The Unfriendly Skies

Filed under: Business Blitz

As if we weren't already overly anxious about flying, United Airlines now gives us less reasons to choose their airline!

Posted: Feb 13, 2009 at 11:29 am / Email this »

See All 39 Comments

39 comments to “The Unfriendly Skies”

CUQ™ [Official Mysp says – reply to this

1

I DoNT GeT iT???….FiRST!!!!!
Farticus says – reply to this

2

shut up. geez go slap yourself!
SWEETPIECE ! says – reply to this

3

Less outsourcing? Not that bad.
Samantha07 says – reply to this

4

And why is this bad? It is better to have call centers in stuff in this country not India!
Sarah1121 says – reply to this

5

I refuse to fly United ever again! I took a flight from LA home, though the initial price was cheap the service was even cheaper! I would rather pay the extra $200 next time then to ever give them a penny of my money ever again.
makelovenmusic says – reply to this

6

Have you ever gotten one of those call center reps in India? You can't understand a word they are saying, so you really can't get your point across or have a conversation with them and accomplish anything. Same with a lot of cell phone companies…. Good riddance to that center.
LettyB says – reply to this

7

DON'T CARE NEXT!
foxxxa says – reply to this

8

i don't think this is really that bad. here are my reasons: 1. less outsourcing 2. complaint lines only fuel frustrations–writing is the most coherent and calm to way to get resolution, in these types of cases 3. if you NEED to talk to someone at the airport, there are always plenty of agents to help
LizardKinG says – reply to this

9

You should outsource your site to India maybe then we'd get some good posts.
Jaedyn says – reply to this

10

I'm for anyone who gets rid of an outsourced - especially Indian - call center! Good for United!
Snuggies keep me snug and happy says – reply to this

11

Why is this bad? It's more cost effective (who wastes their cell minutes instead of e-mailing anyway?), and it makes an American company do a little less outsourcing to other countries.
.
Did you read the article? Or just the headline…yeah…I'm guessing it was jsut the headline.
dhsdrm says – reply to this

12

OH TKS!! MY JOB IS ON THE LINE ALREADY N U HAVE THIS STUPID POST ON YOUR WEBPAGE??? GREAT.
AND IT'S A GOOD THING THAT THEY GOT RID OF THEM CAUSE WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND A WORD.
MP says – reply to this

13

That's crap. This company should be boycotted.
moviebuff says – reply to this

14

I don't think you understood Perez, they're just closing down the Indian phone room which is great because I can't understand them in their sing-along-English accent they speak in anyway.
SugarMagnolia says – reply to this

15

Did you actually read the article Perez?? They are shutting down some off shore call center because their reps were giving customers crap service. And that makes us scared and unwilling to fly United because…why?
Wow. You are more retarded than I thought. Thank god you found this gossip blog niche or you'd be on the street giving bj's for cash.
SugarMagnolia says – reply to this

16

Re: MP – You clearly only read the headline, right?
natalie22 says – reply to this

17

Ebay did the same thing, you cant get ahold of them via phone or email now, so why dont you report that?
Farticus says – reply to this

18

Re: SugarMagnolia – he still gives street bj's on weekends!
SugarMagnolia says – reply to this

19

Re: Sarah1121 – They're all like this right now. Last week I decided to give Continental a whirl and was really pleased. You should try them out next flight you take.
DEVLIN BLACK says – reply to this

20

i travel a lot! and southwest only accepts compliments/complaints through snail mail. this is normal. besides, less ousourcing
SugarMagnolia says – reply to this

21

Re: LizardKinG – haha
coolerthanyou says – reply to this

22

I flew United Airlines leaving D.C. during inauguration week… AND IT WAS AWFUL!!!!!!
The people there were RUDE it was a complete cluster fuck boarding the plane and once I boarded I had to keep my carry on in my lap… WTF
susamina says – reply to this

23

Why is that so bad, you can still call or e-mail instead of talking to some random person in India to take your complaint. That's not a reason not to choose and airline- people need to save some moola!
biteme says – reply to this

24

Listen you dumbass, before you open you mouth why don't you do some research before you start stirring people up. How irresponsible!!! United has been laying off people since December!!! If this is a way to keep their own employees working what the fuck is wrong with that? I know this is a gossip website and no one expects the truth, but when you are dealing with real news stories try to get more information.
Plinkie9 says – reply to this

25

Yes because it is SO hard to write a letter. You're such a nut job Perez. Slow news day?
Picklepie says – reply to this

26

I don't get the problem, that sounds like a good idea!
golfstargirl says – reply to this

27

fewer.
annakop says – reply to this

28

I hate to burst your bubble Perez but a lot of major carriers prefer and even suggest that customers send letters or emails. Quite frankly it is more frustrating for an irate customer to call customer service and get a foreign representative that has a hard time understanding the language. The customer service numbers that most airlines provide are usually there just to appease you. They usually claim that the lines are too busy and to either contact them via their website cust svc section or call back. United Airlines is just getting the ball started and if it works out than you will see more carriers jump on the band wagon. This is the common practice among the airlines…look what happen with the baggage charge…one did it and it worked so the others did it too. It's a brave new world and travel is no different!
hyde30 says – reply to this

29

Losing a call center in India is probably a customer service IMPROVEMENT.
hope2chat says – reply to this

30

Nothing wrong with that!! Thank goodness finally. I hope United as well as all carriers stop

stop outsourcing. WAY TO GO UNITED!!!
RickDFWTx says – reply to this

31

There's nothing wrong with what UA is doing and everything right. They're dumping outsourcing and saving 165 jobs in the USA. What could be wrong with that? I wish every comapany in this country would do the same thing. If they did there would be more jobs here. As for accepting written complaints and compliments instead of a phone in, is okay too. Up until a few years ago you couldn't call but instead had to write a letter. At least now you can send an email.
Rambova says – reply to this

32

I'd be much happier to write an email than have to wait on hold for an hour to talk to someone! Better to get it all in writing.
truqueen89 says – reply to this

33

THEY SUCK! SOUTHWEST ALL THE WAY
----Beam--Me--Up--Snottie---- says – reply to this

34

I have to disagree. In January we were in a big car crash losing our FLIGHT to HOLLAND. From the HOSPITAL i called UNITED. They changed OUR flight up to 2 times (since we had to stay longer in the USA) WITHOUT any EXTRA CHARGE. My mother IN law now had an ACCIDENT and has to POSTPONE her flight with IBERIA… And IBERIA wants MONEY for it. I think UNITED acts MUCH better in this case.
CinLou says – reply to this

35

Perez, did you read the entire article? United is doing away with the call center in INDIA, and giving work to employees in AMERICA. Don't skim articles…read them in their entirety.
miranda08 says – reply to this

36

Unfriendly skies? talk about a dumb one
all they are doing is saving money and still satisfying their customers
PMSrez Hilton just likes to complain
toleratingothers says – reply to this

37

Well, as long as they hire Americans to reply back to the e-mails (and, not to sound racist, but how can't they given that you can hardly understand the people you talk to in India and vice-versa) then it's a good thing.
_Gossip_Girl_ says – reply to this

38

I dont get it……?
aholler says – reply to this

39

WRITE. LAME. we call nowadays bitches. like we need something to do on our way to work while we are going 70 miles per hour to work and we need something to do on our lunch break why not walk around with our cell phone and complain about our flieght. I am not sure I am ever flying again. The last plane ride I was on they did this wierd dipping and swerving motion and it scared the shit out of everyone cuz he thought there was a bird or something and they we all had visions of the plane that landed in the water not too long ago. The lady behind me needed oxygen and I thought she might not make it through the whole plane ride. Id call and complain about all this but I cant anymore. You know. Cuz i have to write about it now. Anyone got a stamp?