Sep 19th, 2007
United Airlines phone reservations agent awful!
On
Since I had only carry-on bags, I was able to bypass the extremely long line at the check-in counter and get my boarding passes electronically through the United ticket kiosk. That was nice.
However, 15-20 minutes later, United ticket counter personnel made a general announcement stating that flight #5575 was delayed due to fog at SFO, with departure now expected at
Given the extremely long line of people waiting at the United ticket counter, I opted to try calling the United reservations phone number. This is where my problems really began.
The reservations person I spoke to on the phone (I believe his name was “Martin” – although I suspect this was actually a fictitious name since he had a very thick, Eastern Indian-sounding accent), was very difficult to understand and offered very little help. After explaining my situation and my interest in ensuring that I arrive in Utah as soon as possible (it was my 26-year wedding anniversary), he told me that there were SFO to
Unfortunately, Martin told me, he would be unable to make any changes to my reservation since I had already checked in at the airport. The only option, Martin explained, was to go to the checkout counter at
Given that the line was even longer now, this did not seem like a tenable option. I then asked if I could speak to Martin’s supervisor, thinking that perhaps he/she would understand my plight and be able to override such policies/procedures and be able to change my reservation. My request to speak to a supervisor was met with indignation. Why do you want to speak to a supervisor, I was asked? Is there something I can do to help you, he asked?
No, you’ve already told me you cannot update my reservation, I said, so I’d like to speak to a supervisor. I was then put on hold for what seemed to be 90 to 120 seconds (terribly long), before a woman picked up my line.
After several minutes, I finally realized that this person was a United Mileage Plus employee and that she would be unable to help me with my request to change my reservation. (She also had a thick, Indian-sounding accent that was also difficult to understand.) When I asked if she could connect me to United reservations, I was told no and asked to call back on the reservations line.
So I hung up, redialed United reservations, and guess who answered my call? Correct – Martin. After I explained that I had already spoken with him and had asked to be connected to a supervisor, but had instead been connected with Mileage Plus, he amazingly acted as if he did not remember my call. (This was surprising as it had been less than 10 minutes since we had last spoken.)
But instead of connecting me to a supervisor, he proceeded to ask me for my Mileage Plus information and the like. I was now told that both the
“Martin” then complied and within half a minute I was speaking to a supervisor. After explaining the entire mess to her and my predicament, she was finally able to get me booked onto the
When everything was said and done, I did catch the 5575 flight from Eureka/Arcata to SFO. We arrived about 10 minutes after my next flight (#548) was slated to depart.
However, the plane was still at the gate and United personnel were still checking in travelers, so with my original boarding pass for flight #548 in hand, I was able to board flight #548 and make it into SLC about 20 minutes later than originally scheduled. For that, I am grateful.
However . . . maybe “Martin” is just a bad agent. But my experience this past Sunday with United Reservations was awful!
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce