UNITED airlines...WORST airline

[JrzyGuy30 0]

Okay! So this isn't firearms related... But I decided I'd spread my experience about United Airlines here since they royally pissed me off last weekend.

Last weekend was my wife's cousins wedding in Chicago and my wife, her sister and her boyfriend and my mother in law were flying out Friday morning at 11am to Chicago. We arrive at Newark airport on time- grab breakfast at 10 and start waiting for our flight. Well at 10:30 they delayed our flight to 12:30. Then 12:00pm rolls around and they push it to 2:00pm due to "mechanical issues". Then 1:00pm comes around (mind you 3+ hrs now) and they push it out to 3:00pm departure! Now we start getting edgy since we have a rehearsal dinner/party to attend at 6pm and that's looking bad. 1:15 rolls around and they announce flights cancelled due to weather issues (mind you it's sunny out here / Chicago!). Mind blowing. We ran around the terminal (lots of walking/running) looking for an unoccupied customer service counter since 100+ ppl waiting for the flight made a mad dash out to try to get another flight at CS counters. We find a counter and our party is broken apart into two with flights to Indianapolis since all Chicago flights were OVERBOOKED for that day and the next and that was the closest they could put us to get there(imagine if you're flying home to NJ and they said the closest they'll get you in at is Boston). We were told to rent a car and drive up! Let me tell you how hilarious I thought this was! But we did it since we had no choice ...and we paid $200 to rent an SUV and drive up 5 hours to Chicago from Indianapolis. What a sh*tshow! And no remorse or offer to reimburse the rental car + gas!

 

NOW PART TWO: (return flight)!

We had 2:02 flight out of Chicago back to Newark on Sunday. Get there early, eat- hang out and thinking what happened Friday was a hiccup. NOPE. Flight gets pushed back one hour.. Then two hours (IT IS SUNNY OUT)... Then finally at 5:15pm- THREE HOURS later, we leave. And they tried to push us off the flight for other people who were trying to get on because by 5:15, 3 flights to Newark were delayed by UNITED and they overbooked it!! They said it was weather related again and that is such bs!! It's the best excuse since they can't be liable for what happens.

 

I don't understand what is wrong with this airline except they don't know how to run an airline and have BS customer service. I plan to call them later when I have time and demand $$ for the $250 car rental to chicago. Can't stand UNITED! Worst airline ever.

 

Okay. Thanks for listening to my rant

[Duppie 73]

Don't quite know how to break it to you but just about all American based carriers are the same.All major hub flights are overbooked in order to insure that a flight leaves with no seats unoccupied and the carriers are flying with just enough fuel to get to their destination that even a chance of a weather delay will jeopardize that flight. Not to mention the congestion to the point that if someone sneezes in Des Moines we feel the spray in Newark.

My wife and I fly quite a bit and have close to 800k miles with American carriers that we either can"t or won"t use due to restrictions,terrible service,punishing fees and a general FU attitude by management and staff.

When possible we fly Asian carriers who may be a bit more expensive and not have the best routes but offer newer planes,superior service,on time commitments and genuinely treat their passengers with respect. I also find it easier to just drive if the trip is less than 500 miles one way.

[Dr. Horrible 0]

I fly United all the time - I have 160,000 miles already this year with them - and here's my sincere advice to you: do not book afternoon flights in the summertime. You WILL be delayed. Flights before 10am are much more reliable.

 

After the summer thunderstorm season is over, afternoon flights are less tricky.

[hd2000fxdl 422]

I fly United all the time - I have 160,000 miles already this year with them - and here's my sincere advice to you: do not book afternoon flights in the summertime. You WILL be delayed. Flights before 10am are much more reliable.

 

After the summer thunderstorm season is over, afternoon flights are less tricky.

 

One of the other reasons I work mornings only at the airport. I can have a nice clam uneventful morning and come 1300-1500 and it goes from mellow to run around with your hair on fire..

 

Another thing is don't expect the same continental service you came to expect to continue with no little hiccups, putting 2 major carriers together to make the worlds largest airline is no easy task, and taking half the new company and bringing them up to speed will take some time. Lots of progress has been made, plenty more to happen, give it time, it will all work out in the end and if you enjoyed continental before that's what united will be soon. I wish now but things like this take time..

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Rifleman1 32]

Okay. Thanks for listening to my rant

 

Had a similar experience with them the weekend before. Our plane to San Francisco was cancelled. I had to get 10 people on different flights. 4 through Chicago, two through Savannah, Two through Cincinnati, One through Las Vegas, and another through Chicago and all have them get there for a 7PM Dinner meeting that Friday. 200 people in line from the flight trying to make alternate arrangements with only 4 agents assisting. I got on the cell phone and was able to arrange flights in about an hour.

 

The return last Sunday for some folks through Chicago in the morning were sent to Rockford IL due to weather. That screwed it up for the whole day

[BlueLineFish 615]

Flying sucks, airports suck. That's why I vow to never work in any of the airports again. Worst 6 months of my life.

[Melgamatic 66]

I fly a lot, enough that I spend 200-300K miles every year or two to upgrade my laptop.

 

I fly international, I fly domestic. I can tell you a horror story about every single airline, and I can tell you a wonderful story about helpful employees on every airline.

 

It's just the way it is. Every airlines schedule is mixed in with every other airline, and every other airport. If Lufthansa has a delayed flight in Germany due to weather, it could screw up your flight from EWR to MCO. You never know.

 

Actually, I can't tell you any horror stories about Singapore Airlines, but that's a pricey ticket and only a few airports. I paid $19,000 for a ticket from Newark to Singapore to Sydney and back home. That was a nice flight, slept like a baby for 17 of the 19 hours.... (I didn't didn't personally pay for that ticket, of course!)

[this_is_nascar 162]

Okay! So this isn't firearms related... But I decided I'd spread my experience about United Airlines here since they royally pissed me off last weekend.

Last weekend was my wife's cousins wedding in Chicago and my wife, her sister and her boyfriend and my mother in law were flying out Friday morning at 11am to Chicago. We arrive at Newark airport on time- grab breakfast at 10 and start waiting for our flight. Well at 10:30 they delayed our flight to 12:30. Then 12:00pm rolls around and they push it to 2:00pm due to "mechanical issues". Then 1:00pm comes around (mind you 3+ hrs now) and they push it out to 3:00pm departure! Now we start getting edgy since we have a rehearsal dinner/party to attend at 6pm and that's looking bad. 1:15 rolls around and they announce flights cancelled due to weather issues (mind you it's sunny out here / Chicago!). Mind blowing. We ran around the terminal (lots of walking/running) looking for an unoccupied customer service counter since 100+ ppl waiting for the flight made a mad dash out to try to get another flight at CS counters. We find a counter and our party is broken apart into two with flights to Indianapolis since all Chicago flights were OVERBOOKED for that day and the next and that was the closest they could put us to get there(imagine if you're flying home to NJ and they said the closest they'll get you in at is Boston). We were told to rent a car and drive up! Let me tell you how hilarious I thought this was! But we did it since we had no choice ...and we paid $200 to rent an SUV and drive up 5 hours to Chicago from Indianapolis. What a sh*tshow! And no remorse or offer to reimburse the rental car + gas!

 

NOW PART TWO: (return flight)!

We had 2:02 flight out of Chicago back to Newark on Sunday. Get there early, eat- hang out and thinking what happened Friday was a hiccup. NOPE. Flight gets pushed back one hour.. Then two hours (IT IS SUNNY OUT)... Then finally at 5:15pm- THREE HOURS later, we leave. And they tried to push us off the flight for other people who were trying to get on because by 5:15, 3 flights to Newark were delayed by UNITED and they overbooked it!! They said it was weather related again and that is such bs!! It's the best excuse since they can't be liable for what happens.

 

I don't understand what is wrong with this airline except they don't know how to run an airline and have BS customer service. I plan to call them later when I have time and demand $$ for the $250 car rental to chicago. Can't stand UNITED! Worst airline ever.

 

Okay. Thanks for listening to my rant

 

 

Sorry to hear of your troubles, but you've just described every airline in the US. I used to travel quite often as part of my job. It sucks that I no longer have that job, but I miss nothing about the air travel.

[Holeshot 3]

I fly a lot, enough that I spend 200-300K miles every year or two to upgrade my laptop.

 

I fly international, I fly domestic. I can tell you a horror story about every single airline, and I can tell you a wonderful story about helpful employees on every airline.

 

It's just the way it is. Every airlines schedule is mixed in with every other airline, and every other airport. If Lufthansa has a delayed flight in Germany due to weather, it could screw up your flight from EWR to MCO. You never know.

 

Actually, I can't tell you any horror stories about Singapore Airlines, but that's a pricey ticket and only a few airports. I paid $19,000 for a ticket from Newark to Singapore to Sydney and back home. That was a nice flight, slept like a baby for 17 of the 19 hours.... (I didn't didn't personally pay for that ticket, of course!)

 

 

Great post, a lot of real world feedback.

 

and Wow $19,000! IIRC the Concorde back in the day was $10,000 JFK to Heathrow and back. Of course you traveled just a little bit further thant that. lol

[Melgamatic 66]

IIRC the Concorde back in the day was $10,000 JFK to Heathrow and back. Of course you traveled just a little bit further thant that. lol

 

The seats on the Concorde were tiny little seats, with no legroom! I had a seat that was 48" wide, and at 6'6" I could lie flat out on my back on the bed!

[Holeshot 3]

^^^^^ Unbelieveable! I thought I had trouble at 6'3", glad I never had to fly on it. At least it was a quick flight! I am guessing most of the time you travel it's in first class?

[Melgamatic 66]

I am guessing most of the time you travel it's in first class?

 

For Asia we got first class, but for San Fran or London (my two main places) it was BusinessFirst, which is almost as good but much, much cheaper (but still awful expensive). BA to London was fantastic, with little pods. Domestic first class is sorta awful, really, on the long flights. You might be better off in coach if you could get either a bulkhead or exit row.

 

I changed jobs recently, and will be doing almost no travel. That's a big plus, but on the other hand it's amazing how fast your airline status drops, and all of a sudden it sucks when you don't get great upgrades, early boarding, etc. I flew Virgin enough back and forth to London almost every week for a while, and went from "no class" to "platinum" in about 3 months, and then stopped that route and ended up back with no status in another 12 months...

[Melgamatic 66]

The seats on the Concorde were tiny little seats, with no legroom! I had a seat that was 48" wide, and at 6'6" I could lie flat out on my back on the bed!

 

This is the plane you want if you have to fly to Asia!

 

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Singapore_Air/Singapore_Air_Airbus_A345_B.php

[Krdshrk 3,877]

http://www.seatguru....rbus_A345_B.php

 

My fiancee's family flies to China and back on Cathay Pacific - I think they use that plane a lot.

[Holeshot 3]

This is the plane you want if you have to fly to Asia!

 

http://www.seatguru....rbus_A345_B.php

 

That's Awesome!

[Turboprop21 12]

Fly jetBlue! Even as a employee their service still amazes me, plus free is always great

 

I left Continental/United during the beginning signs of a merger and haven't looked back since.

No regrets leaving my cushy Supervisor job to go back to being a tech.

 

They have this piss poor attitude that trickles down through employees and reflects in their customer service. Don't know if it's the Union mentality or what but I've never come across such a vast group of bitter people. From gate agents to pilots to fellow technicians they all hate what they do but manage to do very little. Baffles me

[tom catman 0]

hey i resemble those remarks.....im a tech with united from the old continental and i love what i do,im always busy,im usually the busiest when u r in delay.that said im the reason you get there safely.the piss poor attitude isnt on the tech side we only dislike time constraints.i have seen and heard of complaints,but i try to get you ther first safely then on time....they usually dont coincide tho.it will get better when the old united guys get with the program...

[Turboprop21 12]

hey i resemble those remarks.....im a tech with united from the old continental and i love what i do,im always busy,im usually the busiest when u r in delay.that said im the reason you get there safely.the piss poor attitude isnt on the tech side we only dislike time constraints.i have seen and heard of complaints,but i try to get you ther first safely then on time....they usually dont coincide tho.it will get better when the old united guys get with the program...

 

We're all in it because we love what we do, techs atleast. It's a disease. No doubt you do your job and safely. I've been there at ballpark, C3, Amelia in the middle of the night dead of winter. No need to describe that to you. Of course there's mutual respect, I should've been a little more respectful and I apologize. Overall the company was and will never be the same, hence what made me leave. I have a few good friends still there and they have stories of the mess that's happening now of who's running what.

 

As far as time restraints, we both know maintenance is the least remembered part of any airline and yet we make it happen everyday because again we love what we do.

In time I'll be back in EWR & when I am dinner from the employee diner is on me for those remarks I made

[tom catman 0]

the pilots are the biggest problem now,everything is a no go ....even no jam for their toast..wish our union was as good..no offence taken mannym21...we share the same stompin grounds.

[Kaiser7 33]

Best thing is that if you start getting pissed off and hollering, they say they feel "threatened" and next thing you know a TSA agent is shoving a night stick up your bum.

[tom catman 0]

dave burger was here at ewr long ago he was a good person to work for.he is the president of jetblue now isnt he?the other supervisor who was here was bill tiger(both namess are not 100% accurate but you can figure em out easily if you know them both).he was strickt but got the planes moving.he hated me for some reason..........screwd himself with his own accord..got fired and a job with jb in kennedy by his friend dave.

[Maksim 1,504]

Isn't the Continental CEO now the CEO of the combined United/Continental?

 

Every airline will have issues... Wx could of been it.

 

I recall my quick 1 hour or less flight from Odessa to Kiev (Ukraine) being delayed for like 8 or 9 hours... the same time it would of taken on the train or driving. The plane flies Kiev to Odessa, Odessa to Moscow, Moscow to Odessa, Odessa back to Kiev.... I was on the last leg of the day. Delays earlier on to Moscow pushed the flight back. Was to be on a 1pm flight out of Odessa, did not make it to Kiev until 1:30 am. Nice?

[tankcommander 4]

I was on the Air Train last week and heard some passengers complaining about the rude and terrible additude of the flight attendents on a flight from China. I had to ask, "United?"

They said yes, alot of the United crew have a very arrogant additude, Know some techs and former Continental folks who were real decent hope they fair well in the new company.

 

TC

[tom catman 0]

the pax mention the same to us still in c.o. attire the same thing.hope they all get with the program.a pissed of customer is not a good selling point.

[Ron 0]

It's not just United, it's Ohare. That place is a mess.

 

And +11111111 for Singapore Air. Flight from Newark to Singapore last spring, 120 seats on the plane all business class. I'm 6'4" and I actually fear small in their seats. Fantastic service.

[Maksim 1,504]

Ah... SG21. =) Longest commercial flight.

 

Then again, if I was stuck in a sardine can for 18 hours... it better be in all biz class config. =)

 

12 hours on an El Al 744 in Y was bad enough.

[hd2000fxdl 422]

dave burger was here at ewr long ago he was a good person to work for.he is the president of jetblue now isnt he?the other supervisor who was here was bill tiger(both namess are not 100% accurate but you can figure em out easily if you know them both).he was strickt but got the planes moving.he hated me for some reason..........screwd himself with his own accord..got fired and a job with jb in kennedy by his friend dave.

 

That was Bill Lyons, and its Dave Barger..

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Isn't the Continental CEO now the CEO of the combined United/Continental?

 

Every airline will have issues... Wx could of been it.

 

I recall my quick 1 hour or less flight from Odessa to Kiev (Ukraine) being delayed for like 8 or 9 hours... the same time it would of taken on the train or driving. The plane flies Kiev to Odessa, Odessa to Moscow, Moscow to Odessa, Odessa back to Kiev.... I was on the last leg of the day. Delays earlier on to Moscow pushed the flight back. Was to be on a 1pm flight out of Odessa, did not make it to Kiev until 1:30 am. Nice?

 

Yes the CEO of Continental is the CEO of the combined company. There are and will be growing pains with any merger let alone 2 big airlines that are now the largest in the world. That and at Continental there was a good culture and the United folks got screwed over the years and bringing them around to the Continental culture will take a little time, but progress is being made, maybe not as quick as everyone would like, but it's headed in the right direction.

[tom catman 0]

thats the 2,i didnt want to directly say theirnames.

[Soju 153]

the pilots are the biggest problem now,everything is a no go ....even no jam for their toast..wish our union was as good..no offence taken mannym21...we share the same stompin grounds.

 

Care to explain? From my experience being in the aviation community the pilots are generally the biggest reason flights get moving. They deal with a hell of a lot more then most people realize. And considering commercial pilots jobs are to get hundreds of people from point a to point b safely, their decisions to go or not go are not taken lightly.