It's been a while since my last post. It took a terrible experience on United Airlines to get me writing again. I never received a response, but it did make me feel better.
Dear United Employee-
I am writing to share my experience traveling on United Airlines on March 9, 2009. As I am only a "General Member" and don't have elite status, I'm sure my comments will go to the end of the queue, but I'll do this anyway. As a side note, I am a Platinum member of American's Advantage program and I travel to/from Chicago quite often. I consider myself an experienced traveler.
Yesterday morning I went to the Denver airport, checked in, checked my bag, paid my $15, and went through security. Just like any normal Monday morning. I proceeded to the gate, where I was allowed to board in Group #4. As I get back to my seat, 24H, I barely had enough room for my small backpack to fit in the overhead bin. I had to use the overhead bin, as the space under my seat was taken due to the extremely large passenger sitting in the seat next to mine, whose left foot and leg were under the seat in front of me. I settled into my seat, of which I was only able to use 75% due to said passenger. I sat back, relaxed and got ready to enjoy my flight, as the flight attendants instructed us to do. The pilot came on, welcomed us aboard, and told us of a maintenance problem on the plane. Something electrical. Don’t worry my friends, he said, there are teams of people working on it, and he should have us taxiing to the runway in 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, I look at my watch, happy that I have a buffer of 15 minutes between when my flight arrives in San Francisco and when my boss arrives. And more than enough time to get my bag, grab a cab, and head to the hotel for my meeting.
Twenty or so minutes later, the captain comes back on and says that they don't know the cause of the mechanical problem, and there would be a 9:00 decision as to when/whether we would take off. At about 9:15, 15 minutes after this "decision" the captain comes back on to say that they still don't know the problem and there will be a 10:00 decision. I nervously look at my watch, calculate the flight time, time it will take to get my bag once we arrive, etc. Still, I’ll make it just in time to get my meeting, although my boss, the President of the company, will have to sit around and wait for me.
A few minutes later, they start announcing names of people that they are pulling off the plane to put on other flights. Premier, Executive, etc. At that time, I start calling to inquire about other flights. The earliest I can get on is 11:18 that gets me in after 1:00pm in San Fran (because all of the elite passengers have been moved on to the next flights). By that time (after getting my bag, getting a cab, etc.) I will have missed my scheduled meeting, and my boss will have been at the airport waiting for me for 3 hours. I call the gentleman with whom we are meeting and ask if we can push back the time. That’s not a possibility, as he has another commitment and then has to fly out that evening. Plus, if I stay on my current flight, knowing that there is a 10:00 decision, maybe I would still get to San Fran in time to make my meeting. So I continue to sit in my 75% seat for while longer trying to figure out what I should do.
After about 30 more minutes, the captain comes on and says that they still can’t figure out the mechanical problem and there is an 11:00 decision. It’s official, I will have missed my meeting no matter how you slice it. No need to go to San Fran anymore. I squeeze out of my seat, grab my stuff from the overcrowded overhead bin, and depart the plane. I wait in line to talk to an agent, who wasn’t able to help me, and sent me to stand in line at “Customer Service”. In the meantime, I pick up my mobile phone and dial United’s 800 number to try to book myself on a flight back home to Chicago, instead of San Francisco, as I no longer have a need to go there.
After saying “Agent” into the automated system for what seems like 5 minutes, I finally get in the queue and I’m told I have a 3 minute wait to talk to an agent on the phone. Meanwhile, I’m still in line with “Customer Service”. After 3 minutes, I explain the story to the agent on the phone, that my flight to San Francisco has been delayed so long that I’ve missed my meeting, have no need to travel there any longer, and I’d like to fly back to Chicago today rather than tomorrow. I am put on hold, listening to United’s music, when it’s finally my turn to talk to Customer Service, live and in person. The woman at the counter tells me that I have to go to baggage claim to fill out a form and have my bag rerouted to Chicago. “Baggage Claim?” I said. “You mean on the other side of security?” “Yes,” she said. “I can’t help you here, you need to go to baggage claim. And because your ticket tomorrow to Chicago is on American [the airline that treats me well], I can’t put you on a flight to Chicago, you have to go see a ticketing agent.” Meanwhile, I had been on hold with United 800 number (while in line to talk to Customer Service), and after giving them all of my information, I was disconnected.
I take a moment to gather my thoughts, gather my belongings, and trek down to the tram. I exit the tram, go up a level and head to baggage claim. At the same time, I call the 800 number again to try to get on a flight home to Chicago. The gentleman on the phone was quickly able to get me booked on the 1:47pm flight to Chicago. But he instructed me to go check in for the flight and get my boarding pass. (Remember, I was on the other side of security, so I needed a boarding pass to get through). First things first, I needed to get my bag squared away, and then I would worry about checking in.
I get to the baggage office, hand over my claim check, and explain my story. The woman asks me why I came all the way to baggage claim. I tell her that I was sent by “Customer Service” as they told me I had to come here to fill out a form to get my bag pulled from the San Francisco flight and put on the flight to Chicago. She said “Who told you that?” I said, “The woman at Customer Service”. She said “What was her name?” I said, “I have no idea.” She grabbed my claim check, punched some things on the computer, wrote a few numbers on my claim check, and handed it back to me. She told me my bag was now checked on the 1:47pm flight to Chicago, the flight I would be taking home. But she didn’t understand why I came all the way out, to the other side of security, to take care of this. Next time, she told me, I could just take care of it at Customer Service. Next time, I thought. I hope there isn’t a next time.
OK, bag squared away – check.
Booked on flight – check.
Now up a level to check in for my new flight and get my boarding pass. I get to the machine, swipe my card, and alas, my information isn’t available. The screen tells me to pick up the handy dandy phone sitting next to it, so I do. I sit on hold for a few minutes, and then someone is there to help me. After giving them the story of my day, flight changes, etc., they tell me I have to go check in with an agent – my boarding pass can’t be printed at that kiosk. OK fine, I’ve come this far, my bag is on the right flight, I missed my meeting but at least I’m now booked on a flight home. I go stand in line for about 10 minutes, waiting to get my boarding pass. I get there, get my pass, and then make the trek back downstairs for my second turn through the security line. I have two small bags with me – a laptop case, and a backpack. I go through the whole deal, take off shoes, take off coat, remove both laptops and place them in a bin, etc. A few minutes later, I’m through security, back in line for the tram. Things just might be looking up. I get to my gate, sit down, take a load off. I’ve been walking in heels (I was in a suit, prepared for my meeting in San Fran that I never made it to) for a long time trying to get things in order, and quite honestly, my feet hurt. But that’s OK, it’s 11:30. My flight home is in 2 hours and 15 minutes, and I had time to grab some food, catch up on e-mail and get on my 1:47pm flight home.
At this point, my stomach is growling. Why wouldn’t it be? I haven’t eaten and it’s lunchtime! I go over to the nearest restaurant, have a $17 meal, and head back to the gate, just in time for the 1:17pm boarding. Well, it looks like the fight has been delayed until 2:05pm. No big deal, I think. They always build in extra time into the flight times, so we’ll probably still be on time to O’Hare. A while goes by, no plane at the gate. No agents at the desk. Then it pops up that the flight is delayed until 2:41pm. No announcement, still no agents at the gate. No indication as to why the flight is delayed, weather, mechanical problems, who knew? Finally, a flight pulls up to the gate, and soon we are ready to board. But not before they change the departure time to 2:56. We board, and alas, I’m in the second to last row, even though there are plenty of open seats available in closer rows. No problem. I’m on the flight. My bag is checked on the flight. I’ll be home in no time.
A few hours later, we land in Chicago. About an hour late, still with no explanation as to why we are late, but at least we are home. I’m one of the last people off the plane, I head to baggage claim to pick up my bag and get home. Albeit rush hour in Chicago and now it will take me longer and cost more in a taxi to get home. I get to baggage claim and alas, my bag is nowhere to be found. I walk to “Customer Service”, hand over my claim check, and explain my situation. Thirty minutes and 4 people later, I still don’t have my bag. I am given a small, white sheet of paper with a contact number and website, and a POWAB number. I still have no idea what a POWAB is, but that’s OK, it will soon lead me to my lost luggage. I give them my delivery information for my place of business as I’m told my bag will be arriving at 1am in Chicago. It would be delivered to me the next day and I give them a 9am-5pm timeframe.
The next day, today, March 10, 2009, I decide to drive to work so that I could get my bag home and not have to drag it on the train during rush hour. Driving to work is a pain, but I figured it would be better than the alternative. I check the handy POWAB number several times and my bag is still missing. I call the number and I’m told, “Don’t worry, Ma’am, most bags are found within 24 hours.” I asked where my bag was. He wasn’t sure, but the last time it was scanned was in San Francisco. San Francisco? What? It’s still there? After I went back through security, filled out a form, and was told that my bag would be pulled off the flight and put on my flight to Chicago! Here are a few facts in case there was some doubt about whether there was enough time to get my bag off the plane: 1) The San Fran flight (#377) left 5 hours late, 2 hours after I attempted to get my bag pulled from the plane, so there was plenty of time to do that. 2) The flight that I took to Chicago (#940) left 4 hours after I attempted to get my bag pulled so again, there was plenty of time to get said bag to my flight.
So here I am, approaching the 24-hour mark, and still no bag. No phone call. No information as to where it is or when I’ll get it. In general, my entire experience with United was terrible. I travel a lot, for business and pleasure, and I live in one of United’s hub cities. Yet, I have no desire to fly your airline again. I will probably get an automated response to this, something like, “Thank you for your feedback, we will get back to you soon. And we appreciate your business.” But I felt the need to share this experience in case someone out there reads it.
Sincerely, Kara Maxwell (former customer)
Posts
