In my 38 year career I traveled extensively on United Airlines including all over the world. What Lesley experienced in the last two days pales by comparison to anything I've every encountered.
Something is very wrong at United Airlines. I'll let the letter to their CEO tell the story.
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| Notice that UA 461 is the only flight cancelled |
April 21, 2013
United Airlines Corporate Offices and Headquarters
United Airlines Corporate Offices and Headquarters
PO Box 66100
Chicago, IL 60666
To the CEO of United Airlines
Regarding Passenger Lesley J. Shapiro (traveling with an 6 month old infant)
- Cancelled Flight 461 Tampa to Dulles on 4/20/2013
- Cancelled Flight 4886 Dulles to Providence on 4/21/2013
- Equipment Problems Flight 1733 on 4/21/2013
My father gifted me a trip to Florida using frequent flyer miles. The trip down was perfect. The return trip was a nightmare as explained below.
Both of the above referenced flights were cancelled causing me significant inconvenience. In addition, the way your company handled communication for both of these flights is totally unacceptable.
Flight 461 on April 20: Before leaving my father's home (at approximately 10:50 AM) on Saturday April 20, I checked the flight 461's status and learned it was on time (as was her connecting flight to Providence).
My father drove me to the Tampa airport from Sarasota (a 1 hour drive).
We arrived at the Tampa airport at 12:00 PM (1 hour and 34 minutes before flight time) and learned that that flight 461 was delayed until 4:00 PM. While waiting in line to speak to an agent the flight was further delayed until 7:00 PM.
We arrived at the Tampa airport at 12:00 PM (1 hour and 34 minutes before flight time) and learned that that flight 461 was delayed until 4:00 PM. While waiting in line to speak to an agent the flight was further delayed until 7:00 PM.
After an hour wait, I rebooked essentially the same set of flights for Sunday (i.e., Flight 312 from Tampa to Dulles and Flight 4886 from Dulles to Providence). My father returned to the airport and picked me up as it would not have been possible to make my connecting flight. As we departed the Tampa airport I received an email notifying me that Flight 461 was now delayed until 9:00 PM. A further email announced that it was cancelled. I later learned that it was due to equipment problems.
Did I mention that I was traveling with a 6 month old?
Fortunately I had a place to stay. However, the delay and inability to make my connecting flight required my father to make a second round trip to Tampa airport (for a total of 120 unnecessary miles).
Flight 4886 on April 21: On Sunday, I again checked flight status and learned that both flights were on time My father again drove me to the Tampa airport where I boarded Flight 312 to Dulles. It arrived on time. Shortly after arrival I learned that the flight was cancelled. No explanation was provided. United did not extend the courtesy of an announcement explaining the reason for cancellation.
I waited in line with around a hundred people from Flight 312 who were affected by flight's 4886's cancellation. The wait was 90 minutes before I spoke with an agent. The BEST the agent could do was a flight to Providence TWO DAYS LATER (4/23).
Fortunately, I was able to contact my father who called MilagePlus and arranged a flight from Dulles to BOSTON departing at 10:14 PM and arriving in Boston at 11:47 PM. The agent provided my boarding pass for the flight to Boston (UA 1733).
Recall that my destination was Providence. Now my husband had to drive from our home in Cumberland, Rhode Island to Boston to pick me up. (150 mile round trip). Did I mention that I was traveling with a 6 month old?
Flight 1733 on April 21: I waited over 6 hours for UA 1733 only to learn minutes before scheduled boarding that this flight was also delayed. First for 10 minutes then until 10:51 PM. Again, United cited equipment problems.
At a minimum, you owe me direct compensation for:
- Transportation from Sarasota to Tampa.
- Transportation from Boston to Providence.
Any other compensation should consider that two flights were cancelled in two days causing me:
- 24 hours of delay on Saturday, April 20
- 6 hours of delay on Sunday, April 21 for flight 1733 (assuming it took off on time)
- Another 1 hour of delay on Sunday for equipment problems with Flight 1733
- A midnight trip from Boston to Providence
With approximately 100 people waiting for a flight to Providence on Sunday it is UNBELIEVABLE that your company could not supply another airplane. Some of these people are waiting TWO DAYS. If that were me I would have lost two days of work.
United appears to be having serious equipment problems (two flights cancelled and one delayed) and, based on what I observed, grossly failed to communicate.
Lesley J. Shapiro
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