We recently flew to Costa Rica on United Airlines. This is a new airline for us. It offered the best schedule and price. Our outward flight took us from London Heathrow to Houston, and then on to Liberia in Costa Rica. Coming home we travelled via Denver, Colorado. All flights were in Economy class … let’s talk about each flight individually.
Flight UA879: London Heathrow to Houston, Texas
Our four suitcases were checked all the way through to our final destination. So, we sat back to enjoy our 10 hours flight across the Atlantic. We flew on a Boeing 777, towards the back of the plane with three central seats and one across the aisle (the seat configuration was 3 x 3 x 3). We plugged in our headphones with the intention of watching back-to-back movies. Unfortunately, Toby’s entertainment system was without sound and although the crew reset it twice, it never came on. Luckily I downloaded the United app before we took off, and he watched the same films on that instead … but it kept stalling/glitching out. He wasn’t a very happy boy 😞
A meal was served soon after take off, but none of us tried it as we had breakfast just before boarding.
The flight felt long. The Flight Information channel that tells you where you are/how far you have to go wasn’t working either (I love watching this); everything about this flight felt old and tired. We were very happy to land in Houston, even though we had a 4 hr 30 min wait for our next onward United flight.
Houston Airport
Upon landing we had to pass through immigration, but luckily the queues were quite short. Having checked in for our next flight we settled down for lunch, having found a Wendy’s burger concession. We also took the opportunity to charge our phones and tablets. In no time at all we were at the boarding gate for our second flight of the day.
Flight 1737: Houston, Texas to Liberia, Costa Rica
This flight was a Boeing 737 with the typical 3 x 3 seat configuration. We sat as a three and one across the aisle – but it was a light flight so my daughter moved to free up a seat and sat with Huw … we both had a spare seat between us, which made it feel a lot more spacious!
The plane had seat-back entertainment screens, which was good – but the entertainment options were limited. There were only a handful of films showing and they ran at set times (you couldn’t pause them). Accessing films via the app was a waste of time, alas, as the connection kept dropping.
On this flight soft drinks were complimentary, but food needed to be paid for. We were still full up from our extended visit to Wendy’s, so didn’t purchase anything.
The most memorable part of this flight was the turbulence. The seatbelt light was on more than it was off for the whole flight.
After 4 hours we arrived at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, Liberia in Costa Rica. It had been a long day of travelling and we were looking forward to getting to our hotel for the night, close to the airport. However, it didn’t quite go to plan …
MISSING Suitcase 😭
Yup. Of the four suitcases that we waved goodbye to at Heathrow early that morning, only three met us at our destination. Mine was missing. As a plus-sized traveller arriving in a tropical country wearing jeans and a shirt, this did panic me somewhat. My case also contained all the toiletries for the four of us, and the battery charger for our SLR camera – in honesty it was the worst case to have gone missing.
As soon as realisation set in that the baggage carousel wasn’t going to rescue the situation with a last-minute delivery, we headed to the United official in the arrivals lounge to log it as missing. Forms were filled, telephone numbers and contact locations were exchanged and we headed for our hotel hopeful that the suitcase would arrive on the next flight from Houston the following morning.
Contacting United Lost Luggage
Once settled into the hotel we decided to call the number given to us for the Lost Luggage department at United. After 15 minutes on hold we spoke to an agent who said that the suitcase was last checked at Houston and that he’d request it travels out to Liberia the following day. We were happy with this, so went to bed.
Before checking out the following morning, knowing we’d be travelling all day and non-contactable, we decided to call again to check the case had made the flight. After another 15 minutes on hold we spoke to a different agent who told us they didn’t know where my bag was and there was no record of it making the flight that morning. It was really frustrating.
What next?
So, I messaged United via Facebook. They replied quickly! Without the help of the guys at the end of their social media page, I don’t think I would have seen my bag again. Having made a contact (a lot more informative than the telephone line – which had already racked up $90 in international call fees) we decided to pay for unlimited mobile wifi for the car we were hiring (best decision we ever made). It meant we could keep in touch at all times.
Over the next 24-48 hours we heard reports that my case had been sent back to London … and other “You are kidding me!” statements. We honestly didn’t know who/what to believe. Three days after we arrived in Costa Rica, my suitcase was delivered to my hotel. My metal name/address tag was missing, and a zip had been broken and was sealed with a cable tie. But I was SO PLEASED to be reunited with it! I was finally able to change – and take my first dip in the swimming pool!
If ever you find yourself in a similar situation, make contact with United Airlines via social media. It’s a lot cheaper than phoning and in my case they kept me informed and made sure my luggage reached me.
Return Flight UA 2018: Liberia, Costa Rica to Denver, Colorado
We knew, from the flight out, that food on this United Airlines flight would be purchase only for this 5-6 hours flight. So the day before we bought snacks to take on board. The plane was another Boeing 737, but this one had no screens at all, and without a US 2-pin USB plug, there was no way of charging our phones and tablets 😞
However, that wasn’t the lowlight of this flight; that occurred before we boarded!
Extra Security Searches
Let me start by saying that I am 100% behind high security at airports – we all want to travel safely after all.
I couldn’t check in the evening before and I noticed ‘SSSS’ on my boarding pass when we received them at the check-in desk early the following morning. Just prior to boarding my name was called out, along with three others. I was told that I’d been randomly selected for additional security and to follow the security staff, leaving my family behind.
Another lady said that it wasn’t a random selection as she gets picked every flight she goes on … that she works in an airport and the reason I was picked was because I have a name similar to someone on a US ‘watch list’. I found this rather scary. She also told me that I’d get ‘randomly selected’ on every US flight for the next 7 years. I hope she’s wrong 😞 Anyway, I had my bag searched and swabbed, my clothes and hands swabbed and my shoes examined before I was told to go straight onto the plane.
When it came to boarding my family had no idea where I was. Huw asked them – and was immediately instructed out of the line to be searched too (leaving the children without either parent). Eventually they boarded the plane – the relief in my children’s’ faces was clear to see. They should never have separated both parents leaving the children alone – and they should have informed my family that I had already boarded the plane.
Security is good – when done considerately.
Back to the flight …
Anyway, after all that excitement the flight was BORING. Nothing to watch as no entertainment screens were on the seatbacks (meaning no route map to follow). So we tried to sleep to pass the time.
When we reached Denver we were instructed to collect our suitcases once we’d completed immigration, and then re-check them in. And then check ourselves in. That’s what we did. Hopefully our bags are travelling on the plane with us, as I’m typing this post somewhere over Canada.
Denver was a great stopover airport; lots of shops to look in, lots of cafes and restaurants to enjoy too!
Denver Airport
Flight UA27: Denver International to London Heathrow
After a pleasant 5 hour stopover in Denver we had more-or-less decided to never fly United Airlines again. Ignoring the lost suitcase and the inconsiderate manner in which the additional security was carried out, the entertainment option just hadn’t been up to the standard of other airlines we’ve travelled on. However, this last flight was the only chance left for the airline to redeem itself.
The first bit of good news is that the plane is a Boeing 787 – our favourite Dreamliner. We are sitting on the back row, with Huw across the aisle. The entertainment system is FAR superior than anything we’ve experienced on this trip so far. But then it should be as it’s a much newer aircraft. It all seems to work too, even the flight information page.
We’ve been served lots of drinks, had an ok meal (though only vegetarian options were left by the time they reached us) and the children are watching films while I type this. I will soon attempt to sleep for a bit.
Addendum – post flight comment
It was really difficult to get any sleep. Being at the back of the plane, near the restrooms, there was a constant queue of people standing in the aisle awaiting their turn. Poor Huw sat next to a lady who kept asking him to let her out of her seat. He couldn’t settle if he wanted to.
The good news, however, is that all four suitcases were waiting for us at the luggage carousel!
Overall experience of United Airlines
Would we travel with United Airlines again? Probably not. The quality of service is too inconsistent.
The last flight definitely pushed them up in our ratings – to be honest it couldn’t have got much lower. I think a key thing, if we were to consider travelling with United Airlines again, would be to check what plane flies the route. If we could guarantee a newer 787 Dreamliner, then yes they’d be in with a shout. But we’ve had such a mixed bag of experiences this last week with United Airlines. Most flights were lacking in some way shape or form. There are definitely better airlines out there with a consistently better service.
Ohhh no 🙁 – I have only ever travelled United once and wasn’t impressed. But like you, I have the ‘SSSS’ on my boarding card last time I travelled into the USA. Luckily it was from the UK and I was only travelling with a friend but it was a real pain. Interestingly I didn’t have it when it came to leave the USA! I was warned though that I would probably have it time and time again which is unfortunate as we tend to visit the USA regularly.
I would avoid transiting the USA wherever possible. TSA make it such a pain. There are other routes to Costa Rica such as via Paris or Amsterdam or direct to SanJose from Gatwick.