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This is my complaint letter filed with United Airlines after a very disturbing experience with horrible customer service. Their official response was very apologetic and said that the actions of the agent are not backed by united. When I mentioned I had to pay out of pocket for a hotel in addition to being humiliated their response was:

I am sorry however we do not provide reimbursement for this situation. You are not supposed to take pictures of any airline employee. If you do, then the supervisors have the right to remove you from the flight and have you travel another day or ban you from flying again. I am sorry you feel they were rude and your comments have already been forwarded however there is nothing else we will be able to do. I hope this information is helpful and we ask for your understanding.

Regards,

Jason LovettCustomer Care

I am pretty sure this is their way of saying that nothing will be done at all and business continues as usual.

Here is what happened;

I have been traveling the world over for over 25 years and during my last United flight in Denver I had the most horrible travel experience of my life at the Denver airport because of one United agent and the events that transpired by her actions and inactions. I truly hope United does not condone the actions of the agent/agents and will make amends to the damage she caused. The events were humiliating and I never want to see Denver airport ever again especially Denver United. I have always been treated with respect by United and even more so with Continental. I do not have an English degree and I am not a lawyer but I know without a doubt that this is not the kind of service that United would like to be known for or would condone.I have come up with several alternative actions that could have been taken by the agent or other United agents but no one took the time to listen or to intervene or offer an alternative solution up to and including the Denver Operations Manager. I will leave it to you to decide what other actions could have been taken as I have taken the time to supply you the information. I was awaiting an oversold flight that was delayed multiple times. I was minding my own business and waiting patiently when I was called to the United counter where there was only one agent present. She requested my boarding pass proceeded to type away without a word and then handed me a new boarding pass. This had a new seat assignment much further back and not the one I was originally given (row 7, I believe was my original seat assigned to me during my rerouting thru Denver. It was on a window in front of the wing and I am happy whenever I can sit there as I relish the opportunity to fly and observe landscapes, I am a geologist and flying is a great opportunity to learn and see what cannot be seen on the ground). I asked why she switched my seat and she replied that "a mother had to sit next to her son". I felt it was wrong to have switched my ticket without asking me and done in a rude manner. I hesitated for a few seconds without saying anything and decided to hold my breath and not say anything and sit down as I was very tired and wanted to just get home even though I was disappointed. If I never would have said anything than it appeared that the agent never would have said anything either.The flight continued to be delayed until at some point there were multiple open seats (I assume because the delays caused missed connections and these passengers did not continue with the flight). A second agent began calling the extensive wait list people and began assigning the newly opened seats. Several of the seats were the same area I had been forced from. I approached the counter and asked the agent if I could have my original seat assignment given back to me or one of the other open seats. She said she did not know what I was talking about and when I explained the actions of the other agent (who was now at the gate area); she did not want to help me and said I would have to speak with the other agent. I reminded her that she was in the process of assigning the empty seats that I was inquiring about to standby passengers. At that time the agent who had taken my original seat returned and asked if I needed help. I explained that now there were open seats that I would like to be reassigned my seat or a similar one on the opposite side. She said that I had already agreed to switch seats and was therefore stuck with my current seat assignment. I reminded her that she had switched my seat without asking me and her response in front of the other agent was adamantly denying what I said and responded in a louder voice that she first asked my permission and I had agreed and so she changed the ticket. I reminded her that she had actually changed my ticket without asking me and I had asked her why she took my seat after she changed it and her response had been to place a mother with her son. She responded again saying Sir, you requested it! I said youโ€™re lying and she replied "If you continue I can deny you boarding". I said I am not going to argue any longer, "Please give me your name so that I can take up the issue with customer service". At this point I was humiliated that she was telling me rudely and loudly that I was the one lying and I had done absolutely nothing to deserve such treatment and I had been waiting patiently and quietly for my flight along with everyone else. I was astonished when her response was to flip her hair in front of her name tag, blocking me from reading it. I tried to ask the other agent to help me and to give me the agentโ€™s name (the first agent preceded to the gate again) and astonishingly instead of trying to intervene or help solve the issue she also covered up her name badge. I never asked for her name in the first place. At this point I felt they were both collaborating in trying to hide from the fact that there customer service approach was appalling and did not want any complaints with their names attached and passed on to United. I took out my camera and took a picture of the second agent and proceeded to the gate and took a picture of the first agent so that I could report the horrible incident to United along with some form to I.D. them. I then proceeded to the other side of the terminal and requested directions to customer service from another gate agent. I proceeded in the direction of customer service and saw someone that looked like a United representative leaving the service area in which there was a lineup of people. I asked if he could please help me and he proceeded to verbally abuse me in a loud and threatening manner "did you take photos of the agent"? "Did you have permission to take photos"? He would not let me say anything about the incident and began to tell me to give him my camera to delete the photos or he would deny me boarding. I said no and he said delete the photos or you will not be travelling. I felt that this behavior of the agents and then customer service could not be the behavior that United stands behind. I felt they were using their positions to abuse their standards or work ethic and treatment of passengers and at my detriment. I felt they were reacting so strongly they were going to do whatever it took to prevent me from exposing them. No one took the time once to try to resolve the issue, I was only told I was lying. The service manager said I was now banned from the flight. I tried to call customer service on the 1800 line and was followed and told by the customer service rep that I was trespassing and he would call security. I left and I repeatedly responded I had done nothing wrong. I tried to get to any location where a united representative other than this monster could help me. He followed me to the bathroom and down the united terminal as I tried to use the public telephones to call united. He prevented me from using the public airport cart. Security arrived and without asking me what the problem was asked me to present my boarding pass. When I did so security passed it over to the United customer service representative. They then told me I do not have a reason to be in the area because I do not hold a boarding ticket. I was escorted to outside the secure area. They advised me I had done nothing wrong but that I did not possess a boarding pass. Later I was told by 1800 United to proceed to the ticketing counter and to re-book a flight for the following day. I was greeted by a Pawel Korowajski, he asked me what was the problem and as I began to explain he cut me off and said he did not need to hear anything more "when he was on the phone he had heard screaming in the background and I was escorted out by security therefore and this was therefore a case closed". I have no idea what screaming he was talking about; certainly I never heard screaming in the areas I was in. He did not take the time out to listen to what happened as no one had. I told him that now looking back I could have not taken the photos and proceeded with a customer service complaint as an alternative to what I did in the heat of the moment but I also asked him to consider the many opportunities the agents had to solve the issue before it ever became a problem, I feel there were multiple people and opportunities where I was ignored and my problem ignored before I began to be insulted by United staff. Pawel Korowaljski was not interested in what I had to say and told me my ticket is now void and I would be welcome to purchase a ticket for future travel. He also advised me that I never paid for that original seat which I felt was another humiliating stab at myself and I felt I was about to throw up I felt so bad that this had turned into such a nightmare. To think about United Denver and really Denver airport and Denver in general now makes me sick to my stomach and I never want to see either again in my entire life.

I feel that the whole United Denver acted together to back up the horrible agent and her selfish act of lying about her actions in order to look like she had been following protocol when she knew she hadn't and went out of her way to destroy my trip for her pettiness. I realize United is a big company but please respond in a real way. Please restore my faith that this is not the new United and United does not condone the actions of the agents.

I have been traveling the world over for over 25 years and during my last United flight in Denver I had the most horrible travel experience of my life at the Denver airport because of one United agent and the events that transpired by her actions and inactions. I truly hope United does not condone the actions of the agent/agents and will make amends to the damage she caused. The events were humiliating and I never want to see Denver airport ever again especially Denver United. I have always been treated with respect by United and even more so with Continental. I do not have an English degree and I am not a lawyer but I know without a doubt that this is not the kind of service that United would like to be known for or would condone.I have come up with several alternative actions that could have been taken by the agent or other United agents but no one took the time to listen or to intervene or offer an alternative solution up to and including the Denver Operations Manager. I will leave it to you to decide what other actions could have been taken as I have taken the time to supply you the information. I was awaiting an oversold flight that was delayed multiple times. I was minding my own business and waiting patiently when I was called to the United counter where there was only one agent present. She requested my boarding pass proceeded to type away without a word and then handed me a new boarding pass. This had a new seat assignment much further back and not the one I was originally given (row 7, I believe was my original seat assigned to me during my rerouting thru Denver. It was on a window in front of the wing and I am happy whenever I can sit there as I relish the opportunity to fly and observe landscapes, I am a geologist and flying is a great opportunity to learn and see what cannot be seen on the ground). I asked why she switched my seat and she replied that "a mother had to sit next to her son". I felt it was wrong to have switched my ticket without asking me and done in a rude manner. I hesitated for a few seconds without saying anything and decided to hold my breath and not say anything and sit down as I was very tired and wanted to just get home even though I was disappointed. If I never would have said anything than it appeared that the agent never would have said anything either.The flight continued to be delayed until at some point there were multiple open seats (I assume because the delays caused missed connections and these passengers did not continue with the flight). A second agent began calling the extensive wait list people and began assigning the newly opened seats. Several of the seats were the same area I had been forced from. I approached the counter and asked the agent if I could have my original seat assignment given back to me or one of the other open seats. She said she did not know what I was talking about and when I explained the actions of the other agent (who was now at the gate area); she did not want to help me and said I would have to speak with the other agent. I reminded her that she was in the process of assigning the empty seats that I was inquiring about to standby passengers. At that time the agent who had taken my original seat returned and asked if I needed help. I explained that now there were open seats that I would like to be reassigned my seat or a similar one on the opposite side. She said that I had already agreed to switch seats and was therefore stuck with my current seat assignment. I reminded her that she had switched my seat without asking me and her response in front of the other agent was adamantly denying what I said and responded in a louder voice that she first asked my permission and I had agreed and so she changed the ticket. I reminded her that she had actually changed my ticket without asking me and I had asked her why she took my seat after she changed it and her response had been to place a mother with her son. She responded again saying Sir, you requested it! I said youโ€™re lying and she replied "If you continue I can deny you boarding". I said I am not going to argue any longer, "Please give me your name so that I can take up the issue with customer service". At this point I was humiliated that she was telling me rudely and loudly that I was the one lying and I had done absolutely nothing to deserve such treatment and I had been waiting patiently and quietly for my flight along with everyone else. I was astonished when her response was to flip her hair in front of her name tag, blocking me from reading it. I tried to ask the other agent to help me and to give me the agentโ€™s name (the first agent preceded to the gate again) and astonishingly instead of trying to intervene or help solve the issue she also covered up her name badge. I never asked for her name in the first place. At this point I felt they were both collaborating in trying to hide from the fact that there customer service approach was appalling and did not want any complaints with their names attached and passed on to United. I took out my camera and took a picture of the second agent and proceeded to the gate and took a picture of the first agent so that I could report the horrible incident to United along with some form to I.D. them. I then proceeded to the other side of the terminal and requested directions to customer service from another gate agent. I proceeded in the direction of customer service and saw someone that looked like a United representative leaving the service area in which there was a lineup of people. I asked if he could please help me and he proceeded to verbally abuse me in a loud and threatening manner "did you take photos of the agent"? "Did you have permission to take photos"? He would not let me say anything about the incident and began to tell me to give him my camera to delete the photos or he would deny me boarding. I said no and he said delete the photos or you will not be travelling. I felt that this behavior of the agents and then customer service could not be the behavior that United stands behind. I felt they were using their positions to abuse their standards or work ethic and treatment of passengers and at my detriment. I felt they were reacting so strongly they were going to do whatever it took to prevent me from exposing them. No one took the time once to try to resolve the issue, I was only told I was lying. The service manager said I was now banned from the flight. I tried to call customer service on the 1800 line and was followed and told by the customer service rep that I was trespassing and he would call security. I left and I repeatedly responded I had done nothing wrong. I tried to get to any location where a united representative other than this monster could help me. He followed me to the bathroom and down the united terminal as I tried to use the public telephones to call united. He prevented me from using the public airport cart. Security arrived and without asking me what the problem was asked me to present my boarding pass. When I did so security passed it over to the United customer service representative. They then told me I do not have a reason to be in the area because I do not hold a boarding ticket. I was escorted to outside the secure area. They advised me I had done nothing wrong but that I did not possess a boarding pass. Later I was told by 1800 United to proceed to the ticketing counter and to re-book a flight for the following day. I was greeted by a Pawel Korowajski, he asked me what was the problem and as I began to explain he cut me off and said he did not need to hear anything more "when he was on the phone he had heard screaming in the background and I was escorted out by security therefore and this was therefore a case closed". I have no idea what screaming he was talking about; certainly I never heard screaming in the areas I was in. He did not take the time out to listen to what happened as no one had. I told him that now looking back I could have not taken the photos and proceeded with a customer service complaint as an alternative to what I did in the heat of the moment but I also asked him to consider the many opportunities the agents had to solve the issue before it ever became a problem, I feel there were multiple people and opportunities where I was ignored and my problem ignored before I began to be insulted by United staff. Pawel Korowaljski was not interested in what I had to say and told me my ticket is now void and I would be welcome to purchase a ticket for future travel. He also advised me that I never paid for that original seat which I felt was another humiliating stab at myself and I felt I was about to throw up I felt so bad that this had turned into such a nightmare. To think about United Denver and really Denver airport and Denver in general now makes me sick to my stomach and I never want to see either again in my entire life.

I feel that the whole United Denver acted together to back up the horrible agent and her selfish act of lying about her actions in order to look like she had been following protocol when she knew she hadn't and went out of her way to destroy my trip for her pettiness. I realize United is a big company but please respond in a real way. Please restore my faith that this is not the new United and United does not condone the actions of the agents.

Location: Denver, Colorado

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I had a very similar experience in Denver on United. My wife and I always purchase our tickets early so as to get aisle seats across from each other that I need due to a medical condition.

I too, was called to the desk by a rude employee, who told me he was changing my seat because a family with children had priority over me. I explained I had paid extra for my seats and needed them for my medical condition. He said he didn't care; that a family with children had priority over me and my wife. As I again explained my medical condition, he interrupted, raised his voice yelled "do you want to be thrown up on by a small child" then yelled at me to "sit down." My wife then went up, wrote down his name and badge number.

After a prolonged silence, he printed out a new seat assignment ticket, with the same seat as I had always had; handed it to her without saying a word.

I am 64 years old and never before have I experienced such rudeness. These employees need to be trained in common courtesy -- I will be sharing my experience far and wide on social media.

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