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Johonny

(20,675 posts)
Tue Apr 11, 2017, 11:15 AM Apr 2017

My four worse flying United experiences

4) The time they decided to move my Asian girlfriend to accommodate a white couple. According to the flight attendant the couple claimed they needed to sit next to their non-existent kids and that's why the move was made. I booked two seats together because we wanted to sit together how is it my fault this other couple didn't do the same? My girlfriend was removed from her seat and her seat given to a white woman so she could sit next to her husband with a BS kids cover story. Very classy.

3) The time I got to fly with barf. A lovely passenger threw up on the flight before. UA had a schedule to keep so instead of cleaning the plane row with the barf they covered the seat in plastic and loaded us up anyways. I was the lucky passenger (along with another poor sucker) that got the barf row. They were nice enough to not sit anyone in the prime middle barf seat but it was a lovely 4hrs flying with that great barf smell because you know 1 seat away isn't really fixing the problem.

2) The time UA sold me a seat that didn't exist. I got a seat in row 38 and a plane that had 35 rows. They honestly loaded the whole plane up row by row until 35 and then closed the door on us with row 36 and up. How do you not know how manys seats are on your planes. How do you sell row 38 seats on a 35 row plane? I know, I know clearly they must of had a plane switch. But is that really a good excuse. How the * aren't plane row numbers standardized on this airlines? So I was stuck in Dulles with a ticket to a seat that didn't exist on their plane. Genius management right there.

1) That time I'm sitting waiting for my connection in Newark waiting for a flight to Albany when I hear..."The flight to Cleveland is delayed 3 hrs due to a missing part." Time passes and the plane that is going to Albany lands. New announcement, "We've found a new plane for the flight to Cleveland. The flight to Albany is now delayed 2.5 hrs due to a missing part." They gave my plane away to another flight. So 2.5 hrs pass and, "We couldn't find a new part, however, the part is on a plane that is delayed for 2 more hours." Two more hours pass. "The plane we thought carried the new part doesn't have the part, the flight to Albany is now cancelled. Have a nice day." So a full plane of people going to Albany for Christmas are now in Newark with no flight and no help to get a new one. After an hour of waiting in the UA helpline and getting nowhere, many left to rent a car on their own dime to drive up to Albany, the VP of the airport came down to help us. He rented us all a Greyhound bus and we all took the Greyhound from Newark airport to the Albany airport because you know that's how you fly the friendly skies. By the way, that guy was great, but UA they treat you like * and they know it and don't care one bit.

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My four worse flying United experiences (Original Post) Johonny Apr 2017 OP
My worst have been on Northwest, followed by Delta and American... they all fail us hlthe2b Apr 2017 #1
Historically I never flew United except to ski (Denver hub) HoneyBadger Apr 2017 #2
I have given up flying CountAllVotes Apr 2017 #3
Yup, me as well......don't fly at all anymore. a kennedy Apr 2017 #5
Thank you CountAllVotes Apr 2017 #12
I gave up flying for many years because of stories like these wryter2000 Apr 2017 #6
The worst experience I can recall. Jim__ Apr 2017 #4
I am terrified of flying anyway. forgotmylogin Apr 2017 #7
I only fly when absolutely necessary CanonRay Apr 2017 #8
Sounds a lot like my experiences on Pan AM just before going OOB HAB911 Apr 2017 #9
Did you fly United after that??? n/t dixiegrrrrl Apr 2017 #10
I once flew from South America back to the States meadowlander Apr 2017 #11
 

HoneyBadger

(2,297 posts)
2. Historically I never flew United except to ski (Denver hub)
Tue Apr 11, 2017, 11:22 AM
Apr 2017

Then they bought Continental (Newark and Houston hubs) and I flew them a lot, mostly because LaGuardia is the worst airport in the country, no particular problems, but I have status. At one point, I was on 4-6 flights a week with them. None on the fugazzi United Express regionals.

CountAllVotes

(20,854 posts)
3. I have given up flying
Tue Apr 11, 2017, 11:24 AM
Apr 2017

It is incidents like the one that just happened and the ones that you describe and horrific things that have happened to me that have led me to decide to forget trying to travel via air!

It is bad enough to have a disability. It is even worse to be treated like a piece of garbage on top of it. UA is filled with honed experts in the art of lying and lying good!

I arrived home and had to go to the ER! How is that for disgusting?

Sad at best, very!



CountAllVotes

(20,854 posts)
12. Thank you
Tue Apr 11, 2017, 06:37 PM
Apr 2017

I appreciate it.

I ended up at the ER afterwards as I suffered an injury (which they claimed was bogus) which is still with me today, a torn achilles tendon in my ankle.

I was recently invited to go on a trip to Spain at a very reasonable price ($1500 for two weeks, all amenities included). I really wanted to try to do it and I thought about the last couple of times I traveled and I just threw the towel in knowing I'd never make it.

How very sad I am, believe me.

The people that work for this disgusting airline deserve what is coming to them!

What they did to the doctor was absolutely beyond the pale. They overbook and make more money and they don't ever have to suffer any consequences for their acts. I hope the good doctor goes after them and nails them to the wall.

Thanks again and here is a back!

wryter2000

(46,016 posts)
6. I gave up flying for many years because of stories like these
Tue Apr 11, 2017, 11:40 AM
Apr 2017

Finally, my brother organized a family trip across country, and I had to fly. It was on Southwest, and I've never had a problem with them. I continue to fly Southwest and don't bother to check other airlines.

Once, our plane had an oil leak, and we all had to get off. They found another plane within 20 minutes. No problem.

Jim__

(14,045 posts)
4. The worst experience I can recall.
Tue Apr 11, 2017, 11:37 AM
Apr 2017

I live in Denver and was doing a long-term consulting job in Carson City, Nevada. We flew out of Reno every Friday afternoon on a 4:00 PM flight - flew back on a 4:00 PM flight out of Denver on Sunday afternoon, so, weekends were really short.

This one Friday, the plane is delayed for about an hour. Then another hour. Then another hour, etc. About 9:00 PM they decide they’ll put us on a flight to San Francisco. They tell us that we can get a midnight flight out of there that will take us to Denver. So, when we’re boarding the flight to San Francisco, they are taking our tickets. I ask the lady how am I going to board the flight in San Francisco without a ticket. She tells me they’ll handle that at the SanFrancisco end. I tell her I’d like to hold onto my ticket so I have some sort of basis for dealing with them. She tells me, either give her my ticket and get on the plane, or get out of the line, or she’s calling security right now. So I get on the plane.

When we land in San Francisco, I go to the gate where the Denver plane will board and explain to the guy at the counter why I am there without a ticket. He says he doesn’t know what I’m talking about, but I’ll need a ticket to get on the plane.

So, I find a United passenger help desk. Fortunately there were only about 3 people on line in front of me, so it only took about one and a half hours to get to the window. They checked on my story, and got me a ticket on the Denver flight.

Of course the midnight flight to Denver was subsequently cancelled. I think the flight I finally got on was at about 4:00 AM getting me to Denver around 6:00 AM.

I’ve been retired for 6 years. I haven’t been in an airport since I retired. I’d rather drive 2,000 miles than put myself under the control of an airline.

forgotmylogin

(7,496 posts)
7. I am terrified of flying anyway.
Tue Apr 11, 2017, 12:36 PM
Apr 2017

I know driving is actually *more* dangerous, but there's nothing like an awesome road trip.

(I'm sure not when you've been bumped five times off a flight though...)

CanonRay

(14,036 posts)
8. I only fly when absolutely necessary
Tue Apr 11, 2017, 01:18 PM
Apr 2017

and then on Southwest if possible, or Alaska, or an international carrier like Icelandic. Never on United, Delta, or any of those other meat packers. I really hate flying now, and I used to really enjoy it.

meadowlander

(4,358 posts)
11. I once flew from South America back to the States
Tue Apr 11, 2017, 01:45 PM
Apr 2017

with severe food poisoning and after a fourteen hour bus ride back to the capital without having slept for two days before I got on the plane.

I asked the gate staff for an aisle seat near the toilets and they gave me a middle seat as far as possible away. On the plane, I asked the people sitting in the aisle near the toilets if I could switch with them and they refused. The flight attendants refused to reseat me and the plane was full. I sucked it up for the ten hour flight, again no sleep, and landed in Miami at around 7am literally shaking and feeling like I was about to keel over.

I asked the gate staff when I was deboarding if I could see a doctor and they said they didn't have one at the airport. I had a five hour layover so asked if they knew if there was a clinic nearby I could go to and they said their shift was over and walked off.

That was 15 years ago and I've never flown United since.

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