United Airlines

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

If I had not checked my for November trip to Orlando, I would have been at the airport 5 hours early.
United Airlines has removed all the morning flights(6-10am) out of Flint until 10: 30 or 4pm that day.
No email was sent about the change.
We now are having to take a flight
that is departing much later and the layover time is longer by 3 1/2 hours(total time traveling now over 8 1/2 hours- my original time was 4 hrs. 45 mins) and my return trip home will be a nightmare .

Update: United Airlines is no longer flying out of Flint but 2 times a day. 10:30am or 4:30pm.

 

[Woodview]

Good on you for checking your flight times.

Your trip is 3 months away .

There is nothing that anyone on this Forum can do about it

 

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

Woodview,
I don't expect anyone to do anything .
I was venting about the change.

 

[writerguyfl]

It is quite common for airlines to make changes to schedules that result in significant changes for a small number of their customers. When that happens, the reservations get placed in a queue. They work to clear the queue by date. I guarantee you would have eventually been notified well before your departure day. It just takes time.

Whenever a major schedule change happens, it's basically a get-out-of-jail-free card. You usually have two options. First, you could get a complete refund. If there is another airline that flies between Flint and Orlando, you may get lucky and find something that works better at a similar price.

The other option is to ask United to change you to different flights on United. Generally, if there are seats available, they will make the change for free, regardless of the current price. Unfortunately, it sounds as if that option isn't going to work since they removed the early morning flight.

I picked a random day in November and see that both American and Delta have early morning flights. Try checking those airlines and see what the prices are. If you find something that works, call United and politely ask for a full refund.

(Note: If you booked through an online travel agency like Orbitz or Expedia, you will need to contact them to request the change. Incidentally, with schedule changes, the online travel agency "owns" the reservation and therefore would be responsible for contacting you.)

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Airlines make schedule changes and rarely contact you. You have to keep on top of it yourself. The change sounds great enough that you can request a refund and look for a flight on another airline.

 

[scooter825]

I'm experiencing the same nightmare. United changed our flight times, which I can deal with, but then our seats disapeared. Calling the airline (or more appropriately, new delhi), they explain that my son can't sit in a row with emergency exits. Makes sense, but they're going to split us up now into individual seats. how can you put a four year old child in a seat without his parents? And what's the point of buying a seat if it doesn't exist?

So a two hundred dollar upgrade for departure flight got me actual seats (instead of just the hope of adjoined seats). For the way back, thats a work in progress. Tried to upgrade to first class but new delhi still having difficulty figuring that out.

So my personal headaches aside, this is a flight to disney world for God's sake. Every family is going to be in this situation. What a piece of rubbish this airline is.

 

[FCDub]

^^ Sorry you're frustrated and having a bad time, but there's probably a way to deal with that without resorting to making not-so-vaguely racist comments.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I'm experiencing the same nightmare. United changed our flight times, which I can deal with, but then our seats disapeared. Calling the airline (or more appropriately, new delhi), they explain that my son can't sit in a row with emergency exits. Makes sense, but they're going to split us up now into individual seats. how can you put a four year old child in a seat without his parents? And what's the point of buying a seat if it doesn't exist?

So a two hundred dollar upgrade for departure flight got me actual seats (instead of just the hope of adjoined seats). For the way back, thats a work in progress. Tried to upgrade to first class but new delhi still having difficulty figuring that out.

So my personal headaches aside, this is a flight to disney world for God's sake. Every family is going to be in this situation. What a piece of rubbish this airline is.

An airline changing your flight time is an annoyance, not a nightmare! You need a serious attitude adjustment.

 

[bumbershoot]

I guarantee you would have eventually been notified well before your departure day. It just takes time.

I know this is old, but no, there's no guarantee of that.


scooter, IMO you shouldn't have paid for an upgrade. It would have been worked out as the flight got closer. And it could still change again, so you might just have to scramble again.

And this happens on every airline but SW (who doesn't assign seats). Every. Single. Airline. Not just United. United is a perfectly fine airline IMO, and flight time and equipment (actual airplane) changes (which is what causes the seats to go floopy) happen on them ALL.

 

[DisneyOma]

If I had not checked my for November trip to Orlando, I would have been at the airport 5 hours early.
United Airlines has removed all the morning flights(6-10am) out of Flint until 10: 30 or 4pm that day.
No email was sent about the change.
We now are having to take a flight
that is departing much later and the layover time is longer by 3 1/2 hours(total time traveling now over 8 1/2 hours- my original time was 4 hrs. 45 mins) and my return trip home will be a nightmare .

Update: United Airlines is no longer flying out of Flint but 2 times a day. 10:30am or 4:30pm.

I hate United - they are the worst airline I've ever flown on. No, wait, KLM was much worse, but they are international, and easy to avoid.

^^ Sorry you're frustrated and having a bad time, but there's probably a way to deal with that without resorting to making not-so-vaguely racist comments.

Getting a person on the help line that isn't even in the country you are travelling in is very frustrating, especially when you can't understand what they are saying. I've had that happen to me before, and I don't feel it is racist to point out that companies contract out of the country to save money, but then we get stuck not being able to understand the person who is supposed to be able to help us. Most times they don't understand what I'm saying either, and I end up having to spell so many words that I want to scream. They are not bad people, and they are smarter than I am as I am not bilingual, but I just wish we could get service people we can understand, and who understand what we say as well.

An airline changing your flight time is an annoyance, not a nightmare! You need a serious attitude adjustment.

When it involves trying to get seated next to your child, it is indeed a nightmare. The airlines hold all the power these days, and we have to take it or not fly. If we all chose not to fly they'd have to treat customers with more respect to get them back. But now they can bump people, change flight times, change seating, etc.

 

[Hoopfamily]

Ive dealt with this with other airlines. I had an airline change a departing flight by 5 minutes and it was a connector through ATL landing in TPA at 9 pm and I was going to drive to Disney. I called the airline and told the rep the new time didnt work and could i change it he said yes. I said can i do to a different airport, he said yes. He booked me a nonstop into MCO that landed at 9:30 am. I got a better flight and a better route for free. A previous poster was right all airlines save SW have this issue.

 

[trivan]

Agree with most posters, all airlines do this. United gets the brunt of the complaint as they have a large flying base especially for Vacation travelers that aren’t as acustom to dealing with these events. I fly almost every week and at least 4 family trips with the family, 1 typically international. United is no better or worse then others out there.

For getting spilt up from your family. Get the seats first, then when you get to the gate inform the gate agent you are traveling with a child or children. They will either try to move people or tell you to do it on the plane. People on the flights are for th most part willing to help, I’ve never seen a family split up more the 1 adult 1child. Your first objective is to get on the flight you want.

Above all else don’t think your venting to them will help, I’ve gotten more help sucking it up and being nice to agents then taking the route of “it’s my rights”. One time I got an first class upgrade after everyone else was done complaining due to a canceled flight, I walked to the gate agent, exchanges greetings, told her I felt sorry for her, said I understand this stuff happens and if I can just get on the next possible flight. She quietly handed me a boarding pass with an upgrade and she said enjoy and thank you.