I now call the “Star Alliance” of airlines “The Death Star Alliance.” I have never been treated so horribly as by United, US Airways and Continental.

My great idea to take our 10 month old son to visit all the Grandparents turned into the trip from hell. Much like “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” meets “The Out-of-Towners” we encountered almost every possible problem an airline can throw at you. We flew on seven flights, drove 450 miles unexpectedly, got sick and were injured. To add insult to injury, my infant was nearly strip searched at one check point and I was photographed for a blog on travel misery. (I cut quite a figure with a car seat strapped to my back, stroller, laptop and diaper bag while bolting to make a connection at O’Hare.)

Each leg was late departing and arriving. We missed connections and stood in lines for hours trying to get alternate flights. Our upgrades were “lost”, we were re-routed to airports not on our route, only to have those flights canceled. Our baggage was locked up in storage, lost or sent to the wrong terminal.

The final straw was sitting on the tarmac for 4 1/2 hours for a shuttle flight between Newark and Norfolk only to have the flight canceled. We were then put on a flight to Richmond that was also canceled. The customer service desk shut down leaving everyone stranded with no hotels, transportation or food, since the airport restaurants also shut down. With no alternative flights available for two days, I had to rent a car at a distant location (none at the airport) and drive to North Carolina.

Don’t get me started on the lousy equipment. One plane kept losing power so we couldn’t get off. Yet another lost air conditioning and condensation was raining from the ceiling. As if that weren’t enough, the last flight’s seat cushions weren’t attached to the frame so the shot off like slip ‘n slide toys.

The flight crews ranged from angry to scary. My husband had scalding tea dumped on him. One stewardess lost her shoe and was crawling up and down the aisle looking for it. Another was like Nurse Ratchett patrolling the passengers.

I got a gushing nose bleed on one flight and had to be iced to keep from flooding the plane. I had to change my son on the lid of the toilet of one of the filthiest bathrooms I’ve seen outside of the third world (and I’ve been to the third world). My husband contracted some pestilence from his first flight. I got an eye stye on my third of six flights - a staph infection from the bathroom I suspect.

They whammied us to the end with our connection home from Dulles to LAX missed while we sat on the tarmac yet again. We managed to get three standby seats on the last bucket of bolts out to LAX. When we arrived, half of the luggage was MIA…ours went to a different terminal, but at least it got there.

You know when even the stewardesses are pissed, the airline has a problem.

DOWN WITH THE “DEATH STAR ALLIANCE” - MAY ALL THE EXECUTIVES AND MANAGERS OF THE AIRLINES BE THROWN ON THEIR OWN STINKY PLANES AND HELD HOSTAGE WITHOUT FOOD OR OPERATIONAL TOILETS FOR 48 HOURS AND MAYBE THEN, THEY’LL KNOW THE MISERY THEY INFLICT ON THEIR HIGH PAYING CUSTOMERS.

We’re buying an Airstream Bambi…screw flying!

- An Angry Mom in Marina del Rey

Wow Angry Mom, you’ve had the worst travel experiences I’ve ever heard of. I can’t assume that was all United-specific issues, but regardless, I think you’re onto something with the Airstream, you just weren’t meant to fly. I hope your luck improves in the future. Thanks for sharing and making me feel better!

Airline executives will never be subjected to the travails of the ‘little people’ *because* they’re execs. They are insulated/isolated from that by ‘white glove’ treatment, because of who they are. So, not only do they not see it. They don’t care. They can’t care. Stockholders force practices and decisions that may be good for ‘the bottom line’ *this* fiscal year, but are deadly stupid over the long haul. Until and unless the stupid decision affect the bottom line and/or the stock price, it will continue.

This kind of stuff will likely kill off the regional airlines. By the time one drives to the airport, stands in a security line for an hour-and-a-half, flies somewhere for two hours, then takes another forty-five minutes to get to their luggage, rent a car, and get the heck outta the airport, the only logical conclusion that one can draw is that it’s just easier to *drive* to any destination under five hours’ driving time away. Bye-bye regional airlines. Of course, the unwelcome side effect of that will be new restrictions and pricing structures (read predatory) from the airlines and the car rental agencies.

All of the measures taken in the name of security have done *nothing* to really increase security for the flying public. It’s all window dressing, and for looks, to make the uninformed flying masses ‘feel good’ by what they *think* they see. And no one should have to deal with “attitude” from a barely above minimum wage, non-native-English speaking “security screener” who only two weeks ago was cleaning office buildings in Fresno. It’s less hassle to drive to the close-in destinations as I said earlier, or to avoid the whole lost/damaged/AIRLINE EMPLOYEE luggage STEALING circumstances by simply sending your stuff ahead via UPS. At least UPS gets stuff where it’s supposed to be, knows when it gets there, and doesn’t smash the crap out of it, or drop it on the tarmac in the mean time.

“Security screeners” mess with you because they can!! It’s a big power trip for little people with big egos. Airlines mess with you because they can! Where else are you gonna go? And if you try to discuss, resist, or try to get them to insert a little common sense, or reason into the process, they label you a security risk, keep you off the plane, and focus a whole bunch of security attention in your direction just to ‘teach you a lesson.’

I *hate* government intervention into ‘free enterprise’ but someone outside that whole process needs to shake some sense into the whole industry.. Yeah, like *that’s* gonna happen any time soon!

John makes excellent points about the ineffectiveness of the TSA and how inefficient regional air travel is getting. I agree we need help on a bigger scale.

I don’t have any flying tails about United, and my experience isn’t particularly current either, but I believe it is relevant. Back in 2004 I worked briefly for TSA (Transportation Security Administration - another miserable organization with a lot of unhappy employees. But that’s a different story). I worked at San Jose (California) airport and was on the ramp, so I interacted with the ramp employees and baggage handlers for most of the airlines that flew into SJC. At the time I was there, Southwest had the most flights, followed by American, Alaska, United, Delta and America West.

By a wide margin, the most unhappy, miserable ramp workers (and ticket agents) were the United Employees. Almost without exception, they were careless, thoughtless and treated everyone who worked around them like dirt. I saw numerous examples of bags left sitting on the ramp as the plane departed, and luggage thrown about beyond the point of carelessness.

In contrast, the Southwest ramp workers were enthusiastic, happy and fun to work with. They often went out of there way to be kind to us TSA folks and to go the extra distance for their passengers. I even watched Southwest baggage handlers take bags out to planes after they had pushed back from the gate. Most of the other airlines fell somewhere in between, with several airlines (including Alaska and Delta) using contract workers instead of airline employees for ramp work.

That probably helps explain why in the latest Consumer Reports, Southwest was near the top for service, satisfaction and price, while United was near the bottom.

I happened to stumble on this link and figured I might as well share my experience with United Airlines in a nut shell…..Original flight got canceled. Put us on another flight later in the day and even though I paid extra for a seat with more leg space they told people to sit where ever they wanted on the new plane and I got stuck in a cramped seat. They told us there would be representatives waiting for us when we arrived to get us hotel rooms for our lay over….no one was there. When we finally tracked some one down to help us they gave us $6 a piece for breakfast. I wrote them three times to at least get my money back for the extra money I spent for a seat I didn’t get. Still haven’t heard from them.

“…the United Employees. Almost without exception, they were careless, thoughtless and treated everyone who worked around them like dirt. I saw numerous examples of bags left sitting on the ramp as the plane departed, and luggage thrown about beyond the point of carelessness.”

VSU: A Very strong Union is never good for Corporations or their customers.

Here is a story on the positive side. My wife and I recently flew to Seattle from Rochester NY by Airtran. I had to change flights in Atlanta. The Airtran employees were helpful and courteous on both flights. On the return trip our flight was delayed in Atlanta because of heavy thunderstorms. I tracked the flight arrival and departure times on the website for a month before we left. The only time they were late was during storms. Most of the time they were a few minutes early.

I couldn’t agree more.

United should just pack it up and go home… do the world a big favor.

The last 2 of 3 flights that I have had on United have been cancelled. The 1st was due to mechanical problems (the inbound flight had to execute an emegency landing with passengers heads between their knees) so I was not that upset about not being able to board that same plane to leave my home city. What was upsetting was the fact that the United employees in the airport stalled those of us who were waiting to leave until the last flight on another airline had left. At that point they admitted that the flight was cancelled. The 2nd experince was even worse. I had to make last second reservations to attend a funeral. Being that my reservations were last second, I understood that I would pay an exorbitant amount for the ticket. Since it was going to be expensive anyway I flew out of the small regional airport nearest to my home in western Colorado. While waiting in the Denver airport on my return flight I saw the “on-time” sign at the gate suddenly change to “cancelled”. However, the ticket agents said nothing. When I asked, the agent I was speaking to immidiately cut me off and said that I would have to talk to customer service (a 10 minute walk). When I got to customer service the line did not move at all. Long story short, my flight was canceled because the pilot never showed (which they admitted). Instead of refunding any of the $1000 bucks I had to spend on my ticket. They gave me a $250 travel voucher so that I could fly their crappy airline again. One last thing, when I orginally asked for a bereavement rate, I was told that they were “sold out” of bereavement rates for the flight that I needed. How many relatives of dead grandmothers could their be on one Thursday in the western slope of Colorado? I am planning on wiping my butt with the $250 voucher.

To KentJLewis,

Did you ever happen to think that UAL didn’t purposefully overbook those flights, and that maybe weather delays and cancellations caused their computer systems to pack in the thousands of other stranded passenger into the next available flights (including those coming from other airlines)? Their computer programs “know” the average amount of no-shows for their flights, and sell seats accordingly. To not do so is inefficient and money-wasting.

Delays during bad weather suck, for everyone including the airline itself! The alternative is to just let the pilots takeoff with no consideration at all for weather conditions at the destination. The Feds have established “Minimum Landing” conditions just to help everyone, including FAA and aircraft Captains, in the Go-No go decision. Be glad it’s that way. Pack a sleepsack and then ship your important, but needed, excess baggage by FedEx.
CPMJohn

United sucks, never talk to customer service in India, they donot have clue regarding customer service, I wish United go out of business.

I am Rashi Gupta. I recently traveled to US by Air India and United Airlines on July 20, 2007. I want to share my terrible experience with these airlines which left no stone unturned to screw up with my baggage and with my career.

I traveled from Delhi to London by Air India and then to Chicago and finally Austin by United Airlines. When I reached my destination, I didn’t receive my baggage at the Austin airport. I received only one of them and one is missing. I tried to contact United Airlines and their customer service (800-221-6093) kept giving me different stories each time. I have been calling them like hell 4-5 times a day and I haven’t received anything specific regarding the missing bag. All they say is that we are sorry sir and we are working on your file. I am kept in the dark from the first day. Air India is even worse than United Airlines since they don’t even have a 1-800 number in US and the number (773-686-1435) they have given is always on the voicemail and voicemail is full so it can’t even accept new messages.

This is my first visit to US and I am here on a student visa. I lost all my important documents and transcripts kept on this missing suitcase. I also lost pretty much all my clothes, utensils, spices … others from India. I am a student and I don’t have money to buy these stuff again and nor don’t I have money to go back to India and get my transcripts re-issued. I can’t even get admission for MS which was expected to start Aug 1.
It has been more than a week now and they are not giving me any compensation and they can’t even trace where my bag was scanned last time. They have very pathetic and lousy system where they don’t update their website  www.united.com).

Please pass this information to as many friends as possible. They have playing games with dreams of so many students of coming to US and studying for higher education. Please beware of Air India and United Airlines.

I wanted to share this miserable experience with everybody because today it’s Rashi, tomorrow it can be You.

Rashi Gupta
Bag Stats: Red Color and Type 22
Missing Bag claim number: AI463920
File number: UA20287
Baggage Claim Number: J4DTMT

I’ve had no end of minor but truly infuriating hassles with United. Their phone support has now been outsourced to India, and whenever you ask a substantive question, the rep will ask you to hold and spend 3 minutes talking to a supervisor or entering data into the database, and then come back and say “no” to whatever you requested. It took me an hour to get a ticket using a travel voucher I had (you can’t use the web site for it), and they repeatedly lied to me through the whole process.

Once I was on a United plane that lost all its electrical power at 27,000 ft. The O2 masks came down, and we did a screaming, 5-minute descent into Grand Rapids, MI, with everyone terrified and kids bawling from the pain in their ears. We get to the terminal and the reps are just lounging around. No one greeted us, or told us what was happening. Eventually they gave us $8 vouchers for dinner while they brought a replacement plane in from Chicago, and even though there was no one else in the airport, we had to show our boarding passes to get the vouchers. A truly class act.

I have been a traveling passenger for a few years now. 90% of my travel is with United Airlines. I am a Premier Associate status member, and just recently have lost all patience for their cheap actions.

I was recently traveling for business from San Diego to San Francisco and volunteered to give up my seat in return for a free ticket to anywhere in the 48 US States to be used within a year. I received a paper voucher. A few weeks go by and I have misplaced my voucher.

I called customer relations at United (which is a call center in India with poor English speaking operators). They ended up locating the record of me in the system as receiving a free ticket. HOWEVER, they are unable to honor my free ticket without that paper voucher!!! The best they can do is give me a discount of $150 off a ticket (how far can that get you)

The airline world has been paperless for how many years now?!! But, when it benefits them to not give away a free seat, they revert back to required PAPER tickets!!!!

Please send this to as many people as you can. Flying as a Frequent Member, or at all isn’t worth it on United

Consider the employees……UAL just reported a $343 mil clear profit for the last quarter on Tuesday and today, Friday announced that the employee’s would receive 18.6% of the 100% of success sharing pay for the same quarter. They said we failed to make our goals on almost every measure THEY wanted to rate us on. I guess UAL’s success is our failure.
With employee moral so low it is through the floor, this is just another slap in the face from Tilton while he lines his bank account with more money and tells us to “stay focused on our customers, and of course, on one another… and stay united” and broke!

Consider the employees……UAL just reported a $343 mil clear profit for the last quarter on Tuesday and today, Friday announced that the employee’s would receive 18.6% of the 100% of success sharing pay for the same quarter. They said we failed to make our goals on almost every measure THEY wanted to rate us on. I guess UAL’s success is our failure.
With employee moral so low it is through the floor, this is just another slap in the face from Tilton while he lines his bank account with more money and tells us to “stay focused on our customers, and of course, on one another… and stay united” and broke! It is about to hit the fan. Just wait and watch…..

I arrived at the Omaha airport the recommended three hours early.
My flight, which was scheduled to leave for Denver at 7:01 did not bother leaving until 7:50. My connecting flight to Salt Lake City from Denver closed the door ten minutes early, so I missed the flight. I stood at the gate looking at the plane literally a full 5 minutes before the scheduled departure time. The gate agents were not inconvenienced and said I could just travel to Salt Lake City tomorrow.
When I complained, they told me to look at all the other people who missed their flights and were perfectly happy. Why was I the only one who was dissatisfied? When I said “Thank you. Actually it is not really like I am a customer, you are doing me a big, big favor.” The little prig said “You are welcome. I am glad you finally understand.”
I intend to talk with the travel department in my company and ensure that I am not booked on United in the future.
They seem to lack integrity and a sense of customer service. Additionally they seem incapable or unwilling to honor a contract, which is what I perceive a ticket as. Yes, I am on board – United airlines sucks.
I do not even want to talk about TSA. The entire screening process is abusive, unnecessary and ineffective.

UAL = Total Bastard Airlines (T.B.A).

The US Government should NOT provide any funding to bail out horrible airlines like Total Bastard Airlines. In a free market economy, TBA would be out of business. No more government loans or rescue schemes. Lights out. Gone. Let a new company start up and serve us better or give more business to Southwest Airlines who really cares about their customers.

Last week my flight from IAD to BHM was cancelled. No more flights. Re-routed to Atlanta. My checked bags finally showed up in BHM 4 days later. I called India several times per day and they kept saying “thank you for your patience”, I finally said “what patience, I have no patience but that really doesn’t matter to you”. They didn’t know how to respond.

Bottom line: The US Government should let United die completely. Pull the plug. Let her sink to the ocean floor. Only when horrible companies like United succumb to their own operational failures would people like us win. Death to United, aka Total Bastard Airlines.!!!

Overbooking seems to be a big problems with United. The customer service, located in that country on the other side of the globe, is even worse. I made a change to a return flight on United through Travelocity that would cost me less than the original ticket. When I arrived at the airport, they were asking for volunteers to take a later flight. They were taking people like crazy and I was one of them. Everything went fine at that point. I flew out 3 hours later and got a travel voucher. Then 5 days later I get a $728.00 charge on my bank card. I called Travelocity who stated that should have never happened and United hiked the price without letting them or myself know. So, I call United….6 times! Everyone refused a refund and read from the script. When I asked for someone higher, they said there was none. Without my permission or that of my travel agency, United took $780.00 more out of my bank account because of a overbooked flight I didn’t even take. I almost want to cry when dealing with offshore customer service, knowing they do not understand or even care, while United pads itself from its customers. So now I have to work on legal proceedings to try to get my money back as well as get compensation for my 10 hours time on the phone with them. I wish I could shut this company down.

United Airlines SUCKS because of people hiring friends and ASSHOLE people. People who do not have any people skills at all to be managers. And always works from home. And you want to hear something funny. These managers don’t even work in the office for more than 15 hours a week. If a snowy day, they would be the first one out the door. Forget about you little people. And they would be the one taking a snow day. What are they kinder garden??? If us little people call in sick or taking a snow day, will be marked on our elevation. And there goes our raise, not that we have one. But if the managers do that, they get themselves a better raise and promotions!!!!

I just wanted to add my 2 cents. I recently flew from Pittsburgh to Chicago to Denver on United yesterday. They lost my luggage and I have been playing phone games with their customer service all day trying to figure out where it is and how I am to get it. I paid close to $4,000 to come to Denver for a hunting trip and here I sit in a hotel room waiting for my gear watching shitty cable tv two days into my ten paid vacations that I get off per year. Currently United claims that the bags are still sitting in Chicago, only after screwing with me for more than 24 hours and saying that it was somewhere in DIA. I am so sick of this and will never fly them again if possible. My hunting rifle is in one of my checked bags and I cleared everything with TSA with fine. My big regret though is that the gun has special meaning to me since it was my 16th birthday present and it has gone all over the world with me.
United Airlines is a horrible company and I hope to god they go under. There is no reason to overbook planes so badly, cramp you in small seats, and then lose your luggage and treat you like shit. I have never had such bad luck with any airline like United.

UPDATE. After spending so much of my valuable time on the phone with Travelocity and United, I got my money back plus a little more. Persistence pays off but I should have never had to do that. Why couldn’t they give me my money back from the beginning? Nothing changed in what I said but I did call Travelocity again and told them I’m going after them if they can’t get United to give my money back as I was being patient and understanding that it wasn’t %100 Travelocity’s fault.

The lesson learned: If companies like these are so bad then we should refuse to do business with them and tell everyone else that. When they do screw you, you have to go after them no matter what and try everything you can. There is no reason these huge companies should be able to screw the little guy (the paying customer) so much. Don’t get caught up in customer service or complaint departments. Speak to someone or a department that can do something (Refunds Dept.) and don’t stop calling them every single day.

Thanks for sharing your experience and providing the readers with an update Chris!

I’m so glad I stumbled across this site. I also have been screwed over by United Airlines, and I vow NEVER to fly with them again.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday 2007, I booked a trip to Dallas from Los Angeles non-stop both ways, returning on the Saturday after the holiday to avoid the mad crush of returning families on Sunday. Upon arriving at DFW on Saturday, I discovered that my non-stop flight to L.A. was cancelled, and that I would not be able to fly back to L.A. until Sunday morning, with a layover in Denver, no less…

Sunday morning arrives, I fly to Denver on my flight which left DFW 45 minutes late, and miss the connection to L.A. they assigned me. Upon arrival at the United terminal in Denver, the concourse had a very distinct mood of agitation, probably due to the fact that most of the gates in that terminal belonged to United.

When I reached the customer service desk (in line with no less than 50 other people), they told me I would not be able to get a flight out to L.A. until sometime Monday. This is the point where I lost it. Uncharacteristically, I threw a major fit of rage (and almost thought I was going to be taken away by security). I was stranded in an airport that wasn’t even on my itinerary, with what turned out to be hundreds of other stranded United passengers. Someone else in line told me that on the news on Saturday he had read that in Chicago, United Airlines had a Thanksgiving dinner for it’s mechanics, and everybody got food poisoning…

After throwing a fit, and demanding to be put on another flight through another airline at United’s expense (it’s called Rule something), all of a sudden the customer service agent’s tune changed and magically, I was booked on a flight several hours in the future, but on Sunday nonetheless. I heard people in line behind me mumbling to each other “what rule is this guy talking about?”

So, 27 hours after I was supposed to arrive in L.A., after being stranded in 2 airports, and feeling so dirty, I got home. The next day, I called United (which I’m sure I talked to someone in India), and they sent me a voucher for $150…what a slap in the face.

What’s worse is that when I tried to use the voucher on a future flight, they made it all but impossible to actually redeem the voucher! I live 75 miles from the airport, and the day I booked the ticket (3 weeks in advance), they told me I had to personally go to the airport that day with the voucher and give it to a United ticket agent. I said, “Screw you, guys” and vowed to NEVER deal with United ever again.

Whew! I know this comment will just get lost in all the other bad experiences on here, but it felt so good to vent!

I have recently given Airtran, American, Northwest, and Sun Country business that United could have had, and am pleased to say that my experiences on these airlines have been satisfactory to very good. I guess anything else will always be a better experience than the day of my life taken away from me by United Airlines.

have watched united load my bags from the gate only to be told I missed the flight - got $8 to eat in SF and spent the day in SF Airport - thanks
paid the porter a couple bucks in Denver to check my bag to have it destroyed in the handling system on it’s way to Omaha - showed up shredded the next day - United allowed $25 discount on purchase of their luggage to replace and never paid my claims for destroyed property because my bag was softsided, jewelry shouldn’t have been checked, mangled by the baggage handling system, didn’t have receipts for shredded silk sweaters and other clothing - no reimbursement whatsoever, no apology - thanks United
flight cancelled in Birmingham AL due to bad weather thousands of miles away only to get move to Charlotte NC on US Airway and get delayed enough to spend the night in LAX - 38 degrees - no hotels, no compensation, no nothing - thanks again
have 86,000 plus miles but no flights are avail able for eight months to receive saver award ticket - thanks again
great service, except I can’t communicate with the Indian guy who answers United Customer Service line - giving thanks United again, again

I agree with the person that said t never talk to the customer service in India. They have no idea what they are doing! So, if by any chance your phone gets routed there, simply hang up! Would be such a waste of your time!!!

This cracks me up because I just called United to change my ticket since my infant is sick with a fever for 4 nights and I said I could provide a doctor’s note. I just wanted to change my flight and not get charged the change fee. The “Customer Service” agents in India (not sure what service they provide) told me that they do not allow waivers. I find this completey amusing as I have traveled with United for about 20 years and I have had waivers over the years for sicknesses, death in the family, etc. But not only did they inform me that they do not allow waivers, but that their change flight fee was increasing from $100 to $150. I am cancelling my United Mileage Plus Visa and am booking my future flights on other airlines. There has to be something better than being treated horribly on the phone, at the airport and throughout every process with United.
United Sucks. Here’s to hoping they go out of business…

As an airline employee for over 30 years am always shocked to see people sleep in the terminal. I can understand college students doing it but when I see seemingly well off adults sleeping on the floor I wonder. Is it really worth saving $100 to $200? And I want to point out that it’s very important to arrive to your gate early. We overbook flights because many of you are no shows.

I don’t think the airline employees making comments about this post understand the situation. I didn’t get a cut-rate ticket to save a few bucks, it was a business expense. Furthermore, there were no hotels available in the Denver area (thanks to many other travelers being in my same situation. Lastly, my issue with United in particular is record high profitability at the passenger’s expense; they don’t have to overbook at the rate they do, in order to please shareholders. I will never fly United again, nor invest in the company (other than to short the stock). Thanks for your comments though.

United airlines needs to be sued

Kent all these views need to me sent to a news paper and published.
I’m sitting here at home frustrated and exhausted and shocked at the horrible service of United airlines. It is a joke.
My old parents are stranded on a international flight from grand rapids to helifax in chicago without food or any assistance for 18 hours. The airlines refuses to help. I have no way of contacting them because they are from India and traveling without a cellphone. I have called everyone at united included the director and all they talk about its a fucking protocol. Aren’t people in the position of director supposed to use their brains. The flight was from grandrapids and the delay was in the connection because eof bad weather so it should be United’s responsibility if the delay was at the place of origin of the journey it was the customers problem. You cannot leave old people stranded without food and help and any contact with the family in the name of so bullshit protocol. I would like to take this case to the consumer court.

I booked a round trip ticket for my grandma to come to Vancouver from San Francisco airport on Sept 5 10:45 am Flight #1116 and return on Sept 8 at 3pm on flight 8255. When she got to the airport on her way to Vancouver she was denied boarding because she was told by the agent there that they wont let her board without a US passport and all she had with her was a Vietnamese passport with a US green-card. She had to take a taxi from the airport back to her home in Alameda. I contacted UA and was told by the representative that she in fact can come to Canada and the agent at the airport was wrong. A not was put in place. She had to go back to the airport for a 9:55pm flight on Sept 5. Now, since her initial flight was missed and that there was a number of things she had to do on Sept 5 which did not take place because of what happened she had to do them on Monday therefore cannot make it back to the US as originally scheduled. I contacted UA customer service and rescheduled her flight. The agent who helped me reschedule originally asked for $150 but after explaining what happened she told me that the flight is rescheduled and left it at that. Now, come Sept 12 my grandma went to the Vancouver airport to return home. She was again stopped by the check-in attendant and demanded that she had to pay for the rescheduled flight. The attendant was very un yielding and force my grandma to pay or else no check-in. My grandma is 73 years old woman with Limited English and cannot take all the stuff from the check-in attendant thus paid the full amount. I’m writing this complaint and will attempt to reach UA refund department for refund. If this failed I will take further action.