>>
>>
>>                              June 7, 1998
>>                              Sunday, 8:15 AM
>>
>>
>>Customer Relations
>>United Airlines
>>P.O. Box 66100
>>Chicago, Illinois 60666
>>
>>
>>Dear Sirs,
>>
>>I am writing this letter to make a complaint about an operational
>>detail that has made about a $300 difference in my day.  In short, I
>>am requesting that you stop departing *early* as you are routinely
>>doing at SFO.
>>
>>Flight 946 today closed its doors today before 8:13, rather than the
>>8:15 that was scheduled.  The gate agent's computer time, as well
>>as all your display screens, indicated that it was 8:15...so the gate
>>agent was doing the right thing from her perspective.  Unfortunately,
>>all of the airport's clocks (which I subsequently found out are
>>synchronized to the second with Pacific standard time) indicated
>>that I still had two minutes left.  I had checked in at the main counter,
>>had a confirmed seat, and believed I had a few moments to spare.
>>Consequently, I didn't run to catch the flight, although I would have
>>been happy to do so.
>>
>>As a result, I was about 30 seconds too late by your clocks and was
>>not allowed to board.  The jetway had not separated from the aircraft,
>>but the door had been closed and the gate agent self-righteously said
>>that since it was past departure time I could not board.  Despite my
>>protests that the airport clocks indicated it wasn't yet push-back time,
>>I was told to wait 4 hours.
>>
>>I have no problem with your being precise about departure times;
>>as a customer I appreciate it.  However, you are being inaccurate
>>with your precision, hurting me, your customer.  Aside from out-of-
>>pocket expenses, I am now not going to be speaking at a conference
>>this evening.
>>
>>The inevitable question, "why'd you cut the time so close?" has a simple
>>answer:  I waited in your line (and the one at security) for a total of 40
>>minutes.  I had arrived at the airport with plenty of time, and even with
>>the delays would have made the flight if I had known that you were
>>closing the doors.  Unfortunately, I used the airport's digital clocks as my
>>indicator that I didn't need to do the 300-yard dash.  Due to the 150 seconds
>>United's clocks are ahead of PST, I was hosed.  I have flown more than
>>1 million miles with United, and have never before missed a flight.
>>
>>I don't know if your inaccurate clocks are the result of a policy or an
>>oversight, but please set your time correctly if you are going to enforce
>>gate closure times so zealously!
>>
>>I would like to get a formal response on this issue.  An admonition to
>>"get to the airport earlier" will not be a satisfactory reply.
>>
>>Thank you in advance.
>>
>>
>>David Taber
>>Senior Vice President of Marketing
>>Forte Software
>>1  510  502-4055
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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