<p>Ok, I’m really tired and cranky right now so forgive me if I sound whiny but I feel the need to warn all of you campus visiting folks out there about United Airlines. </p>
<p>At 1:30 a.m. our phone rang. Of course my first thought was that something horrible had happened to our daughter, who’s away at college, thank goodness that wasn’t the case. It was a representative from United Airlines (my husband said he wasn’t fluent in English so it was difficult to understand him) calling to tell us that my husband and son’s 7:00 a.m. flight from Chicago to Birmingham was cancelled.</p>
<p>That’s right, in the middle of the night, three hours before they were to wake up for the flight for a campus visit to Auburn, University of Alabama, and Ole Miss, we were informed that the flight was cancelled! </p>
<p>My husband asked if there was another flight that they could take today and the gentleman told us that they could only get us on a flight tomorrow. DH and DS had a tour scheduled at Auburn this afternoon,and we would have had to pay for our lost hotel reservation. Completely unacceptable.</p>
<p>So, DH had to get out of bed, call UA and demand that they re-book them on a different airline for today at their cost. He was able to get a flight on Delta with a stop in Atlanta before arriving in Birmingham too late to make the Auburn tour. Fortunately my DD has a friend who attends Auburn and is taking him out tonight so he will get to see the campus. Poor hubby finally got back to bed at 3:30 in the morning!</p>
<p>This is the second time that United has changed our plans at the last minute. Several years ago our family had booked a flight six months before our trip. We even had seat assignments. We arrived at the airport three hours before the international flight and when we got to the ticket agent she told us that we were bumped from the flight. They sent us through to the gate for standby and we discovered that they had done the same thing to four other families. The worst part was that the CFO of United and his family of five was on the flight. He got off of the plane to find out what was happening at the ticket counter, did nothing, and then got back on the plane and flew off with his family!!! </p>
<p>We will NEVER fly United again and I warn you to be careful if you do. They have zero regard for their passengers.</p>
<p>so sorry that happened to you, hopefully despite the lack of sleep/disruption they can still have a productive visit.</p>
<p>now, at the risk of sounding like a shill, I have one word for flying into BHM… Southwest. No rescheduling/cancellation fee, tons of flights, never had a single problem with them. Just rebooked our flight into BHM for next week and saved an additional $35… really that easy!</p>
<p>Southwest operates out of Midway and we live in the Northern burbs so it’s a hassle to get there. However, I think that we just might have to make that drive the next time we fly.</p>
<p>Yikes! So sorry your careful planning was ruined. A lot of people will see your post so this is some really bad PR for United, if that is any consolation.
Hope you all still manage to have a good visit!</p>
<p>Oh, I’m sorry this happened to your son, and I hope he sees enough of Auburn to make his visit there worthwhile. I’m not a fan of any particular airline, and frankly don’t fly more than a handful of times a year. However, while I’d be unhappy that my flight was cancelled, I’d be grateful that they called me in the middle of the night so that I had time to deal with it. (Of course, it’d be better if they volunteered to find you another flight). Stuff happens, and sometimes it’s beyond the airline’s control. I’ve had American and Southwest cancel flights on me. The American one was back at the start of the first gulf war and the plane had been “drafted” to transport troops - a totally acceptable excuse IMO - but I missed a family wedding because of it. I’ve never had any issues with United, and when D and DH visited Bama in January, they flew United from O’Hare to Birmingham and back without incident. We’re in the northern burbs also, and the trip to Midway isn’t worth it to us when the Southwest and United fares are the same (as they were when D and DH flew last month and as they have been every time I’ve checked).</p>
<p>lvmk2 … we’re also from northern burbs. Often take SW because MW is so much easier than ORD, and you can get free flights much faster. Next weekend for CBHP interviews, we’ll be flying US Air & United … hoping there are no issues. Good luck on your triangle trip through the “western” SEC. You will LOVE Bama. We’re 90% sure my D is bound for T-town, just waiting on the one “private” that could potential trump. My D loved Rice, we have family in Houston, and she loved the Residential College “thing.” But even then, she has just been SO impressed with EVERYTHING UA has presented her with during the admissions process … not to mention the more than generous scholarships! Have fun!</p>
<p>Update: United told my husband that they booked a Delta flight for him and our son at 3:30 a.m. They didn’t.</p>
<p>DH and DS arrived at the Delta counter at 7:00 a.m. and where told that United didn’t pay for the booking!!!</p>
<p>They are now driving to Milwaukee to catch a flight on U.S. Airways. </p>
<p>My husband is on the phone with our attorney to try and figure out a way to get our money back from the United flight and the U.S. Airways flight that we just paid for. </p>
<p>Thanks for all of the advice and allowing me to vent. :)</p>
<p>Now THAT would infuriate me. There’s no excuse for telling someone you’ll do something and then not following through. I hope your son has a good visit in spite of the rocky start.</p>
<p>I’m very sorry that your son and husband’s flight was cancelled. It’s stressful when ones flight is cancelled or delayed, but it is a part of flying. While United should have rebooked you onto another airline without difficulty (in airline jargon, this is called Rule 240), it didn’t go through. In the future, I suggest double checking both reservations online before you leave for the airport and registering for flight status updates via text message and have the airline’s phone number programmed into your phone (i.e. Delta’s main reservations number is 1-(800) 221-1212.) When a schedule irregularity (IRROPS) occurs, it is best to find alternative flights to offer the agent during the rebooking process. </p>
<p>Once again, I am sorry this happened and am glad that your family was able to get to Alabama today, but not early enough to do all that they had planned. United should be willing to offer your family some compensation for your troubles.</p>