It took a little negotiating but reader Noah was able to get United Airlines to honor the agreement that their CSR made, despite the fact that it was a violation of some kind of deeply sacred policy.
united
United Airlines Thinks You're Willing To Pay $9 For A Snack
By 8.22.08
United Airlines is obviously not to familiar with the dollar menu at McDonald’s because they’re convinced that you’ll pay up to $9 for their “Buy-On-Board” snack offerings, says the Wall Street Journal.
United Airlines Drops Free Snacks In Coach And So Much More…
By 8.20.08
The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that United Airlines will no longer offer free snacks in coach starting September 2nd. They are also dropping complimentary meals in business class except for “premium transcontinental flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles to New York.” Shockingly, this move coincides with the airlines’ expansion of their “buy-on-board” food offerings, says the Chronicle.
United Sells Family's Tickets To Someone Else, Ruins Once-In-A-Lifetime Vacation, Then Won't Admit It To Insurance Company
By 8.13.08
- Holding $5,000 in tickets from a family for six months, then telling them the day before that the flight has been canceled;
- When confronted with the fact that the flight hasn’t been canceled, telling the family that the reservation has been lost;
- Finally admitting that they’ve bumped the family from the flight and were lying about the cancelation and the lost reservation;
- Offering replacement seats on multiple planes and days, splitting the family up on different flights and depositing them at different islands;
- Offering to get them there 5 days into a 7 day vacation, part of which was scheduled to spend time with a family member who was dying in a hospice in Hawaii;
- Refusing to write a letter on the family’s behalf so that they can collect their insurance payment on the house they rented but never used.
With one act of disregard, United destroyed the vacation, cost the family over $10,000 in house rental fees that they can’t get back, and forced them to cancel the trip. The dying family member they didn’t get to see passed away in early June.
United Makes You Pay To Move To Upgrade Area They Would Have Moved You To Anyway
By 8.7.08
Joe may have uncovered a deceptive policy at United Airlines that’s screwing over customers. Here’s how it works. If you’ve got an economy ticket and the only seats available are in Economy Plus, but you didn’t spring for the extra Economy Plus fee, you’re asked if you would like to pay the upgrade fee for economy plus seating. If you decline to upgrade, they seat you there anyway. Sounds pretty sketchy to me. Here’s Joe’s story:
United's "Bad Weather" Excuse Isn't Very Believable
By 7.31.08
Jonathan wants to know how long an airline can blame a cancellation on bad weather, and whether there’s any way to get such a claim rejected when it’s used inappropriately. Is it legitimate, for example, to say tomorrow’s flight is canceled due to weather, when what you really mean is an isolated thunderstorm the day before—which evidently affected no other airlines in the area—triggered a domino effect in getting a certain plane to the right airport a full day later?
The Ultimate "Rule 240" List
By 7.28.08
Some airlines still call it “Rule 240” and others a “contract of carriage” but no matter what the name, it still means the same thing: power to the traveler. But which airlines still use it and how much does it protect a traveler?
Oil! Airlines Issue Open Letter Asking You To Help Them Lobby Congress
By 7.10.08
In a letter signed by 12 CEOs, the US air travel industry has called upon you, their customers, to help them lobby congress. What’s the problem that they need help solving? Oil speculation. Read the letter inside.
By 5.30.08
../../../..//2008/05/30/the-new-york-times-says/
The New York Times says that the merger talks between United Airlines and US Airways have fallen apart. Boohoo. [NYT]
The 10 Most Annoying Airline Fees
By 5.29.08
Forbes Traveler has put together a list of the top 10 most annoying airline fees, and it’s a good one — or is it a bad one? Airlines are feeling the effect of skyrocking oil prices and they’re trying their best to pass the costs along to you, their customers, without driving down demand. The result? These delightful fees. Gotcha!
By 5.16.08
../../../..//2008/05/16/trim-a-little-here-trim/
Trim a little here, trim a little there: beginning in July, United will no longer give customers a minimum 500 frequent flyer miles for short trips. The new policy will be to give only the actual trip miles. [Chicago Tribune]
United Airlines Glitch Drops Fuel Surcharge And They Won't Be Able To Fix It Until 8pm Tonight
By 5.15.08
You can save up to $130 due to a “human error” that is causing United Airlines to drop the up to $130 fuel surcharge, says the Wall Street Journal. The airline says they won’t be able to fix the glitch until 8pm tonight, so hurry up and book it:
United Airlines Talking Merger With US Airways, Keeping Continental On The Side
By 5.15.08
United Airlines is a slut. The airline has been talking merger with US Airways, even going so far as to make it clear that US Airways CEO Doug “I’m OK To Drive” Parker can be the CEO of the combined company when United boss Glenn Tilton retires, says Reuters. Meanwhile, while the airline has been talking marriage, family and kids with Parker, it has been negotiating with Continental on the side — trying to form an “alliance” of some kind. Continental, of course, is already dating American AND British Airways!
American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines Raise Fuel Surcharge $20
By 5.8.08
Grab your wallets, American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have decided to raise “fuel surcharges” by $20 (round trip) reports the Associated Press. These charges now total $139 round trip on some flights.
American Airlines Flirting With US Airways On Possible Merger
By 4.25.08
An unnamed source has told Reuters that American Airlines is in talks with US Airways about a possible merger—and that it’s also in talks with Continental about sharing passengers! Meanwhile, Continental is currently in talks with United about a possible merger of its own, and has said it will only choose one partner eventually. United, on the other hand, is not only pursuing Continental but is also in talks with US Airways about a merger. Yes, we have an airlines romantic triangle, folks. Someone’s heart is going to end up broken.
United Airlines Raises Ticket Change Fee To $150
By 4.21.08
United Airlines announced today that they are raising their ticket change fee to $150—up from $100, “in an effort to combat high fuel costs.”
United Airlines Raises Fuel Surcharges For The Second Time This Week
By 4.17.08
United Airlines has raised its already not-exactly-insignificant fuel surcharge for the second time this week, says USAToday.
The Ultimate Airline Bankruptcy And Merger Cheat Sheet
By 4.15.08
Thinking of taking a trip but can’t remember which airlines are bankrupt and which ones are part of Delta? We know it can be difficult—that’s why we’ve put together a little cheat sheet to help you get through this time of uncertainty.
