Biggest cluster-fuck EVER.

Headed to Green Bay last Friday:

"We will start boarding as soon as we can find the pilot. Thank you for your patience."

Then 6 hours, and 7 gate changes later(I am not joking), I finally get to Green Bay.

Return flight yesterday:

They de-ice the plane, we taxi out to the runway, then all of a sudden we turn around and taxi back to the jet bridge.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the de-icing process was not done correctly, and we will need to repeat the process. Thank you for your patience."

So, they de-ice again, and we sit there, and wait, and wait, and wait some more.

"Ladies and gentlemen, just a little update; the de-icing truck ran out of de-icing fluid, and we will need to repeat the process. We will take off as soon as it is completed. Thank you for your blah blah blah."

So I get to Chicago and of course I missed my connecting flight to Springfield, and had to stay the night at a hotel, AT MY EXPENSE.

Still stuck in Chicago. I hope to make it home today, but United may have other plans.

Please do not EVER use United Airlines. EVER

NEVER.

Call and complain to the highest person you can get to

They should owe you some free miles or something.

"DGB454"They should owe you some free miles or something.

I would rather be kicked in the nuts repeatedly, than board another United flight.

I fly a lot for my business. I avoid united like the plauge. They have delayed, rerouted and cancelled more flights than every other airlines i have flown combined. On a flight to cancun with my wife they overbooked the flight by 45 seats and the place turned into a caged wrestling match. People were crying, screaming and pushing to get to the service counter. I look at the wife and ask to see our boarding passes, They have assigned seat numbers so i just smile and watch the action. They come out with a bull horn and 5 airport police trying to calm the crowd. It was a sight i never forgot and the deciding factor in never flying united again.

I hear you Dave, but hear me out, at least the whole de-icing thing.
I was at the Pentagon when the Air Florida crash happened.
I walked over to the 14th street bridge. It was during a big snowstorm in D.C. I didn't see the crash, but I did see the guy go in and rescue someone, all the people in the water/ice, I saw the stew getting airlifted by the helicopter, I saw the guy drown, and I saw the plane ultimately sink.
Also, you need to know I am "from" there, as I mostly grew up in Northern Va. after Wisconsin.
As fate would have it, my good friend's (still) sister and her daughter were on that plane.
I actually dated her in high school a couple of times.
The snow was that "wet" snow, and I think the pilots made the decision to take-off because the temp was just below freezing, etc.
They actually discussed going back to the gate for a second de-icing, but because of the snowstorm, were already heavily delayed and National was "backed-up" , so they tried to take off anyway.

Now, I'm not saying that you didn't get the royal shaft from United, but I personally witnessed and personally felt an alternative outcome.
Her name (maiden) was Kathy Koger-Trice, (I didn't know her daughters name). I have seen a lot in my lifetime, but that one really sticks to me.

I thought you might want to know about this, as it might make you just a little less pissed at the Airline.

I think the de-cing and going back might have been annoying and maybe just breaking the camels back, but at LEAST they were trying to be very safe


its the fact they made him pay for hotel when it wasnt even his fault

"longtimefan"I think the de-cing and going back might have been annoying and maybe just breaking the camels back, but at LEAST they were trying to be very safe


its the fact they made him pay for hotel when it wasnt even his fault

Oh, I understand, and I don't mean to discount the extreme aggravation in any way.
I would be pissed, too.
At the same time, after reading Dave's post, there is NO WAY I could not share that experience.


I also feel compelled to share this part.
Kathy lived in (I think) Daytona Beach.
She was in the process of a divorce, and if memory serves me, the reason she was in D.C. was to sign the final divorce decree.
Because of that crash, there was no divorce.
The prick "husband" got the settlement money from the airline for his "wife" and daughter.
I didn't know the guy, as I was gone in the military, but all my friends from D.C. did, and the absolute consensus was that he was a good looking "player", that was cheating on her even before they were married.


Just sharing this still eats at me...that guy would not want to ever meet me, I promise you that.

Sorry-- a complete diversion of this thread, resume the bitching, lol, I hate United also.

Well.....even though it was a hassle, better to de-ice then take a chance. The same thing happened when we had to fly to a friend's funeral in Montana in 2003. I don't honestly remember what airline it was.
But we de-iced, the de-icer truck ran out, and we had to wait for another. Then we taxied, the co-pilot came back and looked at the wings, and we went back and hed to de-ice again.

Flown many a airline in my days.. pre and post 9/11.. they all have there crap days.. out of all of them.. Northwest was the most reliable of the group in my experiences.. but flying out of CWA most flights went through MSP and that is there home hub.. Detroit was usually a decent exchange as well..
Midwest was always pretty decent as well.

Flew out of Boston twice in 02'.. talk about a hassle.. understandable to a point but boardline crazy.

If I had to route through Chi-Town.. I expected the worst each and every flight...