United-Continental CEO promises upgrade for "unacceptable" Australian 747 service

Recently I flew MEL-LAX-MEL with my FF miles and it was perhaps the first time in ten years I was behind the Premier Zone (my choice, as I wanted an aisle). The seat pocket was touching my knees and the only saving grace was that the middle seat was blocked off. In spite of having nearly 700,000 lifetime miles on UA, I am unlikely to choose it again, given a choice. Of late, VAustralia and Air NZ have had my custom.

OK their plane are old, but it was the staff on the last trans pac united flight I took.  They could not have cared less.  I initailly thought it was me and or my "section" of the plane, however waiting in transit in LAX, a person unknown to me but who recognised me from the flight commented that she hoped the next flight had attendants that noticed there were passengers on the plane!  So Mr Smisek, by all means up grade the hardware, but have a good hard look at the staff as well.....

You could not get away with such a product now.I flew Continental when I first went to the USA back in 1989 and again in 2001 on Air New Zealand and what we had back then was a large screen for movies and flight displays.I admit NZ was better than CO in that the plane was a lot newer and it was a nonstop(Only Qantas and United were doing that same service on a 747SP going back to my first trip)and the service was a lot better.

We had a UA flight where some parents booked seats in business class and put the young (and I mean very young) kids back in economy with us. The toddler screamed about 75% of the trip because it was neglected it became lost and distressed down the back of the plane at one point. It took 4 announcements before one of the parents came back to rescue the child. Everyone around was talking about it, so a group of us spoke to the chief pursar to politely complain as we left the flight. He actually laughed at our faces and said there was nothing he could do. I made a complaint to the airline, but they never responded. The service in business class is good, but if you're in economy with me, your checked bags will get better treatment.

I flew from ORD   to Syd   by way of Vancouver.    My reasons, there was no way  i'd fly United and their rust buckets.   I live in Chicago and  i knew United planes to OZ  were one   screen for every whatever number of passengers.  out dated. And the service... i've read those reviews.  I got lucky and for that 15 hour flight from Vancouver BC  To SYD not only did I have a late model Boeing 777-200.  I had great service on Air Canada    and  .......  the lowest price for my entire trip ORD -YVR-SYD.    My flight to Vancouver I flew United.  It was a dirty 737 or 757  again with one screen for every  whatever number of passengers.  And just not kept.  It looked like a tired dirty plane.  Maybe not dirty, but drab and wornout interior!

On the evening of September 19, my flight UA0839 was scheduled for departure from Los Angeles to Sydney at 10.29pm. After boarding the aircraft with approximately 400 other passengers we sat on the tarmac for several hours, being told many different stories about why the plane had not departed. This became extremely alarming as the stories changed significantly with each broadcast. After about four hours we were asked to disembark to the terminal as the flight had now been cancelled by 24-hours.

In the terminal we were advised UA had only 42 hotel rooms available but they were for first and business class passengers and the rest of us were “free to do what we wished”. We were advised also that vouchers of $500 would be available for each of us towards accommodation for the night, as well as “food” vouchers for those unable to obtain a hotel room which was most of us owing to high demand in LA due to the Emmy Awards. The $500 vouchers and food vouchers had run out when I got to the counter. Those who were able to get a “food” voucher complained to me that the food consisted exclusively of junk food – essentially the vouchers were worthless to people who wish to eat healthy food. Pillows and ‘blankets’ were provided as the terminal was very cold.

A cart was wheeled out from the plane and stale buns filled with highly processed “turkey” were distributed along with carbonated drinks – no tea or coffee was provided. The cart was quickly taken away when UA staff left for their hotel rooms – leaving passengers to their own devices.

Because I was unable to secure a hotel room, I and many others including many elderly people and parents with very young children, were forced to sleep in the terminal and wait until 10.30pm the following evening to get the rescheduled flight to Sydney. Not once during that time did a representative of United Airlines inquire about our safety, wellbeing or whether we had any particular needs. There was no communication at all. At the very least we should have been given access to the United Club.

The flight was renamed UA1763 and when I got my re-issued boarding pass I was surprized that I was unable to have the seat I had already been sitting in! How crazy is this? I was placed in row 60 and after take-off I felt I was going to be sick, I looked for a sick bag in the seat pocket only to find there wasn’t one. I had to remove the blanket from its plastic bag in readiness. This sick feeling occurred four or five times during the flight which I believe was a direct result of the poor treatment and complete disregard I metered out by United Airlines. 

I agree with the comments about the poor state and safety risk inherant in the UA fleet.

Hi Jeff,

It's been nearly two years. Thanks for the update re progress :p

Regards,

1K