Stressful Flight on United Airlines

I share your frustration. I flew from Washington to Montreal, a very
short flight without connection, I checked in one bag that contains my
clothes, personal items, photos, documents, electronics, and other
valuables that I could not bring to the cabin. The flight was on-time
but my bag never came out. Since I was only staying in Montreal for 2
days, I really needed my bag. I called the 1-800 number and they said
the bag was scanned in Montreal, so I should expect to have the bag
shipped to my hotel in a few hours. But the bag never came. I called
the 1-800 number again, they said the bag had not cleared custom, but
wait a few more hours until their computer was updated. I still had
not changed and had nothing else to wear since United's policy
prevented the agent to compensate me for any expenses yet. Well, after
so many more hours of waiting and uncertainty, I called the 1-800
number again. Note that my cell phone battery almost ran out, and
guess where I put the phone charger. I asked if I could speak to a
supervisor to get escalation and more certainty, but the agent instead
said the supervisor was very busy and could not take my call. I tried
to call again, at this time, my vacation in Montreal was pretty much
gone. I finally spoke to an agent who said that my bag was at the
Montreal airport, that I could just pick it up when I was returning to
the airport the next day. Okay, so I felt better and tried to enjoy
what was left of Montreal.

I went to the airport, called the baggage claim, only to find out that
the baggage claim agent said that he did not have my bag. I told him
what the 1-800 agent said, and his response was very very shocking:
"The 1-800 people are in India and Phillipines, they don't know what
they're talking about other than what they can see on the computer
screen. I suggest you call them again to escalate or check back when
you arrive at Washington Dulles".

So I called the 1-800 number again, and the agent insisted that the
bag was in Montreal and was being held by custom. So I walked to the
custom and asked an officer if it was true. The Canadian custom
officer said, that even if I was carrying anything illegal, the custom
office would not hold any bag. They actually let me walked into the
custom area to check and my bag wasn't there. I called the 1-800
number again, and the agent said the bag was still at the custom and
that the custom officer was wrong. At that time, I lost faith in the
1-800 number.

So I waited until I arrived at Dulles. I went to the United's baggage
claim office. I asked one of the agents there if there was a way that
they could check if my bag was still at Dulles. She immediately said
No, and that my bag was in Montreal according to the computer. She
told me to contact the 1-800 number instead and said "next". I
insisted and told her what happened, and she said "well, ask them to
escalate and speak to a supervisor". I told her that I tried, and I
would appreciate if someone could just check. She said "no" and told
me that I should download a claim form and just wait for United's
response. She also said "these things happen all the time, bad things
happen and there's nothing you can do about it, just face the fact and
move on. Now next customer please."

I submitted my claim, and recently received a response from United
along with a check that was about 30% of the values that I claimed
because either (a) I didn't have the original receipts of my valuables
(who would keep of all receipts of your belongings?) and (b) they
didn't assume liability for half of my belongings.

Shouldn't United make sure that their disclaimers were highlighted
when passengers checked-in their bags? Shouldn't United or other
airlines be held for our belongings under their care? Why are all the
lost baggage policies designed to protect the airlines, not the
passengers?

I've flown other airlines and experienced lost baggage too. Their
treatments had been better. I felt more comfortable, certain, and
secured. But not with United.

Flying with United is now like riding on a Greyhound. Those of you
that are skeptical, wait until you lose your personal valuables ... it
doesn't happen all the time but when it does, it will be very
painful.

Danny.

The OP said: "Obviously, losing a suitcase containing all of your
clothes, including appropriate shoes, and having no alternative but to
go to Target the next morning in oversized pajamas borrowed from a
friend to buy something to wear is not how I wanted to spend the first
day of my trip."

Why would you have to go to Target in oversized PJ's? What happened to
the clothes you wore the previous day? United lost your luggage. They
did not steal the clothes off your back and force you to be naked.

Did your second bag fit into the box that ALL United check in counters
have right in front of them? As well as the security? If it did not
fit, then it was not a carry on bag. Just because YOU think it is not
that big does not matter. I don't think my AR-15 is all that big, but
I don't stuff it in the over head compartment of an airplane. I'm
glad that you will not fly this airline again, as I regularly fly with
United, and now I will not have to worry about you complaining that
you get more peanuts then me. And, I don't understand how your name
was misspelled?

Thanks for sharing your experience, I learned a lot from reading it.

FAA Records indicate that GoJet Airlines flight number 5384 from KDAY
to KDEN is a CRJ-700 jet.

So internet research shows that the overhead bins on the CRJ are only
8 inches high, so either this bag would have to fit inside, or would
have to go under the seat in front of you, leaving you NO legroom, as
this is a small plane. You bag may fit in the bins or have appropriate
space in large mainline jets, but not RJs.

Gate-Checking the bag was a convenience, and in MOST situations, when
you get off the plane, the bag is waiting for you at the jetbridge or
unloading area, and is not delivered by carousel.

And be thankful that they were able to find it and get it to you in 24
hours. Mistakes happen, and it sounds like they did their best to get
it back.

I don't fly United as a rule, but I can tell you that with US Air if
you gate check a bag it does not get put with the rest of the luggage
that is checked in at the front counter. Gate checked bags are those
that should probably be OK to carry on unless the plane is too small.
People sometimes don't know until they get to the gate that they have
to gate check a bag due to the size of the plane.

US Air places gate checked bags in the plane last and upon landing you
pick them up at the bottom of the stairs next to the plane or just
inside the jetway. They DO NOT go to baggage claim. If this is how
United handles things, you may well have accidently left you backpack
on the tarmac or in the jetway. I've seen people do that often.
Directions are clearly given about where to pick up gate checked bags.
Assuming United did this, your failure to follow those directions is
not United's fault.

24 hours isn't bad to get back your bag under those circumstances.

Heather,

You fly often. It sounds like you've flown United before.

And because of a single problem, you've sworn off of United? That's
your right, of course. But it strikes me that you're being rather
intollerant.

Particularly because the situation you describe DOES happen with other
airlines. I, too, fly often. And while it's very rare, I've had a
few times when my bag did not arrive. I received no compensation.

The fact that they refused to allow you to bring on a backpack is
fair... but the airline does need to limit the number of carry-on
items in some cases.

Instead of writing off the whole airline, why not focus on getting
clarification on the policy.

Since you're never coming back, do you really expect or want an
apology? I'm sure United will apologize for the lost luggage, and in
doing so they'll be hoping that they're lying and WILL come back.

"Flying is difficult and stressful to begin with..."

On the years, I've learned that it doesn't need to be. Once I made up
my mind that flying would not be stressful, it ceased to be that way.
And I'm a perpetually stressed person, so it says quite a bit when I
say that flying is stressful because people make it that way.

But that's purely my opinion. It also means that I enjoy flying,
again.

I just love you people who insist that your two small suitcases both
qualify as carry on luggage. You take up all the space in the
overhead containers and then some who actually followed the rules gets
stuck gate checking their bag.

You got your bag the next day which is actually great considering some
people wait days and some never get their bag. By your posting that
you got it within 24 hours makes me want to fly United.

"For travel worldwide on United, you may carry on one bag and one
personal item such as a purse, briefcase, or laptop computer."

One "bag" and one "personal item". I can see where a representative
could consider many backpacks to not be what United defines as a
"personal item". Some people stuff backbacks so full they could be
considered to be another "bag". A full backpack is certainly not a
purse, a personal computer or a briefcase. I agree that a small,
partially full backpack would be of a size that should be allowed on
board a plane. If everyone carried the equivalent of two "bags" on
board, there wouldn't be enough room to store it all. That's why they
have the rule.

Misdirected bags are a part of flying. I try not to check anything I
can't be without. I actually plan to not have access to checked
baggage following a flight. That doesn't mean it is the bar they
should aspire to, but it is just the way it is.

What did the man do that was rude?