Why Air Travel on United is Just Awful: Check In
August 29, 2014
You know what’s sad? I just looked on my United app and I have at least 5 trips queued up to go. See, here in NPS-land, we’re stuck at a United hub. That is a total bummer.
Regular readers know that I have flown over 1.5 MILLION miles on United in a very loyal decade. But I am done with that. I decided this year to show United as much loyalty as they show me—none. Zippo. Zilch.
So we’ll fly most anybody as long as the timing works. Sadly, that keeps me on United more than I would like.
Lets dig into the checkin process at SFO as an example of why flying on United is painful. Here are a series of Vine/Tweets from this morning’s chaotic check in. This is the reality of what air travel has become.
the real @united "gold" checkin experience. this sucks. more like aluminum foil. https://t.co/WMWVlWhnw2
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) August 29, 2014
here is the tsapre line with a premier traffic jam. @united cannot run a line. real checkin process. https://t.co/kMCpQeYoj8
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) August 29, 2014
At least the United Club was a temporary respite.
finally some peace. the @united club in the 60-69 gate annex is more like it. real checkin process. https://t.co/a9o3glCsUY
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) August 29, 2014
But then it was cattle call boarding time. Upgrade for all that loyalty over the years? Are you kidding me??!
Great to be number 21 on the upgrade list when the cabin is checked full! @united rewards you for 1.5 million miles. NOT. This sucks smisek.
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) August 29, 2014
Hey @united, boarding group 2 not ok with me after a decade of loyal flying. Real checkin process.
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) August 29, 2014
Once we were finally on board (after starting 11 minutes late), we were informed that there was a baggage problem.
Baggage count problem. Now 30 minutes late and counting. Baggage guys recounting by hand for weight. Not good.
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) August 29, 2014
Ultimately, that delayed up 30 minutes.
But there is some good news. This 737-900 is a nice new plane and it is equipped with wifi. So I can make this posting. And there is an extra 30 minutes to do it in too!
My advice to you flyers out there. United is not a good airline, so try another. Any other. (And Jeff Smisek still needs to be fired.)
Filed in united
Tags: flying, horrible, jeff smisek, jeff smisek sucks, san francisco, travel, united, united airlines, United Club, washington DC