Here’s a synopsis of our United Airlines holiday experience.
A blizzard cancelled my first flight and shut down the entire Denver Airport for 2.5 days which is understandable, I guess, for the all-weather airport it was supposed to be. I could never get through to anyone at united airlines to change my flights and get information, but Lina managed to get through and had us flying to Edmonton together on Dec 22nd. We wanted to confirm our flights and checked in 24 hours early online. Lina’s ticket worked fine but there was a problem with mine. Once again, I couldn’t get through but Lina did and I talked to the United guy who said he would straighten it all out. I specifically asked him if they were going to cancel our flight to send the people, myself included, who had been bumped from the previous 2 days worth of flight. He told me not to worry and we went to bed.
The phone rang at 6:00 am to inform us that our flight had been cancelled. Once again, Lina was the only one who could get through and the gentleman said she could fly on the 23rd. When she wanted to confirm my flight as well he changed his story to the 24th. We started packing for the long drive to Canada at that moment and I asked the United guy how I could retrieve my bags from the cancelled flight two days earlier. He couldn’t tell me how but said that the bags full of clothes and Christmas presents would not fly without me and was probably still at the Denver Airport.
We had a great time in Canada and Lina flew back on the 26th. She was forced to wait over 3 hours for her bags and was made to feel stupid when she went to the baggage counter to tell them just to deliver the bags to her. They wouldn’t help her with my bags at all.
I flew into Denver a few days later and went to pick up my bags. They weren’t at the airport and I was told that they may be Chicago for recycling. The entire experience was very frustrating as they didn’t apologize once and kept blaming me for their losing my bags.
United: Why didn’t you retrieve them when the flight was cancelled?
Me: Because United made an announcement that no bags would be returned that day?
United: Well it’s been eight days since your flight was cancelled. We’ve used your baggage tag numbers for another customer and your bags aren’t in the system. Why didn’t you contact us earlier?
Me: I tried calling for two days and nobody had any answers. Was I supposed to call you during the two day drive to Canada, when you were closed for the holiday, or during the two day drive back to the states?
United: Why didn’t you try to pick them up in Canada?
Me:Because the United rep told me the bags wouldn’t fly without me, especially since they have to go through customs.
United: Well it’s been too long and we can’t help you. Here’s your claim form. Wait for four days and call us back.
I had just given up on the bags around the 6th of January and began to fill out the claim form and they appeared on the 8th
While trying to get Lina’s and my money back, I found that the refund department was never open and started to make up reasons why they weren’t. I ended up disputing one of the charges with my credit card company and Lina still hasn’t got her refund.
Chris