May 2, 2022

United Airlines, Inc.
Scott Kirby, CEO
233 S. Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606

In Re: United Ticket #0167718279550/Confirmation #ARKWKZ

Dear Mr. Kirby,

On February 21, 2022, I received the worst call of my life. The call that I received by family entailed the news of my biological father’s death namely Mr. Thomas Oliver Abioseh Gooding. I was in shock and devastated because it was unexpected. I immediately felt sad, broken, and down hearted. After a week of trying to grasp my father’s death news, I began the planning process along with my family in Monrovia for me to leave Frederick, Maryland to Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. I purchased my ticket with United Airlines to leave the United States on March 4, 2022. I was able to get a ticket leaving the U.S.A. on March 12, 2022, through April 10, 2022.

Upon arriving Dulles International airport in Dulles, VA on March 12, 2022, my check-in process was smooth. I proceeded to my gate (C5) to wait for boarding at 4:05pm. While waiting to board there was an announcement made by Delta representative that there was a problem with the plane, and they were trying to fix the issue. Around 7pm there was another announcement that they were still fixing the plane. After hearing that announcement for the second time, I then went to the counter to speak to the representative about my connecting flight in Paris. When he checked the system, he said that you will not be able to make your connection, however, there is another flight leaving Paris directly to Monrovia. I asked for my second boarding pass for Paris to Monrovia, but the customer service representative stated that it didn’t allow him to print it out. He then wrote the information on my present boarding pass from Dulles to Paris and stated that I should show the next representative of Air France and they would give me a new boarding pass (please see attachment). I was already feeling extremely uneasy and worried about my connecting flight in Paris and now we were delayed by four hours. We finally boarded after 9pm for Paris.

When I arrived in Paris on March 13, 2022, per Air France, I had already missed my connecting flight from Paris to Monrovia because the flight had been in the air for 15 minutes. The Air France representative was trying to book me on a flight from Paris to Abidjan leaving at 6pm. When she checked the system with the information the United Airlines representative from Dulles International airport wrote on my boarding pass…. there was nothing in the system listed under my name. She then sent me back to United Airlines desk for them to resolve the issue. United Airlines counter was closed leaving me no choice but to pay for my own hotel for the evening at the Sheraton Hotel within the terminal. With the misconnection, it placed me in a position of experiencing an anxiety attack because it meant that I would not make my beloved father’s funeral. With the thought of not being able to experience the last time to see his face, my last time to touch his hands, my last time to kiss his forehead, and my last time to express my forever love for him placed me in a whirlwind. My father’s funeral was slated for March 15, 2022, and I still didn’t see my way clear to get there in time for the funeral.

When a parent of an adult dies, there is almost an unspoken expectation that it will not hit you head on. My grief is the reflection of my connection that has been lost with my father. That loss does not diminish because I am an adult or because my father lived a long life. These were some of my thoughts throughout the night at the Sheraton as I prayed that March 14, 2022, will bring me better news. After a long night of tears for my father, tears for my departure, and tears of confusion; I looked at the next day as a fresh and new beginning. On March 14, 2022, I gathered my things and went to the airport with new expectations. I arrived at United Airlines counter and spoke with Amina (telephone number +33687744128) who went above and beyond to find me a flight out of Paris on the same day. The ONLY flight that was leaving Paris to Monrovia was by way of Ghana, however, the layover was six hours (6) and I did not have a visa to take that flight. Amina tried her best to get me out of Paris that day, but the stars were not aligned with me. I was sorely disappointed as I knew I was going to miss my father’s funeral. At this time, United Airlines agreed to pay for my food and lodging at the Hilton hotel.

We sometimes forget the depth of connection we have with our parents. They are often our main connection in the world and to the world. Even if we have a loving spouse, children and many close friends, the death of a parent means the loss of one of our first and most important connections in this life. After our parents die, we take another look at them. We realize, perhaps for the first time, all they did for us as children. For some of us, when we became parents, we appreciate the challenges our own parents must have gone through. We gain a new perspective on their lives. These were my thoughts that pondered my mind on the day of March 15, 2022, as my family was burying my father without me. On March 15, 2022, Amina was finally able to book my flight from Paris to Brussels and from Brussels to Monrovia. I did not arrive in Monrovia until 9pm, all funeral rights were over.

In our adulthood, our relationship with our parents changes and continues. Before a parent is gone, we understand intellectually that they will die someday. But understanding and anticipating does not prepare us for the grief we feel when as an adult we lose a parent. As I reflect on the memory of my beloved father, whether I am alone or walking through it with family as mentioned above, I am beginning the journey through the now well-known stages of grief.
In my grief, while heavy emotions flow within me, I was called upon to complete the practical obligation of giving my beloved father a befitting burial. A burial that I was supposed to attend, and that opportunity was snatched away from me due to delays and miscommunication by United airlines. One of the tasks laid before us in our grief is taking care of our parent’s possessions. Burying any loved one is often an overwhelming task; however, we must complete the task.
Whether our parents live near or far, are emotionally close or distant, they ground us in the world. We don’t often think of them as an unseen anchor, but in truth, they hold a place in our generational timeline. They have been there since the moment we were born and even though, intellectually, we know they will die someday, how do we imagine something that has always been there, suddenly being gone? Can you imagine a world without a sky? Of course not. It has always been there. I am saddened that I was not there to say goodbye to my father.
The death of a parent delivers us to a world we have thought about but couldn’t fully prepare for. One can never be prepared to lose their mother or father, but we must have the most significant things in place to bury them. I am suddenly exploring new terrain, feeling rootless or as if the ground has been pulled out from under me. And in a symbolic way, it really has been for me. I lost my father twice, once to death, and once to United Airlines.
In closing, as I heal, my expectation from United Airlines is for your company to compensate me for missing my father’s funeral and an apology for the miscommunication. Also, this letter will serve as an accommodation letter on behalf of Amina because she was the ONLY person who showed me empathy and sympathy in the time of my grief. As an airline your employees are the true representation of your organization. My experience with your airline has left me feeling disdain for United Airlines because only one person felt my pain. As humans we need to have more compassion for customers as death is not for one person. Please see ALL supporting documents attached.
I can be reached at the above-mentioned address or my email address vivian_goodxxxxxxxx @yahoo.com.

I bid you farewell and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Cc: Brett J. Hart, President
Josh Earnest, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer
Torbjorn J. Enqvist, Executive VP & Chief Customer Officer
Theresa Fariello, Senior VP, Governmental Affairs
Kate Gebo, Executive VP, Human Resources
Gregory Hart, Executive VP, United Next
Linda Jojo, Executive VP, Technology & Chief Digital Officer
Gerald Laderman, Executive VP & CFO
Andrew Nocella, Executive VP & Chief Commercial Officer
Jonathan Roitman, Executive VP & Chief Operating Officer

Terrible terrisum information and united employees family telling on local 19 Houston texas should be sharing information and teamsters local 249.and nashville Tennessee police and sharriffs and celebrity’s security and Pittsburgh mckeesrocks police department and others
I’m s terrisum whiselblower and family was big in the airlines and effects the market its so real and hiding the information could be seen as inside traiding to influence the market
And it’s extremely real
Walmart headquarters knows and things and others and bill gates foundations and appel
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Tom carter born 1/08/51 and sharlet Houston
And Pittsburgh sam laquinta 27 rose Street Pittsburgh
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Tsa security concerns has evidence and witness and more
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And theres evidence
I’m Scott Carter 4702#2 Bryant Ave Dayton ohio
I’m not a lier and tons of evidence and celebrity’s involved
United headquarters should know by the end of the work day