Programs: UA 1K; DL Plat; CO Plat; Starwood Gold; Hertz 5-Star; Avis Preferred
Posts: 16,584
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoCal Flyer
I was unable to advance purchase E+ on the UA return flight online so I called United. The agent said that I cannot purchase E+ in advance since I am on the flight as a codeshare, suggesting that I would have needed to purchase the flight from UA in order to have access to E+(even as a purchased add-on). Does purchasing UA flights as CO codeshares preclude us from even purchasing access to E+?
Knowing UA, this sounds correct. UA has a lot more of these arcane-type rules with its program.
Aside from regular seat assignments, UA does not like to touch codeshares. In fact, a UA Elite ticketed on a UA flight, but under another airline's code, cannot upgrade the flight, except at the airport on day of departure. This is a little bit different than what we're accustomed to w.r.t. how CO has always handled codeshares. CO never cared if it was NW-coded or CO-coded. Your upgrades and such worked off what you were flying.
I can't seem to find this answered anywhere. I have purchased a RT (LAX-LIH) for early next year; Outbound is CO/HA, return on UA direct (CO codeshare). Itinerary was purchased through CO.
I was unable to advance purchase E+ on the UA return flight online so I called United. The agent said that I cannot purchase E+ in advance since I am on the flight as a codeshare, suggesting that I would have needed to purchase the flight from UA in order to have access to E+(even as a purchased add-on). Does purchasing UA flights as CO codeshares preclude us from even purchasing access to E+?
Thanks for clarifying this. (It will make me very hesitant to purchase a CO codeshare on UA if that is the case.)
Back in August I purchased a CLE-ORD airfare, outbound on UA metal, return on CO). I was not able to see the UA seating via CO.com before or after the *A. After *A though I was able to login to UA.com and see my seat, a middle last row! I was able to purchase the E+ upgrade via UA.com.
Back in August I purchased a CLE-ORD airfare, outbound on UA metal, return on CO). I was not able to see the UA seating via CO.com before or after the *A. After *A though I was able to login to UA.com and see my seat, a middle last row! I was able to purchase the E+ upgrade via UA.com.
Maybe try that...
Thanks, CLEHillbilly, for the suggestion. I was able to see the UA seatmap on CO, but unable to select a seat (as others have described in other places on FlyerTalk). CO provided me the UA confirmation number for the return portion of my trip on UA metal. Logging in to the UA site, I'm actually not even able to see the seat map for the flight (which I could do on the CO site). The UA site gives the following message:
If this is a codeshare flight or a flight operated by a partner airline, please contact the operating carrier for seat map review and seat assignments.
In spite of that, the UA site does provide the opportunity to buy up to the UA elite check-in (obviously unnecessary as *G) but no such opportunity to buy E+. I had to call UA to get a seat assignment and it was the agent who advised me that, as Channa suggested, it is not possible to purchase E+ for UA flights purchased as codeshares (unless it should be available at the time of airport check-in).
Maybe this will all evolve as the closer cooperation between CO and UA develops. But currently it sounds like we might be best advised to avoid UA flights purchased as CO codeshares if access to E+ (even as a purchased option) is important. Anyone else with recent experience in similar circumstances?
Hi bocastephen, our exit rows are still only eligible to be pre-assigned by OnePass Platinum and Gold Elite members, and other OnePass only Elite benefits such as preferred seating and complimentary space available upgrades are also a OnePass-only benefit. Amidst everything else going on, it’s not too surprising this is a point of confusion with respect to what our partners' are entitled to. Our systems, however, are unchanged. We'll clarify this point with our front line.
FYI This is still occurring according to posts over on UA.
FYI This is still occurring according to posts over on UA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by emanon256
I booked flight about a month back on CO paper and CO metal for travel on 1-Nov. The day after the official switch, I went to CO.Bomb and selected "View" on my itinerary, I then selected "Edit Traveler Information." and put in my UA MP #. It also had me re-enter my name and dob etc. Then it brought me up as a *G and let me pick any seat, including an exit row. Sadly I learned the Exit row on the CO 737-700 has only about an inch more room than UA E-. Yuck!
Programs: CO Platinum, SPG Platinum, HH Gold - whatever that's worth now :(
Posts: 12,541
Quote:
Originally Posted by njcommodore
wow. hope this proves not to be true.
I'm sure it's true, but I'm still willing to give Scott and crew a reasonable amount of time to fix the problem - it's an important issue to us, but probably not the most pressing item on their list at the moment.
I will resist the urge to re-visit the UA forum and touch-off another wave of hostility and just let the issue filter through naturally. CO really does need to address this because the longer this faucet is allowed to drip, the more hostility will come from UA customers when their access is finally cut off.
__________________ Rich and 50 is the same as middle-class and 30
Originally Posted by UA Fan
CO Insider does CO have plans to add EK to its list on online partners? Also can I do this itin: IAD-KWI on UA and KWI-DXB-COK on EK?
yes, being able to look at EK options online would be nice. However, I noted that EK flights now dont earn EQM's on CO (Only RDM's), which is sad.
Also, you could always ticket IAD-KWI and immediately call the support desk to add KWI-DXB-COK to your ticket...thus avoiding extra change fees, etc.
I am not sure if that is kind of the info you were looking for. (of course, I cant answer that specific question that you asked CO Insider!)
Hope this the right thread for this: a friend wants to combine her ~40K CO miles towards a UA or partner *A premium cabin or upgrade award. Is that possible, or even plausible?
Hi Everyone, well it’s finally official… Continental is now a Star Alliance member! This marks an unprecedented move from one major alliance to another, and as you might imagine, the amount of preparations that has led us up to this point has been extraordinary. Yes, there’s going to be some bumps as we complete our transition, and we appreciate your patience while we cement everything in place. As usual, we will look to our feedback channels as issues pop up (especially here on FlyerTalk), and will do our best to correct them quickly.
For those of you who want to keep up on today’s festivities, be sure to follow us on Twitter. Information about our Star Alliance joining ceremony webcast and other good stuff will be tweeted throughout the day.
Now, for the stuff we couldn't talk much about... until now. I’ll do my best to touch on the big hits. Here goes…
Mileage Earning
The mileage earning charts for our new Star Alliance partners are now posted on continental.com. Shouldn’t be any big surprises here. In addition, you can now add frequent traveler numbers of our fellow Star Alliance members for new and existing bookings.
Reward Redemption
Lots of updates on this front. Here are the highlights.
New Online Reward Charts… at last. You’ve waited long enough (especially you sbm12 and eagle92), now take it in. Our new Interactive Reward Charts are ready for you. Enjoy!
Online reward redemption. As many of you know, we have a goal to have as many of our partners available online for reward booking as possible, and in the coming year, you’re going to see a lot of improvements on this front. In the mean time, we have our starting lineup of partners that may be redeemed online, in addition to Continental. They are: Copa Airlines (including Aero Republica), United Airlines, US Airways, Air Canada, SAS Scandinavian, bmi British Midland, TAP Portugal, LOT Polish Airlines, EgyptAir, Air China, Blue1, plus inter-island add-ons operated by Hawaiian Airlines and Island Air. With these partners in place, you should see plenty of green on the reward calendars (despite some intermittent availability issues we're still working through). Stay tuned for further expansion! Reward bookings for all other partners, as well as three-cabin First Class rewards, will need to be booked over the phone. We look forward to adding online booking for these rewards in the coming year.
Two partners not yet ready for redemption. There are two Star Alliance members that we will not have redemption capability on day one. They are: SWISS and Shanghai Airlines. We expect SWISS to be available for reward redemption by early/mid-November. Shanghai Airlines will likely take longer.
Qantas partnership to end. Many of you saw this coming, and the date has been set. Continental’s OnePass partnership with Qantas will end on December 17, 2009. After this date, OnePass reward redemption and mileage earning on Qantas will no longer be offered.
Expanded First and Business Class SaverPass availability for Platinum members. Continental Platinum Elite members will now have access to expanded SaverPass inventory for First, BusinessFirst, and International Business Class on Continental flights. Previously, this benefit only included BusinessFirst itineraries. Now it applies to all front cabin itineraries on Continental-operated flights.
Star Alliance Upgrade Awards. We’re pleased to introduce Star Alliance Upgrade Awards. While our OnePass Upgrade Rewards are a better value for travel on Continental and Copa, our new Star Alliance Upgrade Awards give you an option to redeem miles for upgrades on 16 of our fellow Star Alliance members. Please note that upgrade amounts are per-segment (not per one-way) and in most cases, upgrades awards are only valid in conjunction with Y and B class fares. For redemptions amounts, refer to our updated OnePass Travel and Upgrade Reward Charts PDF. For more information and online redemption, go to our new Star Alliance Upgrade Awards page.
Lounge Access
Our Presidents Club and Star Alliance Gold members have quite a bit to look forward to...
Expanded lounge access for Presidents Club members. Presidents Club members and up to two guests or immediate family will now have access to United Airlines Red Carpet Clubs and US Airways Clubs without any same-day ticket requirement. In addition, members will have access to hundreds of lounges operated by Star Alliance members when departing on a Star Aliance flight. I hope you’ll agree, this is a major improvement.
Lounge access for Star Alliance Gold members. As mentioned before, our OnePass Platinum and Gold Elite members are considered Star Alliance Gold, which among other benefits, gives access to most Star Alliance member lounges (including contract lounge locations) when departing on a same-day international Star Alliance itinerary. There are over 800 lounges in all. Have at it!
That's it for now. Thanks for your patience while we complete this transition, and we hope you’ll enjoy this new chapter in Continental’s history. And yes, there’s still more to come...
If we have both a CO and a UA mileage account can we now merge them as can be done with most the rest of Star Alliance?
So far my experiences with *A. These are NOT complaints, I just want folks to know what I've experienced.
Online check in on Swiss doesn't work. Transfers you to LH online check in, that informs you that your flight is perpared for online check in, but please try again later (later enough never seems to come).
Senator Lounge at HAM, fantastic, good food, nice comfort, lot's of newspapers, not sure if there is free WiFi though ( I think it's only paid via T-mobile?).
Spanair Lounge at new T1 in BCN. Very comfortable, but can't be used as arrivals lounge for a cup of coffee whilst waiting for baggage claim. For departure it's OK, the only "food" is olives though. Very limited WiFi.
LX lounge at ZUR totally useless for connections since they are located oustide security.
Swiss baggage claim in HAM painfully slow, when compared to past experiences with AF, CO and KL.
Swiss flights, 50% late of the 4 I took, no weather delays. Swiss crews very nice, but the GA's are a bit Nazi like with bags...not allowing me to carry on the same bag I'd just flown from ATL-CDG on DL and CDG-HAM on AF.
Aside from lounge access, *A Gold pretty meaningless reallly. No special seat assignments, no special boarding process, no luggage priority, (with ST, NW, DL, CO, AF, KL all had "elite" boarding lines). LX is a total free-4-all process.
CO.com award calandar still not showing any availability for front cabin on flights LAX> MUC in January, February (not exactly peak season). Actually, I've looked forward for months and nothing is there. (I certainly, understand this may take time, and remain hopefully, this is not going to be the plan.
Booked my flight months ago on LX, before mileage chart was posted, not surpised but still disappointed with 50% milage credit.
Overall, right now I do feel there will be more options on *A, but at this moment I am missing some of the benefits from Elite Plus.
The CO website lists under its PC locations the LH lounge in DTW. The only problem is that CO flies out of the McNamara terminal while the LH lounge is in the North Terminal. Are there any plans to move to the North terminal where all the * partners are or to have some club in the McNamara terminal?
Hello Lurch, the LH Senator Lounge is in the McNamara Terminal, all LH flights depart from McNamara as well. The lounge is located immediately after Security on your right. So, let's hope CO doesn't move from McNamara, since this lounge is MUCH nicer than anything at the North Terminal.
