Denied Boarding-John and Gintare Kaluinaite-Jones - Chicago Public Schools Teacher
Tale of Two Check-In's. We had purchased our tickets with you, Chicago to Nassau, through Expedia in December. The non-stop flight was the appeal. Upon arriving at the gate on 4/12/14, we were told the flight was overbooked. Your members asked for volunteers to give up their seats, offering 500 then 800 then 1000. We were still out of luck. Your Supervisor Souhier Boutrous with professionalism and courtesy explained the rules for Denied Boarding to us. We were generously compensated by check, according to your rules, and placed on subsequent flights and arrived in Nassau late. She empathized with us and educated us as well. She was great. Upon returning, we encountered the same situation but not the same procedures and treatment. It was overbooked again. Your Lead Agent Elaine Bullard told us to have a seat and wait. They began to board the plane. There were no requests made for others to surrender their seats until well over half the plane had boarded and the offer was 300. No volunteers. She had 1 seat. My wife and I wished to remain together. She shrugged her shoulders. A stand-by, I believe took the seat. Later 3 people left the plane due to illness. A family of three with a long Italian sounding name were given the seats. We then inquired about the rules for Denied Boarding. She abruptly told us we could have 1 voucher worth 300. We were surprised . I told her what your rules for Denied Boarding were, having learned them from Ms. Boutros at O'Hare. She told me I was wrong. I took out your pamphlet explaining the rules, but she did not wish to read it. She was busy with her computer screen focusing on the next flight to Newark. I began to read them to her. She responded "We don't do that". We told her of our experience in Chicago, " I never do that" was her response. We could have 1 voucher because we would not take the 1 seat. Please show me that in your rules I asked, she continued focusing on her screen. I asked to speak to someone in authority at United. That would be me was her response. She explained the 300 voucher amount to my wife, I had walked away angry. We did not except it. Could you please explain how at one airport your rules for Denied Boarding are applied and implemented with courtesy and at another airport they are ignored with rudeness? Your baggage fee rules are the same and applied equally. We are members of your Star Alliance, we fly often and always seek to use your airlines. Look us up. We have already booked our flight to Stockholm and Vilnius for December. Should we reconsider this membership? You have the power and control when we fly. We trust you. All I can do now is to tell my fellow teachers of my experience with United, share on our Teachers Union blog, tell my Hispanic students who fly to Mexico each Christmas to be careful using United. How can one set of your employees be gracious and informed and another set be aloof and uncaring. Ms. Boutros should be the example for all of United's workers.
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