United Air: What Good are Air Miles if U can't use them when you need them?

What good are frequent flier miles if you cannot use them when you REALLY, REALLY NEED THEM??????????? I am so frustrated right now! I just spent the last 4 hours jumping thru hoops and trying to keep my “KEWL” while speaking to foreigners (that I could hardly understand) while desperately trying to book a seat with my miles thru UNITED AIRLINES, with no luck I might add. I am devastated!

Some of you may know how poor I grew up and that life was not easy for me as a child. Somehow, I got thru those times because God blessed me with Angels on Earth to help me along the way.

We moved to a remote part of Long Island when I was a little tyke, then my Father abandoned our family, my Mother legally could not drive due to a medical condition, we lost our home and had to move from our comfort zone. We moved a few town south of where we lived and walked everywhere we had to go.

I met this newlywed couple with a child when I was about 10 years old and they hired me as a Mothers Helper and eventually I became their official babysitter! I made …are you ready for this…$0.25 per hour, and of course, this included cleaning the house as well while I babysat. That was almost fifty years ago and to this day, I am still very close with that family. I refer to them as Aunt Nancy and Uncle Mile.

As the years went on, they became my chauffeurs in a way because my Mom could not drive. If there was an event they would take me and then pick me up when the event was over, anywhere I had to go that was either was too far or was in the evenings, good old Uncle Mike would take me and pick me up. Over the years, their kids babysat for my kids and then my kids babysat for their grandkids… The circle of life.

The reason I share all this is that I want to express how tight my bond is with this family. We may not be blood related but we are closer than most blood related people.

The last seven months has been difficult for the family because Uncle Mike has been in the battle of his life. He has an incurable cancer which he has been battling for almost 8 years and his time is almost up. This afternoon I received a call from Aunt Nancy, she was in tears, she told me that the nurse just left the (hospital) room, and told her he will either pass tonight or tomorrow morning. She asked me to please come home and I feel it is my place to be there. We have been through so much together over the past 50 years, how can I not be there?

So, I get on the computer and start checking out airfares and they are out of this world right now. To add insult to injury, even if I had millions in the bank, there’s not a flight I can get out of San Diego until Monday. So I start checking out my airline miles and discovered I have more than enough miles to fly on United Airlines roundtrip…WOW, I was thrilled!

 

Well, I was thrilled until I found out that although I have enough miles there are no seats available for frequent flier miles passenger. I am so furious! I’m not going on a vacation; this is a bereavement trip and UNITED AIRLINES CAN NOT ACCOMADATE ME, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE ENOUGH MILES…THAT SUCKS!!!

(Just for the record United Airlines: Bereavement: to deprive somebody of a beloved person or a treasured thing, especially through death, Thank You UNITED AIRLINES)   

Everyone was as sweet as could be for the most part and told me how to book my flight however; they couldn’t do it because it was not their position or department but would transfer me to the next person who could…Right... Transfer...Click...No luck.

To top the evening off I missed the opportunity to sit and watch a movie with my Darling who I will be away from for the next two weeks. 

I will use these air miles but will probably never fly on United again…

Because:                           

Ain’t so United in my book! 

Uncle Mike in 2005

In the meantime, Uncle Mike I hope I can make it back in time. If I don’t I know, you know I tried and that I love you and I’ll see you in the next life!

                                                                    Uncle Mike 2009

Thank You for making  

  this difficult season even more difficult!