It’s been a week since United Airlines made headlines for having a ticketed passenger bodily hauled off his flight so airline crew could have his seat, and the company is still in full damage control mode. United’s latest promise is that it has changed its policy so that last-minute staff travel arrangements won’t bump paying customers anymore. [More]
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Scorpion Fell On Passenger’s Head During United Flight, Stung Him
By 4.13.17
Two of the consumer news themes of this week have been terrible things happening to United Airlines passengers and live scorpions lurking where they shouldn’t. Why not bring these themes together? A man on a flight from Houston to Calgary over the weekend says that he was stung by a scorpion that fell out of an overhead bin onto his head. [More]
Update: United Still Looking For iPad They Shipped Back To Customer
By 1.15.16
You might remember Denise, who left her iPad behind on a United plane, getting it back after Consumerist intervened and a wonderful United employee helped her. Then she received an interesting e-mail, presumably reading it on her iPad. The airline wanted to send an update about the status of her lost item claim: they were “still searching” for it. [More]
United Passenger Leaves iPad On Plane, Has Joyful Reunion With Airline’s Help
By 1.11.16
Denise made a very understandable and common mistake: she stashed her iPad in the seat-back pouch in front of her during a United flight, and didn’t realize it until later. She ran the always handy “Find my iPad” app, and found that the iPad was in the hands of United staff at George Bush airport in Houston. The problem: she lives in Ohio, and no one at United was interested in helping her. [More]
Senator Calls For Federal Investigation Into Airline Prices, Data Withholding
By 7.20.15
When looking to book a flight, many consumers find it easier to peruse third-party comparison sites such as Kayak, Orbitz or Expedia where airfare can be easily compared among different airlines. While airlines have had their share of issues with sites that often lead to some fares disappearing, one legislator is calling for a federal investigation over allegations that some carriers completely withhold information from such travel sites in an attempt to block passengers from finding the best price possible. [More]
First United Airlines Bug Bounty Payout Is One Million Miles
By 7.14.15
The bug bounty program at United Airlines started just two months ago, and an independent researcher has already found a bug serious enough that the airline paid out 1 million miles for the first bug turned in. That’s worth about $25,000 in cash, or he could, well, travel with them. [More]
![United Airlines’ Computer System Back Up, Delays Linger Nationwide [Update]](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/united.png?w=680)
United Airlines’ Computer System Back Up, Delays Linger Nationwide [Update]
By 7.8.15
Travelers trying to fly to anywhere from anywhere on United this morning are being met with delays, confusion, and misinformation as a massive computer system outage has struck the airline. [More]
What Are The Best And Worst Airlines For Using Rewards Travel?
By 5.14.15
So you’ve racked up a bunch of frequent flier miles or loyalty points or whatever your preferred airline calls them, but can you actually use those rewards to book free travel when you want? For some U.S.-based carriers, the answer ranges from “almost definitely” to “good luck.” [More]
Fewer Airlines Does Not Mean Fewer Flight Delays
By 5.13.15
Airlines merge because it makes them more efficient: at least, that’s what they say. Does all of that cost-cutting behind the scenes translate to efficiencies on the runways and in getting planes in the air in a timely fashion? Well…no, not really. Sometimes two airlines merging has meant that they end up with a lower percentage of on-time flights than each of the two airlines originally did together. [More]
United Flight Attendants Refused To Fly Due To Safety Concerns, Were Fired
By 1.7.15
There was something unusual about a United Airlines 747 waiting at the San Francisco airport. Someone had drawn a picture in an oil slick on the back of the plane, and the flight attendants scheduled to work the next flight, to Hong Kong, found it threatening. They refused to fly, fearing an explosive or some other kind of attack. The flight was ultimately canceled, and the flight attendants were fired for insubordination. [More]
Why Do Airfares Keep Going Up While Airlines’ Fuel Costs Go Down?
By 11.17.14
The bad news: While the price of jet fuel is dropping, planes are still packed full of people and airfares are still on the rise. But is there a silver lining of good news for travelers, or are airline bosses just rolling around on beds made of money and laughing at us as we grumble about a ticket home for the holidays? [More]
FAA Halts All U.S. Flights To Israel For 24 Hours Due To Missile Concerns
By 7.22.14
The FAA has just issued an order prohibiting U.S. air carriers from flying into Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport for the next 24 hours. [More]
United’s Reservation System Wreaking Havoc At Airports Today
By 2.18.14
In a scene reminiscent of two embarrassing 2012 incidents, United Airlines is doing a lot of apologizing today after a problem with its reservation system has resulted in long lines at airports around the country. [More]
Can’t Get Over The Fact That A Guy Fell Asleep On An Airplane And Woke Up Locked Inside Of It
By 12.9.13
Okay so just… think about the thing that might be one of your scariest things you think about. Does it involve being locked in a not terribly large space and it’s dark and no one else is there and oh my goodness gracious I’m scared? Take that nightmare and turn it into the reality for a passenger on a recent flight. He fell asleep during a layover and woke up locked inside a dark plane, all by himself.* [More]
United Quietly Cuts Free Checked Bags For Elite Star Alliance Fliers
By 10.23.13
Once upon a time, travelers with frequent flyer status outside of the the airline’s own Mileage Plus program had wonderful bag-checking privileges on United Air Lines. Star Alliance Gold members could check up to three seventy-pound bags for free, and silver members could check one. Now, Gold members can check only one fifty pound bag, and silver members can’t check anything without paying. [More]
Even Astrophysicists Can’t Figure Out How To Make Flight Boarding Process Less Nightmarish
By 7.31.13
There are some people out there who are just so freaking smart it’s almost shocking when even they can’t begin to understand the most frustrating things in life. Like the process of herding passengers onto an airplane, an operation that at its most basic includes putting one foot in front of the other and stowing bags. But it’s so dang complicated, even an astrophysicist says he can’t figure out how to make the boarding line a less awful experience. [More]
You Can Bid On Logo And Name From Former United Airlines HQ
By 6.28.13
United Airlines hasn’t just changed its logo in the wake of its merger with Continental; it’s also moved to a new office. And since the huge UNITED logo sitting on the former office building is now out-of-date, why not auction it off for a good cause? [More]
United Says It’s Reviewed Its In-Flight Entertainment After Kicking Family Off Flight For Complaining
By 4.4.13
We told you yesterday about the parents who claim their complaints about the appropriateness of the movie shown on a United flight resulted in their plane being re-routed and them being questioned by authorities. Today, the airline gives a very brief statement of its side of the story. [More]
