United Hell

My husband and I were scheduled to fly Continental from GSP South Carolina to GVA Switzerland through Newark tomorrow. Unfortunately, between the time we bought our tickets and now Continental merged with the worse airline on earth: United.

We confirmed our flight this morning; and not two hours later, a United computer called to tell us that the first leg of our flight had been cancelled making it impossible to catch the second leg.  The computer left us a number to call and apologized for our inconvenience.

As far as I can tell, in order to save money during the merger, United fired ALL its and Continental's employee's, for no one ever picks up the phone.  The other night we stayed on the phone for three hours to change our seats, which we never did because no one ever picked up. We read on the internet that people have stayed up to 12 hours on the phone to no avail; and that even travel agents had trouble getting through.

At the moment, we've pretty much lost our flights.  Mercifully we paid by credit card and will contest, and moreover, we got insurance. Getting money back from United would probably involve talking to a person; and it has been established that that is not an option.

I will go around the world to get somewhere before I ever fly United (not again because I've never done it).  United's behavior is extreme; unfortunately, it is endemic to the world we have created for ourselves.  Bring back regulation, this little experiment in "free market flying" has failed miserably: it's not free, it's not market determined, it's not profitable and it's obviously not flying.

Addendum: we can't get money from credit card because we bought the tickets more than 6 months ago- that will teach me to think ahead.  And the insurance does not cover "airline f--- you in the ass" reasons, only weather cancellations which this wasn't.  Ahhh, bend over and fly the friendly skies...  ... as I type I am back waiting on the phone at united where their recording is telling me how wonderful and eco-friendly and omnipresent they are...


more: --- am (maybe) in line to talk to someone- the recording keeps telling me over and over how they are spending billions of dollars being eco-friendly, improving their carriers etc.  What they need is to spend money and re-hire all the people they fired to save money so someone can answer the fucking phone...

... oh fleeting miracle:  someone with an Hispanic accent  just said “hi” - I explained my problem and he told me he would transfer me to the correct person- I asked how long it would take for someone to answer, he said “not long”---

Well I am back in the loop and the computer said “more than 30 minutes wait”...  Last time it said “25 minutes” and it took 53--- seriously don’t fly them ever; though even if you try, chances are you won't...  


more more: finally got through!  and they actually re-routed us--- the United Representative was actually great...  ... ok, my anger is dissipating....