United Airlines Review

Overall 2.91 of 5 view all 86 reviews

mrkstvns
Austin, TX

United Cuts Deep Into the Quality of Its Travel Product

tired of airport hassles, cost-conscious, expecting good, fair service, not afraid of flying, a frequent traveler, a frequent flyer, up, up and AWAY!

Cons

poor customer service, charges for FIRST suitcase, lack of communication, low-quality travel provider, no food

JUN

2008

United Airlines announced yesterday that they were going to deliver a worse product to American travelers and to deceive their customers by charging unexpected, unavoidable nickel-and-dime fees on so much as ONE single piece of baggage.

Travelers have an expectation that they'll need some clothing and toiletries whereever they go, so not bringing a suitcase isn't exactly a viable solution. People can grab a sandwich at a convenience store on the way to the airport to make up for cutbacks in in-flight meals, but how do you make up for getting slammed on a baggage fee? Perhaps fees on 2nd or 3rd pieces of baggage can be justified, but not on the first bag.

United is clearly doing this to keep pace with American Airlines --- one of the worst airlines in the U.S. United's management evidently thinks it doesn't pay to provide a quality product, and so they cut-back to keep up with the bottom-of-the-barrel airlines, like Northwest and American.

Remember: there is still competition in the travel business, and Continental Airlines offers a *FAR* superior level of quality to any other mainline airline in the U.S., and their prices aren't that much higher. Do yourself a favor and do business with Continental instead of United, USAirways, American, or Northwest.

United says they have to do it to remain competitive. Yet they resist simply implementing a small, across-the-board fare increase that doesn't hide the total cost and doesn't decieve customers. It's an honest business practice that GOOD airlines will follow.

Besides, the arguments about having to screw customers with baggage fees ring totally hollow when low-cost carriers like Southwest don't do it. Hard to believe, but with "screw the passenger" business practices becoming common in mainline airlines, it's actually the low-fare guys who sometimes not only save you money, but ALSO deliver the overall superior quality product!

Yeah, baby. Fly Continental because they're GOOD, and fly Southwest because they're cheaper WITHOUT being stupid. Screw United!

Last edited on Jun 13, 2008

United Airlines is not recommended by mrkstvns

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Comments about mrkstvns’s Review

This review is full of hyperbole and also outdated. Do you have any idea how much money airlines are losing? Billions. Americans have been getting air travel at "below cost" prices for years. This is simply an economic fact. It is a basic law of economics that a business cannot sell a product at below cost for long, or it will cease to exist and the product will no longer be available. A la carte pricing is now an industry-wide practice, so to write a negative review of one airline based on an industry-wide practice is silly and immature. I notice that you wrote a positive review of Continental, but Continental now charges the exact same fee as United for a single checked bag ($15). Care to revise your review of Continental?

United pulled out of my local airport some 8 years ago, and I haven't missed them one bit. Sounds like they possibly could have gotten worse, which I didn't believe possible. I live on Alaska, with an occasional fling on American. Good rant!

I got fed up with air travel years ago and 911 was the last straw. I was formerly in Army aviation flying 6 hour missions in the fixed wing Mohawk. I had my fill of air travel quite a few years back. now if I can't drive with rare exceptions, screw it. Good job, Mark! ;>