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United Airlines

2.0
228 complaints

Address

77 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, 60601

United Airlines faces significant operational and customer service challenges, with flight delays/cancellations, rude staff interactions, excessive baggage fees, and pricing discrepancies being the dominant complaint categories. Customers consistently report poor accessibility support, long wait times, and a lack of proactive communication during disruptions.

Common Issues

28% (64)
delayedcancelledpostponed
22% (50)
rude employeeunprofessionalunhelpful
18% (41)
carry-on chargechecked baggage feelost luggage
14% (32)
price increaseunauthorized chargehidden fees
12% (27)
long hold timesno assistanceunable to reach

Complaints

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Melvin Ritchie

Jun 23, 2018

We wen on vacation on May 21 2018 and on our first flight in Cincinnati was cancelled so they helped get us new flights.

We were told everything was good we were to fly to Chicago leave at 10 am and then our connecting flight was at 5 pm ok good.

We get to Chicago and go to check on our next flight and to our surprise it is at 5 pm the next day.

We wait in a line for 3 hours to get things straightened out and they got us a room and a meal for the night and left the next morning needless to say it put everything a day behind and we lost money on our hotel where we were staying and had to rebook.

On our way home 06/18/2018 same sort of thing everything was good till again in Chicago.

We get to Chicago and were running close on our next flight and we have to recheck our baggage and stand…

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Barbara D Holder

Jun 22, 2018

I arrived from after a five hour wait at Dallas airport to Chicago Illinois, Monday June 18, 2018 upon arriving I was told my luggage didn't arrive .

I filled out a form. on Tuesday I was told that the luggage was ready for pickup.

I called and informed them that I was a senior and lived in Indiana.

They said we will have it delivered.

Wednesday I received a notice that my luggage was on its way.

Thursday I received a message that it had been delivered.

I called and stated it has not been delivered I'm at home and no one has come.

Friday I called and was informed that the luggage was scheduled for delivery on Saturday morning.

I expressed my anger and they connected me to a supervisor.

Upopn speaking with the supervisor she said the delivery company was going to call me.…

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Shelia Williams

Jun 8, 2018

We had a Flight on Sunday May 27, 2018 Flight# UA6185K to Las Vagas.

SJ Williams, Shelia Williams, and Makenzii Williams.

We had set on the aircraft for for 5 hours before they told us to get off the plane due to mechanic problems.

When we got off the airplane we had to get in line to re-route us to our destination.

But we didn't a flight out until 10:00 PM central time.

When we arrived in Houston, TX they said they was going to put us up in one of the airport hotel.

They took us out to a Holiday Inn that we wasn't aware of.

I lost money at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas we had to pay for a day that we wasn't there and had reservation to go to the Grand Canyon which was pre-paid in advance and lost money their too.

United Airline is responsible to give us our money for our lost…

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Howard Hashimoto

Apr 14, 2018

On a 6 day trip to Japan with a stop over in Guam on October 7, 2017.

Did not receive our bags when we landed so we filed a claim (File Ref # GUM 16950M) at the United missing bag department in Guam on October 8.

Filed a Customer Property Claim Form (Interim) on October 26, 2017 because we did not receive our bags for 4 days.

About 12/20/2017, I called the Baggage Resolution Center and they said I had filed a loss claim so I had to resubmit an Interim claim.

I do have the original copy which shows that I had submitted an Interim claim.

Resubmitted an Interim claim on January 10, 2018.

Was told by the claim department that the processing would be done by March 19th but have not gotten any response.

All the copies of tickets and baggage claim receipts were submitted with Interim…

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george elias

Mar 18, 2018

my name is George Elias I was traveling from Cleveland Ohio to Beirut Lebanon on the 18th of Feb 2018, My confirmation # was ET840N all my fights starting from Cleveland (an hour delay) to Houston were my flight was also delayed Germany were delayed, therefore I missed my MEA flight in Germany to go to Lebanon.

This was a horrible experience.

I'm sorry to say it was my worse travel experience with United airline .

I addition, the driver who was suppose to take me from Beirut to north Lebanon, left me at midnight and I ended sleeping on the benches in the airport.

I would like to be compensated for the agony that I experienced in this ordeal trip.

Please advise.

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Ron Sasina

Mar 14, 2018

I am stunned by the stupidity of your flight attendant who required a dog to be put in the overhead baggage space.

An unquestionably disgraceful action to take.

You have taken responsibility; however, the flight attendant has not and hides behind a false statement.

Please do more than reprimand this employee and terminate her employment with your company.

Likewise, other attendants on the flight should be asked why they did not intervene.

This situation makes it impossible to ever fly with your airline again.

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arlene caplan

Mar 13, 2018

i tried to make a reservation from pbi to ewr on tuesday, march 6th. i tried to make the reservation less than 3 weeks out. i have a lot of miles. i used to have a united plus credit card, but i found it so difficult to use the mileage i closed it out. in trying to make this reservation i was offered 60,000 miles and over $200.

00 a ticket. the retail price of the ticket when i called was 16.

00 more a ticket. when i said to the reservationist on the phone that it doesn't make any sense i wasn't saving anything and she agreed. i tried again today to make a reservation using miles to go from pbi to ewr on tuesday or wednesday march 27th or 28th returning on monday april 2. i was told i had to use 50,000 miles each for the return flight because there was no economy tickets for mileage on…

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mike.mccoy@greatwesternbank.com

Feb 13, 2018

We flew AL 1655 back from Cancun 2-10-18.

They were late getting there due to a late inbound flight (as emailed from UAL).

We got into Chicago late, with the majority of the plane having connections.

When we got there we were running through customs when a guy from ??? gave us express tags.

Fine, but no one new what do with them.

Got down to claim and recheck bags, gal said too bad, you missed your flight, even though there was 20 -25 minutes left.

Then the Sh&t show began.

The ticket agents claimed weather was the issue and basically F-You..this went all around until they finally gave out some vouchers, after security called, plus mgt.

This continued the next day..

Rescheduled 3rd flight, no help at counters, ect..

Still out another $150 bucks plus my extra day to relax.

Hard…

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Alexandra Tountas

Feb 7, 2018

When booking my flight from Houston to Chicago on February 25, 2018 I was double charged $188.

30.

I called Reservations on 2/3 as soon as I saw it was deducted from my bank account twice.

My Confirmation number is IMNTVR.

I've called every day since 2/3 and spoke to numerous Supervisors, Sasha, Andy, Frank, etc. who insist that I will get my refund within "24 hours".

However, even after my Banker called stating that she needs a simple note on United letterhead, the Supervisor, Frank, insisted that they have no way to send a fax or email to release my funds.

It is now 4 days later and I still have not received my refund for the duplicate charge.

My banker says you have it on hold until Feb.

9, 2018.

No one at United knows HOW to release this hold.

I find it ridiculous that even…

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Peggy Strutz

Jan 28, 2018

My sister and I had received a credit in the amount of $125.

00 each last April.

I called and spoke with your service department to retrieve the certificate numbers to book another flight.

They told me that they have no record of this.

What is going on?

You did send me an email with the certificate numbers last April but (totally my fault) I may have deleted them by accident.

I am disappointed that you would keep a record of this for your files.

How do I obtain my credit?

Our names are Peggy Strutz and Karen Strutz flew last April from Phoenix, AZ to Washington DC My phone number is 480-244-5473 My email address is pegstrutz@yahoo.com Hopefully you can rectify this situation. thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Peggy Strutz

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Howard hogan

Jan 20, 2018

Let me preface, I have enjoyed flying united historically and will continue using your airline in the future.

This experience was an oulier for us, but I believe should be shared.

My wife, daughter and I were flying from DIA to OHare this past week and had a connecting flight to Asheville at O'Hare.

The flight from DIA was delayed and we were tight against the connecting flight.

We asked the flight attendant if she would be able to help us if the time was very tight when we landed by calling the other gate when we landed to let them know we were on our way.

The flight attendant told us that she was not allowed to do so, which we found strange because airlines in the past have done so before.

When we landed we found out the gate changed to a terminal on the other side of O'Hare, we…

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gary kaufman

Jan 18, 2018

made reservations #p8r23k many months ago.

I was assighned seat 17 d/e from Chicago to san juan.

After my wife and I were in our seats two other people came by with the same seats on their boarding pass and the seats on our boarding pass.

Solution was to have us gather all our belongings up and move to the back of the plane.

I had these seats for months and was already sitting in them so why did I have to move.

This was very inconvenient and to the BACK of the plane in undesirable seats.

Please explain this action and why I should fly with United again.

Gary Kaufman

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+Joyce Rubin. ( 848-205-5696) and Myrna Lop (702--275-0089

Dec 31, 2017

We are two handicapped seniors who had booked a round trip flight from Newark, NJ on 12/4/17 to Las Vegas, Nevada.

We had requested, and were seated in the bulkhead because we both have leg problems.

We had also requested wheelchairs at curbside which were not provided and had to walk into the airport lobby to wait for them.

The flights were a disaster.

The seats were made smaller and the lavatories were not accessible to handicapped passengers.

We had to walk from the front of the plane all the way to the back of the plane to use the lavatory and then had to stand fifteen minutes or more because of the crowd of passengers waiting to use two lavatories.

The flight attendants finally allowed us to use the lavatories in first class which did not make the first class passengers very…

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Donald Usher

Nov 2, 2017

My name is Barbara Mendehall Prince, My husband was a pilot for you and had a crash and was killed in the 80s I had two children at the time and was all alone to take care of my young children, until this young gentleman a friend of my husbands decided to marry me and take care of me and my kids.

Well im 77 years old and am traveling except I have to pay alot of money to fly because you took away my flying privileges away because I remarried.

I think that is very unfair and I will never have my husband back and he worked hard for you and he is in heaven and Ive been flying a different airlines but I don 't know how long I have left so I would like to fly United one more time for my husband.

I'm going to maine for a wedding next year so if you can help with the price I would really…

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Leslie Murphy

Nov 1, 2017

On October 14th, 2017, my husband (Tom) and I flew United Airlines from Great Falls Montana, to West Palm Beach Florida.

My husband had a board meeting he had to attend in West Beach Florida the following day.

We left early in the morning on Saturday the 14th to make a connection in Denver, etc.

The plane could not land in Denver because of fog and then because of fuel shortage landed in Wyoming to re fuel.

We spent almost 2 and a half hours on the landing strip in the airplane in Wyoming and then flew back to Denver to land.

Because of such a long delay we missed our connection and had to wait in a customer service line- (the only one open at the time) for three hours to speak to a representative.

Finally after 6 hours we were told we had to spend the night in Denver and we could…

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Nicholas Harvey II

Nov 1, 2017

On 10/9/17, I had take a United flight from Akron Ohio(flight UA4716) to Houston TX with a layover in Chicago(flight UA1218).

While in Chicago, they informed me that I had to leave my carry on luggage at the end of the walkway so that they can put underneath the plane(cargo) area.

When I arrived at Bush airport in Houston, they had informed me that my baggage was still left in Chicago on the walkway and that they never put it on the plane.

Unfortunately my car keys were in the bag(baggage #4016 997852).

Therefore, I had to take an uber to and from the airport to my home, which cost $45 each way.

In addition, I had to take an uber to work that morning costing me another $9.

Lastly, I had to pay for an extra night of storage for my vehicle($8) since I couldn't drive it home.

I am very…

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Elisabeth E. Hau

Oct 31, 2017

The complaints are many.

Dating back to Dec.

2016 and Jan.

2017, but my latest is this.

On my last flight with U.

N. this is what happened.

On Oct.

23 2017 i had a flight from PWM to EWR and then from EWR to SNA.

My almost new luggage was badly damaged for one thing.

It is a hard cover case the corner was crushed plus it has a cut on the side, and can't be repaired.

Also I had given when i booked in september row 8 from EWR to SNA why this was then changed to row 23A I don't know.

I have a problem with my hip and walking that far back was a problem for me.

Also ;when going to the lounge at EWR with my voucher I was told by a very nasty counter employee no. even so, one other lady said yes come on in.

The shenanigans by UN is over the top.

I feel discriminated I needed a…

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GERALDINE PAGE

Oct 31, 2017

THE FLIGHT WAS CANCELLED FROM MIAMI TO NEWARK NEW JERSEY, I ACCEPTED THAT THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS WITH THE AGENTS AT THE TICKET COUNTER TO CHANGE MY FLIGHT.

I FELT LIKE THEY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ME BECAUSE I WAS A BLACK WOMEN AND THE REASON I SAY THIS IS BECAUSE WHEN I GOT TO THE COUNTER TO CHANGE MY FLIGHT FOR A LATER FLIGHT I WAS TOLD THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLIGHT WAS THE NEXT DAY AT 11:45 I ASK THE AGENT DID HE HAVE ANYTHING EARLIER AND I WAS TOLD NO.

SO I GOT OUT OF LINE AND THE CUSTOMER BEHIND ME TOLD ME SHE WAS GIVEN 9:45 PM THE SAME NIGHT.

I WAS VERY UPSET WHEN I HEARD THAT SO I GOT IN ANOTHER LINE THEN THEY TOLE ME THE COULD GIVE ME A FLIGHT THE NEXT DAY AT 7:30AM THE NEXT MORNING, I SAID OKAY THE AGENT TOOK ALONG TIME PROCESSING WHILE SHE WAS SPEAKING SPANISH TO HER CO WORKER AN…

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Ulrich Schaupp

Oct 21, 2017

Confirmation CZP48Q Flight UA 106 Sept.

23 still waiting for partial refund for me and my wife on this flight no AUDIO or internet food was terrible ! long time frequent flyer Ulrich Schaupp AR 821024

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Raymond and Mary Stefanacci

Oct 12, 2017

while my flt mileage from newark nj to denver was 1604 miles each way ie 3208 times 2 tickets=6416 miles ,i only received 595 miles per ticket=1190 total miles. im told by united that i am only entitled to this amount based on the cost of the ticket not the miles actually flown.i have been saving my points for a trip to europe for my wife and i and i am very displeased with this policy. was i wrong to believe that your mileage plus program does not mean the miles traveled????

I drove from pa. to newark just to get a united flt. i believe i should be awarded the difference between the 6416 mileage indicated on my itinerary and the 1190 issued me. if this is your policy, their are many other airlines to choose from. i have only chosen united over other carriers and now that i am retired and…

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Rather not say

Oct 4, 2017

The flight from Kauai this last Friday night , the flight attendants definitely had attitudes.

I'm not sure if burned out is the word, or underlying completely sick of customers.

I strongly suggest they fly on a SouthWest to experience real warm customer service.

And frankly, I thought I was possibly treated with disdain because of my race.

I am white.

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yannick neveux

Sep 21, 2017

After my inbound flight (UA1821) (with United) was reschedule to the next because of extra time necessary for check-in to confirm by agent that I am indeed allowed to travel with my french passport despite an original booking with my Canadian one, I was told very nicely by agent that everything was ok with my return ticket... yet when I went to the Air Canada check-in counter over 2hrs prior my return flight (AC176) I was told that their system was showing my return suspended by United and to call United as they owned the ticket...which I did and was told to go to United check-in....which I did to find it deserted...by the time someone showed-up I had missed my flight....to be told that United system had no trace of my booking or even of me flying with United the night before and that's…

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Patricia Schulke

Sep 11, 2017

440-420-9923 I booked a flight for Thursday Sept 7th 2017 for PM thinking I was booking for AM When I went to check in I REALIZED MY MISTAKE.

MYGRAND DAUGHTER NEEDED TO BE THER Thursday MORNING .

When I tried to change reservations to am the only options I was given was to cancel reservations and rebook which cost me another 338$ X 3 for changing only the going to NY reservation We were keeping return flight.

The plane we were changed to was empty.

I was told ticket prices were like a bucket system , if plane is empty cheap.

I do not think that flight was close to reasonable and will consider taking another airline before using United again .

I do not think they were very sympathetic

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EDITH SHANKLES

Sep 3, 2017

on august 10th I had a international flight to India which had to be changed cause of a problem with the visa...we were told no additional fees cause of the problem I had incurred...then I was told there was an additional fee of $1056.

00 cause of the ticket change... the agent I talked with said when I returned to the states to call ya cause the $700.

00 of the $1056.

00 would be refunded...however when I called them today they tell me no u can not get anything back...the agent lied to me...ya need to teach your agents to be honest.... using United Airlines I will never use...and I will make sure this is well known...this is not how u run a business.!!!

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Margaret G Dew

Aug 30, 2017

Experienced a five hour delay on my trip to Taiwan but on the way back, I experienced a seven hour delay.

Staff response was terrible.

Did not see a steward for five hours.

Pilot discouraged passengers from departing the plane but when the heat became unbearable we left only to be turned right back to the plane which still did not take off for two hours.

Pilot kept saying we were departing when clearly we were not.

I asked for water too take medication and was ignored.

As mentioned did not see a steward again for five hours.

In first class there was air conditioning and water so clearly the staff had the capacity to treat passengers as human beings just not if you weren't in first class.

The customer service has been abysmal regarding my complaints.

I was on hold 45 minutes only…

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