United Airlines, worst airline ever
You know, I have total sympathy with the woman in this story. United Airlines employees are some of the rudest, most apathetic, unhelpful people I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.
Just last month, I had to get very terse with one of them for treating Adriana like dirt. I think my exact words were, “You’re being rude. There is no need to be rude. Don’t talk to this woman as if she were a retarded child.” I was SEVERELY pissed off. This nasty bint hadn’t been able to hear which meal Adriana was asking for, and started berating her for it in the sort of unnecessarily bitchy tones that I usually reserve for people who aren’t paying my wages. Ugh, my blood is boiling just remembering that incident. (Not that Adriana can’t stick up for herself, but this mannerless flight attendant really brought out my ‘assertive’ side.)
It is also worth noting that I have even bumped into a fellow blogger (Yahoo corporate strategy brainiac Ian Kennedy, who I knew from his Six Apart days) at LAX, who was being screwed by United at the same time as I was. Believe me, we both paid dearly for that little pleasure.
Filed under: Business, Friends, Life, Manners, Treating Customers Well
Oh yeah, that really hurt! The line to check in your luggage is too long because they’re short-staffed - they won’t let you cut to the front to make your flight, then they tell you that beause you missed the check in by THREE Minutes you need to wait for the next flight which is. . . . four hours later! I’ve avoided UA ever since!
Oh, United just sucks all around. I was shipping some cargo via Air India once and had to interline it through United to New York. It got lost somewhere in Chicago and never made it. When I called them to report that they’d lost three thousand dollars worth of freight, every response I got was a nearly enthusiastic “so what?”
Actually I have a soft spot for United, they are the only airline ever to have upgraded me to business class on a transatlantic trip and that was the most comfortable transatlantic crossing I’ve ever had - the endless free champagne and amaretto that was constantly delivered by a charming waiter certainly helped. It only all went wrong on arrival in Boston when we had to wait an hour and a half for the luggage to be delivered to the carousel.
Last month, Tafv showed up for a United flight from LAX to Portland an hour early. The airport was mobbed; there were 300 people outside on the curb, not being allowed into the airport itself to catch their planes. Tafv asked to be allowed inside; re quest, denied. She called me; I spoke with two United people in India; neither could help me, though one did promise she could get on a flight the next day without the $100 change fee, but she’d have to go inside the terminal and speak with a rep. When I mentioned people were not being allowed inside the terminal, he suggested I cal customer service. I told him, but it’s Sunday, they’re only open Mon. - Fri. He, of course, did not know this, but why would he? Who could possibly imagine an international airline that flies seven days a week having customer service open only five?
Tafv went back the next day. Surprise! Since she hadn’t spoken the day before to a rep, she had to pay the $100 change fee. When she got home, she said, “I will never fly them again.” Nor will I. Ever. Ever.
[…] Some comments really deserve a post of their own. My friend Nancy Rommelmann writes about her teenage daughter’s experience with United Airlines last month: Last month, Tafv showed up for a United flight from LAX to Portland an hour early. The airport was mobbed; there were 300 people outside on the curb, not being allowed into the airport itself to catch their planes. Tafv asked to be allowed inside; request, denied. She called me; I spoke with two United people in India; neither could help me, though one did promise she could get on a flight the next day without the $100 change fee, but she’d have to go inside the terminal and speak with a rep. When I mentioned people were not being allowed inside the terminal, he suggested I call customer service. I told him, but it’s Sunday, they’re only open Mon. - Fri. He, of course, did not know this, but why would he? Who could possibly imagine an international airline that flies seven days a week having customer service open only five? […]
The worst is when you are sitting in an airport all day because they will not cancel your flight. Denver is the worst!! The they tell you to get in a 2 hour customer service line. This is staffed by 4 people. If you use the phones you talk to someone from India who is reading from notes. Horrible service