LA Woman Gets ‘Semi-Refund’ for United Airlines Flight to Orlando After Flight Encounters Repeated Delays: ‘High Key Their Fault’
Fly Away
No one wants an unpleasant flight experience, but unfortunately, they can be quite common when they happen. Many things can go wrong during a flight. There might be a delay at check-in, someone could be sitting in your window seat before you arrive, the plane might run out of food, the flight could be delayed, there could be heavy turbulence, or your baggage might get lost, and the list continues.
In a TikTok video uploaded on February 27, 2025, user @aubruhhhh mentioned that, while on a United Airlines flight from France to Orlando, she faced repeated roadblocks that kept rerouting and delaying her trip. Then, when she finally arrived at her destination and asked the airline for compensation, they offered only a partial refund (that too after several months), which does not come close to covering the time, money, and effort she spent on the journey.
TikTok user @aubruhhhh criticizes United Airlines customer service
First, @aubruhhhh had to wait three hours at the airport to board her flight, only to find out that the airline’s gas cap was broken, so the flight wouldn’t depart that day. She recalled that the airline offered $100 in compensation for the trouble, but she said that amount was definitely not enough to cover hotel stays, food, and other essentials in eastern France, which was disappointing. The next day, she arrived at the airport for her flight from Nice, France, to Orlando, only to find it had been rerouted to Germany. Then, when her flight finally landed in Munich, she was stuck there for five hours.
From Munich, she was supposed to fly to Orlando but learned she had a layover at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. As her flight was en route, a massive hurricane appeared, causing the plane to circle repeatedly without landing. Even worse, the aircraft ran out of fuel, so the flight was rerouted again and ultimately landed in Maryland. There, she and other passengers had to wait three hours on the tarmac. When she finally got off the plane, she discovered there were no personnel available for international customs checks, causing further delays. During baggage claim, she waited over an hour, during which she made calls to sort out her next steps. She ended up taking a $200 Uber from Maryland to Virginia and waited overnight before catching her next flight and arriving in Orlando.
In her video, she mentions that United Airlines finally issued her a “semi-refund” after more than two and a half months. She said, “It took over two and a half months to get even a semi-refund for all of this, but I never got refunded for my time or any of this. They blamed our emergency landing on the weather…this is my PSA for why United kind of sucks and why I wish they just had better customer service.”
People have reacted strongly to @aubruhhhh’s story
Many people commented on @aubruhhhh’s TikTok video, where she shared her bad experience flying with United Airlines. User @inside_sheas_head wrote, “High key their fault.” User @_kirstenfleming said, “i would be so sad hello.”
Several people shared their own unpredictable flight stories. User @jujujulesie said, “no I agree I went to Aruba and the ONE AIRPORT IN ARUBA IS CLOSED so we stayed in the airport for an extra 24 hours in Puerto Rico it was so inconvenient.” She added again, “a girl almost missed her f****** wedding she got on a ferry in Puerto Rico.”
What are the rules for compensation on United Airlines flight in the US?
According to Airhelp, as a US traveler flying with United Airlines on covered routes, one has the same rights to compensation under EC 261. You are protected by European Regulation EC 261 as long as your flight departs from the EU. Flights operated by United from the US to Europe are not covered unless a European partner airline operates them. Here’s what you’re entitled to if there is a delay in a United Airlines flight:
- Food and drinks must be provided if your flight is delayed at the airport for more than 2 hours, and accommodation must be provided if the delay results in an overnight stay.
- If your delay upon arrival exceeds 3 hours, you could be eligible for compensation.
- Compensation amounts range from $270 to $650, depending on flight distance (e.g., $430 for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km).
- If the delay exceeds 5 hours, you have the right to cancel your flight and get a full refund. Additionally, you are entitled to a return flight to your original departure point if needed.
(featured image: TikTok/@aubruhhhh)
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