I ****ing Hate United

[AerialGhost]

I get that major airlines can be terrible experiences, and it is true that many people who work for them have been majorly shafted, thus wrongly exporting their misery onto the paying customer. But somebody has to stand up for them, and if not the GA community then no one will. People often see the GA community though the eyes of major airlines, and I've found that people are skeptical of GA if they have had bad experiences on majors.

Maybe I'm naive, but I've always enjoyed my flights, even with delays. Just gotta look at the positives.

Although my Uncle does fly for United, and he hates it.

 

[Ghery]

I just arrived at FRA (SEA-IAD-FRA) a couple hours ago on UA. No problems with them at all. E+ from SEA to IAD and BusinessFirst from IAD to FRA. I really don't have any problem with them, other than they want 90,000 miles each to go from SEA to LIH next summer. 180,000 miles for a trip that took 130,000 miles this summer. WTF?

Now, I will admit that I am a million miler on UA and this year am Premier 1K. That might help a bit, too.

I tried them all (except JetBlue and Virgin) and United is the best of the majors. Frankly I would rather fly UAL than SWA. I think my biggest peeve with United is that they let Asiana into their "Star Alliance".

I've ridden Asiana once or twice. They weren't bad then. However, that stunt at SFO has put them permanently on my personal "do not fly" list.

Then, there's ANA. A couple years ago I had three legs of a trip on them. NRT-TPE, TPE-NRT and NRT-BKK. On all three my knees were jammed into the seat back in front of me. They made LH look good. It took my knees a month to quit hurting. Never again will I ride ANA. Too bad as the only *A nonstop from SEA to NRT now is on them. UA stopped that route a while ago. I now have to go through SFO on UA or Vancouver BC on Air Canada (which isn't bad at all).

 

[poadeleted21]

I get that major airlines can be terrible experiences, and it is true that many people who work for them have been majorly shafted, thus wrongly exporting their misery onto the paying customer. But somebody has to stand up for them, and if not the GA community then no one will. People often see the GA community though the eyes of major airlines, and I've found that people are skeptical of GA if they have had bad experiences on majors.

Maybe I'm naive, but I've always enjoyed my flights, even with delays. Just gotta look at the positives.

Although my Uncle does fly for United, and he hates it.

General Aviation is thriving in part because the airlines suck so bad.

My bitching is directed towards Uniteds policies and how they handled a recent issue.

Though I've spent the night in airports several times due to the flying part of it and have had their employees solicit bribes from me.

I just spent 4 hours with my arms in the air with a gangbanger passed out cold on me.

I'll never willingly subject myself to airline travel again. Dreading the return flight.

 

[SCCutler]

Though I've spent the night in airports several times due to the flying part of it and have had their employees solicit bribes from me.

I just spent 4 hours with my arms in the air with a gangbanger passed out cold on me.

I'll never willingly subject myself to airline travel again. Dreading the return flight.

These sound like two stories well worth telling!

 

[N801BH]

General Aviation is thriving in part because the airlines suck so bad.

My bitching is directed towards Uniteds policies and how they handled a recent issue.

Though I've spent the night in airports several times due to the flying part of it and have had their employees solicit bribes from me.

I just spent 4 hours with my arms in the air with a gangbanger passed out cold on me.

I'll never willingly subject myself to airline travel again. Dreading the return flight.

I can assure every one here.... If anyone was passed out on me, I would hit the stewderess call button just once.. Then in 1 minute that person would be face down in the aisle waiting for someone else to lay on and the flight crew can deal with him..........

 

[JoeFromKS]

The only time I fly ua, delta, or aa is if the company books the flight. For personal travel it's always swa. Their flights are just fun. I've never been on any other airline where the fa's got the whole cabin to sing happy birthday to a little girl or applaud the captain when he leaves the lav.

 

[jonnyjetprop]

Man, you need to lossen that double breasted coat before you hurt yourself. FWIW, when you weren't looking, Southwest became a major player.

As for safety, both Delta and Southwest have had their moments.

"Operate MORE flights daily than ANY OTHER airline in the world" WTF ?????
The Texas bubba connection operates MORE flights daily than any other airline ??!? Are you in some kind of legal marihuana state ? WTF ???? Southwest is just BARELY a REAL airline. If you like to travel with trailer park people then by all means knock yourself out.

 

[James_Dean]

I did three years on United and one year on Delta flying 140 - 160 segments a year.

I finally had it and bought a 310. I'm going to make the entire month of October without being on a commercial flight - first time I could say that in about four years. All the airlines suck. Some for different reasons than others - but they all suck.

 

[Florida Cracker]

Honestly, if you took tsa - the groping agency, out of it, and since I avoid flying commercial like the plague, (or Ebola), it wouldn't be so bad, twice a year.

Throw in tsa, the groping agency, and it sucks dirt like a Hoover.

 

[corytx8]

All the airlines have their quirks. I have great experiences on every carrier I flew thus far. I missed a connection on UA flying through ORD, however I didn't sweat it.

 

[Gsxrpilot]

I fly enough to hold Exec Platinum on American, Premier Platinum on United and A List Preferred on Southwest. My preference is SWA then UAL then AA. I also hold Platinum with Qantas and they're pretty nice. Oh and I've logged 90 hours in the Mooney this year. Maybe I fly to much? But I'm not complaining. I'll be on UAL tomorrow.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Ghery]

I fly enough to hold Exec Platinum on American, Premier Platinum on United and A List Preferred on Southwest. My preference is SWA then UAL then AA. I also hold Platinum with Qantas and they're pretty nice. Oh and I've logged 90 hours in the Mooney this year. Maybe I fly to much? But I'm not complaining. I'll be on UAL tomorrow.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

No, you don't "fly" too much. 90 hours sounds good. You do, however, ride the airlines too much. I make a distinction between "flying" and "riding". I'm flying if I'm PIC. Otherwise, I'm riding.

 

[weilke]

Also, 'United breaks guitars!'

I have given up on United for domestic flights. I pay extra so I dont have to put up with them. International they are ok.

AA is a close second. A sorry excuse for an airline and I am glad they went broke. This weekend they managed twice to book my kids and the nanny in three different rows scattered across the aircraft. The reservation could neither be changed online, nor by any of the phone-drones I talked to.

Delta treats me very well. I used to commute on northwest, the delta merger really whipped their staff in shape.

 

[SCCutler]

Also, 'United breaks guitars!'

I have given up on United for domestic flights. I pay extra so I dont have to put up with them. International they are ok.

AA is a close second. A sorry excuse for an airline and I am glad they went broke. This weekend they managed twice to book my kids and the nanny in three different rows scattered across the aircraft. The reservation could neither be changed online, nor by any of the phone-drones I talked to.

Delta treats me very well. I used to commute on northwest, the delta merger really whipped their staff in shape.

Interesting.

I used to like Delta, but they abandoned their DFW hub a few years back and now, from DFW, it's pretty much Atlanta, Cincinnati and a few other destinations, and most of that with mini-jets. Experience has taught me to avoid connections.

My best of best airline experience in the last couple of years was Alaska Airlines, on which I flew one segment (Portland to DFW).

Like I said above, they all do much the same stuff - the in-plane stuff differs little, but it's how they deal with you when something goes outside the lines operationally, and it is usually Not Good (of course, being Dallas-based, I am usually experiencing the issue on AA). And, while I recognize the wisdom of treating high-value frequent fliers well, the model has gradually but decidedly shifted from "extra service to the frequent fliers" to "adequate service for frequent fliers, and ****-poor service for the rest," and that is intolerable.

 

[Bill]

Interesting.

I used to like Delta, but they abandoned their DFW hub a few years back and now, from DFW, it's pretty much Atlanta, Cincinnati and a few other destinations, and most of that with mini-jets. Experience has taught me to avoid connections.

Living so close to Atlanta, my preferred choice is Delta. I run as many purchases and bills thru my Delta AMEX skymiles card as I can.

 

[James_Dean]

All the airlines have their quirks. I have great experiences on every carrier I flew thus far. I missed a connection on UA flying through ORD, however I didn't sweat it.

Yeah... Wait until you're on your fourth time having to call your kids telling them you won't make the game/play/concert/dinner because F'ing United ORD can't get their crap together.

The number of times that I had to hustle from F12 to B22 and still arrive +10 min before departure only to find my seat had already been given away and "we just closed the door". GRRRR!!!!!! I'm 1K and you KNEW I was in this airport and yet you intentionally stranded me. On the last flight of the night and the plane was going to sit overnight.

+$25k/yr spend and I was still getting treated like crap.

Eggman

 

[SCCutler]

Old days- my wife and I were flying from Houston to Islip, connecting at Pittsburgh, on USAir. The flight's departure was delayed by ATC (computers down, radar was broadband only so separation issues...), and our tight-ish connection was suddenly almost impossible.

We landed, and ran like OJ through the terminal, arrived there completely breathless and were greeted by the Gate Agent, who said, "You must be the Cutlers- we've been waiting for you!" We boarded, the door closed and we were off.

Had a warm feeling for the airline for a long time... that kind of thing really can't happen any more, can it?

 

[weilke]

+$25k/yr spend and I was still getting treated like crap.

That was my experience as well

I now spend my money with Delta and I just dont experience the screw-ups and plain nasty staff that is the norm at united and AA. Doesn't mean I dont see occasional delays or equipment breakdowns, but when it happens, they are quick to bring in 'red jackets' to assist the gate crew in processing rebookings etc. I wish I could fly southwest, but they just dont go my usual routes.

 

[poadeleted21]

Yeah... Wait until you're on your fourth time having to call your kids telling them you won't make the game/play/concert/dinner because F'ing United ORD can't get their crap together.

The number of times that I had to hustle from F12 to B22 and still arrive +10 min before departure only to find my seat had already been given away and "we just closed the door". GRRRR!!!!!! I'm 1K and you KNEW I was in this airport and yet you intentionally stranded me. On the last flight of the night and the plane was going to sit overnight.

+$25k/yr spend and I was still getting treated like crap.

Eggman

Has happened to me in Denver on United twice.

 

[James_Dean]

That was my experience as well

I now spend my money with Delta and I just dont experience the screw-ups and plain nasty staff that is the norm at united and AA. Doesn't mean I dont see occasional delays or equipment breakdowns, but when it happens, they are quick to bring in 'red jackets' to assist the gate crew in processing rebookings etc. I wish I could fly southwest, but they just dont go my usual routes.

I did the last year with Delta and agree that the morale and treatment by the staff is much better than at UAL and MSP was much better than ORD in terms of on-time. My gripes with Delta are that I was spending more to travel because their rate structure really seemed to have prime travel slots much more expensive, the overall schedule for my needs had my travel times longer, wasn't enjoying perks like sitting up front nearly as often as I was with United, and Delta makes last minute schedule changes MUCH more expensive and difficult than United. Those cookies are pretty good though and I liked that their drink cups were larger than the tiny urine sample jar at UAL.

I walked away from both airlines with the understanding that either way I was getting screwed, but Delta is a little more generous with the lube. My QOL on Delta was better and I found myself cursing less.

Southwest isn't cheaper anymore, the experience is pretty good, they are more flexible(which is really nice), but if you are a really frequent flier you really feel like you're missing the perks. AA/USAir could disappear tomorrow and the world would be a better place.

Just my experience and YMMV.

 

[Jeff Oslick]

My only beef with SWA is their tight turnaround schedules can result in snowballing delays throughout the system because they have little capacity to rebook passengers. Both my wife and I, on separate trips this year, experienced 3 hour delays on SWA due to maintenance issues, where relatively minor problems couldn't be addressed quickly because they were reliant on contracted maintenance personnel who were tied up working on other airline's planes. However, even with the delays, the employees stayed calm and did their best to provide accurate information to the live cargo.

 

[Ghery]

Old days- my wife and I were flying from Houston to Islip, connecting at Pittsburgh, on USAir. The flight's departure was delayed by ATC (computers down, radar was broadband only so separation issues...), and our tight-ish connection was suddenly almost impossible.

We landed, and ran like OJ through the terminal, arrived there completely breathless and were greeted by the Gate Agent, who said, "You must be the Cutlers- we've been waiting for you!" We boarded, the door closed and we were off.

Had a warm feeling for the airline for a long time... that kind of thing really can't happen any more, can it?

I experienced a similar level of service once in 2006 on LH. I had a 1 hour connection in FRA (coming from TLV, finishing in PDX). We were 40 minutes late getting out of TLV. I figured the connection was blown. As we got off the plane they announced that anyone traveling to PDX or LAX should step over to the side. They put us on a bus, ran us down to the last gate they could and still clear the secondary security screening for US bound flights and HELD OUR FLIGHTS for us. I made the flight home. I complain about lack of legroom on LH, but I will never complain about their customer service.

At the other end, this summer going from SEA to LIH through SFO our flight down to SFO was delayed a bit. We got to the gate and the plane was still there, but the door was closed. No way was UA opening that door for us. They put us on the next flight to HNL, but that ultimately got us to LIH late in the evening. Not the way I like to start what is supposed to be a relaxing time in Hawaii on vacation. Oh, and I'm a million miler 1K. I hate to think what they'd do if I didn't have status.

If I didn't have to ride airlines to get where I need to go I'd happily never darken their door again. I type this sitting in my hotel room in Frankfurt. You know I'm riding UA again on Friday to get home. And praying my upgrade for the FRA - ORD leg clears. Only 3 seats left...

 

[zaitcev]

I think the biggest win for United in my practice was during the blackout and riots in Domodedovo, when the riot police took over the airport and ejected everyone outside to freeze. I heard it was pretty fun. My wife didn't get beaten and said that the police were so overworked that they bludgeoned only people who tried to argue United was the only airline that handled departures at all, everyone else just shut down for a week. Didn't want to pay their employees for being beaten by rifle butts

Of course the baggage was a circus. They mistakenly booked someone's bag in our name and they tried to deliver it for a month. So, every day it was a call "we're going to deliver you a bag" "it's not ours" "oh...". I'm sure someone raged at forums somewhere how United lost their bag.

 

[weilke]

My gripes with Delta are that I was spending more to travel because their rate structure really seemed to have prime travel slots much more expensive, the overall schedule for my needs had my travel times longer, wasn't enjoying perks like sitting up front nearly as often as I was with United, and Delta makes last minute schedule changes MUCH more expensive and difficult than United.

Well, the charge what they are worth, as a result they stand a chance to stick around for a while. My schedule is pretty predictable, if I have to make changes through my status I can do them within the same day without cost. If I need to travel on short notice, I typically use miles.

Southwest isn't cheaper anymore, the experience is pretty good, they are more flexible(which is really nice), but if you are a really frequent flier you really feel like you're missing the perks.

I haven't experienced them as cheaper in about 10 years. I also find SWA works a lot better if I travel alone, trying to get good seats with wife and kids can be a challenge.

AA/USAir could disappear tomorrow and the world would be a better place.

Yup.

The only purpose they serve is as an example of how not to run an airline and as a cheap competition to keep Delta from going too wild on their prices.

 

[weilke]

Oh, and I'm a million miler 1K. I hate to think what they'd do if I didn't have status.

You get beaten with rifle butts

 

[TheTraveler]

I also "ride" too much, and I'm actually surprised that this thread made it so far.

I've had some pretty bad experiences, with an average of 10 flights a week for the past year or so, many of them long haul, but I don't "hate" any airline for it because I don't believe that any of them have a genuine want or need to be poor. It's simply not in their best interest.

Airline companies are not stupid. They know that you have a choice. And in my opinion, they fight pretty hard for the business of consumers. But it's also my opinion that some business is not worth having.

I have seen way too many distraught passengers freaking out because of a cancellation, regardless of the reason. Raising your voice, making threats, and acting ****ed off is a poor way to get somewhere. Showing a little compassion for the attendants that have a crappy job, and explaining your situation in a calm manner, and requesting assistance as compared to demanding, has always proved a better method for me. And as much as I get delays and other situations, I rarely find myself sitting at the airport in a worse situation.

Case in point: ORD to HKG direct on Cathay Pacific, business class. I was starting out a 12 day trip Hong Kong, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Sydney, Welllington, Auckland, Los Angeles, and back home to ORD. I get to Hong Kong, and my bags aren't there. I also have less than 48 hours before I leave for Bangkok, and no clothes for my meeting in the morning. I am not the only one, there are others. The ones that screamed received little help. Those of us that were calm got tracking information, a special number, a nice chunk of cash, a voucher, and some very sincere apologies. My bags finally arrived at 2am the following day, just hours before I had to leave for the airport again. What happened? The ground crew at ORD (NOT Cathay Pacific's people) forgot to load a baggage container. No amount of yelling or screaming is going to get me to that guy on the tarmac with the earmuffs who forgot to load that container.

I have hundreds and hundreds of those examples. Delays, lost bags, lost reservations, planes not showing up, crew not showing up, diversions, closed airports, whatever. But I still got where I needed to go, I'm still in one piece, still alive, and if I'm understanding, the airline generally has been to me, also.

As pilots, I figured there would be a lot better understanding that weather problems, maintenance problems, whatever, happen, and getting irate with the company overall or with the poor gate attendant who has a very difficult job is just not going to help anything. It only tells that company that you are a passenger who's business is not worth having, and I would agree with that. I turn down business from customers who set unreasonable expectations, or want to place unreasonable blame for things that are simply beyond the control of those immediately involved.

As a very, very, very frequent traveler, just my .02, and it serves me well. But hey, to each is own.

 

[ggroves]

If you're concerned about safety, don't even think about SWA.

Yeah, OK! You realize they have one of the best safety records, right? LUV has a good product. UAL does too, and I fly them the most out of IAD multiple times a month.

****ing and moaning about airlines usually comes from people who are prone to **** and moan...with almost zero facts.j

 

[warthog1984]

Yeah... Wait until you're on your fourth time having to call your kids telling them you won't make the game/play/concert/dinner because F'ing United ORD can't get their crap together.

The number of times that I had to hustle from F12 to B22 and still arrive +10 min before departure only to find my seat had already been given away and "we just closed the door". GRRRR!!!!!! I'm 1K and you KNEW I was in this airport and yet you intentionally stranded me. On the last flight of the night and the plane was going to sit overnight.

+$25k/yr spend and I was still getting treated like crap.

Eggman

BTDT- had an AA agent and mgr refuse to sell me an open seat on a flight one time b/c it "wasn't in the fare rules" for my pre-booked ticket the next day (Wed before Thanksgiving). Even though I walked up to the counter, asked if they had a seat on any earlier flight, and whapped my black Amex onto the counter while they were looking it up.

WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REPEAT THE QUESTION?!?

 

[John221us]

Well, I had a good flight home today on United. All legs were on time and my luggage made it. I was seated next to a baby on the last leg, but she was a happy baby. No screaming, only laughing (I was nervous).

Edit: On the approach to SAC, we were so low over Tahoe I could see the ripples on the lake. I have never been that low over the Sierras on a commercial flight. Not quite as good as a GA flight, but still pretty cool.

 

[LDJones]

for me it's Delta. I freakin h a t e delta. delta can suck it. every dang delta flight I've been on has sucked it big time. my parents constantly offer to buy my tickets to FLA with their delta skymiles and I politely turn that cr@p down. for me, usairways has always done fine, but I know someone will chime in with how much they hate them. by the way.....Delta---> SUCK IT.

Flew US Airways Tuesday coming back from a ferry flight. They suck just like all the rest. I hate the nickel and dime game they play...$20 up charge for "preferred status"! What the...??! You want an extra $20 to treat me decently?! Get outta here!

Oh, and loved all the gate agents and flight attendants wearing rubber gloves. THAT instills a sense of confidence!

 

[Z06_Mir]

United brought me home on Tuesday. No issues. Unfortunately my den to PHX leg was on a crj700 which although was Skywest was slightly disappointing. I was first class both legs (first leg was with republic) and was disappointed compared to delta, and I was just delta first class on a Skywest crj900 last month. I felt like Skywest to Skywest the delta painted people did a better job. And of course mainline delta did better than the regionals. Why they fly a crj between Denver and phx which is pretty popular is beyond me.

 

[denverpilot]

I officially stopped flying United after my last straw this year where they canceled my flight due to maintenance and then refused to book me a hotel because they had no more discounted rooms available.



When I asked them to book a full rate, they said no. Then they gave me a tiny blanket and set me to find a quiet spot at SFO to sleep for the night.



The next morning, I found out that they had flights booked in the AM with open seats that they decided not to put me on, so I spent the morning and early afternoon waiting for a flight instead.



**** United. They all suck, but United goes just a step further.

Why didn't you just walk on as a standby on the earlier flight?

 

[SCCutler]

Why didn't you just walk on as a standby on the earlier flight?

Airlines these days won't let you do that. Even if they have empty seats, they only want you in the if you pay a change fee and some extra fare.

 

[jonnyjetprop]

Airlines these days won't let you do that. Even if they have empty seats, they only want you in the if you pay a change fee and some extra fare.

Southwest won't let you unless you paid the higher fare.

 

[SCCutler]

Southwest won't let you unless you paid the higher fare.

Yep, if you bought at a lower fare. But at least it all counts.

 

[denverpilot]

Airlines these days won't let you do that. Even if they have empty seats, they only want you in the if you pay a change fee and some extra fare.

Added to another reason to avoid airlines and their broken business model as much as possible. Only been on an airliner a few times in the last ten years. Very happy I got out of Field Engineering when I did, the more I read about the crap modern travelers put up with.

 

[weilke]

Southwest won't let you unless you paid the higher fare.

The legacy carriers charge you for the higher fare and a ridiculous change fee.
On Delta I can walk onto the earlier flight and not pay a penny, one of the few perks of spending lots of money with them.

 

[denverpilot]

Delta isn't a "legacy carrier"? LOL!

 

[murphey]

BTDT- had an AA agent and mgr refuse to sell me an open seat on a flight one time b/c it "wasn't in the fare rules" for my pre-booked ticket the next day (Wed before Thanksgiving). Even though I walked up to the counter, asked if they had a seat on any earlier flight, and whapped my black Amex onto the counter while they were looking it up.

WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REPEAT THE QUESTION?!?

says Rory the Roman.

 

[SCCutler]

Delta isn't a "legacy carrier"? LOL!

He's a high-miles frequent flier with status. Most of us ain't.