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Oct. 12th, 2004 01:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
urocyonSorry it's taken me so long to reply to comments on my last entry--they really were appreciated. In the meantime, I've been down with the flu, rushed off my feet trying to run a house with four people instead of two in it, starting into a lovely case of SAD on top of the viral-induced mood weirdness, and now beginning to whine. ;) Oh yes, and we're all coming down with another cold on the tail end of the beforementioned flu ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
vatine brought home from work--he was feeling icky enough to stay home today with a cough and sore throat. At least my mother and I are the only ones with the wonky Amerind immune systems, in which respiratory viruses are gifts which keep on giving for weeks (and the same strains may come back and say howdy, thanks to forming few if any antibodies). Sidney and Ingvar should be back to normal in a couple of days.
(No, I'm not fishing for sympathy, have just been trying not to complain much around the house. *g*)
Yes, Mom and Sid are still here, sleeping in the front room as I write. They were supposed to stay for two weeks, but my mother was not doing as well as she let on so soon after surgery and needed to recuperate a bit longer--her depression/diabetes vicious cycle had been slowing down her healing, and she's been feeling much better here. She probably shouldn't have made the trip, but wasn't about to miss the wedding, and insisted that we not postpone it.
Another major factor--the main ostensible one--was trouble with the airline. They postponed doing much of anything to straighten out the situation, mainly because my mother wasn't ready to go home--until she felt more prepared and I wound up sending a
[return address snipped for obvious reasons]
5 October 2004
United Airlines
Attn: Customer Relations
Terminal 3, Heathrow Airport
Hounslow, Middlesex
TW6 1PN
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am writing on behalf of my parents, Sidney and Cathy White. They arrived several days in advance of my wedding--on 8 September, Flight 924--with the ticket number E0161171314837-838, booked through Expedia.com.
Both of my parents are disabled to the point that they are eligible to receive U.S. Social Security disability benefits; my father is crippled up with arthritis such that he needs to use a walking stick and to be able to stretch and move his leg regularly, among other things. My mother suffers from severe fibromyalgia, which has flared up further since she underwent surgery for breast cancer several weeks before travelling.
They thought they could manage the flight over here in Economy class—and were loath to miss my wedding, in any case—but it was through sheer force of will that either one of them could move for days afterward. My mother was completely poleaxed, and could do very little besides rest flat on her back and take pain medication for three days after arriving.
My father called to try to make alternate seating arrangements a week before they were supposed to fly back to Virginia. All he requested was that the two disabled people be assigned front row seats, where he could stretch his legs out a bit, and where my mother could get up without pushing up so hard with her arms (which do not work very well, between the fibromyalgia and muscle/nerve damage from the recent mastectomy). Not only was he informed that his simple request was impossible to fulfill, because that front row was reserved for parents with babies—only one of whom was on the incoming flight—but they could not guarantee that any provisions could be made toward placing them in less-than-painful seats. All of this was delivered in an exceedingly rude tone, as if he were being unreasonable and wasting the lady's precious time. In the meantime, my mother had to seek medical treatment thanks to the delay, paid out of pocket, and is not best pleased about that.
I find it difficult to believe that this is common business practice for United; I have flown with you in past, and have received pleasant treatment from your employees. Nor does this method of treating disabled people seem to come close either to the letter or to the spirit of neither the DDA, nor of the ADA.
My parents do not want to fly back with you, unless some steps are taken to correct conditions; nor do I feel any urge to use your airline again, as things stand. What do you intend to do to remedy this situation?
Sincerely,
Rachel L. McCraw
On one hand, I am pleased to have them here, but it is beginning to get a bit wearing. Especially as Ingvar seems far more concerned about planning in advance and about set routine than I am, and I feel caught in the middle. Coming from such a hospitality tradition--even when one's own parents are involved--that making the gentlest of inquiries about when people might be planning to leave feels horribly rude only intensifies those feelings. But, with any luck, we will hear back from the airline soon; I purposely did not include other contact details because I wanted something in writing. If they do not provide satisfaction within a few days, there are other routes to pursue which should embarrass the devil out of United, and I believe they'll richly deserve it by that point.
Oh, and in other--by no means least important--news, Mirrors is recovering extremely well. Monday he went back to the vet's to have his sutures removed, along with what sounded (aptly) for all the world like the "Bastard Collar" every time that vet referred to it. He doesn't seem to be in much pain, and is only spending nights in his cage now. He's been showing enough sense to avoid doing things which are uncomfortable, and we haven't even had to watch him much to make sure he doesn't jump or climb to do himself further injury. Yay for advances in veterinary orthopedic surgery!
vatine brought home from work--he was feeling icky enough to stay home today with a cough and sore throat. At least my mother and I are the only ones with the wonky Amerind immune systems, in which respiratory viruses are gifts which keep on giving for weeks (and the same strains may come back and say howdy, thanks to forming few if any antibodies). Sidney and Ingvar should be back to normal in a couple of days.(No, I'm not fishing for sympathy, have just been trying not to complain much around the house. *g*)
Yes, Mom and Sid are still here, sleeping in the front room as I write. They were supposed to stay for two weeks, but my mother was not doing as well as she let on so soon after surgery and needed to recuperate a bit longer--her depression/diabetes vicious cycle had been slowing down her healing, and she's been feeling much better here. She probably shouldn't have made the trip, but wasn't about to miss the wedding, and insisted that we not postpone it.
Another major factor--the main ostensible one--was trouble with the airline. They postponed doing much of anything to straighten out the situation, mainly because my mother wasn't ready to go home--until she felt more prepared and I wound up sending a
[return address snipped for obvious reasons]
5 October 2004
United Airlines
Attn: Customer Relations
Terminal 3, Heathrow Airport
Hounslow, Middlesex
TW6 1PN
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am writing on behalf of my parents, Sidney and Cathy White. They arrived several days in advance of my wedding--on 8 September, Flight 924--with the ticket number E0161171314837-838, booked through Expedia.com.
Both of my parents are disabled to the point that they are eligible to receive U.S. Social Security disability benefits; my father is crippled up with arthritis such that he needs to use a walking stick and to be able to stretch and move his leg regularly, among other things. My mother suffers from severe fibromyalgia, which has flared up further since she underwent surgery for breast cancer several weeks before travelling.
They thought they could manage the flight over here in Economy class—and were loath to miss my wedding, in any case—but it was through sheer force of will that either one of them could move for days afterward. My mother was completely poleaxed, and could do very little besides rest flat on her back and take pain medication for three days after arriving.
My father called to try to make alternate seating arrangements a week before they were supposed to fly back to Virginia. All he requested was that the two disabled people be assigned front row seats, where he could stretch his legs out a bit, and where my mother could get up without pushing up so hard with her arms (which do not work very well, between the fibromyalgia and muscle/nerve damage from the recent mastectomy). Not only was he informed that his simple request was impossible to fulfill, because that front row was reserved for parents with babies—only one of whom was on the incoming flight—but they could not guarantee that any provisions could be made toward placing them in less-than-painful seats. All of this was delivered in an exceedingly rude tone, as if he were being unreasonable and wasting the lady's precious time. In the meantime, my mother had to seek medical treatment thanks to the delay, paid out of pocket, and is not best pleased about that.
I find it difficult to believe that this is common business practice for United; I have flown with you in past, and have received pleasant treatment from your employees. Nor does this method of treating disabled people seem to come close either to the letter or to the spirit of neither the DDA, nor of the ADA.
My parents do not want to fly back with you, unless some steps are taken to correct conditions; nor do I feel any urge to use your airline again, as things stand. What do you intend to do to remedy this situation?
Sincerely,
Rachel L. McCraw
On one hand, I am pleased to have them here, but it is beginning to get a bit wearing. Especially as Ingvar seems far more concerned about planning in advance and about set routine than I am, and I feel caught in the middle. Coming from such a hospitality tradition--even when one's own parents are involved--that making the gentlest of inquiries about when people might be planning to leave feels horribly rude only intensifies those feelings. But, with any luck, we will hear back from the airline soon; I purposely did not include other contact details because I wanted something in writing. If they do not provide satisfaction within a few days, there are other routes to pursue which should embarrass the devil out of United, and I believe they'll richly deserve it by that point.
Oh, and in other--by no means least important--news, Mirrors is recovering extremely well. Monday he went back to the vet's to have his sutures removed, along with what sounded (aptly) for all the world like the "Bastard Collar" every time that vet referred to it. He doesn't seem to be in much pain, and is only spending nights in his cage now. He's been showing enough sense to avoid doing things which are uncomfortable, and we haven't even had to watch him much to make sure he doesn't jump or climb to do himself further injury. Yay for advances in veterinary orthopedic surgery!
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no subject
Date: 2004-10-12 07:09 am (UTC)My view on guests... there's an old saying that has a fair bit of truth in it - and is particularly valid for newlyweds - "After three days, both fish and guests begin to stink." The three days can be variable depending on guest and host, but only up to a point. No matter how much you care about the guests, they are an interuption to any routine (even if you think you don't have any), you often feel like you can't do your normal activities (like maybe sitting up late watching telly/playing computer games in case it disturbs them) and you risk falling out with each other over trivial matters.
Mind you, I am still twitchy about family guests after having my mother, my sister and her family stay a year ago. The phrase "Never again" springs to mind.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-12 09:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-12 11:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-12 02:14 pm (UTC)I wrote a strong letter to customer services afterwards, including noting that I had been a gold (50,000 mile) flyer with them for the last 3 years (and as such get regular mailings telling me how much they value my loyalty etc) and would be choosing another airline in future. All I got back was a form letter saying that they were "sorry that they hadn't met my expectations and hoped to do better in the future". No mention of my particular complaint. I was expecting a $50 voucher or the like at least!
And as for babies, I have several friends who have flown transatlantic with babies on United, and never have they been given the bulkhead seat.
Anyway, the moral of the story is, they're airlines, they don't give a sh**.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-12 06:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-12 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-12 09:29 pm (UTC)Mirrors
Date: 2004-10-13 09:14 am (UTC)get well soon
Date: 2004-10-15 10:56 am (UTC)