United Airlines are lying, scheming bastards

[winterbadger]

Our flight was scheduled for 5.30. By the time I booked it, several weeks ago, it had already been shifted, for some reason, to 5.53. It didn't board until 6.25. As we were about the leave the gate, the entire airport went on hold because of thunderstorms. We waited. We waited. We waited. For over two hours. Other flights took off and landed. We sat there. Eventually we were deplaned and given back any luggage we had checked at the gate (but not, crucially, other luggage).

We sat back down in the terminal. Our flight would just be delayed (although on the plane the captain had told us it would probably be cancelled). We were told to wait another hour. Then two. Then we were finally told the flight was cancelled; we had to rebook for the next day, and if we wanted our checked bags back, we had to stand in line for customer service. Which had three reps for, roughly, about 200-300 people (several flights had been treated the same way. Two more hours went by. astrongteacher  spotted a desk that was not a customer service desk but seemed to be handling some people, so we went over there, hoping we weren't throwing away our two hours of waiting in line. We were not. A very nice man (we thought) tried to rebook us, but the best he could do was a flight the afternoon that got into Philly at 7 and then flew out to Albany at 9, getting in at nearly 11pm. Pointless, since w e would have to turn around and come back on Sunday. We said "Just give us our bags back." He took down the tag numbers and descriptions and promised that if we went back to the main terminal baggage claim, we would get our bags in 30-45 minutes.

We went back. We waited. And waited. And waited. Another hour and three quarters went by. Some bags came by, but not ours or those of other people on the affected United flights. Eventually, E started tracking down people, first baggage handlers and then a supervisor, who assured us she had told everyone that there would be no more bags tonight. We said "No, you didn't; you didn't tell us, or the people sitting near us, who are all waiting for bags we were promised nearly two hours ago would arrive in half an hour." Well, she said, she had told lots of people. And the baggage handlers had all left, so there was no one to get our bags now. "What about all the handlers walking around the area?" we asked. Oh, they work for a different division of United, so they can't handle your bags. !!!????!!! Here is a phone number to call tomorrow, we were told, and then you can "claim" your bags and get them delivered to you.

So here we are back home (at 4 am, almost 12 hours after we got to the airport). There's no practical way we can get up to Williamstown that won't take pretty much all day tomorrow, and we can't go anywhere any way until our bags come back. So I'm out the money I paid the alumni association for room and board and so on. I'm probably out the money for the rental car, and I'm sure United is going to try and find a way to hold onto my money for the plane fares. I'm out the leave that I specifically took so as to spend a long weekend in the Berkshires. And, most importantly, I'm out that weekend itself, including seeing friends I haven't seen in years and showing E where I went to school and where I spent my summers as a kid.

So say we are enraged is putting it mildly. There are so many ways that, given the storms that were no one's fault, United could have handled this honestly and decently, and they missed every single chance. Fuck them.

Comments

[peaceful-fox.livejournal.com]

Wow - I don't think I could keep my mouth shut. I think you should push this to get as much compensation as you can for this. Why not? You shouldn't have been treated with this. I would be as furious as you are. I have had some shitty plane experiences, but that really takes the cake! There's customer service and then there is just treating the customer like human being. They did neither.

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Aww, man! What a horrid experience :( I'm so sorry your weekend has been ruined.

[shy-kat.livejournal.com]

I'm so, so sorry. :-(
I know you were really looking forward to this weekend. Sending many hugs your ways and many hateful thoughts toward United.

[ticktockmary.livejournal.com]

AAARRRGGH! You really should make a lot of noise about this for as much compensation as you can over this, like peaceful fox said. Don't come unhinged because that pisses anyone off, but be as big of a pain in the butt as you have to, so that they'll do anything to get rid of you. Document as many names and times as you can remember.

And maybe ask the folks at Washington Post travel if they have tips on handling this.

I'm so sorry to hear this. :(

[gr-c17.livejournal.com]

Sorry for your lost weekend, that really sucks.

Try www.untied.com. It's all about how much United sucks, hence the fun spelling. There is a link to success stories of folks demanding money back.

[winterbadger]

Thanks! I will check it out. I already tried out their formal refund procedure, which is partly broken (the website gives you a place to put your ticket number but then zeroes it out when you start filling in the rest of the form)--after finally completing it, I was told they would examine my claim in 7-10 business days and then communicate further. So if thee are top tips on that site it will be handy!

Silver lining: E and I can come over to Peter's on Sunday.

[noting-nothing.livejournal.com]

Urgggh! What a shame.

I know it doesn't make up for the stuff you missed out on, but I hope you are able to claim some money back / compensation etc.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

wow, that really lacks customer service :0(

[azbound.livejournal.com]

Personally, I'd sue them for all the money/time I lost. They'll come back and settle, but it's better than nothing.