Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should, but why didn't you check your boarding passes earlier? Also get the app.

I have the app. I didn’t check in until I was on the way to the airport. We didn’t even book these flights until two weeks ago. I don’t ever check my seats until boarding. This has never happened to us before.

OK well you don’t sound very smart. Or at least you’re not a very savvy traveler. You shouldn’t be checking in on your way to the airport. Did you check in about a day before. And who doesn’t look at their seat assignments until they board?? Unless you don’t care at all where you were sitting, you shouldn’t be doing that. If you care where you are sitting, you should be checking in a day before, and looking at your seats and making sure they are OK.

I mean you check in on the way to the airport and they don’t even look at your seat assignments and then complain at the gate? That’s just dumb

I cannot stand people like you. It is crap that airlines do this. They should not be allowed to sneakily do so. This is a company problem not an OP failing.

Absolutely no one is saying the airlines "should be allowed" to do this. No one. Lobby Congress, get the laws changed, vote with your feet, whatever you think will work. I fully support it. In the meantime I'm going to jump through these extra hoops to minimize disruption to my travel. That should not be construed as my condoning airline behavior. Merely accepting it.

And no I'm not an airline rep. Good grief. I effing hate United but they are sometimes a neccessary evil. I'm not willing to pay a bunch more or take a convoluted route to avoid them either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should, but why didn't you check your boarding passes earlier? Also get the app.

I have the app. I didn’t check in until I was on the way to the airport. We didn’t even book these flights until two weeks ago. I don’t ever check my seats until boarding. This has never happened to us before.

Troll?

The first post said OP always books early, this post says op booked 2 weeks ago

Not OP or PP but 2 weeks would be booking early for us.

OP here. We fly often. We flew November, December, January, February and this was a last minute trip so I guess I didn’t book this trip that far in advance. We are going away next month and I booked that trip almost 5 months in advance.

Now I know you are a troll. People who fly that often are much more airline savvy.

I am not a troll. We fly often. This is the first time this has ever happened to us.

Do you fly United every time you fly? I ask because flying monthly should get you some level of gold or silver status on United. This makes it less likely (but still possible ofc) to get your seats reassigned apart and you don’t have to pay to sit together - either more desirable economy seats or in some cases, economy plus seats, are free.

Also, do you book directly with the airline or through something like Expedia? When that doctor made the news getting tossed from a plan 5+ years ago, they talked about how priority works in getting bumped: class of ticket, mileage program member or not, booked through third party discounter or not, etc.

Just something to think about in the future - obviously what happened was annoying.

I’m poster 09:24. We have silver status and book directly through the United site. Made no difference. In fact, now that you mention it, all three times we had front row/extra legroom seats. Guess those are the first seats to go when they change aircraft’s.

Also, the amount of United reps on this thread is comical. You can tell exactly who they are.

Do you honestly think United sends their reps to scour the internet and respond anonymously to complaints? C’mon man.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should, but why didn't you check your boarding passes earlier? Also get the app.

I have the app. I didn’t check in until I was on the way to the airport. We didn’t even book these flights until two weeks ago. I don’t ever check my seats until boarding. This has never happened to us before.

Troll?

The first post said OP always books early, this post says op booked 2 weeks ago

Not OP or PP but 2 weeks would be booking early for us.

OP here. We fly often. We flew November, December, January, February and this was a last minute trip so I guess I didn’t book this trip that far in advance. We are going away next month and I booked that trip almost 5 months in advance.

Now I know you are a troll. People who fly that often are much more airline savvy.

I am not a troll. We fly often. This is the first time this has ever happened to us.

Do you fly United every time you fly? I ask because flying monthly should get you some level of gold or silver status on United. This makes it less likely (but still possible ofc) to get your seats reassigned apart and you don’t have to pay to sit together - either more desirable economy seats or in some cases, economy plus seats, are free.

Also, do you book directly with the airline or through something like Expedia? When that doctor made the news getting tossed from a plan 5+ years ago, they talked about how priority works in getting bumped: class of ticket, mileage program member or not, booked through third party discounter or not, etc.

Just something to think about in the future - obviously what happened was annoying.

I’m poster 09:24. We have silver status and book directly through the United site. Made no difference. In fact, now that you mention it, all three times we had front row/extra legroom seats. Guess those are the first seats to go when they change aircraft’s.

Also, the amount of United reps on this thread is comical. You can tell exactly who they are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should, but why didn't you check your boarding passes earlier? Also get the app.

I have the app. I didn’t check in until I was on the way to the airport. We didn’t even book these flights until two weeks ago. I don’t ever check my seats until boarding. This has never happened to us before.

OK well you don’t sound very smart. Or at least you’re not a very savvy traveler. You shouldn’t be checking in on your way to the airport. Did you check in about a day before. And who doesn’t look at their seat assignments until they board?? Unless you don’t care at all where you were sitting, you shouldn’t be doing that. If you care where you are sitting, you should be checking in a day before, and looking at your seats and making sure they are OK.

I mean you check in on the way to the airport and they don’t even look at your seat assignments and then complain at the gate? That’s just dumb

I cannot stand people like you. It is crap that airlines do this. They should not be allowed to sneakily do so. This is a company problem not an OP failing.

Anonymous wrote:In this new digital world, I screenshot everything! I usually go through once a month or so and delete all the screenshots I no longer need, but you’d be surprised how often they come in handy!

The airline can see what your previous seat assignments were. Not sure what a screenshot will do to help you.

In this new digital world, I screenshot everything! I usually go through once a month or so and delete all the screenshots I no longer need, but you’d be surprised how often they come in handy!

This happened to me with United. I checked in online 24 hours in advance on the app with seat assignment and I paid for economy plus. Got to the airport , checked in through security with my boarding Pas. . While at the gate, got a notice that I “hadn’t checked in” and when I opened app, boarding Pass assigned a new seat in economy. Had to go to gate agent. My seat was given away but they could see I bought the upgrade so they gave me one they had left. None of us understood what was happening.

PP here...actually our son was 6, I got the year mixed up. What's funny is on the return flight I sat with out son. My H sat next to half of a couple; they asked if he would switch so they could sit together and he was like sure, no problem. So it's not like I'm tied to the seat I get assigned; I just don't think children should be randomly assigned elsewhere alone. It just makes so little sense for anybody, and feels like it would be a good PR move for an airline to guarantee something like that.

Yes, this happened to us, on a direct flight to Hawaii. We checked our reservations regularly and my husband noticed the change the night before, he called immediately, and was told that no change could be made until we were at the gate. Then at the gate, the gate agent was very slow to try to make any changes. Our son was 7 at the time and it was a ten hour plus flight. This was business class, and I'm sure no one wanted to pay for business class to Hawaii and randomly sit next to a child for ten hours. Finally the gate agent got someone to change so our child could sit next to my husband. I understand things change but the airline should be able to keep a child under 10 next to one of the adults on the same reservation. Our kid is 10 now and while it wouldn't be ideal, he'd be fine sitting by himself. But at 7 on that long of flight? Sorry but no.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I swear there are airline lobbyists trolling this thread. As if everything that goes wrong is user error. Sheesh. Zero accountability.

Yes. So many airline apologists trying to gaslight people into believing that they aren't "well-traveled enough" (a DC burn) or didn't manage their time properly (another DC burn) when the airline completely screws them over.

Not an apologist -- however its clear on this forum many many people do not understand how airlines operate. And they're quick the blame things on the airline that could have been avoided with a little due diligence and getting ahead of things before they become an issue. Notice your seats were changed? Call the airline ahead of time or sort it out with the gate agent before you get on the plane. Don't get on and clog up the boarding process trying to get other people to switch.

OP here. I noticed when we were getting ready to board so they weren’t even done with first class yet. I’m group 2 so was on the plane right away when most of the plane was empty. They did end up getting my two younger kids seated with me. Oldest sat several rows behind us.

I thought United would at minimum send us a notification that our seats were changed. I will be sure to check in the future. It seems it is somewhat common to reassign seats.

Dh and I usually do spend a minute to see where we are sitting, usually to decide who sits with which kids. He wasn’t there so….

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Anonymous wrote:Yes, they should but you should get a few days prior and the night before. They probably changed planes. I'd ask for the money back.

Sometimes a plane swap doesn't happen until the last minute.

You should still get your money back.

Ha! I booked the more expensive of two flights well in advance because it was a much better fight for us. The day before the flight they switched us to the cheaper flight that was truly a terrible option. No refund.

They would definitely have refunded you. Or moved you to another flight you preferred over the one they chose. Knowing your options matters.

They didn't, and there was not other flight by then. But thanks for the tip. lol.

Then you did it wrong, or didn't speak to the right person. But no telling you anything! You know it all!

Same with the PP with the diaper bag. I don't understand how she walked away from that situation without getting rebooked or at least refunded. She should have asked for a supervisor and not left until they got her sorted.

The gate agents just walked away. The flight left and they refused to help us. We went to the main desk and they told me there was nothing to be done as I didn't take the flight offered. I was told there was no one to talk to and they couldn't help me. I wrote a letter to the airline to no response. I emailed my Congressperson (I was in DC) and got a form letter back.

What about your husband? They DID deny him boarding. When/how did they rebook him? This story gets less believeable by the minute. Did you call the airline 800 number? There is no way this happened the way you described.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I swear there are airline lobbyists trolling this thread. As if everything that goes wrong is user error. Sheesh. Zero accountability.

Yes. So many airline apologists trying to gaslight people into believing that they aren't "well-traveled enough" (a DC burn) or didn't manage their time properly (another DC burn) when the airline completely screws them over.

Not an apologist -- however its clear on this forum many many people do not understand how airlines operate. And they're quick the blame things on the airline that could have been avoided with a little due diligence and getting ahead of things before they become an issue. Notice your seats were changed? Call the airline ahead of time or sort it out with the gate agent before you get on the plane. Don't get on and clog up the boarding process trying to get other people to switch.

+1 to all of this.

Of course things happen while flying that you don't want to happen or are unhappy with. Schedules change. Airplane break. Weather happens. But there are ways to watch and anticipate problems before they occur and then know how to properly deal with them when they happen. These are big airlines and lots of flight changes, rebookings, seat assignment changes, etc, happen automatically and without some big bad boogie man purposely doing this to you or your family. No airline is immune. No passenger is immune. But it says a lot about you with how you handle it.

I always wonder who the people are that are standing there yelling at gate agents - I suspect its a lot of people on this thread!