Airline Horror Stories

[agsevenpersons]

Does anyone have any good stories about United Airlines? I'm booked to fly them in April, leaving 2 days before cruise. I've had friends just back from a cruise where flights were cancelled, no reason given and people were left to find their own replacement flights. I'm now starting to panic about missing my ship.:(

[6rugrats]

I fly UA frequently. They are no better or worse than any other legacy carrier. I don't know what your friends are talking about, but if UA cancels a flight, and you are on a regular ticket (one purchased directly from them, not a consolidator), they will place you on another flight.

 

You must keep in mind though, if flights are cancelled, you'll have to wait until space is available on another flight; they don't kick off passengers who are already booked on the next flight. This can be a problem if the cancellation is caused by weather, which will affect many flights and cause many people to be stranded.

 

Just a note - I see from your other posts you are flying with your two children from Canada, and your cruise leaves from New Orleans. It appears you aren't traveling with their other parent. Just be aware that to enter/exit the US, you're going to be asked for a notarized permission to travel letter signed by the other parent.

[agsevenpersons]

Hi there, thanks for the response. I do have a letter written and ready to be notarized. Never really thought about that much until I joined these boards...so much helpful info here.

[cb at sea]

I don't know...UA has left us stranded several times....and of course, when seats were available on the next flight, they were the WORST seats...no reclining on a 6 hour flight...

I haven't flown them since!

I know things can happen on any airline, but so far, the worst has been UA...seconded by American....they cancel flights willy-nilly!

[KirkNC]

A lady I work with had a horrible experience with United in 2007. She and her husband had a connecting flight in Philly and they boarded the plane, got on the tarmac and than waited 7 hours before they got in the air :eek:. It was weather related, I can't remember if the problem was in Philly or Ireland (where they were going) but it was not a pleasant experience. Good news is now they can only hold you there for 3 hours ;).

 

Kirk

[6rugrats]

A lady I work with had a horrible experience with United in 2007. She and her husband had a connecting flight in Philly and they boarded the plane, got on the tarmac and than waited 7 hours before they got in the air :eek:. It was weather related, I can't remember if the problem was in Philly or Ireland (where they were going) but it was not a pleasant experience. Good news is now they can only hold you there for 3 hours ;).

 

Kirk

 

How is this possible? UA doesn't fly to Ireland.

 

There are bad stories about every airline. I hardly think it empirical evidence to state that UA, "cancels flights willy-nilly". No airline does this!

[dln929]

United has gotten me to where I want to go but I'll tell you this--on the international flights, the food is disgusting! Blecchhh.

[SeaTeach]

United was not a good fix for us this past summer. My DH directly booked with them for a roundtrip, non-stop flight from Philly to San Juan as soon as the flights opened up. A few months later we received a call from US Airways notifying us that our flight time had changed. I explained that we were booked United. They gave us an explanation (partnership or some such). So, okay. A few months later we were contacted about a switch to Continental, which was not a non-stop but gave us 2 route options. To make a long story short, my DH cancelled and booked directly with US Airways, the carrier United had initially switched us. This little synopsis is indeed the shorten version for a major hot mess.

[SeaTeach]

United was not a good fix for us this past summer. My DH directly booked with them for a roundtrip, non-stop flight from Philly to San Juan as soon as the flights opened up. A few months later we received a call from US Airways notifying us that our flight time had changed. I explained that we were booked United. They gave us an explanation (partnership or some such). So, okay. A few months later we were contacted about a switch to Continental, which was not a non-stop but gave us 2 route options. To make a long story short, my DH canceled and booked directly with US Airways, the carrier United had initially switched us. This little synopsis is indeed the shorten version for a major hot mess.

[6rugrats]

United was not a good fix for us this past summer. My DH directly booked with them for a roundtrip, non-stop flight from Philly to San Juan as soon as the flights opened up. A few months later we received a call from US Airways notifying us that our flight time had changed. I explained that we were booked United. They gave us an explanation (partnership or some such). So, okay. A few months later we were contacted about a switch to Continental, which was not a non-stop but gave us 2 route options. To make a long story short, my DH cancelled and booked directly with US Airways, the carrier United had initially switched us. This little synopsis is indeed the shorten version for a major hot mess.

 

You may have booked this flight on UA, but if it was nonstop, PHL-SJU, the operating carrier was US, and this flight was a codeshare. UA does not fly this routing nonstop. UA, US and CO are all in the Star Alliance. I have absolutely no idea how CO became involved. That's very strange.

[KirkNC]

How is this possible? UA doesn't fly to Ireland.

 

There are bad stories about every airline. I hardly think it empirical evidence to state that UA, "cancels flights willy-nilly". No airline does this!

 

I think she had a connecting flight in London.

 

Kirk

[iheartbda]

How is this possible? UA doesn't fly to Ireland.

 

There are bad stories about every airline. I hardly think it empirical evidence to state that UA, "cancels flights willy-nilly". No airline does this!

Just one of many willy-nilly posts.;)

[Cuizer2]

Does anyone have any good stories about United Airlines? I'm booked to fly them in April, leaving 2 days before cruise. I've had friends just back from a cruise where flights were cancelled, no reason given and people were left to find their own replacement flights. I'm now starting to panic about missing my ship.:(

 

I like United Airlines because they have economy plus seating. First class leg room (which is what I want) in a coach class seat. Unfortunately UA does not fly to Florida.

[travelntreats]

I could tell you not so good stories from several carriers based on my travel experiences.... the horror stories are not restricted to any specific airline any more than another. I have had great flights with UA and then some not so good flight with them. I am not loyal to any airline for certain and always prepared for a horror story !

[6rugrats]

A lady I work with had a horrible experience with United in 2007. She and her husband had a connecting flight in Philly and they boarded the plane, got on the tarmac and than waited 7 hours before they got in the air :eek:. It was weather related, I can't remember if the problem was in Philly or Ireland (where they were going) but it was not a pleasant experience.

 

How is this possible? UA doesn't fly to Ireland.

 

 

I think she had a connecting flight in London.

 

Kirk

 

So your friend boarded a plane at PHL and sat on the tarmac for seven hours because of a weather related delay. You're not sure if the delay was due to weather at PHL or in Ireland. You think she may have had a connecting flight in London.

 

I am totally confused by this story as again, UA doesn't fly to Ireland. You can't blame an airline for a weather related delay; no airline has control over the weather. I am wondering if your friend was even on UA.

[6rugrats]

Unfortunately UA does not fly to Florida.

 

Of course they fly to Florida!

[GlendaleCruiser]

So your friend boarded a plane at PHL and sat on the tarmac for seven hours because of a weather related delay. You're not sure if the delay was due to weather at PHL or in Ireland. You think she may have had a connecting flight in London.

 

I am totally confused by this story as again, UA doesn't fly to Ireland. You can't blame an airline for a weather related delay; no airline has control over the weather. I am wondering if your friend was even on UA.

 

There is a major radar installation in Ireland and if it is out of commission intercontinental flights can be affected.

 

Last year the radar in Ireland went out (not sure why) so our flight from Rome to Chicago loaded extra fuel, took off all the cargo, and flew farther North to use Amsterdam radar routes.

 

Bad part: delay while they made this decision and loaded/unloaded.

Good part: I saw Greenland and even several glaciers from the plane window.

 

So yes, it can affect flights that aren't going to and from Ireland.

[6rugrats]

There is a major radar installation in Ireland and if it is out of commission intercontinental flights can be affected.

 

So yes, it can affect flights that aren't going to and from Ireland.

 

The point of this thread was to post experiences on UA. The poster to whom I was responding stated their friends flew from PHL-Ireland on UA. I didn't dispute any weather delay, but merely pointed out the flight couldn't have been on UA, as UA does not fly to Ireland.

[Cuizer2]

Of course they fly to Florida!

 

UA does NOT fly to Florida. Continental does, but UA does NOT.

[6rugrats]

I am going to break my own policy. Did you go to UA's webpage and do a flight search before you posted this nonsense? UA does fly, on their own metal, to Florida. Just one example:

 

Flight info

+ Flight details

Seattle, WA (SEA) Miami, FL (MIA)

Flight

Depart

Arrive

Cabin

United 0576

SEA 05:45 AM

Thu, Mar 17, 2011

DEN 09:18 AM

Thu, Mar 17, 2011

Economy (H)

Equipment:

Boeing 757-200 | Duration: 2h 33m | Non-stop | Fare code: HA0KY

Traveled miles: 1024 | | In-flight meal options

Flight details

--% On-time

1024 miles traveled

[Food for Purchase] <-- fmt:message key="ui.text.itinerary.served_header" -->

Economy

1024 Award miles

Availability

>>> connecting to >>>

United 0266

DEN 10:40 AM

Thu, Mar 17, 2011

MIA 04:28 PM

Thu, Mar 17, 2011

Economy (Q)

Equipment:

Boeing 757-200 | Duration: 3h 48m | Non-stop | Fare code: QA7KN

Traveled miles: 1709 | | In-flight meal options

Flight details

--% On-time

1709 miles traveled

[Food for Purchase] <-- fmt:message key="ui.text.itinerary.served_header" -->

Economy

1709 Award miles

Availability

[SeaTeach]

You may have booked this flight on UA, but if it was nonstop, PHL-SJU, the operating carrier was US, and this flight was a codeshare. UA does not fly this routing nonstop. UA, US and CO are all in the Star Alliance. I have absolutely no idea how CO became involved. That's very strange.

I have no idea how Continental became involved either. Hopefully, I have not shredded the correspondence and will be able to send you a copy.

[Doug R.]

I have no idea how Continental became involved either. Hopefully, I have not shredded the correspondence and will be able to send you a copy.

 

Very simple answer to this one Continental and United merged into one airline.

[6rugrats]

I have no idea how Continental became involved either. Hopefully, I have not shredded the correspondence and will be able to send you a copy.

You're kidding, right?

 

Very simple answer to this one Continental and United merged into one airline.

CO and UA are still in the process of merging, but they currently aren't moving passengers booked on UA flights onto CO flights, and certainly weren't last summer.

[spunkie4]

I first flew when I was six years old. I am now 63, so I have lots of horror, as well as funny, stories. However, most bad experiences are based on the changes in flying over the past 20 years including restrictions and passengers. I try to have patience and understanding and always fly in a day early.

[ccbmom]

This thread is funny. I know UA flies to Florida, because I'm flying them in a few weeks!

 

It's pretty easy to figure out which airline is really doing the flying by checking sites like ORbitz or Travelocity as they will have the flight listed both under UA and US and then in small print will say who's plane is actually flying.

 

My employer uses UA as much as possible. I don't think they have any more cancellations than any other airline, and this winter when I had friends flying in and out of the same city, the one on UA had no problems getting in or out, while the other friend on other airlines had problems both ways!

 

I have another friend that flies in and out of Philly often and says that airport always has weather delays. I've flown out of there once, and yes, we had a weather delay! I would avoid Philly for a layover if at all possible. And I'd avoid a layover all together if possible!