"Owned and Operated" by United Arrogance: Can Service Get Any Worse?

This summer I was thrown into a third world prison. This is a story for my next book "This Is Not the Life I Ordered, Still"! Thankfully, I managed, with some help and a touch of trauma, to get back to San Francisco. However, my luggage did not.

United Airlines assured me that the luggage was never lost. After we arrived back home, both my assistant and I went through more trauma at the incompetent hands of the United Airlines Luggage Department. There is no easy way to say it but they are incompetent. I wish I had a penny for every time one of the "Luggage Specialists" assured us that our luggage was not lost. Those pennies would add up quickly and I could pay for a one way ticket to their lost luggage complex and find my own damn luggage!

I am more than a trifle upset that my luggage was lost. There were a lot of important things in that piece of luggage that are irreplaceable. I had all the original Zimbabwean newspaper articles about President Mugabe and his thugs that were part of my research for the documentary that I am completing. There were names, addresses, and original testimonies that I needed to follow up on human rights violations. Besides my clothes, there were many items for my kids. I wanted to show them the incredible talents of artists from Zimbabwe with the artwork I packed away. There were also these hand-carved wooden instruments and beautiful bowls with intricate animals that lined the inside. Books on Lions, Giraffes and Elephants, oh my...and the South African soccer team jerseys that my boys would wear to school for a month! I even had my dirty prison garb wrapped in plastic. How do I get those items back?

Another item that I had in the suitcase was cash. For anyone who has traveled in unsafe or war-torn countries, it is not unusual to strap cash on your body or to stash it in your suitcase. You have no other choice. I had just come from Zimbabwe where inflation is up to 10,000%. This means that $1 US Dollar is 29,882.00 ZWD. Other than the money I spent on prison bribes, I ended up bringing back more cash than I had planned. In South Africa, when you go through customs, you are not allowed to carry more than $2,000 cash. I have no idea why. It is not a country that you ask a lot of questions at immigration; not if you want to stay out of trouble.

In some parts of the world, you cannot bring travelers checks. Cash in some of these countries is very difficult to obtain. It is not as if you can simply find an ATM machine. I didn't want to exchange too many American dollars for Zimbabwe dollars because outside of the country the currency was valueless. No country will exchange Zimbabwe dollars.

This is why I stashed the extra money I had in one of our three suitcases. I carefully hid that money under presents and clothing.

Ah...I know what you are thinking. You think that the money never left South Africa. We have proof that it did. I had to track down and call South African Airlines myself. United never made that effort. In one rare moment of honesty, when a United Airlines representative did admit that the luggage was missing, they said that it was lost by South African Airways. Perhaps finger pointing is easier than hiring someone to go through the unclaimed baggage. Plus, if you share blame, you share the responsibility of the claim and eventual settlement. I admit, having enough staff to handle luggage issues can be challenging. But, if there is a Federal Law that states that your luggage has to always travel with you, shouldn't airlines have luggage control a priority? If my luggage was lost so easily, what about a piece of luggage that a terrorist decides to check? Does that piece of luggage go missing just as easily God, I hope not! I feel much safer in our great American skies now. Don't you?

I visited San Francisco Airport three times after we arrived back home. They airlines lost all three bags at first, but eventually found two. After we screamed at United to deliver the found bags, we called again in search of the final bag. While trying to get more information, the representatives gave us the run-around. "Only 1% of luggage ever really gets lost. It may take some time, but your luggage will come back to you". When I asked for a supervisor, one of two things happened: They either hung up on me or refused to get me to a supervisor. The wait on the phone lines was longer than waiting in the lines at the airport for an international flight!

In desperation, I decided to contact a woman named Kate Hanna for help. For those of you who don't know her, Kate Hanna was one of the unfortunate passengers aboard a diverted Dallas bound flight that got stuck on the Tarmac for 9 hours without food or water...sounds a bit like my prison experience. After Kate's experience, she turned her rage into action and began the Coalition for Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights, now boasting almost 17,000 members.

After a couple of emails, we finally connected by phone and I told her my story. Kate asked me to call the Flyer's Rights hotline to voice my frustration and tell the tale. So I did. A couple of weeks later, I received a call from CBS News asking if they could interview me about my incident for a segment on problems with airlines. The reporter and camera man came out last Friday to interview me. I hope that CBS's desire to tell the state of passengers' rights will get someone in Washington to pay attention and realize something needs to be done. Perhaps someone at United Airlines might listen.

Do you remember when United Airlines became "Owned and Operated"? I clearly remember that at this time, customer service declined. I found the change included staffing shortages, the expansion of blackout dates and increase in the mileage needed for free flights. I won't even talk about the food situation. We all realized after 9/11, the airlines were in trouble. As country, we all stayed positive and tried to help with the recovery process. It took a great deal of patience to get use to new security laws and baggage requirements. We might of grumbled, but we did what we were told. Is this how we get thanked for cooperating?

On my list of frustrations was finding a real phone number for the corporate offices at United Airlines. I had some hope that if I reached an executive, they would understand how critical customer satisfaction was and assist me. However, finding the corporate contact information was close to impossible. I turned to the internet. No luck. I even FACEBOOK'd to see if anyone I knew had a contact in corporate at UA. Still no luck. The only number suggested was an 800 number and it started the whole run-around process again. I finally gave up.

After I figured out that my luggage was not lost in South Africa, I still convinced a dear friend to go through and check each back at South African Airways in South Africa. Nothing. I was certain that United Airlines lost the luggage in the US. SA Airways had explained to me, that the UA tracking numbers that were assigned to my bags could only have happened if the bags had arrived in New York. Another series of phone call were made to UA. I was told that it was my fault the luggage was lost in the first place. Apparently I was to claim my luggage in New York, go through customs with it, and recheck it for San Francisco. This was not the directive I received in South Africa. United Airlines said that my luggage was left behind in New York, waiting for me to claim it at Baggage Claim. Okay now it is my fault. How did my other two pieces make it back to San Francisco?

My husband is a very calm man. He stayed calm working with the embassy and hired human rights lawyers to get me out of prison. With regards to the luggage he said "Honey, just give up. You are never going to find your luggage". I refused. I talked to Kate again at Flyers' Rights and what she told me made me furious. I mean furious with a capital F. She explained that not only does the airline lack enough personnel to go through the luggage and find the owner but they actually sell your "contents" to a company in Alabama called Unclaimed Baggage. Call me crazy, but isn't that kind of like selling stolen property?

So I went to the site. The site is unclaimedbaggage.com/. The header boasts "Lost Treasures from around the World". I joined their mailing list just so that when they advertise my luggage on-line, I can make sure to buy my items back.

Just last week I received a one-page letter from United Airlines. It said, "Thank you for your patience while we have been searching for your missing property. We are sorry our tracing efforts have been unsuccessful and apologize for the inconvenience this incident has caused you. Although our trace will continue, we want to resolve your claim without delay".

The letter goes on to say that "United Airlines does not assume liability for cash. Such items are excluded from our published baggage liability. The expenses you incurred are considered part of your settlement. These purchases were to replace items in your missing bag. To reimburse you for them in addition to your claim, would be, in essence, paying you twice for the same articles."

Now I am confused.

"Our claim settlements are based on the original costs of the items and depreciation is applied taking into consideration the age of the items as well as prior usage. Our check, less reasonable depreciation for the balance of your claim will be mailed to you shortly". Since all of the items in that bag were newly purchased or bought for the trip, I couldn't see room for depreciation.

The check came. The total amount of the check was $1,476. It would barely replace the cost of the TUMI suitcase. With the actual cost of the luggage subtracted, I now have $476 dollars to replace everything that I packed for two weeks in Zimbabwe. Okay, let's say I am an idiot for putting cash in my luggage. I will accept the blame.

So right now, I am at a net loss $3,500 dollars.

The letter that arrived with the check went on to say that this situation was unusual and certainly did not exemplify the standards set by United Airlines. And then there on the bottom...oh my gosh! A real name. It was signed by baggage claim representative, Rudy Tiwari. Oh great, I can actually talk to...oops no phone number...oh...and no real address...a P.O. Box. What a surprise.

So what do we do? You can first add your voice to the growing discontent amongst airline passengers. You can also choose to fly another airline that truly cares whether you fly with them. Let me know if you locate a good one.

This upcoming weekend, I am off to Scottsboro, Alabama. There is this HUGE Thanksgiving Sale at "Unclaimed Baggage". If I am lucky maybe I can find some of the precious cargo from Africa. Or perhaps find some goodies from some other poor soul misfortune.

In the meantime, does anyone know a charity that takes Airline miles as a donation?

Comments

[JoDeeVa]

Everyone should be boycotting United Airlines..period!!
As part of their Chapter 11 bankruptcy re-structuring, United cancelled their pension plan. It was the largest such corporate action in history. Negotiated contracts lowered pay and benefits to pilots, mechanics and ancillary staff however, it took a bankruptcy court-ruling in United's favor to force the same conditions on flight attendants.

CEO Glenn Tilton received the largest salary of ANY airline CEO during this same time. Demands as part of negotiations insured that HIS pension plan was protected against bankruptcy settlements and the "super-priority" clause that guarantees first claim of $$ to the banks and financial institutions involved. Not to mention his stock options, AFTER emerging from bankrupcy, valued at ~$20 million!
Other companies involved in the restructuring and "Plan of Reorganization" received huge fees for their services, in one case ~$500 million. Meanwhile, United was given relief from~$5 billion in pension plans, owed to retirees (my numbers could be a bit off, but you get the point). Guess who pays that bill? That's right, taxpayers do..through the Pension Benefits Guarantee Corporation, which is kind of like the FDIC but for pensions. What's wrong with this picture of pillage and plunder?

If United can treat their own employees in this manner, does anyone think they would they give a s**t about it's customers' lost luggage? One can hardly blame the employees, or at least one can understand why those employees might be a bit disgruntled and how that might shake down to their customer-service relations, eh?

I'm sorry United lost your luggage with all of the "special" contents, but I'm more sorry that United lost their integrity in the bankruptcy deal that, like losing your luggage, "certainly did not exemplify the standards set by United Airlines."..Ha! Shame on them and if they were the last plane in the air, I guess I would be hitting the road, with my thumb out!

[bigflyer1]

United Airlines is the only US carrier that actually scans the bar code on luggage. United Airlines, or any airline that has a bar code on its luggage tag can be scanned by a United Airline scanner and once looked at in the computer, it can be determined where it was last scanned at. Finding out where it was last scanned at, now follow along, helps identify where the bag had last contact. There are multiple variables that determine delayed luggage. The amount of customs that has to be cleared, connection times that you give yourself, and always be cautious when booking a ticket that involves multiple carriers handling your tickets and luggage. Carriers are not the same. Each carrier has a different way of conducting business. Each carrier is not always on the same page. If you buy a Ford vehicle, you don't take it to a Chevrolet dealer to get it worked on. They have different ways of doing things. May I ask, were you charged for excess luggage on your return trip back to the states? Were you ticketed in business or first class? Inside of the two pieces of luggage that you did receive, was there a TSA information form placed inside your luggage? Are you a US citizen? I ask these questions because there is a security system called PPBM. This stands for Positive Person Bag Match on domestic but is enforced on international flights. Your bags are located, it is determined that these bags are yours, they are then searched again and sent on their way! This is most likely how you received your two bags without having to claim them back in New York yourself. I'm just a passenger that has seen it all. Grown adults breakdown in tears at the airport. Grown adults moan and yell at customer service reps at the airport. Grown adults argue over a seat assignment. Grown adults argue with each other in line before they even have contact with a csr. So many private jets in the world, and so many people think they own one.

[mungley]

Try Hero Miles.

They donate miles to our service people who are rotating in and out of war zones.

It turns out that our Government will get you back to the U.S.A., but not home.

[realitytrumpsbull]

I'm no big fan of flying myself, but don't just
blame ONE airline, there, either. Traveling
kind of sucks. You're going to spend a lot
of money, you're going to wait, and then you
walk over here, and you wait, then you walk
over there, and you wait, and then you walk
waaaaaay over here by the door, and you wait,
then you get on the plane, and you wait, and
then you fly and you wait for the plane to land
and...you get the idea.

Personally, I don't think I ever really want
to visit the places you talked about, I think
if I was going to take and spend that kind
of money and time, then I'd go to australia
or something, or maybe like, Norway, or
even the Galapagos or something. But first
I want to go to 6 flags. I know I'll get
robbed there, but in exchange I'm pretty
sure I'll have fun. Roller coasters scare
the living jesus out of me, but once the ride
is over, they DO let you go...and since you
left all your stuff at the hotel or whatever,
chances are it'll still be there when you
get back...

[psk]

I had a similar experience with another airline. Just a short hop a few states over. You would think my bag would have gotten on the same plane as me, after all the flight was delayed nearly four hours. How much more time does it take to put on a bag?

When I arrived at my destination they told me my bag took another flight and should arrive within a few hours. You guessed it, it didn't arrive on the next flight, or the next, or the next.

They found it a week later and told me they could only deliver it between 1:00 - 3:00 in the morning. I should leave my back door UNLOCKED. You see, they can't leave it outside, it might get stolen. But I should trust them, and no I couldn't come pick it up because they might not know where it was. Uh-huh.

I finally did get my bag back, minus my underwear. Apparently they are still traveling around the world. I hope they are having fun...

[mtonello]

Michaelene, it's like shouting into the wind. I wrote about the airlines a while back in this very venue(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-tonello/the-plane-truth_b_52850.html) and got very little response. The general public finds it all very acceptable. Some people that know me wrote to me privately to say that the airlines are providing a service, at competitive prices, and that i should be grateful. Honestly!

I think the airlines operate like AT&T (wasn't it called MaBell?) did back in the 50's and 60's when they were the only game in town. They do whatever they please and account to no one. Service gets worse and worse and prices go up and up.

FYI, the European carriers are not any better.

Good Luck!

[bobbyvassallo]

Don't even get me started, or the millions of other International travelers who readily expect NEVER to get their luggage. The last three years I've lost bags on virtually every International trip. Who do we blame? Good question. Worse than losing bags, is having them arrive pilfered. That is also becoming the norm.

Aren't we glad we now have Federal employees going through our bags instead of the old ones?

[Vista2020]

You were indeed supposed to claim your baggage before moving on once you landed on U.S. soil. The fact that you received two pieces of the luggage at SFO anyway proves what a joke the TSA is today.

Carrying cash and politically critical material in your suitcase these days is dangerous for a myriad of reasons. Odds are that FedEx or UPS will get your stuff back to you safely from anywhere in the World 100% better than any airline.

You did the right thing by taking this to the news stations. Even if you do not get the results that you want, you will have excellent documentation for future retribution. Don't cash the check they gave you though...

Keep up your great work on exposing the gross injustices being brought to the people.

[Newfycrat]

Every experience we have had with United has been bad. It is amazing to me with that kind of customer service, they are still in business, they certainly would not in any other service industry. We stopped using them about eight years ago. I couldn't believe that at the same time they were advertising that they were owned by their employees that their employees were that rude, at every level.
Now with all the cost cutting, everyone has gotten worse, but I still think United is at the bottom.
Use up whatever mileage you have and switch to a different company. Sorry about your luggage.

[hopeless277]

Now that you have complained, you have been added to the 'no-fly' list. You will be strip-searched at all checkpoints and have assigned seating in the back of the plane. Your luggage will be thououghly searched at each destination. The only remedy for this is to join the Republican party and show your Republican party ID at the counter. Oh, and don't forget the brown shirt. You can't be a Republican without a brown shirt.

[HeevenSteven]

I just read a story somewhere about lost baggage; apparently airlines lose something like one in 135 bags. A study at one airline concluded that dirty printer heads was the main cause as they print tags that their scanners can't read.

If Fed-Ex, UPS or the USPS can ship stuff all over the world reliably, why can't the airlines? Electronic scan tags like the kind used on store merchandise can be used for 20 cents per bag. An American Airlines guy explained that it would cost 50,000 dollars a day to use a system like that and that they don't lose enough bags to justify that kind of investment. Does that just blow your F'n mind?

If you've ever lost a bag, you know you'd gladly pay 10 times that or more to insure your bags arrive with you. i'd even pay extra for decent food on a long flight, which is what I do; I buy it at airport and take it with me. What don't airlines get about that? It's institutional stupidity!