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Sounds like we'll just chalk it up as a lesson learned. I guess I've been lucky that, even though I am not a frequent traveler (fewer than 10 times per year over the past 20 years), this is the first time that I've ever gone through something like this. It also may be because I normally fly Southwest and have never been delayed or canceled. For a flying bus, they sure seem to have their act together. And yes, in the big picture, it could have been worse. There were moms their with their toddlers, a couple carrying their wedding dress and tux, etc. I guess I just don't like being lied to, and hold people to a higher standard, as I am held to one in my line of work. Like I said, if they have been honest up front and said the plane was broken and with the weather, the chances are you're not going anywhere, or there is an extremely small chance you will see your bags before tomorrow, I would have been alright with that and we would have planned accordingly. It was the fact that they purposely told us one thing, knowing full well it probably wasn't going to happen.
Every day is a lesson in something new, right?
But here's the thing. It seems like they really tried to get you out of Chicago, but first there was a mechanical delay and then a weather delay after they got a new plane. I'm sure they wouldn't go to the trouble of getting a new plane just to inconvenience you.
Second, what I found with the baggage people, they don't have all the information that they need. They seem to do their job based on the information they have and the norms that they have seen. Maybe RFID would be a good technology for them, but I assume it would be costly.
In the end, I know your trip there was really annoying.
Sounds like we'll just chalk it up as a lesson learned. I guess I've been lucky that, even though I am not a frequent traveler (fewer than 10 times per year over the past 20 years), this is the first time that I've ever gone through something like this. It also may be because I normally fly Southwest and have never been delayed or canceled. For a flying bus, they sure seem to have their act together. And yes, in the big picture, it could have been worse. There were moms their with their toddlers, a couple carrying their wedding dress and tux, etc. I guess I just don't like being lied to, and hold people to a higher standard, as I am held to one in my line of work. Like I said, if they have been honest up front and said the plane was broken and with the weather, the chances are you're not going anywhere, or there is an extremely small chance you will see your bags before tomorrow, I would have been alright with that and we would have planned accordingly. It was the fact that they purposely told us one thing, knowing full well it probably wasn't going to happen.
Every day is a lesson in something new, right?
As I read this thread, I assumed you to be one who has never flown before, or maybe once or twice in the summer. You say you have flown ten times a year over the past twenty years??!! That is a frequent flyer. Even if you had your eyes closed all that time, you should be quite familiar with the system. Why are you complaining? I think that United did the best that they could under the circumstances.
Don't even think of trying to blame the laptop incident on United. The TSA can take credit for that one. More specific blame the terrorists. Even more specific, you can blame a certain religion, but I won't go down that road.
United should also be given a lot of credit for not allowing the plane to take off with the mechanical problem. In the crash investigations it usually comes out that the plane had a defect, or the pilots were inexperienced, or the weather was bad, but they let the plane fly anyway.
Actually I've been through worse. Once I went to Greece and spent 2 entire weeks with just the clothes on my back. I had to buy everything there from toothbrush to dresses and bathing suit. And good luck finding a one piece bathing suite size 10 over there, when what they sell is most skimpy 2 pieces size 4 and 6 and the sale people look at you and say they don't have anything XL
They lost my luggage here in Pgh. After checking in the luggage with American Airlines the plane I was supposed to take to NY was "indefinitely delayed" so they put us on a Jet Blue plane. The luggage never showed up in NY, nor in Madrid, nor in AThens, Greece. I spent hours and $$$ in calling airlines and complaining to all possible forums and agencies. I even wrote to Iberia Airlines CEO to no avail.
This happened in Aug 2011. Upon returning to US I spend other hours on the phone with 3 airlines trying to locate my bag, which was tagged and scanned and had a label (?!) and it was in AA computers before it vanished. Apparently it was somewhere in Madrid for a long period of time and nobody could find it. I got it back 3 months later after I had totally forgotten about it, only to notice that items were stolen from it (silver jewerly, Lancome cosmetics and Chanel perfume).
So from now on I always put valuables in my carry on, along with a change of clothes and toiletries. And if I attend a wedding I take a dress that travels well and can fit in my carry on. In other words I'm always prepared for the worse, because things can happen.
Also if your bags goes missing always, always, always file a complaint. My problem and what delayed the process was that upon reaching the destination I din;t file a complaint with Iberia airlines (which were the last leg of my trip). I though, weel, if I came on board with no lugagge it makes no sense to file a complaint, thinking that my luggage would be forwarded by AA to jet Blue and jet Blue would push it to the final destination, like I was told upon boarding Jet Blue here in pgh.
Wrong! They sent it to madrid. no complaints there, my bag stayed there.
Travel isn't a "science." Yet, things can be analyzed to make it easier and more enjoyable. ANYONE who checks all their clothing in a checked back is either ignorant, or down right stupid. Always bring a carry on with enough clothes to get you by for several days; yes, not the greatest, yet you can always buy whatever you need, and whatever destination. A carry on with 2 pairs of pants, 2 shirts, and what you are wearing, can truly get you by for weeks on end. This includes putting in a pair of shorts, which can double as a swimming suit (women, a one piece of two piece bathing suit doesn't take much room).
Every modern, even throw down hotels/motels have soap, shampoo and most even have cheap toothbrushes and toothpaste for travelers.
Two best travel tips I were ever given: 1. Bring TWICE as much money as you think you will need. 2. Bring half the clothes you think you will need.
Complain, you might get some miles, not much but 5,000-10,000. In the scheme of thoses though it was handled pretty well and you were fortunate to make the wedding. I've Hearn much worse.
You might have some recourse via your credit/debt card.
Some cards (Amex for certain) have travel insurance benefits if you paid for the ticket with the card. You would get some money back for the toiletries purchased in transit. The laptop is less certain, but it's worth asking.
Relatively speaking, United did a decent job compared to some horror stories I've heard on dedicated frequent flyer forums such as Flyertalk.
If it were me, I would avoid Chicago, especially in winter if at all possible. I also try to avoid changing planes anywhere. If there are non-stop flights from Las Vegas to Boston for example, I would take that flight instead and then rent a car and drive the short distance to Providence. You just avoid the possibility of a lot of headaches that way.
All part of the pleasures of traveling and, while aggravating, nothing out of the ordinary for us business travelers.
It seems that United took care of you, considering the circumstances, with a few bumps on the way. You can complain to United and maybe get some "ski pesos" - frequent flyer points or coupons to use if you fly again for the flight experience.
As for the damaged laptop - you certainly can be reimbursed for damage but only to the allowable amount, forgot what that is. The sooner you do that the better. But....checking in a laptop? I would never ever do that. Never put anything fragile or expensive in your checked in luggage. That is common knowledge.
All part of the pleasures of traveling and, while aggravating, nothing out of the ordinary for us business travelers.
It seems that United took care of you, considering the circumstances, with a few bumps on the way. You can complain to United and maybe get some "ski pesos" - frequent flyer points or coupons to use if you fly again for the flight experience.
As for the damaged laptop - you certainly can be reimbursed for damage but only to the allowable amount, forgot what that is. The sooner you do that the better. But....checking in a laptop? I would never ever do that. Never put anything fragile or expensive in your checked in luggage. That is common knowledge.
I wouldn't check a laptop. It was in my carryon. Unfortunately, they forced me to check it as the plane was full. I am submitting a claim to the TSA, so we'll see.
I have a vague memory that airlines won't insure electronics. They probably won't pay for the computer, but your home owner's or tenant's insurance might cover it, so check with them, in addition to filing a claim with the airlines.
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