[ggeil]

The following is a copy of the letter I just emailed to United.

UNITED AIRLINES
Ms. Pamela Coslet
General Manager, Customer Relations
P.O. Box 66100
Chicago, IL 60666
Dear Pamela,
I am writing to request a refund. On August 29, I had 2 tickets booked on flight 0821 from Seattle to San Francisco, and then 2 tickets from San Francisco to Orange County on flight 6390. Flight 0821 was cancelled. I didn’t learn of this until I found a voicemail on my cell phone early that morning that didn’t arrive until after midnight.
Upon arrival to the airport I found the United Desks overflowing with people. After standing in line for 30 minutes I learned that I was in the wrong line. I was told by a very unsympathetic United employee that San Francisco passengers were to wait in “…that long line wrapping around the building.” After waiting 1 hour and moving 6 feet, I realized that it would be impossible to get booked on another flight that morning by anyone working for United Airlines. There were only 2 United employees working to handle a very long line of passengers. When I tried to explain my dilemma to the one United employee working the lines, I was told I would need to wait my turn. I attempted to explain that I am a Medical Doctor and needed to return home that day in order to be able to see my scheduled patients the next. I was rudely told to return to the line.
Subsequently, I went to the Alaska Airlines counter where I purchased 2 tickets from Seattle to Orange County. Not only were the Alaska employees kind and helpful, they escorted my daughter and I to the front of the security line so we could catch the morning flight.
United Airlines is solely responsible for our dilemma. First, flight 0821 was cancelled at an unusually late hour, and secondly, inadequate staffing made it impossible to be re-routed by United employees in anything close to a timely manner on any outgoing flights that morning. My only communication with United airlines was a phone message informing me that we would be booked on a flight the next morning, my 10th grade daughter’s first day of school.
I learned from other personnel at the Sea-Tac airport that United has a habit of hiring insufficient counter employees, and that my situation is very common. By any standard, United’s handling of my situation was appalling. I expect that you are equally disturbed by this account and that accordingly you will authorize a full refund for the two United tickets we had to return home with on August 29th. Better yet would be a refund for the total cost of booking tickets on Alaska Airlines.
Attached please find a photo of the line that morning which we took after standing in line for over 1 hour. Also please find attached receipts from Alaska Airlines totaling $743.40.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this letter.
Sincerely,
Catherine Geil, MD
cc: FAA, BBB, AAA of Southern California

[jimworcs]

Excellent, model letter of complaint. Please post the photograph somewhere and give us a link... United should pay for your Alaska flights.

[The_Judge]

I'm sure AS was delighted to see you. They just got 2 one way walk-up last minute fares. I'm surprised they didn't offer you the club or even an upgrade. A bit unfair to haul them into your complaint.

That said, I do hope they will refund your unused portion but want to tell you to hold out zero hope for the refund on AS. I think with your inclusion of the DOT (FAA) that they will prod AS into a positive result for you.