Another disaster for United Airlines (passenger related)

[Vash01]

I don't know if it is their bad luck or lack of preparedness, but United ran into yet another passenger related disaster. The plane was delayed in Colorado and was on the tarmac for 2 hours, without any AC. The outside temperature was just under 100 deg. F. This may not sound like much, but in an enclosed space, without an AC, I am sure it was very uncomfortable. A mother almost lost her 4 month old baby due to the heat. Fortunately the story has a happy ending, but United should have taken appropriate action immediately. Don't they know how dangerous heat can be?

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/in...-flight/ar-BBDmsva?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartandhp

All this bad publicity is really going to hurt this airline. The other day I was looking for a flight on expedia, and I checked all airlines except United, without really thinking about it. It was an instant reaction. I then checked United also.

 

[Buzz]

Thank goodness the baby is okay!

 

[Winnipeg]

I'll say, that is really cruel, negligent and unbelievable.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

There was a lawsuit filed this month due to an agent pushing a man to the ground & apparently leaving him lying there unconscious. Incidents with babies & senior citizens are not going to help them get back on track.

*** Video shows Houston passenger pushed by United employee :
http://www.click2houston.com/news/i...tween-united-employees-houston-man-at-airport

 

[Vash01]

United has the opposite of customer service. There is total disregard for the customers as human beings. Who trained these agents? They are hostile.

 

[IceAlisa]

Soviet style costumer service. Flying United tomorrow, wish me luck!

 

[misskarne]

United has the opposite of customer service. There is total disregard for the customers as human beings. Who trained these agents? They are hostile.

The Denver Post article says that the mother was allowed to deboard for a while, and was only called back in because they got clearance to takeoff - clearance that was later revoked because of thunderstorms. Additionally, it seems the cabin crew were providing bags of ice to try and cool off the children aboard, and she was allowed to stand by an open door (very much against procedure!) to try and cool him off. The delay over the ambulance would have been the pilot discussing with ATC the best way to handle the situation - go back to the gate or bring the ambulance to them.

While I don't doubt the mother was distressed over her son's condition, the story itself seems like a bit of a beat up to me...as have been a lot of the "airline horror stories" recently.

 

[manhn]

Nevermind

 

[Artistic Skaters]

Here is another incident this week.

*** United Airlines apologizes after giving away toddler's seat :
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/...ted-gives-purchased-seat-to-standby-passenger

A Hawaii teacher says she was forced to hold her 27-month-old son on her lap for three and a half hours after United Airlines gave the toddler's seat to a standby passenger.

Shirley Yamauchi says she bought the airline tickets for a teacher conference in Boston three months ago. Because children over the age of 2 are required to have their own seat, she purchased a ticket for her son, Taizo -- paying almost $1,000 each ticket.

The Kapolei Middle School teacher says they were sitting on the plane in Houston when a flight attendant came to check if Taizo was present.

Yamauchi said her son was clearly in his seat, but another passenger still showed up, claiming the seat was his.

United has a serious problem with their corporate culture when so many frontline employees take so little responsibility to solve problems, whether anyone is watching or not. I saw another interview with this woman & she said once they landed she got the runaround from four employees at the airport, then was told to call customer service. Customer service told her they couldn't take her complaint until July 6th. She said they were very unapologetic about the whole thing until her husband posted it on social media & it became public news.

There was an article in The New Yorker several years ago (before all this recent press) that suggested the root cause of much of the problem with United's customer service was the merger between United & Continental. They diluted customer service while they also experienced problems as they melded two employee forces into one. But it allowed them to make all kinds of changes in their service because they had the power boost of the merger & so much more control in the market & resulted in a lack of quality. Nothing we haven't been hearing for years about the big corporate mergers, although as consumers we just seem to go along with it time & again, or just as often (like with airlines) don't always have an option for other choices.

 

[IceAlisa]

FWIW, my flight was fine. The flight attendants were nice and friendly.

 

[TheGirlCanSkate]

Yesterday my friend's daughter and 2 other 16 year olds were headed back from camp after being gone for 7 days. Their united flight was delayed 8 hours and then canceled at 4pm. They said that they were not going to be moved to another flight, no money for a hotel, and no refunds if they decided to leave another way. Luckily her husband was scheduled for the same flight (he flew up on a last minute ticket) to see his daughter's event at camp on Friday) and he ended up renting a car and taking all of the girls home. Shame on United. He did not know the families well and it was very stressful for all. He drove them 9 hours home. United said no refunds, no compensation, if they didn't have money for a hotel they would have to sleep in the airport. That was 3 planned unaccompanied 16 year olds. United sucks. I can't imagine my kid being told to sleep in a public space at 16! It was just good luck that they were all general acquaintances (they were not good friends, they just "knew each other" since they all live with about 30 minutes and have a similar interest! ).

 

[Vash01]

Yesterday my friend's daughter and 2 other 16 year olds were headed back from camp after being gone for 7 days. Their united flight was delayed 8 hours and then canceled at 4pm. They said that they were not going to be moved to another flight, no money for a hotel, and no refunds if they decided to leave another way. Luckily her husband was scheduled for the same flight (he flew up on a last minute ticket) to see his daughter's event at camp on Friday) and he ended up renting a car and taking all of the girls home. Shame on United. He did not know the families well and it was very stressful for all. He drove them 9 hours home. United said no refunds, no compensation, if they didn't have money for a hotel they would have to sleep in the airport. That was 3 planned unaccompanied 16 year olds. United sucks. I can't imagine my kid being told to sleep in a public space at 16! It was just good luck that they were all general acquaintances (they were not good friends, they just "knew each other" since they all live with about 30 minutes and have a similar interest! ).

Despicable!

This is what lack of competition does. If I have a choice, I won't fly United.

 

[Bellanca]

You know, I once asked for a bag of pretzels instead of peanuts and almost got my A$$ booted off the plane!

 

[Japanfan]

United has a serious problem with their corporate culture when so many frontline employees take so little responsibility to solve problems, whether anyone is watching or not.

Yes. You would think the airline would be taking steps to address the harm done by the first incident with the doctor (think that was the first?) and bolster its damaged reputation. That's only logical from a corporate standpoint.