I'd like to give the United Airlines gate agents an even worse rating if possible!…read more
My son attends SDSU and was scheduled to return to our home in Hawaii for a short trip over Christmas Break. Knowing that Hawaii has very strict Covid testing/quarantine rules, I diligently researched the best method of testing for him. Only a small number of testing facilities are approved by the State. Rules are very defined that testing must be done no more than 72 hrs before flight and must be downloaded to the system prior to boarding final Hawaii bound flight.
The only "Hawaii Trusted" testing location in SD, is Walgreens Sioux Falls. Upon talking with the pharmacy there I was informed that all tests are sent to Denver and results may not be available within the 72 hr timeline.
A Vault Health mail in test was recommended to me by the Hawaii State Dept of Health, its done over zoom, sent overnight mail and results within 72 hrs.
So we ordered the Vault Test, he took it on Monday Dec 14th, sent overnight UPS from Brookings and received results Tuesday evening. He uploaded results to the required Hawaii Safe Travels system, it was approved and he was given a QR code that verified it'd been accepted by the State of Hawaii.
Upon arriving for his 9:30 am outbound Denver connection on Thursday 17th, he was denied boarding the plane! A United Gate Agent told him, it was not an adequate test. What gives this Agent the ability to interpret medical tests results, I have no idea! Especially since it'd already been approved by the State of Hawaii.
He was told they could re book him for Friday 18th, but by that time his 72 hr test was invalid. The agent then told him, he could take a Rapid Test nearby in Sioux Falls, but this was bad information as well since there are no "Hawaii Trusted" Rapid Testing facilities in town.
After checking with the Hawaii Dept of Health, I was informed that a new approved Rapid Test was now available in the Denver Airport. Unfortunately, there were no testing slots open on Friday, facility is not open over weekend and Monday was the earliest test he could take. So he had to be re booked for a Sunday evening flight to Denver, spend the night in a Hotel, and retest Monday morning before his outbound Hawaii flight.
The error of this Gate Agent, has cost me $200 for an additional Covid Test, $100 for a hotel, and my son lost 4 days out of a 12 day trip!
United has done very little to correct this or reimburse me for anything. I've gone back and forth with the online customer service, which is the only contact they provide for any complaints...they will not even give me a call.
They've blamed us for not having the correct test, when in fact I sent them the negative test results, plus the QR code that showed the test was approved by the State. Also they've totally misread the Hawaii testing mandates, because nowhere does it state that folks are not allowed to travel without a test. It simply explains what is required to avoid the 10 quarantine, it doesn't ban travel. Folks can still fly here without test results, they just have to quarantine if it's not done correctly and in the required time frame.
No other airlines are banning folks from boarding and traveling. I know of two others who traveled the same week with the exact same test results and they had zero issues!
I'm so discussed that UA will not even read give me a call, refuses to attempt to make this right in any way, and is dismissing my complaint and trying to place the blame on us, when we did everything by the book.
I'm seriously considering Legal Action!!!