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.

Stephen of Lynnfield, MA June 16, 2009

I'm sure, like most people, we shop around for a "comfortable" price for a flight. I had not been on United for a few years but needing a flight to Chicago I thought why not. Bad choice! Trip was Boston to Chicago and making the computer reservation was ok, until I did the baggage check in. 1 piece of luggage, 20.00 extra!? and if you did it in advance via computer, you got 5. off (15.00) OK i will get the 5. off. Filled in the info needed and guess what, error came up saying that I missed spelled the State part of the address. No matter how I spelled or abbreviated it, error came up. I was not the Computers fault.

The staff at Logan did try to make up for that problem by seating me in the "exit row". Little did I realize that if I were wanting to sit there otherwise, it would have been an extra 39.00 for their Economy Plus seating. I was the only one in that row. This is Nickle and Dimeing everyone for that extra BUCK.

My return flight was interesting, I had row 32 on a 757, (far back of the plane) The seat rows were so compacted, it made one regret not spending the extra for a "Normal" seat further toward the front of the "coach" section. Kidding with the person next to me," Next thing you know, we will have to pay for a cushioned seat row end up seating on Bleachers. I will not Fly United again. Passingers are the financial GRAVY for airlines. They make the most with Cargo. I used to work for one of the airlines. This is what we were told. If they are testing us to see what we will tolerate. We need to know this. Good Luck All.

norbert of Talent, OR June 13, 2009

We would like to talk to a real person about our Uniter Plus Mileage card. We have been unable to find a ticket for our Grand children that we need in the mothh of July that is to our schedule. Why do you make it so hard. We are sorry that we didn't go with another progran with a different card.In fact if we don't get results with this letter we will!Please CALL us as soon as posible......

Amber of lynnwood, WA June 12, 2009

I was taking a trip on Tues to Jacksonville, Fl from Seattle to get my step-daughter for the summer. I was to fly down there, stay overnight at a hotel and both myself and my step-daughter would fly back to Seattle. I get to Dulles in D.C. to change planes. The first problem was that the crew was running late b/c they went to get lunch and obviously were not keeping track of the time. They did not get to the plane until 15mins after we were supposed to take off (take off time was at 3:45pm).

At that point, a storm came in which made us even more delayed. At 6:30 they told us that we could board. Then, once we were all seated they said they had to get the ok to push out of the gate. 4 hrs later, we were told the flight was cancelled. My husband called united for me and got a ticket for 9:05am the next morning out of Reagan and a later flight to go back to Seattle. All I needed was a taxi voucher to get to Reagan. After waiting in line for 1 1/2hrs I was told that they would NOT give me a taxi voucher. There was no other options for me to take to get to Jacksonville and then back home.

So- I had to book a flight for the next day to go home. I had to stay at the airport b/c some people where given hotel vouchers and others were not, including me. Also, they would not even give out food vouchers. I have called united and they said they would compensate me with a 100 voucher. My tickets cost me 400 and that was with me buying them monthes ago. We bought these tickets with our tax return and obviously do not have that kind of money laying around to buy them again. They did not care. I told them that if we don't see my step-daughter over the summer, then we wont get to see her until christmas. They don't care. I want everyone to know what a horrible experience I, as well as many others that night, had. I want united to learn that bad customer service leads to a loss in business. Thank you very much for taking your time to read my story!

Roberta of Plainfield, IL May 29, 2009

I flew standby on United flight 107 from Philadelphia to Chicago O'Hare. I was fortunate to obtain one of the last seats on the plane, but unfortunately had to check my bag planeside due to a lack of available overheard space. Upon arriving at ORD, I retrieved my luggage fine. When I returned home, however, I found that my purse had been stolen from my checked bag as well. I reported this to United via phone (to their outsourced center), email (took over a day to respond), completed a claim form and faxed it in and returned to ORD in person today to follow up on the claim. I am bothered enough by the fact that this could happen to someone that is a Premier member and flies over 100K all the time; what concerns me more is security. If baggage handlers at United can open luggage and remove items, can they not just as easily put items into a bag (say, narcotics or a bomb) that is then loaded onto a plane? Where are the supervisors (as those baggage handlers are unionized)? Where are the cameras? How is it that we have to practically undress and unpack to go through security while baggage handlers can apparently rummage through our belongings undetected? Because of my overall concerns with the security at ORD, I have filed a complaint with the TSA and the DOT. I also filed a report with the Chicago Police Department to report the theft. I also plan to continue pressure on United for the resolution of my claim. They will continue to hear from me until the claim is resolved. I will say, though, that until I am confident that United can prove to the public that all areas of its operations are secured, monitored and adequately supervised, I will never fly them again. Losing my purse is one thing- losing my life is another. I would advise everyone to reconsider flying United. Loss of property valued at approximately 750

Karen of Colorado Springs, CO April 16, 2009

Karen of Colorado Springs CO (04/16/09)
Of all the disturbing events Ive witnessed at airports in recent years, I must admit that UALs abuse of its passengers, both on and off the ground, has put me over the edge. I was conned into flying United on two separate occasions - both overseas trips (to Germany in 2004 and to England in 2007). I insisted during the planning of the 2007 trip that I refused to fly United, and was overjoyed at the prospect of flying with Lufthansa only to discover after the fact that Lufthansa had partnered with United.

Needless to say, I was royally ticked because I knew that the experience would be an excercise in terror. And I was correct: consistently delayed flights, cancelled flights, broken plane?, lost luggage and beastly airline personnel (both ways). Though thuroughly disgusted with UAL in every respect I managed to maintain my composure right up until the moment, on the last leg of our journey back to Colorado from London, the UAL gate agent took to downright abusing an elderly woman for no apparent reason. I was sitting near the counter at the gate along with my ever-patient husband and a great many frazzled, exhausted, and stranded UAL passengers.

Having listened to the gate attendant bark orders and rude remarks at the would-have-been passengers for more than an hour, I lost my nerve entirely when the man began to berate an old lady for stepping over the line? in order to ask a question. When she politely suggested that he neednt treat her so rudely, he labeled her a security risk ? and screamed at her (yes, SCREAMED) that he would call security if she didnt shut up and sit down. Then I lost it. I told the jacksas in no uncertain terms that he was, in fact, a jackass and should rather call security on himself. Moreover made perfectly clear that his attitude for the past hour had been intolerable and that the people he had been barking at were human beings who at a minimum deserved simple basic respect. I dont remember quite what else I said to him, but could see the man fuming and turning over in his petty mind the prospect of calling security on me instead. Perhaps he thought better of it as the passengers seated around me appeared to have my back on the issue.

In the end he shut up, i shut up, and people began exchanging contact information. After many hostile glances in my direction, which I returned in equal measure, we finally boarded an airplane. In the future, United is on my @#%^ list (pardon the French). Im done. I vow never again to to fly with United and henceforth will only utilize international airlines that are in no way affiliated with domestic airline companies. The airline industry has become an abomination and I refuse to further enable its lunacy.

The only econimic damage that resulted is that UAL will no longer receive our patronage.

Joa of Rogers, AR April 13, 2009

Joa of Rogers AR (04/13/09)
I had horrible experience with United Airline recently because of i have to travel frequently continuously for my project. 1) The agent at United i dealt with is extremely discriminating minority and her stuff showed sympathy to me and the crew mentioned she could not control herself, the question is how can United put such a bad behavored woman at service desk to serve customer??? 2) My bag was delayed and i have problem of getting it, after calling Baggage tracking several times, most agents' are not helpful but talk in the 'government' style, blablabla... They don't think in the customer' shoes, not consider the pain and urgency for people who had baggage missing where all their travelling stuff is sitting with... Too much pains with United and i will share my terrible expeirence with every friend i know and try my efforts to avoid travelling with United again as much as possible.

Lost customers, bad word of mouth.

Bonnie of San Diego, CA April 11, 2009

Bonnie of San Diego CA (04/11/09)
Booked flight through Expedia.com for my 16 year old daughter and her friend to fly from Dayton Ohio to San Diego CA. Went online the day before their flight to check them in and assign seats. The website showed seats available but upon selection would display message stating that the seat was occupied. I called and was told that the airline reserves seats and will not allow you to selct and they would be assigned upon arriving at the airport OR I could pay an additional fee for premium seating!

Not allowing customers to select seats online is just a sad attempt for the airline to collect more money! Now, I am worried that they will not acutally make this flight. This is not an acceptable practice when you are talking about minors that are traveling without an adult. This is my first experience with United and you can be assured that it will be my last.

Have no idea at this point, but extremely worried.

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