United Airlines

Philadelphia to San Francisco, and United Airlines boarding system is archaic and ridiculous. Don't pick an aisle seat or you will end up getting on last and there will be no overhead space for your bag. When I was boarding, the Group 3, 4 and 5 lines were lined up for a long time since no one pays attention to this system knowing that they're going to get screwed if they try to get a bag in the overhead. I was a 5 and when our turn came, they suddenly announced that everyone (1/5 of the passengers) had to check their carry on bags at the counter because there was no overhead space available which caused complete chaos. After going through security and always getting x-rayed and patted down for no reason, facing this boarding madness feels like torture not to mention the long flight ahead. I did pay for the extra leg room but you get no priority boarding for that - you're just like the people who pay nothing extra. The crew look miserable and I can't say I blame them and the passengers seem sullen and depressed after the regimen they've been through. If companies like United Airlines want to encourage repeat business, they're going to have to realize that you can't treat people like animals and sometimes you might want to give them something to comfort their stress in flying - not even peanuts - they're so cheap. Then I had to find my bag in the carousel - that took another 45 minutes.

Seattle to Dallas via Denver. We were scheduled to leave at 5:15 am, and have a one hour layover in Denver. We boarded on time, and then just sat for about an hour, while mechanics retrieved paperwork for seat repairs. Apparently the paperwork was at the other end of the airport. I don't know why it wasn't there before the flight. During our "wait", we were offered drinks soon after boarding, and then for the rest of the hour, flight attendants spent their time in the galley, laughing, having a good old time. Not once did anyone check on passengers, at least in the front of the aircraft. On our return trip, which went from Dallas to Chicago, when meals were brought to us, first my son, who doesn't drink, was served a beer, then was served the wrong meal. The attendant was very apologetic, and was really nice, but this seems to be an ongoing problem with United. Service is definitely lacking. As far as the aircraft, they are aging planes, with little in ammenities, like wi-fi, or even power outlets for cels, or laptops. I know these problems seem petty, but I usually fly in first class,and have come to expect better service for the extra money that it cost, but this didn't even come close to other airlines.

My husband injured his back the night before our United Airlines trip from Boston to Maui. We arrived at the airport with him in a wheelchair. We were ushered to the gate by an airport representative - all was well. We had forgotten we booked exit row seats and the gate agents didn't realize the issue until we were boarding. We were in row 7, and I completely understand that, with my husband's injury, we could not remain in the exit row. What I am taking issue with is the manner in which the agents handled moving us. They made an announcement over the PA and offered our seats to the entire plane. All they asked was that 2 people sitting together exchange seats with us. We paid over $100 each to be in those seats and, at most, the seats should have been offered to other passengers in EconomyPlus seating. Instead, the PA announcement caused mayhem at the gate with many people rushing the counter. Our seats were exchanged for two seats in row 27. So, my husband was rolled to the plane in a wheelchair and then had to almost crawl to row 27. They could have offered the seats to passengers in row 8, for example - at least for starters. Seems as though this would make the ADA shiver. Once the agents realized we had to be moved out of the exit row, we became an annoyance to them. This is a huge fail on the part of United. To add insult to injury, once everyone was onboard, an announcement about the availability of economy seats was made! So, I hit the flight attendant call button, explained what happened and was told we could not move - that there really weren't any seats.

I decided to start flying a lot more than I had before in the past and I chose United Airlines due to their credit card rewards and prices of the flights. I will give credit for one thing, the mobile app is amazing and saves a lot of time. I have been on quite a few flights and had some minor complaints but nothing big enough for me to ever voice or make me want to change airlines. Well, that has changed. I flew with United Airlines from Little Rock to Dallas to San Diego to San Francisco to Las Vegas to Houston and back to Little Rock this month. On my flight to Vegas I noticed there were a ton of extra seats in the front, the flight might've been half full at most. So I asked the flight attendant before boarding if I was able to move up seeing as I flew with often and I wasn't feeling well. She flat out lied to me and said "those seats are reserved for employees tonight". I had absolutely no problem with that and told her I completely understood. Well, I was seated by 2 men on the flight to Vegas and at take off all of those seats were empty. That flight attendant was onboard serving everyone but the other seats that were supposedly "taken by employees" weren't actually taken. I was appalled that she had the adauctity to lie to my face. Also, another problem is the $75 same day change fee. I changed my flight that day to a later departure time and it cost me $75 to do that even though the flight wasn't even close to full. Needless to say, I'm changing airlines and do not plan on flying with United again. Southwest is doing it right with their no change fee, might want to look into that.

Chicago to Manila. Out of all the flights I have taken from the United States to Manila, United Airlines is the worse I have taken. Buying a round trip ticket that is about $2000 and not having no inflight entertainment really sucks. I have to buy the United internet service to be able to get any type of entertainment on my own electronic device. I will not ever go through United Airlines again.

Indianapolis to Los Angeles via Houston. I had to call to make my reservations, because the website couldn't make them for me (on the phone for 45mins). I had requested the travelers insurance when I booked, and the agent failed to apply it as requested. If you fly United I highly recommend getting the travelers insurance!! I had to call back, the person that made my reservations, entered my lastname as both my first and last name (another 45 mins on the phone). Then my original booking got changed without notification. I was originally to be routed thru Houston and got routed to Dulles in DC. Then my flight got cancelled while I was in DC, due to weather, which is understandable. The customer service was a very pathetic attempt at customer service. I waited in line for over 2 hours, and there were only 25 people in line in front of me. I was told that there were no flights out to L.A. til 2 days later and that United would pay for 3/4 of a 200+ a night hotel, that was their hotel of choice, I was told they wouldn't pay for anything else. After telling them that was not acceptable, and fly me back home, the person next to her found a flight to LAX for a person behind me in line and I was still stuck in DC. The customer service agent then found a flight out to San Francisco, so I took that flight, because I wanted out of the airport after being there all day. Since San Francisco was not my original destination city, I had to take a Greyhound from San Francisco to Los Angeles. I lost 2 complete days due to travel, between cancellation and not getting a correct flight. This also caused for more money out of pocket to get me to the correct location. I don't understand how they hadn't planned for something, since the plane was coming from Chicago, and it is winter. I was just very disappointed with my whole experience with United. Seating was not designed for people of taller stature, I am 6 foot tall with an athletic build, and could not sit comfortably on any of my flights. My return trip was not as bad, but flying coast to coast and then back to the midwest seems like a waste, especially since United's hub city is Chicago.

Once again United Airlines messes up, travelling from Los Angeles to San Diego. There was not enough room in overhead for my luggage they said. So they made me green tag it and drop it off and the end of the terminal - about 10 feet from the plane. They forgot to put our Bags on the plane. How could they not see before shutting the doors that the bags were just sitting there. This is not the first time this has happened. How is this company still in business?

United Airlines cancelled our trip from Toronto to Denver (our connecting hub to Santa Fe). United re-booked us with Air Canada. When we got to Santa Fee, we 'lost' our checked-in box of edible stuff! We had to spend 2 days tracking the package, and American Airlines was the replacement airline to get our package from Denver to Santa Fe. SO it was an American Airlines employee who went beyond her duty to take copious notes and actually contacted the tracking office in Santa Fee. All Lost Luggage calls to the tracking office (outsourced as usual and the agents were not able to help us except to say they could only do their best) produced no results. We travelled on Wednesday December 16 and finally got the package on Friday December 18 by which time some of the food stuff had gone off. Then on our return flight on January 8, 2016, our flights were all delayed, starting from Santa Fee and at Denver, it was a nightmare for my mother and I. She needed wheelchair assistance and we had to request for it twice because the gates got changed, like 5 minutes we were dumped at the first gate. At the second gate, we were advised on the Departure screens that the gate was now somewhere else, even further from the original gate. In the end, my mother got fed up and walked to the last gate where we finally got a rep who was very professional and patient. The information on the Departure screen was confusing as both United and Air Canada were shown to be departing at the same gate but with 5 minutes difference. The flight was delayed by 4 hours and instead of getting into Toronto at a reasonable hour of 10.30 pm on Jan 8, we only got home at 3 am! We have determined not to fly United Airlines any more as this experience has left a sour note.

Pleasantly surprised at how well this Los Angeles to Melbourne flight was, given the length (15 hours) and the reputation of United Airlines. The Boeing 787-9 we flew in was a new aircraft, the cabin does feel airier, with larger windows, and improved lighting. The cabin crew on this flight was a mix bag of very senior flight attendants who were quite stand off-ish, to younger flight attendants who were very nice, attentive and friendly. United has upped its game in catering for the Business First cabin and it shows. Portions were plentiful, wines good, and choices good. The mid-flight snacks left on the credenza at the forward most section of the cabin and in the mid-Business cabin galley were basic and not great, but not an issue, given the large dinner service. Breakfast was served 90 minutes out of Melbourne. Flight departed on time and arrived 30-35 minutes ahead of schedule. If United can replicate the service and feel of the 787-9 to its other aircraft cabins on long haul flights, then it might have turned a corner. The LAX terminal it operates from is dingy, dirty, and has zero to offer in terms of comfort. It is supposed to be upgraded. Not soon enough. WIFI on board the plane, at $19.99 is a relative bargain and worked extremely reliably, for the entire duration of the flight. Sleep quality also quite decent.

My wife and I booked a flight on United Airlines from Seattle to San Antonio to attend our son’s graduation from Air force Basic Military Training. When we got to Denver to change planes, the nightmare began. We were stranded. United didn’t have a cockpit crew (which they described as operational difficulties) and all other flights were already overbooked. We received text messages about every half hour with a new update. This took place for 7 hours and finally at 4pm, United cancelled the flight. Hours later we got an e-mail saying they booked us on a flight the next day, leaving us to miss our son’s graduation. So at that point, we might as well of gone home. Determined not to miss it, we booked a rental car and planned to drive all night to make it. Thankfully my wife found a flight on Southwest and we made it in time. Today I received an e-mail saying we would be receiving a $150.00 credit for each of us to use on a future flight, with United of course. A nice gesture, but if it hadn’t cost me $522.63 (not to mention approximately 14 hours) to fly from Seattle to San Antonio, I could buy my own airline tickets. Very disappointing customer service.