United passengers at Houston airport upset after delayed, canceled flights with no answers
HOUSTON - Hundreds of United Airlines passengers are upset with how the airline handled the severe weather delays, lack of staff, canceled flights, stranded travelers and lost luggage. Some are trying to make it home after the Christmas holiday.
Some passengers have been at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport without answers for three days.
The passengers are saying their luggage is lost, and they've only been offered a $15 food voucher, but no accommodations, no refunds, and no answers.
Some are saying the United employees reported no gates available when flights were on the tarmac for three hours. When the flight got to the gate, it was on the opposite side of the airport. After trying to make her next flight, a passenger named Gloria said, after many delays, and hours of waiting, her flight was canceled. "I am really disappointed with United."
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LaToya L. said around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, she had been waiting at the airport since 10 a.m. Saturday. Her flight was canceled at midnight, and she was not able to get her bags. She says she has to file claims, and she might get her bags in a couple of days.
Willie Leach got to the airport on a layover at 11 a.m. Saturday and was supposed to depart at 12:30 p.m. for Florida. They were able to get on a plane at 2:30 p.m. and sat on the runway until 5:30 p.m. Leach says they were then de-boarded to take a different plane. They were able to board another plane two hours later and had to wait for a new crew. They waited for two hours on the plane when they announced they did not have a pilot for the flight, so the flight was canceled. He was able to get a flight for Sunday evening on a different airline.
Dylan Walsh was supposed to fly out of Houston to Philadelphia at 6 p.m. Saturday. It was pushed back and was then canceled. He says United is blaming weather for the delays.
"It's not the weather because the pilot on the flight before they de-planed us said that they needed a flight attendant and couldn't find one. That, to me, is a management issue. It is not weather. Everyone knows that weather happens and expects that. So I do not accept that at all. They should have more staff on standby ready to go for situations like this. They didn't at all. "Communication has been abysmal," said Walsh.
He says the next flight out that wasn't $2,000 is the day after tomorrow, so he has to find hotel accommodations for two nights. He also says the airline is stonewalling "all of us" and is not offering any refunds or hotel vouchers.
To see arrivals and departures for United Airlines flights at IAH, click here.
United Airlines released a statement to FOX 26 Houston:
Thunderstorms and other weather conditions impacted operations at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) (Saturday), with a ground stop issued to manage volume and limit congestion at the terminal. We’ve been working with customers on delayed or canceled flights to get them on their way as soon as possible. We encourage customers to download our mobile app or visit united.com to check their flight status and view the latest information.