United airlines - not the best experience
Discussion
easytiger123 said:
...there is nowhere worse to change planes than a major US airport (delays, cancellations, immigration queues, surly security staff, overcrowded terminals with poor facilities etc) and no airlines worse to fly than most American carriers with United being the worst of that terrible bunch. Avoid at all costs.
Yes, having arrived at LAX from LHR, we were faced with what turned out to be a 10 hour delay before our onward flight to Hawaii.The United "customer service" girl told us how she was really sorry, but all the time her face was saying "I don't give a s
t buddy"
OH and THE worst airport to arrive in for immigration/customs must be Dulles. The corridors seemed endless and narrow like a 1950's hotel. WE seemed to walk for ages b4 coming into the immigration area, then up and down/to and fro....got through that then another for customs. THEN back through feckin more x'ray machines, (connecting flight), which then "confiscated" the wifes contact lens fluid despite it being in a correct level/container.................bds.
ds. 
mikal83 said:
OH and THE worst airport to arrive in for immigration/customs must be Dulles. The corridors seemed endless and narrow like a 1950's hotel. WE seemed to walk for ages b4 coming into the immigration area, then up and down/to and fro....got through that then another for customs. THEN back through feckin more x'ray machines, (connecting flight), which then "confiscated" the wifes contact lens fluid despite it being in a correct level/container.................bds.
Dulles is a breeze compared to Miami! ds. Stu R said:
mikal83 said:
OH and THE worst airport to arrive in for immigration/customs must be Dulles. The corridors seemed endless and narrow like a 1950's hotel. WE seemed to walk for ages b4 coming into the immigration area, then up and down/to and fro....got through that then another for customs. THEN back through feckin more x'ray machines, (connecting flight), which then "confiscated" the wifes contact lens fluid despite it being in a correct level/container.................bds.
Dulles is a breeze compared to Miami! ds. That said though, of all the airports I've flown into in the US Dulles takes the award for being the most crap... I once had a ten year gap between visits and I don't think anything had changed, not even a coat of paint.
K50 DEL said:
Stu R said:
mikal83 said:
OH and THE worst airport to arrive in for immigration/customs must be Dulles. The corridors seemed endless and narrow like a 1950's hotel. WE seemed to walk for ages b4 coming into the immigration area, then up and down/to and fro....got through that then another for customs. THEN back through feckin more x'ray machines, (connecting flight), which then "confiscated" the wifes contact lens fluid despite it being in a correct level/container.................bds.
Dulles is a breeze compared to Miami! ds. That said though, of all the airports I've flown into in the US Dulles takes the award for being the most crap... I once had a ten year gap between visits and I don't think anything had changed, not even a coat of paint.
I agree that Dulles is grim.
Kenty said:
Why do Americans put up with such poor service and noisy, uncomfortable elderly planes when they demand good service in so many other areas of their lives?
Are all American Airlines just as bad?
I fly from the Philippines to the USA or back every four or five weeks, and I am by far a big fan of ANY airline that is not American. Unfortunately my company buy my tickets, so I am stuck with whomever they choose. Are all American Airlines just as bad?
Delta is one of the worst, their planes are ancient and decrepit and the larger part of the staff are ancient, arrogant and unfriendly. They seem to think they are doing the passenger a favour by letting them ride on their place! A recent Delta flight from Manila to Detroit, via Japan, was suffered on a plane that would be considered uncomfortable even for short haul for domestic use.
And they have the cheek to tell everybody that a survey will be emailed to them so they can comment on the Delta performance. I've never seen such an e mail.
United is not so bad, US Airways IS as bad, and several others are all much of a muchness.
Alaskan were pretty good, flew them late last year in First from LAX to SEA, a short flight but the crew were friendly and the service was good.
On our way back to Blighty we flew AA in F from SEA to ORD then AA again in F from ORD to LHR
Having done transatlantic a few times in F on BA I was very disappointed with the AA offering, it just didn't have that classy feel that BA's new F oozes.
Next year's trip (to IAD funnily enough) has been booked on BA, at least we get the Concorde room on the way out, that's pretty nice in its own right.
On our way back to Blighty we flew AA in F from SEA to ORD then AA again in F from ORD to LHR
Having done transatlantic a few times in F on BA I was very disappointed with the AA offering, it just didn't have that classy feel that BA's new F oozes.
Next year's trip (to IAD funnily enough) has been booked on BA, at least we get the Concorde room on the way out, that's pretty nice in its own right.
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