On 4 Sep 08 I took a flight from Boston to Burbank alone with my two children, ages 1 and 2 (I purchased 3 tickets). Since my husband is military, he is often unable to travel with me. When I got to the gate I was surprised to find that United did not offer pre-boarding for those traveling with small children. I asked the woman working at the service counter if I could pre-board as I was alone with my children, or if I could at least have some assistance in carrying the carseats down to my row. The response I received was 'I have 2 children too and you just have to deal with it'. Needless to say, I received no assistance from United down to my seat as I gate checked my stroller, carried 2 carseats, 2 babies, a diaper bag and a backpack. We are lucky nobody got injured in the process of manuevering down the narrow aisles. I also received no help from the crew upon exiting the plane. On our stopover our flight was delayed and it was the same process all over again, no assistance from United. I was excited to arrive at my final destination and leave the whole horrible experience behind me. I retrieved my bags, only to find one was missing. They said they would deliver it by noon the next day to my home. So, off I went to my car only to find that they had somehow damaged my double stroller so it would no longer collapse. We folded down the back seats since that was the only way it would fit and rode home. Since there was no longer room for me due to the stoller issues, I rode home sitting on the floor between my children's seats (there are 2 individual bucket seats in the 2nd row). At noon my bags had still not arrived, so I called United. They stated that they were out for delivery and would be there by 230pm. By 600pm my bags were still not there. We are now at 2 days since we arrived at home and I still do not have my bag. When I call the customer service line, they put me on hold so they can call the Burbank airport. In the four times I have called nobody has picked up the phone at Burbank.

On my travel to Boston from Burbank I flew with American Airlines and they went above and beyond to help me. They pre-boarded us, carried the carseats for me, and even occupied my children while I installed the carseats on the plane. They even told me that when I needed to go to the restroom to just ring the buzzer so they could keep an eye on my children. American (and a few other carriers) also have infant changing tables in their bathrooms, where United does not.

I am a frequent flyer, as our family has never lived near what we call 'home' over the past 9 years (since my husband has been in the service). On average we fly cross- country 6 times per year (24 round trip tickets). In all my years of frequent travel, I had never had such a horrible experience as I have with United. I have never had such poor customer service and would be willing to pay more for a ticket to avoid this airline. I will definately tell everyone I know with families to never use this carrier.

I was traveling to Dayton via Chicago, where I had to change the flight. As the flight 843, was delayed due to the technical difficulty, it reach 45 min after the scheduled arrival time at Chicago.

The ground staff member Mr. CDEAVAN at chicago was so rude, impolite and misguiding me that the flight has take off and that he will provide the hotel accommodation. It looked to me that he was forcing me to take the hotel coupons as he might get some commission per passenger. When I requested him to at least guide me in direction to the terminal for the connecting flight he threaten me that he will put me in the next day evening flight. As I was traveling with my 4 years kid, I was desperate to travel in the same flight as the status of the flight was showing as boarding. And before I could say anything he change me flight to next day morning.

After departure status was showing that the connecting flight is still boarding, I manage some how running thru the terminal with my 4 years kid with the stroller to catch the flight on dot.

I would not recommend anyone to travel with United flight after my horrible experience.

On Nov. 21, 2007, I purchased a round trip ticket through Expedia from RDU to HYS. My return flights on Dec. 11, 2008 were cancelled. Cancellations were weather related. Great Lakes Air and American Airlines (AA) rebooked me with the same itinerary for the following day. However, the AA agent told me that because the initial leg of my flight on Dec. 1, 2007 was via United (RDU to ORD; ORD to MCI), United would have to issue the new ticket. I spent the remainder of the afternoon and a good part of the evening on the telephone trying to get this ticket issued. Out of frustration and desperation placed another call to Expedia. I explained to this agent that the first UA agent told me UA could not issue a ticket for another airline. Subsequent calls to Great Lakes, AA, and Expedia told me that under the circumstances UA could. Relaying this to the next UA agent I spoke with, he told me the ticket would have to be issued at a United counter and he could not help the fact there were none within hours of HYS. Although Great Lakes Airlines appears to be a United partner, this agent claimed Great Lakes could not issue the ticket (ultimately they did the following day and my itinerary says I flew United 5041, operated by Great Lakes Airlines). Conferring again with a Great Lakes agent, I was told they would accommodate me and fly me to DEN or MCI where there were UA counters (the agent confirmed I already held a reservation on their flight 5068 to MCI). Relaying this to the next UA agent I spoke with, he told me I did not hold a reservation on flight 5068, the flight was fully booked, but he could book me on a later flight. However, he was sorry to tell me I would not be able to make my connection on AA 4695, and I would have to be routed on other UA flights to RDU. I next called Great Lakes and their agent assured me I still held a reservation on flight 5068. It was at this time I called Expedia again and talked to an agent who was able to act as an intermediate, by simultaneously contacting a United agent. He told me United was not willing to accommodate me with the reservations I presently held because it was not in their financial interest. He told me United was willing to accommodate me with two itineraries, both with United as the carrier. I choose the one through DEN, even though the weather forecast was for freezing rain through the night. Safety, my disabilities, and recent surgery are another issue I wont address; UA didnt care and I wanted to get home. The Expedia agent relayed my choice to accept the flight through DEN to the United agent. I was told to check in at the Great Lakes' counter in HYS at least an hour prior to my flight.

I should have filed a complaint pursuant to my experience described above, but I had already expended considerable time and was content this ordeal was over, but in reality it had just started. When I received my Capitol One January statement, I noticed two charges on Dec. 11 to United, $649.90 and $15.00. This was the date my flights were cancelled; the day I was not even able to travel to the Hays airport. I never gave my credit card number to a United agent for these charges, nor authorized Expedia to do so (recall, the Expedia agent was my mediator; I never even talked to a United agent in finalizing my flights). I don't know how United was able to obtain my credit card number.

In addition to fraudulently charging my credit card, United Airlines violated the terms of their contract. Rule 240, section C 1 A in the United Airlines Contract of Carriage states that �UA will transport the passenger without stopover on its next flight on which space is available � at no additional cost to the passenger.�

Capital One violated the terms of their contract by not removing these fraudulent charges from my account. Initially their contention was the charges were legitimate because the service was provided (UA transported me on a flight). Subsequently, their contention is there was no fraud; I actually purchased two tickets with different itineraries and it�s inconsequential how UA obtained my credit card number or if the charges were made without my verbal or written authorization.

In trying to recover these charges, several contacts were made to UA:


1. There is an average waiting time of 30 minutes to speak to an agent

2. Agents have no authority, although you must tell every detail of complaint before being referred to a supervisor

3. Referrals to supervisors incur additional waiting time, or voice mail instructs consumer to leave phone number for return call

4. Return calls not usually received (I received only one after having left several messages)

5. All agents I spoke to in refund department with UA were difficult to understand because English is not their native language. Either my wife had to speak in my behalf, or we had to request another supervisor � more delays.

6. On March 7, 2008, via e-mail, UA issued an apology and offered me a $100.00 travel voucher on UA, but no additional refund or compensation for fraud or violation of contract

7. UA finally agreed to refund charges if I could provide proof flights of Dec. 11 had been cancelled. This information was provided by phone on March 11, 2008 by Great Lakes Air agent

8. On May 28, 2008 United only offered to refund an unspecified value of return portion of original ticket (original full round trip ticket was purchased for $554.20)

Having not received a refund, I disputed these charges with Capitol One because they were not authorized:

1. Pursuing dispute through Capitol One required at least fifty hours on phone and preparing and sending documents.

2. Every phone call requires navigating through several layers of automated menus, holding time, and frequent misdirected and dropped calls

3. There is no was to speak to the same agent after misdirected or disconnected calls, and the entire history has to be repeated each time (Capital One agents are prohibited to initiate outgoing calls)

4. Identical documentation and information was requested several different times

5. Although Capital One initially refunded these charges, following their investigation the charges were reinstated. In their analysis, the charges were not fraudulent even though documentation was provided substantiating I was using a previously purchased ticket in accordance with United Airlines Contract of Carriage

6. On May 28. 2008, after four hours of calls to several agents and departments, the individual agent I was speaking to at the time discovered I UA had actually issued a credit on May 6, 2008, but the credit had somehow gotten lost

7. This lost credit would take an additional seven to fourteen days to appear on my statement

8. My last balance on Capital One of $156.90 was due on June 20, 2008. If the credit was not found and applied to my account, I would be required to make a payment towards this balance

I have volumes of notes and documents, which I would be happy to provide in part or in full upon request.

My luggage was lost from San Francisco to Dulles Airport. I arrived in Washington D.C. in the afternoon for an evening event and morning meeting. Well, I missed my evening event and my morning speaking engagement on Capitol Hill. At midnight I was told that my bag was found and would be delivered between 1am-6am. At 7am, I was told by United that I (not United) needed to follow up with ABC Delivery. After several attempts at ABC, I finally get someone that says they didn't pick up bags from United until 7am and they need a 4 hour window for delivery. Because United baggage handlers scanned my luggage, but didn't put it on the belt, and customer services lax attitude in getting it delivered to me, I will now miss my 9am presentation. Due to the airlines incompetence my reputation is tainted and business trip to D. C. is a bust.

My wife and I went to China in August 2007. I got my frequent flyer miles, my wife didn't.
I saved the little stubs of my boarding passes, as proof, my wife didn't or lost it. We flew from LAX to San Francisco with UAL and from San Frisco to Beijing with China Airlines an affliate/partner of UAL and back to LAX.
I sent my request for my mileage with the little stubs and that of my wife, with out the stubs. What I did include was the very last, hard cover, of the booklet that was part of the stack of individual tickets for each leg of the trip.
That wasn't good enough, I don't know why? Her name was on it the date and time etc.