No Thank You United!

[N941WR]

We just returned from a trip to OKC to visit my wife's Grandmother for her 80th birthday party. The entire extended family was going to be there so it was something we didn't want to miss.

On Wednesday, June 20th we were scheduled to fly United from CLT to ORD and then on to OKC. After we boarded the first flight out of Charlotte for a 10 AM departure and just after they closed the door the pilot made an announcement saying "the computers" were down and they couldn't push back or depart because they couldn't do their W&B or flight plan w/o the computers. We were not to worry because the computers were to be back up in 15 minutes.

Two hours later we finally pushed back with an assurance that we would make our connecting flight because all the planes were delayed.

It turns out the connecting flight departed O?Hare just as we were touching down. We then had to wait around for 3 1/2 hours for the next flight to OKC only to get bounced off of that one, which we knew would happen because United over books all of its flights and there were a bunch of people waiting around who also missed the noon flight, like us.

We were then told we would have to wait around for the 8:30 PM flight before they would do anything for us. Oh, and by the way, that flight was over booked with a waiting list.

With no way for them to get us to OKC I inquired about sending us back to CLT. The United customer anti-service person told me they would do nothing for us until we missed the 8:30 PM flight. If we were to miss that flight, the next flight either back to CLT or OKC would be the next day. The next flight to OKC was scheduled for 8:30 PM the next day. Meaning we would miss the birthday party / reunion and have to sit around the airport for 24 hours.

When I asked the CS supervisor about them putting us up in a hotel for the night and then sending us back to CLT the next day he told me that was not their policy as the agreement we had was for them to deliver us from point A to point B but not on a give day and it would be my fault if I returned to CLT on the second day. United would not even cover the cost of our over priced airport meal.

Needless to say, I was about to go ballistic with the entire situation. (For the record, I never raised my voice or called into question the heritage of people I was talking to, but I was close.) My wife calmed me down and in the end the gate agent took pity on us and bumped someone else so we could get to OKC on the 8:30 flight and make the party the next day.

To add insult to injury, the TSA rummaged through my bag on the return flight this evening. Whenever they do that it makes me feel the same way it did when my house was broken into years a go, violated.

I cannot wait to get my plane flying so I can kiss the airlines and TSA good bye!

Sorry, I just had to vent!

[Ron Lee]

You can carry sharp pointy objects made of metal.

You can carry full or opened bottler of water that you brought to the airport.

You can take a knife with Jim Bowie sized blade.

You can take and eat peanuts or any sandwich of your choice.

You get the best view window seat.

You know that the person getting on the plane is an American who can be trusted.

You can tell the pilot to do better if the ride is not the best.

You don't have to worry about someone rummaging through your luggage.

You can walk out on the flight line.

If you are weather delayed you decide where to stay and don't have to argue with anyone.

That is a start.

[AntiGravity]

Originally Posted by ronlee

You know that the person getting on the plane is an American who can be trusted.

I hope not!

[rv8ch]

That sounds like an ugly experience. It was quite common here in Europe, particularly with the low cost airlines, so the people decided that that they should not be subsidizing the airline's bad management with their lost time, and got the following rules passed:

* Compensation to be paid to passengers by the airlines in the event of long delays or denied boarding is ?250 ($335) on flights up to 1,500 km (938 miles), ?400 ($540) on flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km (2,188 miles), or ?600 ($810) for flights longer than 3,500 km. Those figures are reduced by 50 percent when the delay does not exceed two, three, or four hours, respectively. The only exception is in cases where an airline can prove that cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided. Weather, however, is not an exclusion.

* In the event of long delays, the airline has to offer meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation if necessary, and means of communication. If the delay exceeds five hours, it has to propose refunding the ticket (with, if necessary, a free flight to your point of departure).

These are new rules are quite new, and the airlines are squealing loudly, but hopefully this will make a difference in the flying experience.

[lorne green]

Originally Posted by ronlee

You can carry sharp pointy objects made of metal.

You can carry full or opened bottler of water that you brought to the airport.

You can take a knife with Jim Bowie sized blade.


That is a start. snip

I might add...

You don't have to walk around the airport in stocking feet.

You can nunge the guy beside you when the pilot bounces one
on landing............oh wait

[flydjd]

Originally Posted by AntiGravity

I hope not!

Jeff,

I am sure Ron meant to type "You know that the person getting on the plane is an PERSON who can be trusted.

After all, probably every country in the world has some citizen that can't be trusted (Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were American citizens weren't they ?) and we certainly have some in the UK that have done some awful things.

- RV builders worldwide excepted of course !

[pierre smith]

.......You can take your 38 Special, 9MM, etc

........You can pack a bottle of wine for tonight..

and on and on...

Yessss,
Pierre

[rzbill]

Originally Posted by N941WR

I cannot wait to get my plane flying so I can kiss the airlines and TSA good bye!

AW Bill, C'mon! All this will get better as soon as GA starts paying their "fair share" of system costs!

My job forces me into the commercial airline arena about 20 -25 weeks per year. O'Hail airport is a place I avoid like the plague. Interestingly, I fly through CLT (closest hub to AVL) and find it to be a very comfortable place, even though it was rated the third worst behind DET and ORD for performance. I do like the rocking chairs and the live piano music.

My last debacle was the start of a very complicated set of overseas flights. When I got to the Useless Air kiosk at AVL, it had no record of any of my reservations. Nichts, Nada, Nyet. Fortunately, the corp travel agent saved the day and rerouted me (original flights were full) with only 4 hr delay to my arrival in Milan. I think the USAir and America West merger is going about as well as the Lockheed FSS transition.

I DO mirror your feelings about "I'll fly myself darn it". I find the VFR ticket is too unreliable due to the weather for that to work for me. SO, I'm working on my IFR ticket. I'll have to admit, it is one of the more difficult bits of training I have experienced, including my engineering courses.

Oh yeah, I got a present in my luggage a few years ago. A nice TSA flashlight...

[N395V]

ARRRRRGGGGGGH!

Here I sit preparing for tomorrow.

One plane broken the other gutted for a condition inspection and waiting for parts.

Tomorrow I start a 2 week trip from MSY>>ORD>>MCI>>JAC>>SEA>>MCI>>>ORD>>MSY

Unfortunately except for the JAC>>SEA leg which is by train, it is all United.

The only thing in life that could be worse is trying to get something done at at Cingular.

I think I would rather spend a day at the Dentist

[LettersFromFlyoverCountry]

It's funny how they always find the problem AFTER they push back, isn't it. What a coincidence!

Seriously, I know WHY they do that, but a little honesty wouldn't hurt.
OTOH, just be glad you don't fly Continental.