[Scan-DC] Fw: Letter Composed to the CEO of United Airlines

[Alan Henney]

From: Earl Suitor 
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2016 5:46 PM
To: alan at henney.com 
Subject: Letter Composed to the CEO of United Airlines

Please see below the text of the letter I just sent to the CEO of United: [Please feel free to share]

Mr. Oscar Munoz CEO
United Airlines Inc.
Po Box 06649
Chicago, IL 60606-0649

Dear Mr. Munoz,

First of all let me say I am sorry to hear of your heart surgery. Being a healthcare professional myself I hope you do well and feel better soon. Please take care.

The reason I write is to bring to your attention a recent incident that happened to me and my wife on a flight from Denver [KDEN] to Washington Dulles [KIAD] UA-344 March 26th  6:00 PM departure Seat 31A Ticket # 0167644820841. 

We had arrived at KDEN on a flight from St George Utah. The flight attendant saw I had a small ham radio that I always bring in my carry-on [so it won’t get lost or broken in the luggage] and asked what it was. I told her.  About 5 minutes later she said “Since that is on the never permitted list I will have to confiscate it from you and hold it and Customer Service will be meeting you at the gate upon arrival at Denver.” I complied without question. She showed me in the Hemisphere Magazine on PP 90 where it states as such [See enclosed page]. I showed her my FCC Amateur radio license for the radio. When we arrived at Denver we were met by several “customer service” staff who treated us like criminals, escorting us away from the aircraft and other customers [and our friends we had flown with]. We were taken into a security area where I was interrogated in a hostile manner by United Airlines personnel. I showed them my FCC Amateur radio license for the radio as well. No TSA or Denver Police were called or involved.  I pointed out to them that this radio has passed through TSA check points ~ 8 times on previous trips, it was not disallowed or questioned and in fact is not on the TSA list of disallowed items to be in an aircraft cabin.

They confiscated  my radio [a YAESU FT-2D value: $549.00] and made me pay for shipping it to my home.

I very carefully read the Contract of Carriage and have violated none of the stipulations therein.

I wish to point out the following and make a suggestion.

There is no way I, or anyone else could have known about this internal United policy before boarding the aircraft, because the United website Home>Travel information>Electronic devise policies says radio receivers / transmitters are not permitted for use. It says nothing about them being prohibited in a carry-on turned off.

Rather than embarrassing me and my wife publicly if the request had been made to keep it turned off and in my carry on during the flight that would have solved the problem completely.

If a conspicuous disallowed items list was placed at the luggage check-in area passengers could then stow these items in their luggage before it became a problem. Once the luggage is off to the belly of the plane it is 
inaccessible.

I am not making a monetary claim, BUT, since this has cost me money, and caused me embarrassment and time some compensation might be in order. I will leave that up to you.


Very Truly Yours,


Earl C Suitor RT[R]