We should set the scene before I start:

Writing this blog post forces me to reveal an embarrassing story about myself. But it’s worth it, because I need to share with you multiple reasons why not to fly United Airlines.

I was flying from BOS to PDX with a connecting flight in SFO. Both flights went well considering the cramped seats, trash in the front compartment of my seat, and the broken air conditioning fans above me.

The flight pulls into Portland, OR around 10:30 PM, I woke up at 6AM this morning EST and it’s now 1:30 AM EST over there as I pull into this airport. Cranky and tired, I still have a one hour commute back home on the MAX rail (which I LOVE).

I’m stumbling down to baggage claim where I find my suitcase of 60 pounds, in which I lug off the conveyer belt, and begin to roll my way towards home.

I’m in the middle of my trip home and I notice something wrong. I look over to my suitcase and I realize it’s not mine. I’ve grabbed the wrong suitcase!!!!

It looks exactly the same: same color, same size, same Hong Kong International Airport sticker on the side (freaky right? At least I didn’t find a cat in mine)

I call my parents as I am heading home and they comfort me by telling me they will send the suitcase back to the airport tomorrow morning.

I get home to my brother running to greet me, but instead of a “Welcome home!” I get a “United called. They know you have someone else’s suitcase”. Great.

United calls again, and I pick up the phone, genuinely apologetic, I offer to send the suitcase back ASAP in the morning. It’s already 11:45PM and it takes an hour to get there and an hour back. The agent on the phone agrees, thanks me, and hangs up: problem solved.

…but not really. At 6AM the next morning, the family is woken up by an angry United Airlines employee voicemail claiming they will file a police report if they don’t get their suitcase back by 9AM. Then they repeat their message, saying: “Yes, Melanie, if we don’t get that back by 9 AM, we are going to file a police report to claim property that you have that is not yours. That gives you 3 hours, Melanie. See you soon.”

So, United Airlines is apparently using fear tactics to scare their passengers.

I get to the airport around 9:45 AM, and I see no one at the United Baggage Claim. Um okay. I wait for 5-8 minutes for someone to get in here. I see a scrawny woman emerge from the end of the hall, she sees me, and says “Are you Ms. Wong? We have your suitcase.”

Oh! Exciting! They’ve been expecting me.

She looks at me. From head to toe. I apologize for taking the suitcase, as I should, and I bring it to the back to collect my own. Then she says, “You know, I was thiissss [makes a gesture with her two fingers 2 cm apart] close to filing a police report. The suitcases don’t even look the same. Right? Aren’t they completely different? One’s a darker shade of black.” She takes a look at both of them and clicks her tongue.

I stop to stare at her for a good 10 seconds with no emotion on my face.  I was thinking, “did she really just say that?!”

But what comes of my mouth out was better: “Have a good day.”

“I’m better than that, I will not stoop to her level” I think.

I leave the poor lady standing alone in her back room with the other suitcase. Her behavior has caused me to hate the company she works for, and influence others to do the same. The flights to and from were bearable, but United needs to work on training their staff. No matter how fast you fly from point A to point B, if someone threatens to file a police report for a mistake you’re genuinely sorry for, you’re experience flying is a little bit damaged.

It doesn’t help that MSNBC has called them “The Worst Airline Ever” and there is a website named Untied.com dedicated to the demise of this horrid airline.

If you had a good/bad experience flying with United Airlines, I would love to hear about it in your comments.