United Does Not Keep Its Customer Commitments ...

	United Customer Commitments	UA/CO132
1	Advise about lowest available fares	N/A
2	Notify customers of known delays, cancellations and diversions	FAILED
3	Deliver baggage on time	OK
4	Allow reservations to be cancelled for a certain period after purchase	N/A
5	Provide prompt ticket refunds	N/A
6	Properly accommodate passengers with disabilities and other special needs	FAILED
7	Meet customers' essential needs during lengthy tarmac delays	FAILED
8	Treat passengers fairly and consistently in the case of oversales	N/A
9	Disclose cancellation policies, frequent flyer rules, aircraft seating configuration and lavatory availability	OK
10	Notify customers about travel itinerary changes in a timely manner	FAILED
11	Ensure responsiveness to customer complaints	FAILED
12	Provide services to mitigate inconveniences resulting from cancellations and misconnections.	FAILED

A quick search on the internet shows that these are apparently not shortcomings limited to this flight, but rather the symptoms of systemic problems at United.

Every prospective passenger is well advised to weigh the actual risks that are associated with choosing United before booking a flight with this airline.

What the United-Continental merger really means for passengers

Many airlines apply common sense and respect their customers, which turns out to also be a good business strategy for them. UNITED/CONTINENTAL APPARENTLY DOES NOT.

Passengers on all flights originating from European soil (no matter their citizenship) are protected from irresponsible airline behavior since 2004 through European Regulation 261/2004, requiring a €600 compensation payable to each passenger on a long-haul flight delayed for more than 4 hours. Airlines, irrespective of their home base country, are also required to inform passengers of their rights under this law while the delay happens.

Below some accounts of problems unrelated to the initial flight which were encountered by passengers of UA/CO132 on their respective connecting flights and their return flights.
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Below the account of the return flight of one of our fellow United 132 passengers:


I flew back from Paris to Dulles on January 3 on United/Continental flight 133 departing from Paris at 5 pm. Once inside the plane, we were told that there would be a stop in Gander, Newfoundland, to refuel, and that we would arrive at 9 pm. According to the PA this was due to bad weather. From a conversation with my neighbor on CO flight 132 on Dec. 22, however, I knew that this happens very often on United flights from Paris to Dulles: the planes are very small and cannot carry enough fuel to cross the Atlantic without stopping for refueling. On the Charles the Gaulle web site, the scheduled arrival time was 6.15 pm, which corresponds to the normal travel time for a direct flight from Paris to Dulles. On my United ticket, the scheduled arrival time was 8.15 pm, meaning that United knew, months in advance, that the plane would stop for refueling on the way. Of course when they sell the tickets they don't mention this stop, and the flight is sold as a direct flight. The crew told us they did not know about the stop before boarding the plane, which cannot be true.
Upon arrival, we waited for 15 minutes for United agents to arrive before we could exit the plane. This additional delay caused passengers in transit to miss their connecting flights and be stuck in Dulles for the night. The captain apologized for this, and said he hoped passengers would complain to Mr. Smisek, CEO of United, "responsible for the merger with Continental that causes all these problems."

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Another United 132 passenger about the return flight:

The same thing happened to me on my return flight from Paris to Dulles.  We refueled in Boston and I missed my connecting flight in Dulles to Denver and had to once again stay in DC and take a flight the next day.

I was delayed an additional 12 hours because of that delay. We arrived in DC at 12:30am and once again I was shipping off to hotels in the DC area.  I slept from 2:30am to 5:30am to then return to the airport AND my flight the next day was delayed an hour due to mechanical issues.

Timeline of events surrounding flight United 132

Dec 21, 2011	07:00 PM	Passengers asking whether the plane is delayed are told that the plane will leave at 11:30pm. Those not asking are not told. The reason for the delay given to passengers who are asking is that crew members are missing. There is no public announcement.
	09:30 PM	The airport screens are still showing the departure at 10pm, status “ON TIME”
	09:40 PM	A public announcement (PA) is made at the gate that the plane has to be changed. The information that the plane will not leave before 11:30pm is shared with all passengers.
	09:50 PM	A PA is made that all seats have to be reassigned because the plane had to be changed (“Plane changes happen all the time.”) but since the United and Continental IT systems cannot talk to each other, all seats have to be assigned manually. All passengers have to line up to receive new seats. Passengers are told that there are 30 seats fewer on the new airplane and that some passengers will not be allowed to travel on this flight. Passengers with children pointing out that their young children wont be able to sit with the rest of the family are told “You get what you get.”
	10:00 PM	Passengers who receive their new seats are repeatedly told that this situation is Continental HQ's fault by United gate staff, “They don't care. They are letting us die here.”
	10:30 PM	PA: There is a technical issue (a “leak”) with the airplane and that the maintenance crew is working on it. Also, the crew and First Officer are here now, but the Captain is missing. Has to be flown in from Newark, his plane will land at 11:50pm.
	10:40 PM	Passengers requesting food and beverages, since restaurants are closed since 9pm, are told that Continental HQ is “simply not approving it.” United staff says, “They simply don't care, they let us hanging, too.”
	11:40 PM	An PA is made that the flight is canceled due to a missing part that has to be flown in from Newark.
	11:55 PM	Customers are given the following instructions through a PA: line up to get hotel voucher (including 2 x $15 f&b voucher for hotel), take shuttle bus, be back at airport at 7am, get new boarding pass at luggage check-in, luggage will remain in plane, flight will depart at 9:15am
Dec 22, 2011	02:15 AM	The last passengers receive their hotel vouchers.
	02:20 AM	Passengers foreseeing a situation where all facilities and public transportation are not available in the middle of the night in Paris the next day, and asking for assurances regarding transportation and hotel receive as an initial response “It's not going to happen.” A few passengers' requests are taken into account and notes are added to their travel file advising Paris staff to provide hotel rooms.
	02:30 AM	Customers on the way to the shuttle are told by the flight crew also that they did not know when the flight would depart the next day and are told to “check on continental.com”. At check-in, passengers are strongly advised by the hotel staff to leave at 6:30am at latest or risk missing the flight.
	03:00 AM	There is still a long line at the check-in desk at the hotel to receive room keys.
	03:45 AM	The last passengers get their room keys.
	06:00 AM	Some passengers manage to get a breakfast. The kitchen was closed before passengers arrived and opened around the time passenger shuttles began running to get passengers back to the airport. Most passengers cannot use their f&b vouchers except for a small shop next to the reception desk. Not all customers are aware of this shop.
	07:00 AM	Passengers are told at the luggage check-in desks that they can proceed to the security control directly and do not require a new boarding pass if they have “two stripes” across their boarding pass. However, some passengers do not have the two stripes and have to line up to get new boarding passes.
	07:30 AM	The first passengers are back at gate D15. The gate is not manned, there is no United/Continental staff.
	07:35 AM	Passengers asking at the United customer service desk are told that United/Continental staff is scheduled to appear at gate D15 at 9am. In other words, there will be no staff before 9am.
	09:00 AM	Ground crew appears at gate D15.
	09:05 AM	PA: "The flight crew was told that the flight will depart at 11am. The flight crew is therefore not here. Their bus is scheduled to pick them up at the hotel at 10am. The bus pickup for the crew cannot be changed, there will therefore be an additional delay".
	09:45 AM	PA: "Flight attendants will be here in 30 minutes".
	10:10 AM	The captain takes charge and apologizes on behalf of the airline. He explains that the plane had a technical problem and that the maintenance crew just finished fixing it. He announces that we will depart at 11am and will arrive in Paris at midnight local time. The rest of the crew will be here in 20 minutes.
	10:15 AM	F&B vouchers of $8 are distributed to customers requesting them. No PA is made concerning the F&B vouchers, most passengers are not aware that they are being distributed.
	10:35 AM	Facing the insistence of several passengers, a ground supervisor says that all passengers will receive a package with hotel and taxi vouchers upon arrival from CDG ground staff upon arrival. The supervisor says that she has spoken to his counterpart in Paris and that this has been approved. She assures skeptical passengers that “this will happen.” No PA is made to this effect, passengers concerned about being stranded at Paris CDG in the middle of the night learn about this arrangement from other passengers.
	10:50 AM	Boarding is starting. However, since the United/Continental system is not working, boarding has to be done manually.
	11:20 AM	Boarding at the gate is completed but there is a huge line on the jetway.
	11:40 AM	All passengers are on board.
	12:05 PM	The captain makes a PA on the plane: since this is an international flight, the number of passengers must be correct. However, two passengers are missing (they had been rebooked to different flights the previous day). Since United's and Continental's systems cannot talk to each other, it is at this point impossible to take the two passengers off the passenger list. This is the cause for the additional delay. The plane cannot leave until this issue is fixed, since entering France with a wrong passenger count would be an illegal act.
	12:25 PM	The plane doors are closed.
	12:35 PM	The plane takes off, 14 hours and 35 minutes late.
Dec 23, 2011	01:25 AM	The plane lands at Paris CDG airport. At this hour, there is no public transportation available at CDG airport.
(time change	01:45 AM	Passengers are greeted at the gate by one Continental contractor staff who advises passengers that all taxi fares will be reimbursed via continental.com and that all passengers needing hotel rooms will be accommodated at the Hilton Hotel at Terminal 3. Hilton staff has been advised and is waiting for passengers there.
to local time)	02:25 AM	The last passengers get their luggage.
	02:45 AM	A group of passengers arrives at the Hilton Hotel at Terminal 3, including several children. Only one room has been booked for a couple with a connecting flight. Hilton staff calls Continental and Continental staff refuses all other requests for rooms, including for passengers with connecting flights on the same ticket and passengers who have been explicitly been guaranteed rooms by United/Continental staff at IAD. Continental Paris staff tells passengers by phone that United/Continental staff at IAF “has told you a lie.”
	03:00 AM	After some further arguing, United/Continental Paris staff agrees to provide rooms for some passengers but refuses others. The case-by-case phone discussions at the hotel counter take up until 4am.

Chronologie des événements autour du vol United 132

Dec 21, 2011	07:00 PM	Les passagers qui demandent si l'avion a du retard se voient répondre que l'avion partira à 23h30. Ceux qui ne demandent rien ne sont pas informés. La raison donnée aux passagers ayant posé la question est l'équipage n'est pas présent. Il n'y pas d'annonce au micro.
	09:30 PM	Les écrans de l'aéroport indiquent toujours le départ pour 22h, le statut du vol est "A L'HEURE"
	09:40 PM	Une annonce est faite au micro que l'avion doit être remplacé. L'information que l'avion ne décollera pas avant 23h30 est partagée avec tous les passagers.
	09:50 PM	Une annonce est faite au micro que tous les sièges doivent être ré-assignés à cause du changement d'avion mais que, comme les systèmes informatiques de United et de Continental ne communiquent pas entre eux, tous les sièges doivent être réassignés manuellement. Tous les passagers doivent faire la queue pour recevoir de nouvelles assignations de siège. Les passagers sont informés qu'il y aura 30 sièges de moins dans le nouvel avion et que certains passagers ne seront pas autorisés à prendre cet avion. On répond aux passagers avec enfants signalant le fait que leurs jeunes enfants ne pourront pas être assis avec le reste de la famille que "Vous aurez les sièges que vous aurez."
	10:00 PM	Le personnel United informe les passagers ayant reçu leur nouveaux sièges que leur situation est la faute de la direction de Continental. "Ils s'en fichent. Ils nous laissent mourir ici."
	10:30 PM	Annonce micro: l'avion a un problème technique (une "fuite") et l'équipe de maintenant est en train de travailler pour régler ce probleme. L'équipage et le Premier Officier sont maintenant présents, mais le pilote manque à l'appel. Il doit être envoyé de Newark et son avion se posera à 23h50.
	10:40 PM	Les passagers demandent de la nourriture et des boissons car les restaurants sont fermés depuis 21h. On leur répond que la direction de Continental "ne donne simplement pas son autorisation" à cette demande.. Le staff de United explique qu' "Ils s'en fichent. Ils nous laissent tomber aussi."
	11:40 PM	Une annonce micro déclare que le vol est annulé à cause d'une pièce manquante qui doit être acheminée de Newark.
	11:55 PM	Au micro, on annonce les directives suivantes aux passagers: faites la queue pour obtenir un bon hôtel (incluant 2 fois $15 pour la restauration), prenez la navette et revenez à l'aéroport à 7h du matin, obtenez de nouvelles cartes d'embarquement à l'enregistrement-bagages, les bagages enregistrés restent dans l'avion et l'avion décollera à 9h15.
Dec 22, 2011	02:15 AM	Les derniers passagers reçoivent leur bon hôtel.
	02:20 AM	Les passagers prévoyant une situation difficile lors de l'arrivée à Paris le lendemain (bureaux fermés, transports public fermés) demandent des garanties au sujet de leur transport et de leur hébergement. On leur répond: "On ne peut pas vous aider". On prend note des demandes de certains passagers et des notes sont ajoutées à leur dossier de vol, demandant au personnel parisien de fournir des chambres d'hôtel.
	02:30 AM	Les passagers en chemin vers la navette sont informés par le personnel navigant qu'ils ne savent pas à quelle heure l'avion partira le lendemain et "qu'il faut regarder sur continental.com". A l'enregistrement à l'hôtel, le personnel de l'hôtel conseille fortement aux passagers de quitter l'hôtel à 6h30 du matin, sans quoi ils risquent de manquer leur vol.
	03:00 AM	Il y a toujours une longue file d'attente à l'enregistrement à l'hôtel pour recevoir les clefs de chambre.
	03:45 AM	Les derniers passagers reçoivent leur clefs de chambre d'hôtel.
	06:00 AM	Quelques passagers parviennent à obtenir un petit-déjeuner. La cuisine était fermée avant leur arrivée et réouvre autour du moment où les navettes commencent à reconduire les passagers à l'aéroport. La plupart des passagers ne peuvent pas utiliser leur bons nourriture sauf dans une petite boutique près de la réception. Les passagers ne sont pas tous au courant de l'existence de cette boutique.
	07:00 AM	On informe les passagers à l'enregistrement qu'ils peuvent aller directement au contrôle sécurité et qu'ils n'ont pas besoin d'une nouvelle carte d'embarquement du moment où ils ont "deux rayures" sur leur carte d'embarquement. Cependant, certains passagers n'ont pas les deux rayures en question et doivent refaire la queue pour obtenir de nouvelles cartes d'embarquement.
	07:30 AM	Les passagers sont de nouveau à la porte D15. La porte est déserte, il n'y a pas de personnel United/Continental en vue.
	07:35 AM	Au comptoir relations-client United, on informe les passagers ayant des questions que le staff United/Continental arrivera à 9h. Ce qui veut dire qu'il n'y aura pas de personnel présent avant 9 heures.
	09:00 AM	Le personnel arrive à la porte D15.
	09:05 AM	Annonce micro: "On a dit à l'équipage que le vol décollera à 11 heures du matin. Donc, l'équipage n'est pas là. Le car venant les chercher est programmé pour 10 heures. L'arrivée de ce car ne peut pas être modifiée, il y a aura donc un délai additionnel."
	09:45 AM	Annonce micro: "L'equipage sera là dans 30 minutes".
	10:10 AM	Le pilote prend les commandes et s'excuse au nom de la compagnie. Il explique que le vol a eu un problème technique et que l'équipe de maintenance vient juste de le réparer. Il annonce que nous partirons à 11 heures et arriverons à minuit, heure de Paris. Le reste de l'équipage sera là dans 20 minutes.
	10:15 AM	Des bons nourriture/boisson à hauteur de $8 sont distribués aux client quii les demandant. Aucune annonce micro n'est faite à leur sujet, de nombreux passagers ne sont pas au courant qu'ils sont en train d'être distribués.
	10:35 AM	Devant l'insistence de plusieurs passagers, un manager au sol annonce que tous les passagers recevront un package avec des bons hôtel et taxi dès leur arrivée à Roissy. La manager dit qu'elle a parlé avec son homologue à Paris et annonce que cette décision a été approuvée. Elle assure les passagers sceptiques qu'il n'y a pas d'inquiétude à avoir et que cette décision sera appliquée. Aucune annonce micro à cet effet, les passagers redoutant d'être laissés en plan à Roissy sont informés de cette décision par les autres passagers.
	10:50 AM	L'embarquement commence. Cependant, comme le système United/Continental ne fonctionne pas, l'embarquement doit être fait manuellement.
	11:20 AM	L'embarquement est terminé à la porte, mais il y a une file d'attente immense dans la passerelle.
	11:40 AM	Tous les passagers sont à bord.
	12:05 PM	Le pilote fait une annonce dans l'avion: comme les vol est international, le nombre de passagers doit être correct. Cependant, 2 passagers manquent à l'appel (ils ont été réacheminés la veille sur d'autres vols). Comme les systèmes informatiques United et Continental ne communiquent pas entre eux, il est impossible à ce moment d'enlever les passagers de la liste. C'est la cause d'un délai additionnel. L'avion ne peut pas partir jusqu'à ce que ce problème soit résolu, du fait qu'une entrée en France avec un décompte de passagers inexact est illégal.
	12:25 PM	Les portes de l'avion sont fermées.
	12:35 PM	L'avion décolle avec 14 heures et 35 minutes de retard.
Dec 23, 2011	01:25 AM	L'avion atterrit à l'aéroport Roissy Charles de Gaulle. A cette heure-ci, il n'y a pas de transport en commun.
(time change	01:45 AM	Les passagers sont accueillis à l'arrivée par un membre contractuel du personnel de Continental qui leur annonce que les frais de taxi seront remboursés par Continental.com et que tous les passagers ayant besoin de chambres d'hôtel seront hébergés à l'hôtel Hilton au terminal 3. Le staff du Hilton est informé et y attend les passagers.
to local time)	02:25 AM	Les derniers passagers reçoivent leurs bagages.
	02:45 AM	Un groupe de passagers arrive à l'hôtel Hilton au terminal 3, dont plusieurs enfants. Seulement une chambre a été réservée pour un couple avec une correspondance. Le staff du Hilton appelle Continental et le personnel Continental refuse toutes les autres demandes de chambres, dont les passagers avec des correspondances manquées et ceux ayant reçu les garanties explicites par le staff United/Continental à l'aéroport IAD de Washington. Le staff de Continental à Paris dit par téléphone aux passagers que le staff United/Continental à IAD "leur a dit un mensonge".
	03:00 AM	Après plus de discussion, le staff United/Continental de Paris accepte de fournir des chambres pour quelques passagers mais en refuse d'autres. La discussion au cas par cas continue au comptoir de l'hôtel au cas par cas, et ce jusqu'à 4 heures du matin.

Individual Passenger Experiences - Firsthand Accounts

Comments made under this post feature the personal accounts of many of the passengers on UA/CO132. Readers can get a sense of what went wrong on this flight and how an initially pretty standard situation (i.e. a maintenance issue) was completely mismanaged at the passengers' expense.

United could have treated its customers with dignity and courtesy and this group of seasoned and frequent flyers would have accepted the simple delay. All passengers were very patient until things went from bad to worse in terms of United staff's behavior and management of the situation on the second day of the ordeal.

One of the big and equally unnecessary problems was that passengers were afforded only 3 hours or less of sleep while the cabin crew received the available information and was able to sleep much longer. Customers on this flight included small children, pregnant women, and passengers in their eighties. No efforts were made to accommodate more vulnerable passengers.

The handling of this flight and the treatment of customers demonstrate that the integration between United and Continental faces major technical and organizational obstacles and produces disastrous consequences, especially for customers, about 1.5 years after the merger.

In any case, United's policy is apparently to simply ignore requests by passengers to be made whole for expenses and harm directly caused by its merger-related and other operational problems, by its operational decisions, and its employee's behavior.