United Airlines Customer Service Issues

My husband and I planned a United Airlines flight to Tahiti, French Polynesia, with a layover in San Francisco for our honeymoon. Despite multiple calls to United Airlines customer service to clarify if we needed additional documents for transit through the USA, the information provided varied. We were later informed that my husband needed an ESTA, but as a Polish citizen, I only required my passport. Despite this, upon arrival at the airport, I was denied boarding due to not having a visa, crushing our dream trip we had saved for over 3 years. After explaining the situation to customer service, they sympathized and offered a refund and $[redacted] compensation, which was appreciated. However, the refund received was less than expected. Attempts to rectify this through emails and Facebook messages were met with rude responses and being ignored. I am disappointed with the lack of communication and would appreciate receiving the remaining amount owed without having to escalate this matter further.

I had a flight booked in business class on Turkish Airlines for September 29th from IAH to ISB. When I checked in, I was told there were no seats left in business class and had to rebook in Y class. Upon returning from my trip, I have been trying to get a refund for the original amount of $[redacted] since late January [redacted]. I have been given incorrect contact numbers and even directed to Turkish Airlines. I need assistance to obtain my refund. The original confirmation number is T53JR4, and the rebooked tickets are #[redacted] [redacted] 51/2 and #[redacted] [redacted] 50/2. My bank account number has changed since January [redacted], and there was an unauthorized charge for the original ticket amount. Please reach out to me for further details.

Hello, I bought a ticket through the United Airlines app and canceled it shortly after. I expected to receive a refund immediately back to my card. I then booked another United Airlines flight from Tampa, FL using the Cheapflights app for this Friday. I got a booking confirmation but later received an email saying my booking was on hold for card verification. I suspect it may be due to insufficient funds. I'm unsure about the status of this booking and would like to expedite any refund process if possible before Friday. That way, I can make alternative arrangements if needed. Thank you.

I am seeking confirmation on the arrival status of my parents, E.D. Aguilar and A.A. Aguilar, in Shanghai on April 22, [redacted], at 8:30 PM. Their flight was UA [redacted]. They were scheduled to depart from Shanghai on April 22 at 11 PM, landing in Clark, Philippines, on April 23 at 2:40 AM, with flight MU [redacted]. Due to a flight cancellation caused by the earthquake at Clark, I contacted China Eastern Airlines to inquire about my parents, but their names were not on the list of affected passengers. I am reaching out to check if your system indicates their arrival in Shanghai. We have not heard from them yet, and we are becoming concerned. Your prompt update on their status would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I had a confirmed flight with United Airlines to travel to Trinidad and Tobago on April 20, [redacted], for a family reunion. When I arrived, my baggage was missing. I was told to return to the airport at 9 pm to receive it from a Texas flight, but this did not happen. I finally got my damaged luggage with broken spinner wheels on Monday, April 22. Due to this inconvenience, I had to spend extra money on purchasing clothes and essential items for the scheduled family event.

We are currently enjoying a girls' trip to Querétaro to celebrate my birthday. Despite our excitement, we were taken aback when we were informed that our flight is delayed by 3 hours due to a flight attendant calling in sick. This sudden change means we will miss our connecting flight from Houston, leaving us with a significant delay in reaching our destination in San Miguel de Allende. Disappointed by the lack of compensation or alternatives provided, we are now facing a long wait at the airport. It would have been appreciated to receive food/drink vouchers or lounge access during this unforeseen delay. We hope for a prompt resolution to this issue to salvage the remainder of our trip. - N. M. and friends

Upon boarding my return flight with my wife at Schiphol airport, I encountered an unexpected security incident. Despite complying with all procedures, I was singled out for an intensive screening by a security officer. This process involved a thorough search, examination of my carry-on belongings, and swabbing of my items. As a law-abiding individual with all necessary permits, I was surprised and upset by the thoroughness of the search. Unfortunately, during this process, a 32GB film drive went missing from my possessions. This incident tarnished an otherwise enjoyable vacation experience. The security agent's rushed demeanor and lack of sensitivity added to the negative impact of the situation. I hope that in the future, such screenings can be conducted more respectfully and efficiently. - A.B. (UA71, Seat 26A)

My spring break experience with United was not great. After being rebooked by Alaska on a United Airlines flight on 4/19, the gate agent at SFO did not help us seat our 7 and 10-year-old kids together with either my wife or me, which goes against FAA rules. As a result, our children had to sit apart in middle seats away from us. This caused my daughter to feel sick during the flight as she was extremely upset about not sitting next to us, making it difficult for us to comfort her from another row. Furthermore, upon landing at IAD at 2:30 am, we were informed that our luggage didn't make it on the flight and wouldn't arrive until the next day. This experience truly made it one of the worst flights for our family. Kudos to United for turning our spring break trip into a nightmare.

I received a receipt for someone else's baggage in Eugene, Oregon, yesterday which did not arrive in Omaha. I haven't heard any updates yet. I have reported it and suspect what might have happened. You can reach me at [redacted] or on my landline in Nebraska at [redacted]. This is urgent as the bag is distinctive - a large, dark red plastic alligator with a rainbow-striped strap, wheels, and a pop-up handle. Inside are a curved top cane, 4 DVDs, and tax papers that I need. I travel with your airline at least twice a month and this is the first time this has occurred in 14 years. It may have gone to San Francisco then Nashville, as stated on the receipt I received. There may have been new personnel at check-in who made a mistake. The file reference numbers are OMA47063M and FF# HBL43047. I purchased the flight with a United Visa card. Please provide an update as soon as possible.

Hello, I'm Rosa A. and I have a reservation on United Airlines with confirmation number NOXYG8. I have already completed half of my trip and now I am preparing for the return journey from Bishkek to Istanbul, then to London, IAD, and finally to Wilmington, NC. I am interested in upgrading my flights, as I did on the first leg of my journey, but I have encountered an issue. Turkish Airlines informed me that I can only upgrade through United Airlines, while United Airlines says I can only check in through Turkish Airlines. This process is different from when I upgraded my United and Lufthansa flights on the outbound segment of my trip. I am confused about the upgrading process and would appreciate clarification. My frequent flyer number is NJF98484. Thank you for your assistance. Rosa A.

Subject: Request for Refund and Cancellation Confirmation Dear Concerned Party, Regrettably, our United Airlines flight reservations for March 23, [redacted], (Confirmation Number: JLPDQ0) had to be canceled. On January 10, [redacted], Flight Centre Senior Consultant Belinda Hamilton assisted in this process. I had to cancel due to unforeseen illness requiring major surgery, with over 60 days' advance notice. Attached is a Medical Specialist letter confirming my condition. My family went ahead with the trip without me, as my health prevented me from traveling. I kindly request a prompt refund of our reservation fees, as my health situation is uncertain for future travel. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Sincerely, Giorgia Mallia 7 Hospital Road, Concord NSW, Australia

Hello, my name is Hector García Ibarra. I had an emergency flight to Mexico due to a motorcycle accident involving my two younger brothers. My flight had a reference number DQBC7Q. The original schedule was a departure from Jacksonville at 3:45, arriving in Houston at 5:19, then transferring to San Luis Potosi, Mexico with a flight scheduled for 6:07, which was delayed for a long time in Houston causing me to miss my connecting flight. I was rebooked for a new flight on Sunday, May 5th around 11:00 am, which is inconvenient as I need to return to work on Monday after 1:00 pm from Mexico. I have no more days off from work. I am requesting a new flight to San Luis Potosi, Mexico from Jacksonville, FL, and back due to this urgent situation to see my injured brothers. Thank you. I hope this issue can be resolved promptly. This is urgent, please help me. This is an emergency as I need to go to Mexico to see my brothers, one of them is in critical condition.

Dear members of the forum, I am Sarah S., and I am reaching out about a highly challenging weekend I recently experienced. I asked a family member to book my standby flights from FLL to BUF, and it turned into a nightmare. My husband and I faced numerous failed attempts to board flights due to a long standby list, leaving us stranded for three days. We ended up spending extensively on rental cars, accommodation, and meals, depleting our finances. With our young son left at home and my disabled husband lacking his medication, the stress was overwhelming. Enduring this three-day ordeal was unacceptable to me, and the expenses incurred were exorbitant. Although we eventually reached Newark, it wasn't our final destination. Exhausted and desperate to reunite with our son, we opted to rent a car and drive seven hours to Buffalo, NY. The entire experience has left me disheartened, and I am questioning whether flying with United again is a sensible choice. I seek a prompt response to this matter. Thank you.

I have been on hold for an hour and a half now, attempting to reach an agent to get my confirmation number and copies of my receipt and itinerary. I didn't have a Mileage Plus number when I made my reservation, so I can't access any information through the app. There should be alternative ways to retrieve my reservation details, like using my name, phone number, address, flight number, or email. This whole situation is frustrating.

I traveled with United Airlines on April 14th from Toronto to Chicago. Due to a severe snowstorm, we experienced delays on the runway in Toronto and were eventually diverted to Des Moines, Iowa. Despite the unexpected journey, I made it to my friend's house in Chicago very late, thanks to the weather conditions. I want to commend the flight attendant on flight [redacted], John, for his exceptional service throughout the ordeal. He remained kind, answered questions with a genuine smile, not a forced one, which made the difficult trip more bearable for all passengers. Kudos to him and the hiring team for having such a great asset on board.

I frequently travel for work and always choose United or its partner airlines for my trips. In December [redacted], I needed to make an emergency journey and attempted to use my MileagePlus miles. While the representative who assisted me was courteous and understanding, they mistakenly booked my ticket to the wrong destination. After rectifying the error, I was assured that I would receive a refund as I had inadvertently purchased two tickets for one person. Despite using up almost the entire value of one ticket in mileage and purchasing two additional tickets, only one person was traveling. In late December, I received a refund of $[redacted].00. However, on January 8, [redacted], I received an email from MileagePlus notifying me of an error and stating that they would be reclaiming the refunded amount, which they promptly did. Since January, I have been attempting to resolve this issue with no success. My numerous calls to the airline have gone unanswered and unresolved. I possess copies of all relevant tickets and am prepared to provide any additional information necessary. It is disheartening that United has mishandled my situation and failed to rectify their mistake promptly. I am seeking a resolution and the refund of my money without further delay.

I need to reach out to United Airlines support for an urgent matter. Currently in Europe with my family in Switzerland and staying in Paris until Saturday, the 18th, departing to the US on Sunday, May 19th from Paris with connections in Frankfurt and then to Orlando, FL. Seeking to change my flight from Paris to Frankfurt to Munich instead. Unfortunately, lost my cell phone on May 6th, found by Munich's lost and found department. Despite my offer to cover delivery costs, they are unwilling to assist in sending the phone from Munich to Frankfurt for me to collect. Desperately need to speak to someone from United regarding this issue. My reservation number is [redacted][redacted]. Return flight scheduled for Sunday, May 19th, [redacted] at 11:20 AM from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Frankfurt Airport on Flight UA-[redacted]. Traveling with my wife, Blanca, and son, Daniel. Attempted to contact 1-[redacted] number from Switzerland using my wife's cellphone but unable to make outgoing calls from Europe. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Carlos A S.

Last November, I was scheduled to fly from Dulles to Tampa, FL, but unfortunately had to cancel my trip due to illness. I contacted customer service to cancel the ticket, and the representative, Resa, assured me that I could still use the ticket within a year without needing a doctor's note. She provided her name and I requested a confirmation number. Now, when trying to rebook my flight to visit my 95-year-old mother, I discovered that the information provided was incorrect. I am now seeking a refund for the ticket. - Cynthia M.

I had a flight booked from Amarillo to Houston on May 18, [redacted]. Unfortunately, I had to reschedule due to my 91-year-old father's recent cancer diagnosis. I reached out to Jessica on May 16 to change my flight to May 21. Although Jessica assured me the changes would be sent via email within a few hours, I never received them. After multiple follow-up calls, the issue was seemingly resolved, yet the updated email never arrived. Today, I received a text about a delay in my supposed canceled flight scheduled for the 28th. This prompted me to request a supervisor, who promised Jessica would contact me promptly – unfortunately, I'm still waiting. Surprisingly, I was charged $[redacted].01 for the flight change, on top of the $[redacted].60 I originally paid. This unexpected charge was quite a shock, especially during a challenging time with my father's health.

Hello, I am reaching out regarding our recent flight experience with United. We flew on Flight #[redacted] from KOA to DEN on Friday, May 10th. During the flight, my wife Amy Lindell, who originally had seat 1B, kindly switched to seat 2B to sit next to me and another passenger. There was a medical emergency halfway through the flight, and my wife assisted and helped the flight crew handle the situation, even preventing an emergency landing. She remained with the passenger in distress until we landed and medics arrived. A First Class flight attendant acknowledged her efforts and mentioned compensation. While we don't expect a full refund, we are hopeful for travel vouchers for future United flights. Please verify this with the flight crew if necessary. I can be contacted at [redacted] or [redacted]. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Andy