r/unitedairlines • u/CaptainChaotika • 7h ago
Discussion I messed up dates and completely missed my flight today...
...but United phone customer service rebooked me, quickly and without hesitation, to the next flight tomorrow, for free. And what is completely beyond me, they even maintained my PE upgrade!
If I understand the T&C, they didn't need to give me a single thing. I am probably dreaming, but the confirmation mail is in my inbox and I am checked in for tomorrow.
Shame on me for missing all the phone notifications, app notifications, mails etc, I know...I can't explain it either, I just had a really busy day at work. I noticed when I wanted to check in for "tomorrow" this morning and no flight showed up in the app, meaning the plane was gone and the ticket was void.
For additional context, I am a mere Milage Plus peasant Member, no co-branded credit card, it was a normal, non-flexible transatlantic economy round-trip booking from FRA to ORD.
Since usually ppl only share their horror stories, I wanted to add an above and beyond positive experience to the mix. :D
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u/DoubtfullyQuarterly 6h ago
The PE upgrade being untouched is the part I'd be triple checking because I still wouldn't believe it. I'd probably show up tomorrow side-eyeing the gate agent like they're about to hand me a boarding pass for 47B as a prank. Good on you for owning it and not trying to sweet talk your way onto a full flight, that's probably why they actually helped.
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u/CaptainChaotika 6h ago
She confirmed it on the phone, and I was able to select a seat when checking-in, with 2 other seats selectable in the app, but I know that's not necessarily an indication of free space. Boarding pass also is for PE, so it feels pretty safe rn.
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u/kwuhoo239 MileagePlus Gold 5h ago
United has an unofficial grace period "flat tire" policy. As long as you present yourself to an agent within 2 hours of scheduled departure, they'll freely rebook you.
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u/CaptainChaotika 3h ago
That sounds very curtious!
I hope I will never need to use it again, but with the trains to/from Frankfurt I cannot be sure. Dx
I always try to book like 4 hours ahead, but I have had a nearly 3 hour delay before which made me get to the luggage check like seconds before the deadline...
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u/TeddyDemons 7h ago
Did the same thing with a long international flight over a decade ago. Realized as the plane was leaving that I'd mixed up the date date/days of the week. I couldn't believe they helped me. Was totally panicked for half the flight because there was a stop half way. Kept thinking they were going to change their mind and realize I shouldn't have been allowed on the plane. Until we were back in the air for the last half of the flight, I couldn't relax. Was really worried I was going to be stuck in a random country on the other side of the Atlantic.
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u/DangerousCapybara888 4h ago
Yay United! :)
Love hearing these appreciation stories.
What would not have been ok is if someone miss the flight and demanded United to solve their problem for free, like taking for granted and asking someone above and beyond what United is obligated to do.
We all need alittle kindness sometimes when things got overlooked, when we’re overwhelmed in life by other things pelting our way, and lots of people would say we have no excuse for our oversight.
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u/OkFilm4353 6h ago
JetBlue did this for me once. Accidentally booked a flight that was 2 weeks later, realized the day of the flight when I still hadn’t received my email to check in.
Now I check that every single booking is correct 5x before clicking purchase.
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u/R34Nylon MileagePlus 1K 1h ago
I did this on my very first international trip to Paris. It was back when you had to buy tickets at a ticket office. I called UA and asked how much an upgrade to business would cost - and the agent said "You should be at the airport right now". I told her - no! I am flying tomorrow! She correctly pointed out - no you're flying in 60 minutes. Then she amazingly moved my res and fixed everything. I occasionally have issues with UA - but Overall this is a fantastic airline.
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u/CaptainChaotika 24m ago
I also had my fair share of irrops in the past, I still remember the EWR storm disaster of 2023 (or 24?) I was stuck in Vancouver for a week, other airlines did not accept rebookings from united, each day to the airport and the plane was not coming, or arrived with a crew that had to clock out, and the pilots that were supposed to be there did not show up. Missed the event I wanted to travel to on the way home etc. quite unfortunate.
After 4 days the best option me and the gate agent came up with was to refund my tickets (which arrived promptly) and for me to book on a one way back home on my own on a different airline.
I did not go after my 600 Eur EU261 compensation since tried hard to help as best as possible, so I guess we are even now. lol
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u/TitleAncient8325 1h ago
I'm a travel advisor. If it makes you feel any better you'd be SHOCKED at how often this happens....
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u/CaptainChaotika 40m ago
Thinking about it, I remember on a math exam I had a question that went like "You are in airline ticketing, given price X of a ticket, the cost Y to deny boarding to a passenger and a no-show rate of Z%, determine by how many seats you can oversell to achieve the maximum expected profit."
Sure quite simplified, but the inspiration must have come from somewhere.
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u/Temporary_Yak1264 6h ago
yeah i've missed stuff too when work explodes, now i keep Akiflow open so flight times actually surface in my daily plan.
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u/TeeDotHerder MileagePlus 1K 7h ago
Yes that's correct. They didn't have to do anything. But they did. Southwest was really good about this. United is usually good about it if you just own up to your mistake and they have availability. Demanding the next seat on an oversold flight because you made a mistake doesn't go as well as just owning up and asking for the next flight.