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United - Bumbling

United Airlines • Itinerary changes • Lost luggage • Group sales • Unaccompanied minors • Ineffective bumbling --- News • United To Reduce its Fleet By 4 Percent • United Charges for Second Bag • United Pilots Contradict Carrier on Cancellations • Computer Glitch Hits United Airlines • Winter Weather Wreaks Havoc with United Flights • United Gets New Daily U.S.-China Flight • Airline Pensions Under Government Review • United Cleared to Taxi Out of Bankruptcy • United Poised To Emerge From Bankruptcy • United Prepares for Life After Independence • United Wins New Labor Pact • United Plans To End Employee Pensions • United Reaches Agreement With Flight Attendents • United's Union Deals Unraveling

Franklin of Palm Springs CA (5/29/02):
I purchased a tickete online and found that the automated United Website process issued the electronic ticket with a first name of "F." I was told by the website contact at United that this was a problem (even though the consumer has no way to input a first name since it derives from the ID on the Mileage Plus card which was "F. Lastname." I was told that it would be a security issue and informed that nothing could be changed on the telephone.

I called United Reservations and they confirmed that this ID with only a first initial would be a problem. I sent a FAX to United on 10 May requesting a refund since I decided to make other arrangements based upon the fact that the ticket was issued by United utilizing their own records of my ID at Mileage Plus. I have heard nothing from them. In the meantime I appealed to Discover Card to dispute the charge. I have heard nothing from them either.

I am left with the prospect of a debt to Discover Card of $1,085.00.

Angie of Templeton CA (2/6/04):
My husband and I purchase airplane tickets from Karen at Hanford Travel for a trip to Portugal in November of 2003. The flight to Lisbon was great, no problems. A few days after we arrived in Lisbon we were flying to the island of Madeira. When we arrived at the Air Portugal counter we were told that our tickets were irregular and old-fashioned and that we would have to purchase new tickets in order to travel. After a lengthy frustrating time we did buy tickets at 406.00 euros (US$473)!

When we arrived in Madeira we phoned our travel agent who said she would look right inot it. A week and a half later when we went to the Lufthansa counter in Lisbon to return home we were again told that our tickets weren't right. Somehow after about twenty minutes of anguish the lady at the counter said she was able to find our names but not on that flight. She grilled us and made us sign for new tickets and sent us on our way. The flight was delayed so we missed our connecting flight.

Once we arrived in Franfurt Germany we went to the Lufthansa counter to get reassigned and guess what! Our tickets were irregular and the lady at the counter went so far as to do some research for us. Since there was a United counter there, she was able to get us copies of the tickets we should have been given. We were never supposed to go through Frankfurt!

My husband and I ended up spending the night in Germany, each of us losing a day's pay, not to mention how stressed we were after our "vacation. We have been in contact with the travel agent who says it is the airline's fault. And we have been in contact with the airlines who have not responded. We had to pay twice for airline tickets, a charge that is still on our credit card bill, we lost work and were miserable.

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