Rethink booking United
Headed out Friday to meet with SPJ members in Fort Worth, Texas. Let's just say the travel there was a nightmare -- and that I no longer wonder why United Airlines continues to struggle mightily. Some random thoughts and observations (feel free to share your own air travel story because I know you have one):
1. Arrived at Denver International Airport at 8:30 a.m., Friday to make a 10:15 a.m. flight to Dallas/Fort Worth. Checked in electronically with only one carry-on bag.
2. Arrived at the appropriate gate only to be informed that my flight had been delayed until 1:30 p.m. I asked two attendants (separately) why and was told that the problem essentially boiled down to a "staffing issue." United needed to fly in pilots from New Mexico to Denver so that they, in turn, could get us to DFW. One attendant said my flight was delayed in large part because United hadn't been smart about deploying its resources. We were held hostage because the ONE flight crew the company was depending on to man my aircraft needed eight hours of rest (which no one would begrudge them). That rest period, unfortunately, overlapped with my flight! Yes, bad scheduling, I would say.
3. While waiting around, I had the chance to observe United's customer service. One flight was oversold quite a bit. I counted approximately 10 people who were ticketed and bumped from the flight. No happy campers among them. A young couple with a toddler was sitting next to me, hoping to fly stand-by. When they got word that the flight was oversold and there was no way they'd get on, the wife burst into tears. Turned out she and her husband were bumped from their oversold flight that left Denver at 6 a.m. By this time, the couple had tried -- unsuccessfully -- to board three subsequent flights. They had been waiting in the airport for more than five hours -- and their little one was clearly exhausted and unable to nap with all the commotion around him.
4. The bumped passengers and folks flying stand-by -- approximately 25 people total -- formed a line in front of a service desk staffed by only one attendant. The attendant saw only two customers before grabbing his backpack and thermos. Without a word, he simply walked away from the desk. No, "I must leave for lunch now. Someone will be here to help you in just a minute." No, "Thanks for your patience." He just walked away. The looks on those customers' faces was priceless -- and I wasn't the only person taking it all in. A woman sitting near me shook her head and started laughing. The customers waited nearly 20 minutes before another attendant showed up to help them.
5. My flight was moved to three different gates before take-off. What a drag.
6. Passengers occasionally asked flight attendants why we were delayed. I thought it was fascinating to hear how the story I was given in the morning changed. It eventually involved bad weather and those mysterious (and convenient) "mechanical problems." Never mind the guy with a laptop who was checking the weather and couldn't, for the life of him, understand how weather could be the issue. He announced that to everyone -- and a couple of men sitting near me with their own computers (one wearing a "Geek Squad" T-shirt) said they, too, had reached the same conclusion. Flight attendants everywhere looked annoyed.
7. Lunchtime rolled around. We had been waiting for hours in an airport because of what was clearly (at least to me) United's ineptitude. Weather and mechanical problems? I didn't buy it. The airline didn't offer to give anyone meal vouchers. One woman complained about that, and a sheepish attendant offered a voucher to a small group of us.
8. While sitting at the third and final gate, mothers with small children congregated so their little ones could play with each other. The kids (seven of them, I think) ranged in age from 1-6 years old. They were rowdy, running up and down, shrieking, rolling around on the floor. All the stuff you would expect of children who, by this time, had been waiting in the airport more than five hours. I didn't think they were particularly bothersome. A United attendant walked over to the group and said, "Please get your children to sit down and be quiet. They are very disruptive." One mother let the attendant have it -- and in no uncertain terms. I wanted to cheer for the angry mama bear.
9. We finally boarded. The flight was packed -- but uneventful until we landed. We arrived at DFW only for United to leave us on the tarmac for more than 30 minutes. The captain said there was no open gate. After we hit the 20-minute marker, a man stood up to use the restroom (we had, after all, been given softdrinks). The captain -- yes, the captain -- got on the overhead speaker and barked at the guy. Scolded him. Used a tone that was plain, old rude. The captain told all of us that the seatbelt sign was on for a reason. The first steward quickly followed up by further calling attention to the man, who had timidly tried to make is way back down the aisle to his seat. Passengers around me leaned over to speak to the man, most reassuring him they would never fly United again. He smiled in appreciation -- but I'm pretty sure he remained danged uncomfortable.
10. When the plane finally lurched on to a gate, we were given that tired script thanking us for flying with United because they know we have a choice, yadda, yadda, yadda. Two men in the back of the plane loudly booed and hissed. They didn't let up. Soon, the booing spread. Just about everyone was booing and hissing (I was too busy scratching notes on a pad, thinking I'd have a great story to tell someone). Needless to say, when we walked off the plane, there were no attendants or captains standing at the front, shaking hands, smiling or sending us on our way with a cheerfully fake, "Buh-bye."