[AbiEndowed]

My flight from Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) was scheduled for 09:04am on 01/11/12. I got to DFW/the airport in time and queued at the United Airline E terminal as my flight was scheduled for United Airline judging from my flight number UA5206.
When I got to the top of the queue, I was asked where I was travelling to and my flight number by one of the female staff members who assisted me to use the computer portals by the check-in desk and my details were read and received by her and the computer-portal, she then passed my paperwork to another male staff member so that I could hand my luggage to him. He refused to accept my luggage and claimed that it was 2pounds over the limit and that I had to shed off some of the items in the luggage. I opened my suitcase and removed some items and beckoned to the same staff as he had moved off to assist the next person on the queue. He told me that I had to run the whole process again via the computer portals. I felt this was unneccessary as I had already done so within 5 minutes, but as he insisted, I proceeded and had to wait as other customers were using the computer portals. When I reached the portals and started to proceed, the portal rejected my data-entering, showing that the departure desk had closed.
At this time, I was furious as I could see people around me and did not understand how the desk could be closed with staffs everywhere and passengers still checking in. At this point I was referred to speak to a senior staff member (another woman), who informed me that my flight should have been at the D terminal on Air Canada and not on United Airline. Alas! how could I have known this? My flight number was a UA and not a AC, why did the woman that helped me earlier not have told me this?
It is illustrated on my itinerary which travel was scheduled to have being operated by Air Canada (18/10/12: LHR to Toronto was on AC0849 and AC7995 for Toronto to DFW.) My return was shown as UA5206 on 01/11/12 for DFW to Toronto and AC0848 on 02/11/12 for Toronto to LHR
At this point, I felt that the service/assistance I received from the United Airline check-in/counter staff was very appalling as well as confusing as they started passing me from pillar to post, with no sense of direction.
In the midst of my confusion, I was signposted to call the customer service on 18002416522. As soon as I stated my ticket number 0162084028178 and my booking code: D79VVH to the agent on the phone she confirmed my name and travel on United Airline and not Air Canada. As I was confused at this information, I explained my plight to her and she still insisted that it was United Airline. In order to confirm this information, I requested tthat I would get the desk senior staff so she could explain to her. I handed the phone to the Senior Staff that had non-chanlantly assisted me at that time. I am unsure as to what she told the agent on the phone who then reverted and stated that I was supposed to have been on Air Canada and had missed my flight.
The family I went to visit stay at Midland Odessa, which was 5/6 hours away by road and I had flew into Dallas the day before so as to catch the early flight back to London. On requesting for an alternative, as I had to return home on that day, I was only given options of either travelling back on 22/11/12 or to pay $2000+ for another flight in another airport that was 4 hours away (subject to traffic) and she could not confirm if I will be able to make it to that airport in time.
I felt abandoned on a strange island, the United Airline staff were not sympathetic at all, they did not understand that I was in transit and knew no one in Dallas. I had to haul my suitcases and drag myself from one terminal to the other like a destitute searching for alternative flights and finally found a seat on American Airlinewith connection on British Airways. I did not have a choice but to purchase a one-way ticket at $2185.70 (Imagine, my original return ticket is a third of this one-way price at 499 pounds sterling)
I am requesting that you please assist me to investigate the matter. I would greatly appreciatye that a refund of the $2185.70 be arranged as I strongly believe that the error made was as a result of misleading information by the airline. They had changed carriers without notification to the passengers and even their staff, otherwise the first staff member that assisted me should have informed me and I would have had enough time to board my flight.
Thank you as I look forward to your positive response in this regard.