Clueless United Airlines Breaks Customer Service

I don’t mean to be tiresome, but I feel an obligation to call lumbering, dumb-ass companies on their crap.

I’ve been trying to check in for my flight from Ottawa to Chicago tomorrow for 20 minutes using United’s “Easy Check-in” service. It started with an email reminder:

“Save time by checking in online at united.com. You can print your boarding documents from any printer or at an EasyCheck-in® kiosk at the airport. You can also choose to have a mobile boarding document sent to your mobile device for qualifying itineraries. Learn more about our mobile services.”

I clicked “Check in now.”

ERROR

The requested URL could not be retrieved

 

So I went to my Mileage Plus entrance to United. My mileage total was missing 50,000 miles, but that’s not what I was here for. I got to Easy Check-in, filled in my information, and clicked “Continue.”

It’s an international flight. Got to insert the date my passport was issued. Okay. Continue. “Please enter your correct state.” Silly me, my form-filler had put in California but United wanted CA. Continue.

Did I have any baggage? Yes, one bag. I’m whisked to another screen. Re-enter the credit card information we already have and your billing address so we can ding you $28 for carrying baggage. It rejects my credit card (a new United Mileage Plus VISA). I re-enter the number. Rejected. Again. Rejected. I get kicked out of the system.

Why am I not surprised? On January 28, I flew United 181 from Boston to San Francisco. First Class. I was incensed by the shoddy service. I ask for the email address of the CEO or marketing director. The steward told me “Somebody will get that for you.” No one did.

I wish these characters had to compete for customers rather than ride their franchises. Give me Jet Blue or Emirates or Virgin any day.

More than 10,000,000 people have watched United Breaks Guitars on YouTube. It’s high time for the UAL marketing department to watch. What do you think? I don’t expect any comments from them.

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