flight coupon. The irony is that UA bumped several people from the cancelled flight prior to boarding. They got $500, and a flight home the same day!

I'm not a slob, they drenched me twice
from: Lisa G. McDade, Alpine
Mon, 14 Jul 1997 20:07:44 -0400

I recently took a trip via UAL from San Diego to Reno with a change of planes in San Francisco. I was to be in a wedding the following day. I packed light since I would be staying only 1 1/2 days and one of them would require me to remain dressed up for the entire day. I boarded the plane in San Diego donning a new women's dress suit. When I arrived in San Francisco all was well. I then boarded the next plane destined for Reno, NV. Approximately 30 minutes prior to our landing, the female flight "attendant" reached across me (I was seated on the aisle) to deliver a too full glass of juice to a window-seat passenger. She not only filled the cup to the brim, but quickly stretched out her arm to hand it to him. I asked her if she wanted me to pass it over and she ignored me only to bump her elbow on the seat back in front of me. I now had orange juice streaming across my lap and suggestively between my thighs.

I was sticky, stained and embarrassed. She went about her duties without even offering a napkin or paper towel. I quickly soaked the cocktail napkin that was under my peanuts and eventually managed to flag her down as she collected trash before landing. She flitted past me without as much as an apology and tossed the napkins in my lap as she walked past.

I was stunned. I did the best I could (to no avail) to look presentable to the group of wedding guests awaiting my arrival. I looked horrible. When I arrived at the home where I was to spend the night and to attend the wedding, I had only a bathrobe or the wedding outfit to wear. So I had to remain in the stained outfit throughout the rehearsal dinner.

On the return flight, I was once again seated on the aisle. This time the flight "attendant" waited until we were just preparing to land to douse me with Coke destined for a passenger seated next to me in the center seat. Once again my lap was covered by a pool of brown liquid, looked great on a beige linen skirt. The offending liquid once again settled on my crotch area. A real attractive look when one stands up. This time the attendant said, "Oops." and even retrieved a handful of papertowels without being asked, no less. Then as before, tossed them in my lap. I guess in "Stewardess School" they must be taught to cover up the area if they slop something on a passenger. And Do Not Ever Look Back." Heaven forbid that they must make eye contact and put their mouth into motion with an apology.

It is not so much the fact that I looked like a slob, but that there was absolutely no care or compassion let alone remorse, at their incompentance. I guess I should count my blessings that these 2 women wern't FLYING the plane! Thanks for the ear.

Is safety worth $150 at United?
from: Rowan Hallett, Melbourne, Australia
Sat, 12 Jul 1997 20:12:58 -0400

I thought I was just an unlucky one. Like most of your writers I too suffered from the horrors of United. On Flight 841 from Chicago, Via LAX and Auckland to Melbourne I couldn't believe the horrible attitude in United Business Class Our 747-400 had an aborted take off prior to lift off. The passengers were horrified at the drama as cabin contents flew around the cabin and people screamed. The aircrfat returned to the ramp and after much reassurance another take-off was attempted. Don't believe it: As the plane roared down the runway, again the takeoff was aborted and agin the vibration of braking and thrust reversers threw passengers about the cabin. The aircraft slowed to a stop. Many passengers got off never to return. Unfortunately I couldn't.

I wrote to United after the event (in October 1992) only to receive no response. I wrote again nearly a year later. After expressing my concerns at the lack of caring from the flight and cabin crew and the ultimate failure to explain how such an incident could occur twice (obviously the problem was not fixed the first time). I never got a reply. I wrote 9 months later, again asking whether they wanted my ongoing regular business. I had been what I thought was a valued United customer for 10 years. Eventually, I got a very weak letter and a cheque for $150. WOW!

How much is safety or a passenger's ongoing business worth at United? $150? I am still waiting for their apology but they obviously don't want my business.

Overbooking akin to Cattle Herding
from: John-Andrew Murphy, South Bend
Thu, 3 Jul 1997 14:00:25 -0400

I understand United's need for profits. But, sadly, profits only profit the company while leaving the consumer -- who supplies the profits -- treated much like cattle. Overbooking might bring United Airines profits, but it forgets humanity.

For example, my wife and I arranged a vacation to be take in June. Our hotel reservations at The Mirage in Las Vegas were made in December. Our airline tickets were reserved in early January. A month before we were to depart, a UAL representative called us and changed our flight information. Originally, we were to fly from Chicago to Denver, and then Denver to Las Vegas. But the changes would take us directly from Chicago to Las Vegas. When I asked her if we were all set, she told us that our seats were "guaranteed" since we had booked so long in advance.

Not on your life.

We arrived at our gate at O'Hare to check in and were told to stand in line until they called our names, that we were on Stand-by. Ahead of us, a passenger showed up with seat assignments and was also put on Stand-by. Another passenger had been switched to this flight because his earlier flight had been cancelled, and he also was supposed to have guaranteed seats. One-by-one my wife and I watched people denied passage to Las Vegas on this flight. I overheard one UAL employee tell another, "We're going to get hell for this one. We're oversold by 75 people." That's not good business; that robbery. My wife and I were booked to San Francisco, and then to Las Vegas. At San Francisco we watched another flight be oversold, with at least forty people waiting on Stand-by. But perhaps what bothers me the most is the cavalier attitudes of your employees. They're rude, and generally unconcerned with the fact that they're dealing with humans. A mother with two infants had been put on Stand-by twice in the same day. She'd been in transit, she said, for nearly 27 hours. This is inhumane, but it's all in the name of profits. That's sickening.

I've flown all over the world on Northwest, Continental, American, TWA, PanAm, Lufthansa, and even Aeroflot in the 1980s while on a tour to Moscow. Not one of these flights was oversold. Never had I been put on Stand-by, or watched dozens of people with so-called "guaranteed seats" denied their flight. What this says to me about United is that you have no idea anymore about humanity, that your customers mean only profits, that those who fly your unfriendly skies will be treated worse than cattle. Other airlines operate efficiently, courteously, and have employees more than willing to accomodate their passengers. United wants to fill its pocketbooks. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea that the employees bought the company. It's obvious they feel superior to everyone around them.

Two further notes: The UnitedExpress between South Bend and Chicago is a disaster waiting to happen. This plane is unfit for the air. My wife and I sat there watching its left wing engine sputter and grind all four times we've flown it. On our fiasco flight, a former fighter pilot sat across the aisle from us and shook his head all the way to Chicago saying, "This thing should never be taken out of the hangar." Everyone of the United flights we've been on has experienced some kind of malfunction. TWA800 anyone? Do something before a United flight ends up in Lake Michigan, or you lose a few hundred passengers in the Mohave desert. The second of issue of this addendum is your issuing of travel vouchers. If you're going to ruin someone's flight, and make your customers' lives hell, than offer unlimited vouchers that we can use anytime, to fly anyplace, and use them all if we wish. The aggravation your airline is causing people is criminal. The behaviour of your employees is despicable. And that customers have to wait in long lines to use the restrooms while the first class lavatory is free, along with the terrible food, and mediocre in-flight service leaves me wondering if you at United can do anything right anymore. Your airline was once the class of the American fleets. Now you just have catchy slogans. (Please, don't keep ruining "Rhapsody in Blue". It's a national treasure, this country's equivalent to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. You don't hear Lufthansa ruining that!)

That's enough. Right now your airline ranks very poorly with consumers. You should consider doing something about it or your going to lose a lot of money really fast. Personally, I doubt my wife and I will ever fly your airline. And my father-in-law, whose company uses United often, is talking with the Board of Directors at his Fortune 500 firm out of using United. They're listening closely because, he says, "They're complaints are the same as yours. When business travellers get bumped, millions of dollars can be lost. Jobs can be lost. People can have their lives ruined."

Seems United just isn't learning
Sun, 29 Jun 1997 13:37:06 -0400
by: Scott Reed, Buffalo

The following story just goes to show that despite all of the hype in United's new ad campaign, the sad truth is that they just seem to be getting worse. Although our own experiences that led to the creation of this web site were not nearly as serious as those related by Mr. Reed, they are frighteningly similar. While we offered some helpful suggestions as to how United could avoid some of these problems in the future, it is obvious that the airline has no intention of taking the advice seriously.

Six people flew round trip from Buffalo to Las Vegas June 22-June27. First off I would like to state that flying your airline was the worst travel experience I have ever had.

It started In Buffalo on Sunday June 22, 1997 when flight 305 was canceled, I have no problem with the cancellation but with what occurred when we arrived at the airport. First of all, the skycaps had no idea that our flight was canceled, so we had to stand in line to find out that we needed to go stand in line at the reservations desk. Once we got through the outrageous line at the reservations desk we were happy to find out that we were able to be booked on USAirways and still make it to Las Vegas in a reasonable amount of time. So all six of us went and stood in line at the USAirways check in just to find out that the flight that we had just been booked on by your agent was full. So we were told to go wait in line at your reservations desk again and sort out the problem. So we waited in the outrageous line again to hear, "I'm sorry I didn't know the flight was full." So the agent had to try and find us another way to Las Vegas. After standing at the desk for about 2 hours we finally were booked on flights from Buffalo to Las Vegas.

Now, after all this waiting we found out that it would take us 12 hours to get to Las Vegas, with a 2 hour layover in Chicago and a 3 hour layover in Denver . This was only the start of the problems. The six of us, who were all booked to be sitting together on the flights, were split up on different parts of the planes. So the six of us finally arrived in Las Vegas at 4:00PM Las Vegas time, we were supposed to arrive at 9:00AM. So because some incompetence we lost a day of our vacation, not bad for $300 per person.

Now for the return flight. We were scheduled to leave Las Vegas at 11:59PM on flight 792. We went to the airport early, at 10PM, to check in another party that were in Las Vegas with us (they flew round trip from Buffalo to Las Vegas on the same dates on Northwest Airlines without a single problem.) Thank god we went and checked in early for our flight, because we come to find out that 2 of the 6 reservations from Las Vegas to Chicago had been canceled. We believe that our reservations were canceled by your agent in Buffalo while screwing around trying to get us to Las Vegas, with some research I'm sure you will find out that it was your agent. So needless to say we were pretty unhappy with the fact that our reservation was canceled. The agent in Las Vegas, Mr. Al White, found us some seats, again away from our party. So because of our many inconveniences we asked if we could be moved to first class. We were told no because it was sold out. But when we got on the plane we were miffed to find out that first class was almost empty. Why would a United employee lie to a customer, especially after all the problems we encountered were United's fault. I don't understand.

And just two more things, in Chicago your departure boards were not functioning properly, so customers were forced to ask gate attendants what gate their flight was departing from. The gate attendants were rude and uncaring, not just to me, but to every person I saw ask where their flight was. And finally, upon returning to Buffalo one of our pieces of luggage was lost. I guess a perfect end to a perfect trip. So for $1800 for the six of us, we lost a day of our vacation, lost some luggage, were lied to, treated rudely, and all around disrespected by your airline and employees.

I have a big family and parents that live out west and we visit them at least twice a year. But I will tell you right now that my entire family and I will seriously think twice before ever flying United again. I think that it's time to start training your employees to treat the customers right, flying costs a lot of money, and I would like it if I could be treated with respect.

United cancels flight but waits 38 days to tell passengers
Mon, 23 Jun 1997 22:27:37 -0400
by: David McClain, Miami
Passenger's original letter

On April 22 I made 4 reservations from Miami, FL to Newark, NJ departing July 4 and all tickets were paid for by American Express on May 2.

As I was required to attend a business meeting at 12:00 Noon on July 4, United Flt 972 at 7:15AM was the most convenient for me. The other 3 reservations were for my wife and two kids who were to visit relatives for the long weekend.

Today, June 23, A representative of United Airlines call to tell me Flt 972 was cancelled because United was no longer flying that route at that time.

When I asked when that change was made, they informed me May 15, 38 days before!!! I asked why it took all this timto call me I was told "I have no idea". Then when I demanded to know what they were going to do about my tickets I was told to take another United flight to Chicago and transfer transfer to a Newark bound flight with an arrival time of 12:20. Clearly not enough time to make my meeting.

When I told them the arrival time was too late I was informed and I quote" go try to get your money back and perhaps you could get tickets on another airline". I asked for Customer Service and was connected but then left on hold for 25 minutes before hanging up in utter frustration.

I called the corporate office in Chicago and asked for Customer Relations. I got an answering machine which instructed me to leave my name, phone number and a brief meaasage and someone would get back to me.

My United Frequent Flyer number was 00535-336- 148 but since I've had bad experiences before with them I won't use United unless I have exhausted every other option. Now I have destroyed the card and vow NEVER to fly United again.

My business will take me well over 100,00 miles before year's end and not one mile will be on United. They are the rudest, most arrogant and uncaring people I have ever had the displeasure to enxcounter. Customer service is a travesty.

Sincerely,

David McClain
Manager
International Sales and Marketing
Jamo Latin America

Tue, 01 Jul 1997 22:08:35 -0400
Passenger's follow-up letter

Several things transpired the day following my call to Customer Relations in Chicago.

The next morning I received a call from Chuck Gerstung in Customer Relations wanting to know my story again. He said he sensed from the tone of the message I had left on the answering machine that I was upset. Quite an understatement!!!!

I retold my story again. He mouthed the typical corporate pap about how U.A. really cares about its customers and how I shouldn't judge them by on this incident alone. I asked him why it took 38 days to notify me about the cancellation and I never did get an answer. I asked him why I was left on hold and I didn't get an answer. I asked him what would happen to the U.A. employee if I could identify her. I didn't get an answer.

When he asked what he could do to get my business back, I told him there was NOTHING he could do.

He finally said he would sent me a $100 Discount Travel Certificate to use against my next U.A. ticket. I informed him that was a complete joke because I will NEVER fly U.A. again and if I received that certificate I would tear it up. He did and I did.

Then I went to the U.A. office in Coral Gables where we had purchased the tickets and asked for a refund. The man behind the counter looked at the tickets, handed them back to me and curtly informed me they were non refundable.

By then I was ready for battle and I not too nicely told him to please don't give me a problem with this because it had been cleared through U.A. headquarter, the flight had been cancelled and I've been having nothing but problems since. I told him to check Flt 972 to verify the cancellation so we could begin our conversation again.

Once he discovered what I had said was true his attitude change and he did his job of CANCELLING all 4 tickets. What he did tell me, however, was United probably cancelled that particulat flight because "that day there was too much competition on that route"!!!!

As far as getting my money back, I was told to expect a check from U.A. in the future. Now I paid with American Express, which he took, and all I wanted was a credit to my account. NO WAY!!!

I'm fighting that now.

Regards,

David McClain

United charges you when you try to help them
Fri, 23 May 1997 08:00:58 -0700
by: Tom Coulter, Hollister, CA

My wife had the pressure of flying on United from Las Vegas to San Francisco and, after a 2+hr.layover, continuing on to Monterey. The arrival time in Monterey was very late for a week night, 11:30PM. Then an hour drive home, made this very late for us on a weeknight as we are up at 4AM every day.

We decided that it would be best for us if I drove 90 min. and picked her at 8:15PM at SFO and just forget the ticket on to Monterey. By the way, no check through luggage. Here comes the problem:

My wife felt it would be a courtesy to let United know about her plans when she checked in at Las Vegas rather than just be a no show for the second flight. Get this, United demanded that she pay an additional $50 to get on the plane in Las Vegas for a change in destination! I want a refund! We paid for a ticket that we did not use and that should be good enough. The extra charge is stupid. If she had said nothing at all, there would be no charge. We go charged for being courteous and honest.

First I called the 800 customer service number and was given a toll number for customer relations. Second I called the toll number and all I got after a lengthy voice mail menu was a busy signal several times. Third I tried to get to United through their web site to send email message and the sight was on "Time Out". Why am I not surprised. This has now become a matter of principle with me and I will keep after them until I get satisfaction.

United "Can't do it"
Sat, 01 Mar 1997 13:43:12 PST

Mr. Gerald Greenwald
United Airlines
PO Box 66100
Chicago, IL 60666

Dear Mr. Greenwald:

My wife and I were recently married and anticipated, as many do, a treasured memory and dream honeymoon in Maui, Hawaii. With only one exception, it was everything we had saved and hoped for, and that exception was our service from United Airlines and its Employee Owners.

Our reservations were made a year in advance and United mailed our tickets shortly thereafter. We were on flight # 63 departing Dulles International at 8:15 a.m. on January 1, 1997 to LAX.

We arrived at your counter at 7:20 am, and while we were attempting to check our bags were told that our flight did not exist. Impossible. I had called at least four times in the proceeding six weeks to try and request either on aisle or bulkhead seat assignment. I am 6' 9" tall and the leg room helps. Each time I call, the answer was the same: we can't help you; those seat arrangements could not be made ahead of time and that we would have to show up early for our flight to book those seats. Not once, did anyone tell me that my flight did not exist. When the woman at the counter finally located our flight, she informed us that our flight had just left. Since when do your flights ever leave an hour early?? Why didn't anyone call us; our name, and all our phone numbers and address were on the reservations??

The ticket agent was most unconcerned. It wasn't her problem and she most definitely did not care! Our choice was either the next nonstop, which left two and a half hours later, or Denver with a layover. Denver got us in earlier than the nonstop so Denver it was. Again, we asked about changing our seat assignments for our flights? Can't do it. We were informed that those arrangements are made ahead of time. How about an aisle or bulkhead seat assignment for legs to LAX? We can't help you. Try the agent at the gate.

When we got to the gate, early again, the gate agent told us there was nothing he could do, no seats on aisle or bulkhead. Question: If I am the first person at the gate, why can't I get an aisle or bulkhead seat? I would love you to explain to me how one goes about getting one of these seats, because your agents consistently give me and my wife the run around and still no one can tell us. Because of my legs, there is no room to put down a tray table, for the person in front of me to put their seat back or me to put mine back in flight. Not only am I terribly uncomfortable, but also another paying passenger in front of me suffers because of your "We can't do it/Don't have it." Is this a company policy? If an agent does not know the answer to a customer's question, are they trained to say "we can't help you"? Not once did someone say, I will try. Not once did someone at United take the initiative to make our already bad experience better.

In Denver I asked our gate agent for an aisle or bulkhead seat - "Don't have it. Your agent in Washington Dulles should have done it." Who are you guys??? The Federal Government?? The most infuriating thing was the lack of concern by ANY of your gate/ticket agents. Just another load of cattle. It was as if someone forgot to point out the other airline carriers at the airport to your staff. We, as customers, have a choice. Someone needs to remind your ticket agents of this simple small FACT.

The biggest bonus was that originally we were supposed to meet my wife's family at LAX around 10:30 am. Several of her family members were on the alumni committee involved with a number of the festivities for the Rose Bowl and they had our tickets. Because we didn't arrive as scheduled, even within a hour and a half window - they had to leave us for the game and we had to cab it to my in laws in the Valley by ourselves with no chance of meeting them for our passes to the game! The tickets were part of a wedding gift! Thanks to you, United and its employee owners, we missed the game and the other special events we had looked so forward to, wasted our time, had two miserable uncomfortable flights and out a $65.20 taxi fare. Thanks.

Saturday, January 4, 1997

Arrived over an hour early again for flight 191 departing LAX at 8:30 a.m. for Honolulu, HI. We checked our bags, presented our tickets and asked for aisle or bulkhead seat assignments. "No. We can't do it. Check with the gate agent." I am 6'9 tall and the leg room helps. Gate agent - "Nope. Don't have it. Next time check with reservations and request aisle or bulkhead." Am I missing something?? Oh, by the way, your flight left about an hour late.

Hawaii was perfect...after all it was my honeymoon.

Tuesday, January 14, 1997
Return Flight 574 leaving Maui, HI at 1:35 for LAX

Given my recent experience with your on time airline, we called twice the morning of our departure. Everything was on schedule. Excellent. We'll get there early and try for an aisle or bulkhead seat assignment. Ticket agent: "No.. Can't do it. Check with the gate agent." Gate agent: "Don't have it." Your flight left an hour and fifteen minutes late, but of course we did not find that out until we were already at the airport.

We landed at LAX to take the redeye back to Washington only to find the flight was delayed almost two hours and that you had over sold the aircraft by over 60 people!!! Four high schools sending students to observe and participate in President Clinton's Inauguration were booked on the flight. You must be associated with the Federal Government! They continue to borrow and spend money they don't have and your computers can't count the number of seats on a particular aircraft and just keeps taking reservations. Unless...it was overridden by one of the Employee Owners, which would again demonstrate a lack of concern for the public at large, of which I was by now intimately familiar.

As the gate agents tried to sort out the mess, I again requested an aisle or bulkhead seat assignment. I am 6'9 tall and the leg room does help. "No.. Can't do it/Don't have it." Making matters even worse was the fact that my new bride was assigned seat 13F and I was assigned a seat B about 12 rows behind her. The airplane was so crowded that other airline flight crews making connections were offered jumpseats. My carry on bags as well as my wife's were taken away from us and red tagged and placed in the baggage hold. My middle seat was next to a young lady who had just undergone knee surgery. Her crutches were in my seat when I arrived. She could not move well and I tried to give them to a flight attendant.

He told me there was no room to put them anywhere and I should either hold them or give them to the gentleman in seat A to hold against the fuselage for the entire flight!!!! Absolutely unbelievable!!!

As there was no room for any of us on our assigned row; given the free crutches that came with my seat and the poor young lady who was suffering so much pain because she could not straighten her leg. If ANYBODY on that entire airplane deserved a break, a bulkhead seat and little kindness it was her!! That flight was so ugly the flight crew essentially turned their backs on everyone and everything.

I was so uncomfortable that about one hour into the flight, I got up and stood for the remaining four hours of the flight in the rear gallery of the 757, while the flight crew sat on their jumpseats and read books they had brought to kill time. Breakfast, while scheduled, remained in the service carts and only when requested would the flight crew hand deliver a tray.

Arriving in Dulles, we waited for an hour for our red tagged priority carry on baggage to surface. They were some of the last pieces of luggage to emerge from your handling facilities. Handled they were indeed.. Many small handmade gifts and chocolates for family and friends were smashed, bottles of Hawaiian rum broken and clothes, books and personal audio equipment soaked. We put these special items in our carry on so they would not be handled.

After the flight from hell, we were picked up by my seventy-two year old mother who waited in the cold, dark parking lot for nearly two hours wondering what had happen to us because your flight information services told her when she checked before leaving her house, that our flight was on schedule, on time.

This was my first United Airlines flight in some while, even though my wife travels 80% of the time for business. Mr. Greenwald it was the most unpleasant experience. I am an American Airlines Frequent Flier. My wife, her family and her family's business all are members of your United Frequent Fliers program. I do not have a clue why.

Every person who has asked either my wife or I how our honeymoon was hears 10% about how wonderful Maui was and 90% on how horrendous United Airlines. You and your company's disrespectful and unhelpful service made the great impression on us and our trip.

I have been told repeatedly of the number of things your United employee owners CANNOT do. What CAN you do to satisfy a customer who has many choices with respect to where to spend my travel dollar and those resources my wife and I control for our company's business?

I look forward to your response.

United loses an expensive suit and won't talk about it
Wed, 26 Feb 1997 16:36:48 +0800

I am writing to express extreme dissatisfaction at United Airlines lack of response to my lost baggage request. I have been calling and faxing your office in Hong Kong and Singapore for the last three months and have filled out the forms several times at both locations to no avail. In fact no one has even responded to me once. As a first class passenger I would have expected better service. Furthermore, I am no longer flying your airline as a result of this poor response and I have notified my colleagues of your lack of customer service and encourage them to avoid flying United and to take Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific instead, which both seem to offer far superior service.

If I do not receive a response from your organization within then next two weeks I will file an official complaint with relevant authorities in Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States. Furthermore, as I purchased my ticket through my American Express Platinum Card, I will notify them as well and ask them to pursue this matter with you as well, as they typically do my travel arragements.

This poor service is unacceptable from a company in the service industry. I cannot think of any reason why you would not even response to my frequent and numerous requests for information. As a passenger on your airline, I think I have a right to be able to claim my possesions at the end of the flight. You have lost a formerly and potentially valuable customer because of this. I typically spend approximately US$100,000 per year on air travel.

FYI, the claim is attached for your reference.

Loss Report

Flight #: UA 805, First Class
Date: 24 November, 1996
Passenger: XXXX XXX XXXXXXXX
Description of lost item:

Dark blue wool suit, tailored by William Yu & Sons, Hong Kong. The item was in a yellow suit bag with a logo "William Yu & Sons" with my business card stapled to the upper left corner of the bag. The suit had recently been delivered from the tailor and had never been worn. Cost of the suit was HK$ 11,000.

Description of how the suit was lost:

The flight attendant took the suit as I boarded the plane to hang it in a closet. On landing in Singapore, I requested the suit and the flight attendant could not re-locate it. She said they would find it on cleaning the flight and then call me to let me know. I was never contacted by United Airlines in Singapore, although I contacted them on several occasions since the incident - they had no information.

Duty free short-changing
Sun, 19 Jan 1997 21:40:30 +1000

Thank you for having the time to do what I sorely wished to. I too am a frequent flyer with United and EACH time have had problems.

Anyway thought you might enjoy one anecdote...on a flight from LA to Brisbane, I purchased a bottle of duty-free pefume. As the flight attendant had the short term memory span of a small child, she forget to give me change. I asked her several times--finally, she admitted that she had "locked the bag (?) and balanced the money (!)". Apologies were profuse BUT no money was forthcoming. My perfume ended up costing me considerably more! But perhaps this is a subsidy scheme that works well? I wrote to the Sydney office, received one phone call (which I could not take as I was lecturing at the time) and that's all I have ever heard!!!!

So because of one flight attendant's inability to perform basic arithmetic and forgetfulness I am out of pocket.

Employee ill will or incompetence?
Thu, 16 Jan 1997 22:21:26 -0800

This episode is a beaut in itself. The plane out of ONT was late on account of "bad weather" at SFO. I was switching planes at SFO to go to JFK. I arrived just as they were locking the gate door but not quite. The gate agent ON PURPOSE did not ask what I wanted until it was too late even though I was panting and wheezing after sprinting a distance of 20 gates or so - it was pretty obvious that I WANTED (NEEDED - I was meeting a colleague at JFK and would rather not be late) to get onto that plane. She "resecheduled" for a flight two hours later even though another flight was ready to go in 45 min. I figured this out myself by looking at the monitor. I rushed over to the gate from which the next flight was leaving and they rebooked me again. I then asked the agent to page my colleague (a professor who was driving up from Philadelphia to meet me at JFK that same day!) at JFK and inform him that I caught the later flight and to wait for me there. SHE REFUSED to get in touch with JFK because well "how can I do that?!" And "anyway, the message would not reach him in time". I poiinted out the three hour difference plus the time of flight and suggested that it may in fact reach him in time. I then described the technological achievements of the day such as faxes, phones, pagers, etc. She would not BUDGE! She then told me that she could not be certain that her JFK counterparts would pass on the message and few other BS stories. I told her that I too work for a multinational corp. with offices in every major country in the world and that we use this marvellous thing called email and that our employees are LOYAL enough and TRUSTWORTHY enough that lo and behold they do ACT one messages (phone, email or postal pidgeon) they receive. I then asked to see the supervisor and related the story to her. She immediately called JFK and passed on the message and then bumped me up to business class. It was all an EMPLOYEE's ill will - that's when I figured out the "fear of god" principle :-)

United can't keep track of their flight crews
Tue, 1 Oct 1996 16:30:46 -0400

It was with great interest that I reviewed your complaint letters to United, and their response, for I have just completed a round trip to Hawaii on United. If I had known of your problems back in early August when I made my resevations, I would have chosen a different airline. My experience was also negative, but for different reasons.

Upon arriving at my departure airport in Oklahoma City, we found out that the flight had been delayed two hours, thus ruining our connections for the rest of the flight. We were able to arrive finally in Kauai two hours late, after a rather stressful trip. The reason for the delay-the pilot had reached the limit of hours he was allowed to fly during a certain time period! I do not want to fly with an over-tired pilot, but you would think in these days of computer record keeping that United could keep track of such things. At least two hundred man-hours were lost, but because United did not have to pay their passengers for lost time--who cares. The attitude of the gate aent was that we should be happy that it was only going to delay us two hours.

On the return trip, our flight was to stop in Los Angeles and continue on to Denver for our connection to Oklahoma City. Stop in L.A. we did, and there we found out that there would be a crew change. Unfortunately, they did not yet have a new flight crew for this flight! Once again, can United not keep track of their flight crews? We were forced to deplane and wait for a flight crew, as there was only one flight attendant continuing on to Denver.