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Re: Delayed Baggage from United Flight 5204 on January 2, 2019

(or “How Much Wrong Information Can One Company Give Out in 24 Hours”)

BAGGAGE/FILE REFERENCE: IAH62376M

I never write these sorts of complaints. But my experience with your company was so exceedingly bad that I was compelled to submit a written complaint on this occasion. I was booked and traveled on United Airlines Flight 5204 from Aspen Colorado to Houston Texas – a direct flight. I do not live in Houston. I live in Dallas, but had traveled to/from Aspen/Houston because I spent Christmas in Houston. Flying United from Houston to Aspen direct seemed like the efficient thing to do. That was a big mistake.

On January 2, Flight 5204 was originally scheduled to depart Aspen at 1:40pm and arrive in Houston at 5:13 pm. However, we were delayed in Aspen multiple times. Nevertheless, I arrived at the airport according to the original departure time, just in case. As a result I checked my bag approximately 3 hours before the ultimate departure time. Once on the plane, take off was further delayed because the plane was too heavy and was required to burn off fuel. (I also suspect that bags were removed and/or not placed on the fligth due to weight restrictions.) I did not arrive in Houston until approximately 8pm. After proceeding to the baggage claim area, I discovered that my bag had not arrived. I proceeded to the baggage claim desk.

WRONG INFORMATION #1 and #2: The United agent at the baggage desk told me my bag was in Denver. She was not able to explain why it was sent to Denver, but my instinct tells me that passengers who were connecting through Houston had their bags placed on the Aspen flight and those of us for whom Houston was deemed the “final” destination were less urgent and therefore those bags were rerouted throught Denver. I ask if there was a possibility that the bag might yet arrive in Houston that night. The agent said “No, there are no more flights out of Denver tonight. I will direct it to be on the first flight in the morning, leaving Denver at approximately 5:50am and arriving in Houston at approximately 9:50am.” (WRONG INFORMATION #1) The agent asked for a local delivery address. I provided my sister's home address in Houston, but I further explained that I lived in Dallas and would be driving home in the morning, with the airport in my direct driving path. The agent said that I would receive a notice when my bag ultimately arrived and that I could ask that it be kept at the airport rather than sent to the outside delivery service (WRONG INFORMATION #2). She provide me with a Delayed Baggage Report and I then left the airport.

WRONG INFORMATION #3, #4, #5 and #6: At 8:33am the following morning, I received a text message reading “Olawale has picked up your baggage from George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport. You will be notified when your baggage is sent out.” Seeing immediately that this was contrary to what I had been told the previous evening, I called the toll-free number on the Delayed Baggage Report provided by the baggage claim agent. I spoke to Remote Operator 1 at a call center somewhere in India and explained the situation. I said that I had been told that I could ask for the bag to stay at the airport for pickup. She placed me on hold and then returned to explain that it was too late; the bag was already at an offsite warehouse, waiting for pickup by the outside delivery service. She could not provide me with an estimated delivery time. I then asked to be transferred to a supervisor (Supervisor 1). After explaining the situation to Supervisor 1, he placed me on hold, and then returned to say that he had spoken to the delivery service and that taking my bag back to the airport would take “too long.” He advised that I should stay at the delivery address listed on my claim form. He said that he explained to the delivery service that I needed to drive home to Dallas, and therefore they were placing an “expedited” delivery request on my bag. He said I would receive the bag by 1:30pm (WRONG INFORMATION #3) He said that I could accurately track the status of my bag's delivery on wheresmysuitcase.com (WRONG INFORMATION #4). After the call, I went to that website and indeed it told me that the bag was “Out for Delivery” (WRONG INFORMATION #5) and “Delivering 1 bag today by 1:30pm (WRONG INFORMATION #6).

WRONG INFORMATION #7, #8, #9, and #10: 1:30pm came and went with no arrival of my bag. At approximately 2:30pm, I called the toll-free number and was once again routed to a call center in India. After explaining my situation, the Remote Operator 2 said they were experiencing technical difficulties with respect to the delayed baggage database, he could not help me, and could I call back in an hour. Based on the fact that I called back in five minutes and spoke to a Remote Operator 3 in India who did not claim technical difficulties, I suspect this was WRONG INFORMATION #7. Remote Operator 3 told me that my bag was still at the warehouse, was being loaded for delivery, and would be delivered by 5pm (WRONG INFORMATION #8). I explained to her that both Supervisor 1 and wheresmysuitcase.com indicated that the bag was already out for delivery by 1:30pm. She said, “the website is frequently incorrect”– ACCURATE STATMENT #1! I asked why United would refer its customers to a website that is “frequently incorrect” and she could not answer. I then asked to speak to a supervisor. She placed me on hold and said she had “spoken to a supervisor” but that he was on another call and could not help me. I asked how she could speak to a supervisor who was on another call, and she could not explain. I opined that there was likely more than one supervisor on duty, and asked to be directed to one who was not “on another call.” I was placed on hold and ultimately transferred back to Supervisor 1, with whom I had spoken in the morning. I reminded him that he had told me (1) that he had spoken directly to the delivery service and (2) that he/they had said my bag would be delivered by 1:30pm. He placed me on hold, and then came back to say that “bad weather” in Houston (WRONG INFORMATION #9) had delayed baggage delivery and that my bag was in fact still at the warehouse. I explained that although there had been a light shower in Houston that morning, it was long over, and also not unusual or severe. I asked for local Houston phone number I could call. He said the best he could do was patch in the delivery service. After placing me on hold, he and another individual purporting to be with the delivery service got on the line together. The delivery service representative confirmed my cell phone number and said he would call me back in 5 minutes (WRONG INFORMATION #10). The call then ended around 3pm.

WRONG INFORMATION #11, #12, #13: By 3:40pm, I had not received a call back from the local delivery service. I once again called the toll free number and was on hold for some time, waiting for an operator. Meanwhile, the wheresmysuitcase.com website continued to say that my bag would be delivered by 1:30pm. (WRONG INFORMATION #11). Once I reached Remote Operator 3, I asked that individual to consult the notes on my account and to transfer me to Supervisor 1. He did so. I explained to Supervisor 1 that I had not received the call back in 5 minutes previously promised. He place me on hold and returned to say that someone at the delivery service had gotten busy and forgot to call me. While on the line with Supervisor 1, my phone rang with a call from “Samwell” at the delivery service. Like Supervisor 1, Samwell attempted to excuse the delay in delivery on “bad weather” in Houston (WRONG INFORMATION #12). He said that my bag was being delivered by a Miss Church and that it would arrive at my delivery address in Houston by 5:30pm. I explained that so far absolutely nothing promised by United or its representatives had transpired as promised. I asked him if the bag was not delivered by 5:30pm, would I be required to once again go through the Indian call center. He then assured me that my bag would be delivered by 5:30pm by “Miss Church” and he further gave me her phone number. He said if I had any questions or concerns about the delivery I could call the number and speak to Miss Church. (WRONG INFORMATION #13). The first time I attempted the number, I received a “this is not a working number” message. The next time I called, I received silence followed by “Please leave your message at the sound of the tone.” I left my name and phone number at the tone and explained the reason for my call, but received no return phone call.

When the delivery person Miss Church finally arrived (after 5:30pm) she was driving her personal vehicle with only my luggage in her trunk. When I told her everything I had been through and that one of the many excuses I had been given was “bad weather in Houston” she just shook her head and laughed. She didn't even try to excuse the lies I had been fed.

This is the epitome of unprofessionalism and incompetence. I will avoid flying United at all costs in the future.

Location: Richardson, Texas

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