United went the extra mile!

[OnMedic]

We booked flights on United April 20th for our December Orlando trip. We receive great prices on a direct flight.

The flight was "operated by" US Airways as a code share.

I received and email today saying that there had been changes. I thought it wasn't a big issue if the times changed a bit, but when I looked online when I got home they added a connection in Philly!

Needles to say I was a tad upset. We are traveling as a group of 6 w/our two little ones, in their own seat with their own car seats. There is no way I wanted to put their car seats in and out twice plus lug them around the airport for 2 hours!

My second call into CS I got someone in Chicago (not India) and he told me to hold and he would call US Airways and get us on the original flight, which was still available. After 45 minutes and 3 persons at US Airways, he came through for me and my family. He worked them over until they put us back on our original flights... direct!

Kudos to United and the effort the domestic customer service rep. put into solving my discontent. The call centre in India was useless! I don;t know why a few larger Airlines feel this is a good idea... customers HATE it!

Cheers,

 

[MJTinNH]

I'm glad you were able to be put back on your original flight.

 

[manning]

When you were put on the other flight, did they reduce the airfare?

Often times direct flights are cheaper than nonstops.

 

[OnMedic]

I don't think they could reduce an already great fare ($45/Each way).

To add to this... we changed the four in my direct family, but I forgot the Inlaws . I had to call back and go through the same thing with a different agent at United... but she also went the extra mile getting my inlaws back onto the same US Air flight!

I am glad UAL is part of the star alliance... I will be checking them 1st on must travels moving forward!

Cheers all!

 

[vascubaguy]

I'm glad you were able to get all that worked out with United. Dealing with their booking agents is a NIGHTMARE if it isn't a simple transaction.

I called trying to use some free travel vouchers and called several times and talked to several different agents (both India and domestic). They searched thru a year and a half of flights (took about 1.5 hours) only to come back and tell me that there were no flights available where I could use these tickets to go to any airport in southern california! I probably spend about 3 hours total on the phone between different agents before I finally got a supervisor, who again told me the same thing. The only difference was that the supervisor recommended I speak with customer service. Now when I talked to CS, I told her what I had gone thru trying to use the vouchers and she simply asked what dates I wanted to travel and where I wanted to depart/arrive. In about 15 minutes, she came back on and gave me my reservation number!

Even though they got me on the flight I wanted in October, I'll probably never use them again because of all of this.

 

[mbb]

......but I forgot the Inlaws . I had to call back and go through the same thing......

Just an FYI...you can "link" PNR's/booking references/reservation files...so that when you do make changes to one of the files, the other file will be sitting there, linked right on the CSAgent's screen - lessens the chance of forgetting

*AND*..if there are numerous sced changes, the files should go through changes together

HTH for next time