Don't CALL US!

My dad recently left on a trip to the UK. It's a trip that he has wanted to go on his entire life.
Unfortunately for him, he decided to fly with United.

I don't know if you know this, but United has been having a few little problems. They filed for Bankruptcy, pissed off the pilots and stewardesses by cutting their salaries, and laid off a bunch of people. Of course, they also outsourced everything to India.

My dad's luggage never made it to him. In fact, it is in some kind of bizarre luggage limbo. He flew United to the UK, and then finished out his trip on another airline. He can't even get a hold of a real person with United.

In desperation, he asked me to try and call them. Three times now, I've waited on PERMA hold. Once I was cut off, and the other two times I gave up. Their lovely electronic voice tells you to fill out a luggage claim form and MAIL! it to them. WTF!? In this day and age, I have to print something out and MAIL it to you? You don't have a system for taking this form over the INTERNET?

So I really haven't been able to help out my dad all too much. He has emailed me that he bought a few items at a discount store over there. I feel kind of bad. I'm sure when I go pick him up at the airport, he'll have all his stuff taped up in a garage bag. That is, of course, if United doesn't loose it again.

A few links about how terrible United is:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2007-06-18-ual-service-usat_N.htm

and this web page:

http://www.untied.com/