• What's ticked?
• Accolades
• Contact us

c o l u m n s

• Cheap Charlie
• ChrisCrossings
• Err Travel
• Leocha
• Travel Notes
• Archives

United Gulag
Cheap Charlie · February 26, 2001

Last month, I flew on United Airlines for the first time in a long time.

I admit that I am used to being taken care of by US Airways and Northwest, with which I am in the lowest of the upper tiers of frequent flier programs. I never realized that they treated me so well.

When I walked through the terminal doors I felt like I had entered the gulag.

I arrived at the airport at approximately 5:30 a.m. to catch a 6:30 flight and I was faced with a long zigzagging line of passengers waiting to check in.

Gads. All of a sudden I realized the benefit of sauntering over to the first class line and avoiding the masses.

Be that as it may, I waited patiently for my turn with the agent.

I was going on a ski trip. This meant that I had additional bags - a boot bag and a ski bag. When I approached the counter, the agent informed me that I could only check in two bags and carry on two bags.

As I looked at her dumbfounded, she surveyed my bags and concluded that there was no way that my boot bag would make it into the overhead space and then announced that I would have to pay excess charges for my ski boots.

I protested and informed her that according to her own airline's policy, skis and ski boots are not considered excess baggage. She called a supervisor who immediately informed her of the airline policy.

That was only the beginning of an absence of service. The air hung with negativity rather than the excitement of travel. Everywhere I turned it seemed signs focused on "You can't this - You can't do that."

Next, I asked her whether my seats might be changed from middle seats to an aisle or window seat. Her response was, "You have middle seats." Where upon I responded, "Yes, I know, but I would like to change my seat if possible." She protested, "I can't do that." I shrugged my shoulders and left, knowing she was a hopeless case.

I headed to the security checkpoint. Here, templates greeted me on the x-ray machine. I knew I would have any problems, but the man in front of me worked hard to fit his bag through the template.

His carryon seemed to fit into the sizing box next to the belt, but didn't quite fit through the template. This provided a quandary. What piece of equipment prevails? The sizing box? The template? Eventually, the security person sensibly lifted the template and let the passenger through.

The trip was going well so far. It was a good thing I knew my way through regulations and agents. When I got to the gate, I asked again about changing my seat and was immediately given an aisle exit row seat. Perfect.

That might have been the end of the story, but the skis did not arrive at my ski resort. First they were "lost" then "found" and arrived on an afternoon flight. When the ski bag was delivered to the hotel, it was empty except for ski poles.

Hmmm. Very strange. Skis wrapped in bubble wrap, then virtually squeezed into a ski bag that was securely closed had disappeared. I was not a happy camper.

I tried to call the airport to see if the skis had slipped out of the bag somehow and were lying on the tarmac or near the baggage carousel. I though that might be the best bet. But, I could not get a local number of the baggage office of United. I couldn't get any local number for United. It was against policy.

I called the 800-number for baggage complaints and was told that they would send me a letter in writing within 60-90 days concerning the loss. Again I protested. I need my skis now. What am I going to do?

United told me to rent skis and that they would reimburse me. Wrong. Like I was going to trust them. I knew that the local baggage agents could issue coupons for ski rentals and ski clothing rentals. That's what I wanted. After a long conversation, the telephone agent promised to figure out what to do.

To make a long story short, I eventually received a call from the baggage office of the local airport. They indeed had my skis. They agreed to pay for rentals for one day and delivered to the skis to my hotel that evening. All ended well, but only with persistence.

The bottom line here is that even expert travelers have a rough time. The more you know about your rights and airline policies, the better your chances are of getting what you need to have a good flight and enjoyable vacation.

Ask for what you need. If you don't ask, you'll rarely get the help you need.

Charlie Leocha is the Boston-based author of Travel Rights: Know the Rules of the Road and the Air Before You Go. Cheap Charlie appears every Monday on this site. E-mail him at leocha@aol.com or access his Web site.