United Screws Up - A TR Part I

I will start Part 1 as a reply!

United Screws Up - A TR Part I

My DH and I were in Las Vegas, June 7-10, 3 nights at the Mirage. I had gotten an email offer and we ended up paying $297 total for the 3 nights.

Our flight was to leave out of Grand Rapids (about an hour from home) at 6:20 pm with a stop in Denver. We left home at 2:30 grabbed some Burger King and then went on the Gerald R. Ford Internation Airport. We had never flown out of here before and were quite pleased. It was easy to find. We parked in long term parking and took a free shuttle to the airport. There is alot of construction going on there, but we found it easy to get in and out.

Went to our gate to await our 6:20 flight. We were waiting for a flight to come in at 5:37 and then take that plane on to Denver. As the minutes ticked by I got more and more nervous. 6:20, 6:30, 6:40....the board still read the flight was on time...Uh, I don%26#39;t think so! We were eventually informed that the plane that originally was supposed to come in had mechanical problems and they had to find another plane to get to us. FINALLY, the flight arrived, I think around 7 pm.

We boarded quickly and I was stunned to see that this plane was two seats on both sides and a narrow center aisle. The seats were frayed, everything looked old and above the one bathroom at the back of the plane, you could still see where it had said ';Skywest';....who the heck are they????? Never heard of em.....anyway, looked like the pulled the plane from a junkyard!

Once we were on board, the pilot informed us that we would be arriving in Denver at 7:55 pm. WHAT????? WHAT????? Our connection leaves at 8:05!!! We%26#39;ll NEVER make it! Grabbed a flight attendant to tell him about our connection and he said he would inform the pilot. Came back a bit later and told us there were 10 of us total that needed to get that connection to Vegas. The pilot was going to contact Operations to let them know. By this time I was about to grab the little @#$% and beat the heck outta him. He told us the pilot said we should be ready to RUN once we arrived in Denver. RUN???? Are you kidding me?????? I%26#39;m wearing flip flops you idiot and I haven%26#39;t had to RUN anywhere in 20 years!!!!!!!

Ok...I%26#39;m making this too long.....forgive me....we landed at 7:55 at Gate 58. Our connection was at Gate 27!!!!! OMG! I removed my flip flops and hit the ground running along with my DH and the other 8 people....I must have looked a sight is all I can say, running like OJ thru the airport, barefoot! Everyone was wayyyyyyyyy in front of me, but I told them to go go go! Arrived at the gate to see the plane JUST pulling away. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! But the nice United lady said she had just booked all of us for the next flight at 9:47...oh thank you nice United lady but I was supposed to be in Vegas before then!!!!!!! What can you do? Nothing...except fume.

Stay tuned for Part II of ';Trying to get to Vegas';...

United Screws Up - A TR Part I

I have only read the first 3 paragraphs of your TR and instantly thought Ahhhh....Vegas....it%26#39;s brings out the best in everyone.

Am I getting the times wrong or were you only delayed for an hour and forty-two minutes in getting into Vegas?

Anyway, where was I????? Eventually it comes time to board our very late United flight. We were put in the ';upgrade'; seats for free..gee, aren%26#39;t they nice people????? I know, I%26#39;m getting sarcastic, but it%26#39;s my vacation darnit!

I nudge the DH and tell him about the 3 empty seats in front of us that we need to grab when they close the doors! I was in a center seat and he was on the aisle and it was still very cramped. This is a bigger plane so not as claustrophobic.

The next thing we hear is this loud commotion and a bunch of young adults come stumbling onto the plane and plopping themselves wherever the can find an empty seat including the 3 empty ones that I had been eyeing since boarding...it was total chaos and none of the flight attendants seemed to care one iota about these people. Eventually I determined that this was a group of mentally challenged young people along with a couple of chaperones and I assumed that the ticket agent inside the terminal had told them to ';just sit wherever you can find an empty seat';. Everyone gets settled and our flight is finally in the air. On the first leg of the trip we had gotten the obligatory sack of pretzels, but on this leg - nothing, nada, zilch, zip, zero! It is now well after 10 pm and we%26#39;re starving....Both of us are extremely uncomfortable as the flight goes on. My rear end hurts, my ears hurt and now as we%26#39;re starting the descent, I have the worst pain in my head ever!!!! I%26#39;m thinking - ';Ok, my dad had a brain anuerysm this must be my time';! I%26#39;m telling ya you guys, I thought my head was going to explode!!!!!!

Wow..this is a very depressing start to a Vegas TR. I apologize.

Finally we land..ahhhhh we%26#39;re in Vegas!!! We%26#39;re tired, hungry and PO%26#39;d but we are in Vegas. It%26#39;s 11 pm.....hop the tram to go to the baggage terminal...it starts up and after about 5 ft...stops....then it starts up and goes another 5 feet...and stops...then there%26#39;s this loud noise coming over the intercom, like 100 people talking at once! It%26#39;s earsplitting!!!!! Eventually a voice informs us that the tram is broken and maintenance is on the way...AND do not attempt to open the doors! Ok....at this point I%26#39;m delirious....first the plan and now the tram....will this nightmare never end?

To be continued.......

I guess I should of mentioned that this was our second trip to Vegas where United had delayed our first flight, thus making us miss our second leg.

I know it is less than a two hour delay, but, but, but...

please tell me it gets better. I am so sorry for your miserable start to your vacation.

Wow, what a start. Brings to mind the quote from ';Fools Rush In';, ';There are signs everywhere';. I hope these were not your ';signs';

Surely it had to get better from here ...

Have you noticed that the time things go really wrong, like the tram breakdown, are usually when you are feeling a your very worst. It never happens when you are in a great mood and feelng fighting fit.

I hope that the rest of your trip gets better. At least we know that you made it back home alive.

That certainly is not the most pleasant way to start a trip but I hope all your bad luck is now out of the way and the good luck is about to start!