Complaint Review: United Airlines

Flight UA 1117

7:22 PM departurn Miami International Airport to Newark International Airport

May 1st, 2015

Hi United Customer Service Official,

I am writing a detailed letter stating an extreme incident during my last flight on UA 1117 on May 1st.

I have been clinically diagnosed for Panic Disorder and Unspecified Depressive Disorder and is requested by my psychologist to be flying with my service animal. ( for my medical symptoms please see the file attached. )

I have suffered from extreme distress through out my last return flying journey from Miami to Newark airport, especially during my in cabin experience causing by 2-3 crew members including the manager.

Prior boarding, I have mailed in, called in for all my required documentation for my service animal to be on broad. My outbound trip went smoothly, with a friend and cabin crew was extra friendly and acceptive of us. My return trip, the service I had received through out the airport was not at all within the same standard of service I had received before. I had been continued to question wether he was a service dog, and while boarding, the agent questioned again and when I told her to check within the system under my name, she did not do so but showed a distrusted face. ( I do not understand how she think I have gotten in to the boarding gate with dog in the first place without authorization? )

I had chosen the last seat 38 F of the plane to be seclude from the crowd, distraction and unwanted stress. I arrived at seating, within 2 minutes, while I was still situating myself, the Manager of the crew members ordered me to rush into my own seat, along with the dog and my belonging, while no passengers was even coming close to the end seatings area. She raised her voice at me : “ move in please! with your dog water! before anyone else come and others need to be seated, etc “, with an extremely condescending and rude tone of voice.

I responded: “ I am moving in, just give me a second would you? considering I am with an animal and I have my belongings.” I then told her, the air was very hot and we were both overheated, but she did not help us nor offer anything. Instead, she started a serial of questioning with the same questions I had been asked: “ Is he a service dog? I need to go look at the manual on wether he needs to be staying inside the bag or not, etc etc. “ I told her:” yes he is, why don’t you check with the airline as I have already sent in ALL documentations and he’s approved.” at this point I had became extremely uncomfortable with all her questioning and attitude and my heart rate was rising and I showed annoyance with my voice while she questioned my name, so I asked her what is hers and she said Stacey but refused to give her last name. I asked her repeatedly to leave me alone and just check with the airline so I am not disturbed at this point, she then threaten me, if I do not comply and stop talking, she will have them let me off this plane, she threatened again if I continue i will not be flying in this plane, when all i was telling her was to change her attitude with me because the attitude I had received was beyond any professional crew members could offer to any passenger, not along one with a service dog and not knowing what kind of illness this passenger may or could have. She then asked who’s shirt is it on the floor, it was mine that fell in front of her, and she pick it up and she THREW it at me. This kind of behavior is intolerable and never seen within my flying history. Until now, I started to believe this manager of the crew might have something against me and the animal alone. It was extremely uncomfortable, disturbing, and bazaar.

I continue to offer to show her my paperwork which is in my bag, she continues to dismiss and my requests, nor did she go in and look for the manual, she then called in an agent, and had the agent verified AGAIN, in front of me and all cabin, with the front desk that this dog is allowed to be on the plane. The agent confirmed it has been authorized.

Until this point, the temperature within cabin was extremely hot, it’s also United's responsibility to make sure from reservation, check in, boarding, to in cabin are all within close co-ordination and most importantly, Informed.

The plane took off, the manager was serving first class cabin, 2 hours in the plane there were a few passenger who walked passed and distracted my service animal, or due to turbulent he raised a few small barks, that was not continuous and subside within seconds, another black female crew member came to me, and started the questioning: “ is he a service dog? I have never heard a service dog bark in my flying career and I heard him bark a few times. “ Implying he was a fake. I felt harassed, at this point. I told her :” there are different kinds of service animals that cater to different needs, I have submitted all my doctors and trainers letter, i also have it here if you would like to see it, so you can stop these questioning. “ She would not stop nor try to understand what I was truly going through inside my body and mind, she continues, repeating that service dogs do not bark, at this point I had to raise my voice and order her to leave my sight because i was having major anxieties. I begged and cried out :” please leave me alone, because now I am having really bad anxieties. “

She left. I was feeling extremely angered, shaken, and lost. I asked the male cabin crew member for help, and what I can do after I get off this plane, he told me with an unconcerned voice: “ you just go on united and submit your feed back “. I then asked him if he can give me their names, he refused and he walked away without even offering me a glass of water as I was extremely shaken at that moment.

When the plane had landed, I asked him again, for his name, he again refused to give me and became very offensive as I asked him why you can not tell me your name? He covered right away his name tag and implied that I will get him in trouble when all he did was be supportive of me. He got extremely offensive when I asked him why is he scared if he didn’t do anything wrong? The 4th blond crew member was kind enough to offer me water and sympathy as at this moment, I was emotionally shaken so much I had difficulty breathing and my words were lost in tears. The blond crew member then gave me water and said she’s sorry for what happened.

On the way out, I asked for the manager’s name again and she chose to completely dismissed me, and told me “ you can go out and speak with the agent. “ like it has nothing to do with her, and order me to leave the plane. I then reached to the customer service manager on site name Carlo, and he understood the circumstances and will be able to verified with you. I also see those three crew members walking out and leaving together.

The passenger at 38D had seen and heard most of the incident, and he will also be able to verify with united.

During this flight, I was harassed by two crew member, the black female manager, and the other black female crew member, I was also disturbed by the way the male crew member react and the lack of help I had received by him due to fear or protective of the other crew members.

The behaviors these crew members had demonstrated has never seen by me with any other airlines, nor within any other airlines within UNITED itself. It is absolutely not tolerable, how they had treated someone with mental disfunction ( they were not informed in the first place ) and the stress they had brought to me, this is far from their responsibility and what the airline stands by that to make passenger feel welcome, comfortable and at their service. It is the airline’s responsibility to make sure crew members received education and follow a strict protocol and co ordination on serving passengers with service animal. I traveled by myself, however, I believe that if I had my boyfriend next to me, I would not have been treated the same. although this comment might sound personal, it’s solely based on how they made me feel was under personal attack and harassment.

Carlo informed me that after I filed the complaint, United will usually call in the crew members involved and question them on what happened and make their decision from there. My concern is these three members are friends, and they did not seem to be worried one bit. However, I am determined to received the right answer and justice for my emotional trauma and damage from this experience.

I have emailed in this same letter to United's customer service group. I would like to speak with the customer service supervisor regarding this incident. I will consider further actions to be taken if United can not offer me a correct justice and answer on this incident.