Expedia + United = Major Confusion
 

On a recent trip from Charlotte to Paducah (via Chicago), United did not check our luggage all the way through to Paducah and it took two days for us to get our suitcase... with all our extra clothes and toiletries. Then when using United's online check-in for our return trip, our final flight did not appear on the screen so it looked like we had no flight back to Charlotte. We called Expedia's help desk; it took forever to get a person on the line. Of course it was a help line overseas and it was hard to communicate with the person we spoke with. They told us that United had cancelled our flight from Chicago to Charlotte and that Expedia could not book us on any other flight on such short notice. So, with very little time to spare, we called US Airways and purchased a ticket from Chicago to Charlotte to complete our trip home.

When we arrived in Chicago and went to US Airways to get boarding passes, we were told that we had been booked on the US Airways flight all along by United/Expedia. Now, we had two sets of tickets... we just spent and extra $1,000 on unnecessary tickets. Thankfully, US Airways had mercy and refunded the second set of tickets... thanks!

This experience has left a very bad taste in our mouths for United and Expedia and we avoid flying United in the future due to this and other recent experiences our son has had. It seems when another carrier is providing flights for United, they just can't get it right.

Sorry to read of your bad experience. I am very hesitant to book any flight with an agency other than the actual airline.

Sorry for your negative experience booking direct always best

Expedia has flubbed the dub a lot for me over the years

they are at heart just a consolidator/agent have left me

stranded a couple of times... LOTS better experience with

priceline.com GREAT deals as long as you understand the rules.

alyways book trip insurance independently saved my bacon

during the Iceland Volcano last... file a complaint with

United... write cntraveler.com ombudsman

I am very happy with United. I think the root of your booking & communication problem is closer to Expedia.

I don't understand the "didn't check bags through to Paducah" part. Did you tell them at Charlotte that Paducah was your final destination and confirm that's what the tag said? If not, shame on you. Agree that they should have, but savvy travelers know to check these things for themselves.

A traveler ought to know what airline is actually flying the plane and Expedia ought to communicate that info to the traveler. USAirways did not show mercy, the tix were refundable.