Listen, we’ve got to hand it to whichever enterprising United Airlines employee took it upon themselves to make the best out of what is a totally ridiculous situation. Sure, cocktail napkins aren’t quite as comfy when it comes to wiping your bum — but who wouldn’t chuckle at a MacGyvered duct tape holder filled with messages to “Fly by the tips of your fingers” when faced with a shortage of toilet paper? [More]
united airlines
Report: United Airlines Passenger Restrained After Saying He Poisoned Everyone On Plane
By 6.17.13
Here’s some news apparently coming from a United Airlines flight that hasn’t even landed yet. According to news reports, a passenger on the flight from Hong Kong to Newark had to be restrained after making an announcement that he’d poisoned everyone on board. [More]
United Airlines Now Offering Annual Subscriptions For Upgrades
By 6.3.13
Just about everything on an airplane that used to be part of the ticket price is now considered an “upgrade.” Now United Airlines is offering regular customers a chance to buy subscriptions that cover a year’s worth of checked bags and access to less-uncomfortable Economy Plus seats. [More]
Teen Sues United Airlines, Says Flight Attendants Didn’t Heed Complaints About Self-Pleasuring Passenger
By 5.31.13
Last October, a then-17-year-old girl was flying on United from NYC to L.A. when she claims she spotted a nearby male passenger making love to himself under a blanket. She says she twice complained to flight attendants, but to no avail. Now she’s suing the nation’s largest airline over the alleged incident. [More]
United Quietly Hikes Flight Change Fee By $50, Hopes No One Notices
By 4.24.13
UPDATE: Not one to be late to the party, U.S. Airways has proved it’s a joiner by also increasing its flight change fee to $200. The change appeared on the site just today. Oof. This doesn’t look good, folks. [More]
‘Alex Cross’ Director Agrees With Passengers Who Think Movie Shouldn’t Be Shown During Flights
April 12, 2013
Last week, some United passengers claimed their plane was diverted and they were taken off the flight because they complained about a violent movie being shown on screens that everyone could see. Now the director of that movie says those parents were right to be unhappy about their young boys seeing the film. [More]
Even If You’re Not A Celebrity, You Can Pay To Be Treated Like One At The Airport
By 4.11.13
Times used to be, breezing through airport security in front of everyone else and skipping lines during the boarding process was just for the hoity-toity types — the wealthy and celebrities, mainly. But now that regular passengers can pay for fast-track access, airlines are scrambling to provide an even hoity-toitier (new word, deal with it) experience for anyone willing to pay a hefty price. [More]
Virgin America Soars Above The Rest In Annual Airline Survey While United Sinks To The Bottom
By 4.8.13
Every day, airlines shuttle passengers from here to there, through friendly (and not so friendly) skies, ferrying bags and losing luggage and touching down at airports all around the country. Some of those airlines are consistently a cut above the rest, while others just can’t seem to do anything right. According to this year’s Airline Quality Rating Survey, Virgin America is the cream of the crop while United Airlines is a long, long way from the top. [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]
Passengers Claim United Flight Was Diverted After They Complained About In-Flight Movie
By 4.3.13 — Updated: 4.4.13
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From the red-eye where my two choices of movie were the Jimmy Fallon/Queen Latifah vehicle “Taxi” or Halle Berry’s unique take on Catwoman, to my hungover experience of watching Meet Joe Black dubbed in Turkish, I’ve watched some horrible movies on planes. I’d never once thought to actually complain about it, and now I’m quite glad. [More]
Worst Company In America Round 1: United Airlines Vs. Carnival Cruise Lines
March 26, 2013
For one of these travel-industry titans, it’s time to book a one-way ticket. No refunds, no changes; just butt-kicking. [More]
United Airlines Thinks Dog Would Rather Take A Trip To Ireland Than Fly To Phoenix
By 3.18.13
While plenty of people would love the chance to visit Ireland, land of at least four green fields and a rich cultural history, maybe sending a six-year-old dog on his own to the Emerald Isle isn’t a great idea. Especially when United Airlines was supposed to send the pooch, Hendrix, from Newark to Phoenix. [More]
United Holds Connecting Flight So Passenger Can Get To Dying Mother
By 3.4.13
Given the current state of the airline industry and the nature of the stories that people send to us, it’s nice to hear the occasional account of airline staffers going to extra lengths to help a passenger out. [More]
Court Rules Airline Doesn’t Need To Accept Cash For In-Flight Purchases
By 2.25.13
There’s a widely held belief that because dollar bills are legal tender that all cash must be accepted by any business for any purchase. This simply isn’t true, but try telling that to the man who sued Continental Airlines for refusing to let him buy $8 worth of stuff with cash during a flight. [More]
United Passengers Perform CPR For 30 Minutes In Attempt To Save Dying Traveler
By 2.12.13
Most stories about travelers attempting to save one of their fellow passengers involves in-flight emergencies where there are few options for medical care. But this tragic incident didn’t begin until the plane had already touched down. [More]
United Airlines Mobile Boarding Passes: Save Time And Trees, Lose Frequent-Flyer Points
By 2.1.13
It’s incredibly convenient to carry your airline boarding passes on your smartphone. They save paper, save the airline money, and save really absentminded people from misplacing their tickets. The problem, though, is that using them means that Ralph loses out on a lot of frequent flyer miles that United Airlines owes him. He doesn’t have any boarding passes to show and prove that he traveled when he said he did, and evidently United doesn’t keep track of that kind of thing. [More]
Other Airlines Apparently Uninterested In Joining Any Of United’s Fare-Hiking Games
By 1.17.13
Every year the airlines seem to go through the same little fare-hiking dance, multiple times and with varying results. This time it’s United Airlines, which is trying to raise prices on domestic routes ranging from $4 to $20 roundtrip. The only fly in its pricing ointment is that it doesn’t look like the other airlines are going to follow suit. [More]
FAA Orders U.S. Airlines To Ground All 787 Boeing Dreamliners
By 1.17.13
Another day, another bit of bad news for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the airlines that fly the aircraft: The Federal Aviation Administration’s regulators have ordered U.S. airlines to temporarily ground any Dreamliner planes they fly, pending a further investigation into recent safety issues that have cropped up. [More]
