United Airlines - Would You Fly With Them.

[tzijlstra]

I don't fly with US carriers full stop. Their customer service is renowned for being atrocious, they simply don't care, I never really believe it until I got on a flight from Heathrow to Frankfurt that was Delta (I think it was? Flew loads back then). My word... never again. Compared to good European and Middle Eastern carriers they are insignificant and only stay afloat due to their dominance in their domestic market.

[Justin Smith]

They can, they chose not to. The initial offer was $400 which they upped to $800 (in vouchers, you don't get hard cash).

 

That`s naughty, are all airlines like that ? That wasn`t implied on the BBC news.

[geared]

I don't think so, I seem to remember seeing on telly someone getting cash for giving up their seat.

 

IIRC it was a student going home for holiday, he was offered several hundred quid (or euro) and a hotel room to delay 24 hours.

His eyes nearly fell out when they offered it.

[Obelix]

That`s naughty, are all airlines like that ? That wasn`t implied on the BBC news.

 

Rules are different in the EU vs the USA.

 

EU I've been offered cash and a flight the next day, or a lot more than the cash equivalent in vouchers for the airline. They wanted me off a flight returning from the Hebrides to Manchester - it was basically a free flight if I took a morning redeye to Edinburgh and then to Manchester. Plus free hotel overnight - since I wanted to be in Edinburgh the next afternoon I just cancelled the train ticket I had and leapt at the chance!

 

USA it seems its vouchers only, and a crappy hotel if you are lucky. If you are not going to fly with them anytime soon it's an empty offer.

 

Of course post Brexit I suspect we will slide towards the US standards fairly quickly.

[Justin Smith]

Rules are different in the EU vs the USA.

 

EU I've been offered cash and a flight the next day, or a lot more than the cash equivalent in vouchers for the airline. They wanted me off a flight returning from the Hebrides to Manchester - it was basically a free flight if I took a morning redeye to Edinburgh and then to Manchester. Plus free hotel overnight - since I wanted to be in Edinburgh the next afternoon I just cancelled the train ticket I had and leapt at the chance!

 

USA it seems its vouchers only, and a crappy hotel if you are lucky. If you are not going to fly with them anytime soon it's an empty offer.

 

Of course post Brexit I suspect we will slide towards the US standards fairly quickly.

 

Of course, generally speaking, those who voted to leave the EU tend to travel less, so will stand less chance of being affected by it. It was the same when I mentioned to some one who voted Leave that they probably wouldn`t get an EHIC any more, they said they don`t go abroad so aren`t bothered....

[spilldig]

I was shocked to find that a passenger was bumped out of the plane (as opposed to a check in). Quiet apart from anything else don`t they then have to get his luggage off ?

 

As the travel correspondent on the BBC said, if any airline gets caught out over booking there is only one reasonable solution, throw money at it. Which is what I thought they usually did. Keep increasing how much money they`re prepared to pay (for a passenger to get the next flight) until someone accepts.

 

In answer to the thread title, it`d put me off using United. I`m not saying I`d never use them, but they`d drop down the list. Just like BA. I hate the fact they (not a low fares airline remember) charge to prebook your seat, even in Premium or Business class. That wouldn`t totally stop me using them, but their offer would have to be significantly better than the competition. This is an interesting example of "brand value". Brand value is when customers would, on the margin, prefer to use a company or product. To me, United now join BA, as having "negative brand value".

 

BA comes in at the bottom of my list too for several reasons, one of which you just covered.

[iansheff]

Of course, generally speaking, those who voted to leave the EU tend to travel less, so will stand less chance of being affected by it. It was the same when I mentioned to some one who voted Leave that they probably wouldn`t get an EHIC any more, they said they don`t go abroad so aren`t bothered....

 

That's a rather sweeping statement, have you done a survey to find that information out? They might travel as much as anyone else but not to the EU countries, the world is a big place.

[sgtkate]

Of course, generally speaking, those who voted to leave the EU tend to travel less, so will stand less chance of being affected by it. It was the same when I mentioned to some one who voted Leave that they probably wouldn`t get an EHIC any more, they said they don`t go abroad so aren`t bothered....

 

Let's leave Brexit out of just one thread today please...

[gomgeg]

That's a rather sweeping statement, have you done a survey to find that information out? They might travel as much as anyone else but not to the EU countries, the world is a big place.

He probably asked his nephew, oops sorry his cousin, he gets them mixed up when quoting anecdotes.

It's easy done, I'm always getting my nephew mixed up with my cousin and there no excuse for it, my nephew's got a moustache and my cousin shaved hers off ages ago.

[Hogg]

The treatment that this man endured is a symptom of the growing aggression and lack of restraint of anyone in uniform in the US. I would boycott this airline and I hope the poor chap gets enormous compensation for his ordeal.