As a lawsuit is in the works, I will not include many details, but I will just comment for people to be aware that United has (at minimum, one) extremely nasty agent working at the EWR Customer Service desk.
I was flying recently, and when I went to the desk, she was extremely nasty, before I even said a word, and before she even knew if I was late etc., or for any other reason with which United could try to use to squeeze out of this, and blame it on. No, she was simply nasty from the get go, before I even said a word (and she actually bent all four of our passports to keep them open. No, not what you're thinking- not along the vertical direction, as when in folding a book open. No, the HORIZONTAL direction- across the middle of all the passport pages, thereby creasing all four of our passports. And again, this was before I said a word). Bad apples can happen in any company, (and unfortunately, there do exist some naturally nasty humans; without proper self-work, they remain that way), but they obviously have an issue with the vetting process if this woman is actually working as a daily agent speaking to customers. I'm all for being inclusive and hiring this woman who obviously would not be hired by many a company- but she should have been stuffing envelopes far in the back offices- not up front being nasty to customers. Again, hiring nasty people can happen by mistake, but the real issue is when the company is informed about it, and will try to downplay it, instead of owning it. Welcome to United. When I communicated with the company about this nasty behavior, this was their written reply: "Regarding the behavior of our employee, we've reviewed the matter and found that our employee was following standard procedure. Although we cannot disclose specifics, we confirmed that your arrival was after the check-in cutoff time for the flight." LOL. I was the one who informed them that I was late, and that the complaint had nothing to do with that, but with the agents behavior, and the answer is "your arrival was after the check-in cutoff time"! Gaslighting at it's best! As the CEO of my business, I will integrate this United personal experience in our employee training courses, as an example of what never to do, should a customer ever bring up an incident of not being properly addressed. Again, mistakes can happen in any company, even my own, but when the response from the Corporate Office is to try to deflect and actually write that I came late, even after I was the one who informed them that I was late, and the issue was the employee's behavior before she even knew what flight I was on etc., then you know this is not the company to be associated with. Mistakes happen. Reputable companies feel bad about it. United apparently does not. Not a company to continue with obviously. Being a frequent flier, I have already cancelled my corporate account linked to United, and will take my business elsewhere, as well as advise my employees of this, and recommend other airlines.

Although almost all airlines using the logo "star alliance" which in general means "passing on the passengers from one plane to another" while sharing the profits by offering congested flights and not so much services, don't get me wrong although the meaning of the word means "union" but is a concept used by airline's management in "profit" unionization, while the meaning of the word "passenger" which pays for these airlines to operate has no meaning.

The plane from Los Angeles to Newark was ok form there to Brussels started showing the problem, we had reserved our seats 20 days before the flight, still they had placed my wife in one side of the plane and me in another, that's when we realized that although we have paid lots of money for our flight they already have managed to show their bad service, here, the food and the plane being dirty is left out because is not worth the discussion.

While in Newark United Airlines plane bound for Brussels being filled with European passengers who were visiting either New York or New Jersey and I think originally flew with Brussels airline which is yet another cheap airline in Europe.

United airlines is Allied with Brussels airlines which we had to fly from Brussels to London and with United airline back to Los Angeles, while boarding the planes we could see people boarding have large to very large luggage or bags as their carry-on with no problems, while passing a stewards almost to my last steps to the plane I was asked to leave my carry-on bag, a small luggage with the size and legal weight internationally recognized and allowed to board any plane which in many years I have internationally travelled and this was the first time ever someone wanted it to be checked in, I responded to the "Demand" by the stewards that: I have my medication which I need to take while traveling another 11 hours to Los Angeles from London, yet the stewards insisting that: "The flight is full and I have to check in my legal carry on", at that moment I thought she didn't heard me say that: my medication is in my carry on so I repeated the words, but she ignored my saying while another employee took the bag.

While inside the plane I complained to head stewards and repeated my saying about my medication, later showed her the compartment above our seats having a place so is under our seats having plenty of space, she answered me that: "she will look into it", before taking off she returned with a answer that was not surprising and offered us two cups of coffee for inconvenience and saying that: she will write a report about it?

By then I needed to know that I have to be without my medication for next 11 hours flight home and wait and see what happens.

By landing at Los Angeles and getting our luggage I realized that my luggage is damaged so is my medication box and pills that I needed to take are all over my carry on bag and some of them are damaged which points at handling the bag with care?

What I recommend here is to consider and study airlines and agencies you buy your tickets from, if it shows less than 4 stars is not good agency or the airline's, one more thing, the most agencies are there to sale tickets and take their percentage whatever it may be, let me give you an example, we booked a room for our stay in Luxembourg with booking.com asking for a room including breakfast and parking, we got a room alright but not a garage nor breakfast and paid the full price to learn not to book with booking.com ever.

Find the hotel of your choice and contact them directly, you will get better deal and a better room, so it goes with airlines, if they don't have 4 stars it means that there's no star in their star alliance.

My daughter and I flew to San Antonio from Knoxville for my grandson's graduation from Navy A school at Joint Base Fort Sam Houston. The day we were scheduled to leave San Antonio to fly back to Knoxville via Houston, there was a weather event in Houston, which initially delayed our flight. Unasked, we were put on another flight into Houston. After sitting on the tarmac on that flight for around 2 hours, the pilot stated that the plane was overweight due to fuel, passengers, and baggage, and that they needed volunteers to deplane. The pilot also stated that he had never experienced such a situation in his 25 years of flying. Eventually, enough passengers volunteered to deplane and the flight departed for Houston. Once in Houston, we were informed that our flight to Knoxville had been canceled and rescheduled for the next day. By then, it was around 10 PM. I contacted United customer service via phone while my daughter stood in line at the customer service desk, which eventually closed before she reached the front of the line (there were 85-100 people in line.) The customer service rep I spoke with was hateful and rude, and informed me that, because our flight was canceled "due to weather", we could request cots to sleep in the airport or we could get our own hotel. We got an Uber to a hotel and spent the night, and arrived back at the airport the next day. The new flight went from Houston to Dulles. At Dulles, we boarded a very small Embraer via stairs from the tarmac. It was raining and the metal stairs were very slippery. To top it off, when I got to the top of the stairs, the flight attendant told me, very rudely, to go back down the stairs and gate check my backpack, which was the size of a purse. I was wearing two leg braces and barely made it up the steps to begin with because of severe osteoarthritis. The gate agent could have asked me to gate check the backpack. Someone on the ground could have asked me to gate check the backpack. No one did. Just the rude flight attendant. Luckily, my daughter was a few people behind me and could take the backpack back down the stairs. Again, in the rain.

After all this, United sent us each a $150 travel voucher. That is the last thing we want. We do not plan to EVER fly United again, under any circumstances.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1-d*******-r*******-United_Airlines-World.html#

I had horrible experinece with united…
I had horrible experinece with united airlines. I booked ticket with them for my parents they were coming from delhi to canada they had layover in USA. At they time of booking there were no information mentioned that my parents required USA visa if they have layover there even I called airlines multiple times nobody informed me anything even I explained the route to them. My parents reached at airport and their entry got denied by one of airport agent that they cannot board the plane if they dnt have visa. What if they checkin online and board the plane. Very very carelesa airline. The on spot I had to book another flight for almost 6000 dollar my parents were strssed there and I was here we have marrige in my family my cousins now they are not able to attend because new flight arrives 2 day later. And the stress and and problem tehy are facing right now at airport nobody cares. I called airline for refund they one of there agent said you will recived full refund and componsation support agent will call you and later nobody called me then I called again they said no we cnt process refund you can get credit why would I take credit after this bad experinece my parents doesnt know english they are old they are waiting at airport for whole day and am here full of stress am calling airline again again everytime agent says a diffrent thing they are misguiding me over and over. I recommend everyone not to take this flight. My mom is heart pacient the stress she is having they cannot understnad united airlines almost cost me 9000 canadian dollar cost am financialy and mentaly disturbed beacuse of them and they are not helping me at all.

United Airline BCN Customer Service is horrific toward passengers both at checkin and at the gate. I travel often back and forth between Newark and Barcelona because my family is there, and I fly using this daily EWR-BCN United Flight. I have multiple serious medical issues and travel with medical equipment and hospital documentation for my medical supplies and instruments. I also always call United's Disability toll free number before each flight to make sure my condition is documented in United's system. I've so far never had any issue from the Newark to Barcelona leg, but the Barcelona to Newark return CHECK-IN STAFF is ALWAYS an issue. Waiting on line, I have witnessed time and time again passengers being met with either extremely rude demeanor or with imposted humiliation by Barcelona's Checkin and Gate staff toward traveling passengers when either checking in or boarding. Until finally it was my turn to be abused by them this particular travel flight.

Once I attempted to checkin for my BCN-EWR very early morning flight, I was met with one of United's Staffed females (her name starting with the letter "D" who refused to honor my medical letter for medical equipment or my Crohn's Disease condition. She refused to provide me with my boarding pass because she first said I had too many bags. I had two pieces, my carry on and my purse. When I told her I only have two pieces - with a medical letter from my hospital for my condition and the request of a wheelchair. She said "she didn't care about my medical letter". And that my suitcase was too big. She wouldn't give me any opportunity to speak and just dismissed me and my medical condition. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, she yelled across the entire floor to her supervisor to come over, insinuating that I was giving her a problem. Not sure how that was possible being she wouldn't even let me speak.

The supervisor, took me over to where you put you put your carry on into an apparatus that measures it. It was totally within flight dimensions requirements and the supervisor went to a different checkin person and provided me with a boarding pass and wheelchair person, who was actually so lovely, but once through TSA we lost each other and I walked the rest of the way to my gate (which was fine). But I'll get back to where that leads in a moment.

I would also make that when I asked the supervisor for the checkin agent's name because I wanted to file a formal complaint against her for denying me access to my flight with a medical condition. The supervisor told me "she was just trying to do her job". I responded with, " her job is to assist passengers, and she refused to assist me, listen to me, or consider my medical condition or documentation". His, reply, was he would speak with her. I already knew the fact that he didn't see anything wrong with how I was treated by her, his aim was to protect her well being instead of mine as a passenger and paying customer. The supervisor "C" was not unpleasant, but also didn't extend any concern or apology for his staff's behavior or treatment toward me as on of United's regular passengers with serious medical conditions. I did get the woman agent's name from another United employee. However, she refused to give it to me unless it was for a positive review. So basically I had to tell her it was, just so I could get the agent's name. Now experiencing for a second time United employees shielding co-workers unacceptable behavior.

Now getting back to the wheelchair. Once I arrived at the gate, I tried to approach another United male employee by the same exact "C" name as the supervisor, to ask if I would be receiving a wheelchair to board the flight. However, in order to do so, I had to step under his barricaded desk of ropes he put up so no one could approach him. I hadn't even reach to Gate desk yet when this United "C" male screamed at me across the floor humiliating me as to "who did I think I was approaching the desk by going under the barricaded desk?" I thought to myself, a passenger in need of assistance with questions regarding how to proceed with my boarding and wheelchair. And just in that moment, the Supervisor "C" arrives and says to me, "tiss, tiss, tiss, now this is the 2nd United staff person you've had a problem with". I was just speechless in how this supervisor "C" managed to now try and turn his staff's horrific behavior as my fault.

Truly appalling. And I have every intention of filing a United complaint on the inappropriate and unprofessional behavior of their BNC ABUSIVE staff.

So you book a holiday of a lifetime, London to Orlando via Newark and home from Miami to London via Newark to experience Disney. You book via a Travel Agent and through a US tour operator and flying with United Airline. You have tickets so what can go wrong. Well unknown to me if you travel with United a lot!

11 of our family aged 18 to 80 arrived at Heathrow and were given boarding passes for London to Newark with seat numbers. We were given boarding passes for Newark to Orlando but no seat numbers on 7 of our party just said see agent. We were told not to worry we would be given our seats when we arrive for our connection. The first time we were lied to. See agent means you do not have a seat and he knew it! We arrived for our connection to collect our tickets and were told the plane was overbooked and only four could travel. The four were aged 79,80 as assisted passengers and two girls aged 22 and 18. We were told they can travel but the rest of us not. We had two hire cars waiting in Orlando and both drivers could not travel. They were not bothered about the group of four being stuck in Orlando. We waited ages trying to sort things out. Another family from Spain had tickets for two under 18 children but not the parents. They tried to bribe people off the plane offering first class flights the next day and compensation. We managed to negotiate swapping a driver for the 22 year girl so they could get to the villa. They boarded in floods of tears. Eventually others took the bribes and three others could travel. Four of us were left to wave as the flight took off about two hours late. We stayed negotiating for about three hours trying to get a hotel, transfers and flights on. Eventually we were offered a hotel and transfer and some compensation and put on standby for the next flight and a booked seat 24 hours later. We were sent to a hotel as the next flight had over 20 on standby and we were last on the list. We came back the next day and travelled but had to pay 75 dollars to get back to the airport. They said we could claim it back. We are trying but no luck yet. Eventually after over 36 hours and just six hours sleep we arrived on holiday. It is difficult to explain the considerable stress, anguish and upset this all caused which took days to settle whilst on holiday.

So time to return, we checked in to our flight two days before returning. No email, notification or anything just find out when checking in that our flight home from Miami is cancelled due to technical issues, lack of planes. We are rebooked in the afternoon and spend several hours trying to check in but the bookings are all over the place, some login some not, flights to Washington made then cancelled so a mess. Our Travel Agent got involved and were assured by United all Is fine just turn up. We arrive nervous as anything to check in. Went ok although now we have baggage to pay for as they were not transferred. Can't fix, have to pay and reclaim, we are awaiting a refund! We board the plane late due to a storm approaching and then sit on the runway for nearly two hours, told due to storm problems ahead. Eventually we are returned to the gate and taken off the flight as the crew do not have the hours to legally work and told come back at 9am the next morning. We are told that it is weather related so on your own! We are advised to go and collect our luggage so most people go off to do this. We send a few from our party to collect. We then get a call to say they have gone through security and so cannot return. Good trick to move grumpy passengers away from the desk! They negotiate a return but have to go through full security checks again and leave all luggage. We start the negotiations again and are told to go away. Knowing the system now we made it clear that the issue was not weather related but they had cancelled our initial flight and we would have travelled if not. They eventually agree to rebook for the next day and are given hotel vouchers and meal tickets. They book us on to a new London flight the day after and next lie assure us we definitely have seats on the plane.

We go to the hotel along with loads of passengers and stand in a long line to check in. Four hours sleep and we head back for our flight at 9am. We arrive check in and wait. The flight time comes and goes then eventually the captain advises there will be a delay as the flight crew have not had enough rest. They arrive about an hour later. They are the same crew that was on the flight the night before so why schedule the flight for a time they cannot work. They must have know surely. We fly about 3 hours late to Newark.

Nervous of the problems we go straight to the kiosks and check in. Yes no surprise only five have seats and two on a later flight. They others including the 79 and 80 are on standby likely to travel late next day or day after. We go to customer services and wait about 2 hours in line to sort it out. We make it very clear that the issues are related to a cancelled flight, not weather so they have to help. They sort out flights thankfully with 9 travelling and 2 on a flight a couple of hours later. I am a 49 year old man that generally holds it together but I have to admit sobbing in a corner of the airport with relief. Hours of negotiating, arguing and lack of food and sleep. We fly with both flights delayed due to a medical emergency.

So in summary:
If you fly United think long and hard about doing so. They routinely overbook flights especially in hub airports like Newark. You are just a number and they will tell you anything to get you away from their desk. They care little about the impacts on your holiday.
America is not like Europe. There is little or no regulation of airlines. It's a wild frontier and you have to play the game and be prepared to front up for your rights. A ticket does not mean a seat on the plane and there is no requirement to get you to your destination on any other carriers so they don't.
United tickets have a clause that means bad weather removes all your rights. They will use this as a first excuse at all times to try and get out of helping, do not let them do this.
If you are denied a seat on a plane in America you are entitled to a hotel, transfer, food and compensation in cash or flight vouchers. They will not admit this but it is your only chance of getting help. We found this out on the way there and it was why they helped us on return with fewer issues. Know your rights. You can get compensation.
If you have a problem, stand your ground. We got hotels because we did but many travelling with us just accepted the situation and had to sort and pay for their own hotel and transfers.

I will probably never fly United again. If you plan to then think hard and plan ahead. Totally destroyed our 17 day holiday of a lifetime.

I would like to share my terrible experience with United to spare potential travelers of the pain and suffering I endured.
I was held hostage by this airline and their unprofessional dealings for 36 hours. This included inappropriate dealings from THE PILOT, expired food, fake vouchers, rude crew, and general incompetence from the staff.
My vacation to Hawaii was tainted by this experience, and I will never fly with this airline again.

Due to made up excuses that were thrown around which included "staffing issues," "mechanical issues," "work hours," and "fueling purposes," all the passengers of this flight were upset because United toyed around with its passengers and kept giving us false hope about getting us to Hawaii. Around hour 10, United decided to pass out free waters and snacks; these were EXPIRED granola bars and fruit snacks. Unacceptable.

Finally, we thought there was hope when the CAPTAIN of the aircraft came and made a grand speech about how he'll get to our destination for sure that evening. He even received a standing ovation and cheers. We still waited 2 additional hours after that.

Then when we finally were able to board the plane, the stewardess threatened all the passengers saying that if we do not board under a certain amount of time, we would not be able to fly out to Hawaii. This is when I knew we were never getting out of there.

All 300 passengers worked together to quickly board the plane. The captain of the plane just taxied us for a half hour around the runway and made an abrupt announcement that his staff could unboard. Then, the captain lectured the passengers that we essentially ran out of time and could not fly. It was very clear that the Captain and crew knew we would not be leaving for Hawaii that evening, but forced us to join this charade. It was cruel and there were elderly passengers, and children were sobbing. The kicker was the Captain's GASLIGHTING.

We were all held hostage in the plane for another thirty minutes until we could unboard. They would not let us exit because the customer service line was already way too long. Apparently there were more United flights that had issues…

When we finally were released, there was a massive line at customer service. Workers did not know what was going on, and lied and said they ran out of hotel vouchers because they did not want to deal with the long line. Those who were lucky enough to receive some kind of voucher got hotel rooms (instead of cots they offered for use in the airport) and none of the meal vouchers worked.
We were finally able to fly out to Maui the following morning; of course it was delayed by two hours. We had the same captain who completely changed his demeanor because management was around, but it did not fool any of the passengers. We were all still LIVID. He also had the AUDACITY to brag about his smooth landing and flying capabilities to the passengers he knowingly screwed the evening prior.

Then my family was held hostage again once we arrived at Maui because no one had pens to fill out a survey that was "required." One stewardess YELLED at us for trying to stay on the plane longer than we had to. Another stewardess YELLED and said we cannot leave the plane without handing in the survey, which by the way they provided nothing to write with. They literally said, "Ask other passengers for pens because we don't have any."

Avoid United airlines at ALL COSTS. Don't be surprised if you read more reviews that say the same thing.

Where do I start.
I paid 6k for my business tickets with united to fly international. I checked in 4 luggage 4 big bags that contains EVERYTHING. My very necessary medications, all my, and my 3 year Old's winter clothes including all our jackets and shoes (weather is pretty cold), our electronics, gifts, personal items, valuable items etc.
I got to IAD to recheck my bags for my last destination (ORF), to find out none of bags were there. I go to baggage claim at the airport, they tell me I need to submit a claim at my final destination and that they have no records of my bags.
Me with my 3 year old who had already traveled 18 hours already to get to the US, walked through customs, security and towards the very far gate to discover it is delayed for another 3 hours. 2 hours into the wait they change the gate, so now we are walking again in search of the new gate. We get there to find out the flight was CANCELED. We head to customer service which is a 15 min walk, so we can get told there's no other flights until the next day 6pm (24 hrs later) and that it wasn't guaranteed. No accommodation meanwhile. Now me and my 3 year old are stranded in DC with NO BAGS, no jackets, no medicine, no change of clothes. We got out of the airport, 20 degrees outside, waiting on a bus to take us to a random hotel hoping they have place for us. We ended up at the closest Marriott. My husband had to drive 4 hours to pick us up later that night. I got to my home in Norfolk around 3 am at night, again with no bags. The next morning I reach to united for my baggage and they say THEY THINK 2 of them stayed in Brussles (my transit spot), and 2 stayed in Beirut. They said they will follow-up and let me know what happens. Of course they never called back, so I called again, they said they still don't know. Waited a day and called again, they said bags they said they think bags are in DC. Then 5 hours later I call they say bags are found in Brussles and will get on the next flight to DC. I waited a day and called again, they said THEY THINK the bags are in DC. I ask them to make sure and then they recheck and confirm the bags will be on the next flight to Norfolk my final destination. I wait another day, and I call. They say bags got to Norfolk and will be delivered to my home address by 9pm. Today is day 4,9 am in the morning and my bags still didn't get here. I just called them again, and they said that the bags were supposed to be picked up from the airport last night and for them to be delivered won't happen until MAYBE tomorrow. Although for the past 4 days, they assured me the bags will be delivered to my house and I even got a call confirming my address last night.
Still no bags, no medicine and barely any clothes at my house to get us by. And what's even more frustrating is that EVEYTIME I call I speak with a NEW agent that has no idea what's going on or anything about my case and I have to re explain again and again.
Shame on a customer service that treats its customers like this. Never again.

From what I see in the British Newspapers, of how they treat their customers.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/united-airlines-overbooked-flight-incident-*******?ptnr_rid=*******&icid=EM_Mirror_Nletter_DailyNews_News_smallteaser_Text_Story7

Bagge prices suck