Complain about a product or service

United Airlines

United Airlines • Itinerary changes • Lost luggage • Group sales • Unaccompanied minors • Ineffective bumbling --- News • United Scraps Hike in Second Bag Fee • United Pilot Arrested for Alleged Drunkeness • United Doubles Second Bag Fee To $50 • United Pilots Want CEO Fired • 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

United is in the same boat as American, US Airways and Delta and it is a boat that is not very seaworthy. Though United has a strong route structure it does not exactly have a workforce that knocks itself out everyday to keep customers coming back for more, as the complaints in this section show. When you get right down to it, that's the problem. It's hard to see a solution.

Nashila of Mukilteo, WA August 25, 2008

Nashila of Mukilteo WA (08/25/08)
I have been travelling business class for all my trips and have accumulated approx. 88K miles which qualifies me for a round trip ticket to Mumbai. I booked another business trip to Mumbai on Sept 12 and wanted to apply my miles to be redeemed for my daughter who I would be taking the trip with me in coach class. I called mileage plus telephone to arrange a ticket for her and was denied a ticket because of availability.

I asked the agent if there was any availability on either the day before Sept 12 or after and she said there was not. I then asked if there was anytime in the same week and again was told there was no availability. I then asked if I could buy another ticket and was told I could on any of those days- interesting apparently [they] have plenty of availability just none that United will let me use my mileage for.

I cannot have my daughter travel internationally to another new country on her own. I am really disheartened by this and am wondering if it really pays to travel by UA. I have indeed gone ahead and cancelled my ticket and have booked with a different airlines. How disappointed I am in United's flexibility, and I wonder what good your mileage plan is if you can't use it? Thank you

Jackie of North Syracuse, NY August 25, 2008

Jackie of North Syracuse NY (08/25/08)
I purchased two round-trip first-class tickets from United Airlines on April 3, 2008 for a trip in September 2008. I specifically chose this flight because the seats 1 H&J (bulkhead) were available on the 9 hour flight to and from Honolulu from Chicago. I have my confirmation that clearly shows these seats as confirmed.

I received an automated phone call on August 25, 2008 saying there was a change in my itinerary -- they had changed the departure times on each flight by about two minutes. But that caused my seats to be re-assigned and I lost the first row that I had originally confirmed. When I called I talked first to reservations (for about 45 minutes) to no avail. She transferred me to customer service where I talked to two separate people who in the end said they couldn't help me but would offer me 25 vouchers or 100 miles! This for 4300 worth of tickets! I will never fly with United again. Be careful - the seats you pick can be yanked right out from under you.

Randall of Randolph Afb, TX August 25, 2008

Randall of Randolph Afb TX (08/25/08)
My carry-on bag was checked at the San Antonio United gate and placed under the aircraft due to boarding a smaller United aircraft that didn't have the overhead space. That was ok since I already had it green tagged. The first leg stopped at WASH/Dulles and I didn't notice then that I had the wrong bag until I arrived at Syracuse NY (destination) and found that the bag I had was not my bag. I took it to the Syracuse Baggage Claims and they verified it belonged to an international traveler (still at Dulles) who had my bag and was without proper identification (it was all in the bag I had, passport, money etc). I gave Syracuse Baggage Claim office his bag and I was led to believe the individual at Dulles gave my bag to United there. I started my tracking paperwork at Syracuse for my bag.

During my awaiting my final leg from Dulles to Syracuse I didnt suspect I didnt have my bag (looked exactly alike, green claim ticket and all) and received no public announcement to return to the gate to pickup my bag. I found out later in Syracuse that the United representative gave my business card (off my bag) to the other passenger and he called my office (of which I didnt receive until much later). It would have been more beneficial to make a public announcement, the other airlines do it all the time, why didnt United (customer service lacking)? As for the business card, while at Syracuse, their baggage claim did make contact with the other customer (the next day, Tuesday 12 Aug), using his personal information found in his bag. He was still waiting on word of his bag (this was the first help he received) and thankfully Syracuse was able to make return arrangements for his bag.

However, to date, there still is no word on my bag, although I understand it's not easily tracked, why couldnt United have looked for my bag while everything was still fresh at Dulles, now it may be in Chicago, who knows. Ive recently filed a claim for my bag contents and my claim was turned down in an email from a Mr. Berk (United Baggage Rep). Then after I filed a complaint, Mr. Berk and another claim rep, Ms. Narula, both, email me to file another claim and I did.

I continue to try and telephone Dulles United Baggage Claim (still no answer there). Ive tried to call United Ohare and nothing. Im still at a loss of what their procedures are to give some adequate customer service. I continue to hope they are looking at the information I continue to send them and can use it to find my bag. All I know is the green claim ticket is on my bag and as far as I know when the United gate representative took my business card she failed to put it back on the bag which will make locating it a lot more difficult. Im a very unhappy person right now.

I will be out some clothing and toiletries and I sure will think twice before I take another United flight.

Lu-Ann of Juneau, AK August 13, 2008

Lu-Ann of Juneau AK (08/13/08)
I'm writing about United Airlines and their unfair price gouging. I live in Juneau, Alaska and travel 2-3 times a year to Canton, OH. My parents are elderly; my father has cancer, and my mother has Alzheimer's. I take Alaska Airlines to Chicago and then have to book United airlines from there. My airline choice from Chicago is limited due to the time it takes to get from alaska to the midwest. I normally stay overnight in Seattle just to be able to catch an early flight to Chicago. Of the other airlines which fly between Chicago and either Cleveland or Canton, OH United is the only one with departures later in the day.

I recently booked a flight on United to Canton, OH for Christmas; the price 287, which isnt bad considering Canton's airport is small and it is the holidays. But when I went to book the exact same flight leaving Nov. 22 and returning Nov. 29, the price had increased to a whopping 974.50! I can understand fluctuating prices between days of the week, but between the time of day? And so drastically...does it take more fuel to run the same type of airplane in the middle of the day than it does to run in the morning?

The customer relations response I received said something about how prices fluctuate based on demand, but if you do the search and check the seat maps, you'll see there's currently not limited seating on any of the flights offered for those days. So if every passenger on that flight pays over 900, does that cover the price of fuel for a flight that takes approximately an hour? If that's the case the US better come up with some new aircraft that uses cheaper fuel...

Consequences? -  unfair price gouging to consumers. How much more price burden are we supposed to take? dont the airlines realize they're running themselves out of business? I dont have the answers, but I'm sure not going to pay over 900 plus luggage fees for 1 flight that takes a little more than an hour...

Ning of Centreville, VA August 2, 2008

Ning of Centreville VA (08/02/08)
I left my precious palm size electronic dictionary (cost about 100) in my front seat pocket on board accidentally. I felt so sad about it. I sent an email to LostArticles that the only contact I found online when I realized I lost it the next morning and I put so much hope to the airline service to find it back. If the cleaning team did a good job, if the lost-and-found service communicated with the staff on the UA898 in timely manner, there would be a very good chance to find it, I suppose.

Unfortunately I got late and passive response from the lost-and-found, 'If it does come to our office we will contact you.' And I got no further news so far. I was wondering that how often the items were lost on board and how often they got them back to the owners? Although its not their responsibilities, it does reflect the quality of their service.

When I brought it up to uacustomercare, I was told that 'you may file your report by phone at the destination airport of that particular flight only' and I got no response when I asked 'What is the phone number at the destination airport of UA898?'... was it actually existed?

Back to the top |