F YOU, UNITED AIRLINES.
THIS is why I will never fly United ever again.
http://consumerist.com/5206545/united-airlines-wont-help-rush-you-to-your-dying-mothers-bedside-because-its-time-for-the-ticketing-agents-break
We had a similar (minus the dying relative, thank God) shitty experience on our way to Hong Kong in Dec 2008.
There were only 2 ticket agents in the early AM, so it caused a massive backlog and tehre was a gigantic line up to check in.
There were several flights going out at the same time, 1 was ours--to Chicago (6:15am), and anotehr was 15 mins before ours--to Washington (6:00am). A second Washington flight was due out but not until 8:30am.
We went to the airport 2 hours early, but we were still in a tight spot because of United's shitty ticketing agents.
We were literally next in line, when one of the agents called out for ALL WASHINGTON PASSENGERS.
Which is fine since they were in a tighter spot than us, but they NEVER specified WHICH washington flight, so all these douchebags in the back of the line for the 8:30am flight took advantage and line jumped us.
I politely asked the agent why they were allowing the later washington passengers line jump and she snaps at me saying "WELL YOU would appreciate it if your flight was leaving soon if you got to line jump"
THAT WAS NOT MY FUCKING POINT.
I tried to explain she did not speficy which flight and the linejumpers she called up were ALL for the 830 and she said "You can complain all you want but I don't really care, I am leaving for my break now."
WHAT
THE
FUCK
It was the most fucked up customer service EVER.
We just barely made our flight thanks to these douchebags. The 830 Washington linejumpers were either equally douchey, or just confused--they did call for "all washington passengers" afterall.
Oh yeah, United also reconfigured the seating arrangment on their big jets. They smooshed 3/4 of the Economy section (read: NO LEGROOM and I am 5'4"...I feel bad for anyone above average height! WTF) then spaced out the remaining 1/4 to provide "more" (extra 3 inches.. which relative to other jets is the same fucking thing WOOOO!!!) leg room and charged a premium for those spots. Ridiculous.
Reading that story brought out my rage again.
Screw you, United Airlines. You will never receive a penny of my money ever again.