No Show / Skipping / or Flying United Airlines Flight Segment(s) Out of Order?
Jan 24, 2023, 5:55 am
#46
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,349
How 'flexible' do you think United would be if the first segment gets canceled, but the remaining ticket is requested to remain unchanged?
Situation:
Have some family members booked on: AVP (Scranton, PA) - EWR - SFO - BNE on award tickets.
My concern is that the first segment AVP - EWR has a decent probability of being canceled due to [current] weather [forecast].
If it's canceled, I could still get them by car to EWR to catch the next segment (which is much less likely to be canceled). They'd not fly the first segment therefore.
Is this something United could/would/might entertain?
Situation:
Have some family members booked on: AVP (Scranton, PA) - EWR - SFO - BNE on award tickets.
My concern is that the first segment AVP - EWR has a decent probability of being canceled due to [current] weather [forecast].
If it's canceled, I could still get them by car to EWR to catch the next segment (which is much less likely to be canceled). They'd not fly the first segment therefore.
Is this something United could/would/might entertain?
Jan 24, 2023, 8:21 am
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,410
Yes, this is a very reasonable option and should not be an issue. My biggest concern would be the computer releasing space on EWR-SFO-BNE as part of an automatic adjustment before you can tell them you'll find your own way to EWR.
Jan 24, 2023, 8:58 am
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,396
Yes, this is absolutely SOP. You don't even need an official cancellation -- a significant posted delay is sufficient, provided that a reasonable person would look at that and say "yes, this is a real misconnect chance." The problem is going to be that by the time anything gets posted, it may be too late to pivot to driving, depending upon the scheduled layover at EWR and traffic in between.
Note that it's absolutely essential to contact UA and let them know what's happening so that they can drop the first segment from the reservation. Otherwise, as findark notes, they may already be rebooked… or, if you're doing this to avoid a delay, and then the flight does end up going out, they could be marked a no-show.
Note that it's absolutely essential to contact UA and let them know what's happening so that they can drop the first segment from the reservation. Otherwise, as findark notes, they may already be rebooked… or, if you're doing this to avoid a delay, and then the flight does end up going out, they could be marked a no-show.
Jan 24, 2023, 9:11 am
#50
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,349
Yes, this is absolutely SOP. You don't even need an official cancellation -- a significant posted delay is sufficient, provided that a reasonable person would look at that and say "yes, this is a real misconnect chance." The problem is going to be that by the time anything gets posted, it may be too late to pivot to driving, depending upon the scheduled layover at EWR and traffic in between.
Note that it's absolutely essential to contact UA and let them know what's happening so that they can drop the first segment from the reservation. Otherwise, as findark notes, they may already be rebooked… or, if you're doing this to avoid a delay, and then the flight does end up going out, they could be marked a no-show.
Note that it's absolutely essential to contact UA and let them know what's happening so that they can drop the first segment from the reservation. Otherwise, as findark notes, they may already be rebooked… or, if you're doing this to avoid a delay, and then the flight does end up going out, they could be marked a no-show.
Might plan for a specific cut-off time and pull the plug (before they board), if it's likely to delay and/or cancel.
Thanks for the good info.
Jan 24, 2023, 9:30 am
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,396
I booked it with enough layover at EWR to take such eventualities into account; i.e. there's enough time to drive there, providing they don't do a rolling delay on AVP-EWR for hours on end, and then cancel when it becomes too late.
Might plan for a specific cut-off time and pull the plug (before they board), if it's likely to delay and/or cancel.
Might plan for a specific cut-off time and pull the plug (before they board), if it's likely to delay and/or cancel.
The only real concern I'd have would be checked luggage. It may be a challenge to get UA to pull the bags and allow you to take them with you to EWR.
Jan 24, 2023, 9:32 am
#52
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Morris County, NJ
Programs: UA 1K/*G, Avis Pres, Marriott Plat
Posts: 2,305
Note that it's absolutely essential to contact UA and let them know what's happening so that they can drop the first segment from the reservation. Otherwise, as findark notes, they may already be rebooked… or, if you're doing this to avoid a delay, and then the flight does end up going out, they could be marked a no-show.
Jan 24, 2023, 9:40 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,396
Just spitballing, but would it be feasible to ask United to split the ticket? I.E. put AVP-EWR on a separate reservation, such that should it cancel or delay, EWR-SFO-BNE would be unaffected? I assume that would have to involve the rate desk and a supervisor override, but seems like a reasonable thing to ask, at least to my non-airport-operations mind?
Apr 28, 2023, 7:18 am
#55
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,349
Not flying final segment
Is there a more recent thread than this: Not flying the final segment ?
I have done this before years ago, and am contemplating doing it it again....reluctantly.
Domestic AAA > Domestic BBB > International CCC > Domestic BBB; collect bags at BBB, and not flying last BBB - AAA segment.
There's a 7+ hour layover at BBB on the way back, and I could simply drive home.
Is there a way to do this as 'reasonable' as possible? Call in after arriving at BBB?
What's your experiences here?
I have done this before years ago, and am contemplating doing it it again....reluctantly.
Domestic AAA > Domestic BBB > International CCC > Domestic BBB; collect bags at BBB, and not flying last BBB - AAA segment.
There's a 7+ hour layover at BBB on the way back, and I could simply drive home.
Is there a way to do this as 'reasonable' as possible? Call in after arriving at BBB?
What's your experiences here?
Apr 28, 2023, 7:52 am
#56
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Is this paid or award? Not that it really matters. Do this once (or even occasionally), not a problem. You can call or not, though with a paid ticket there's some chance UA tries to reprice the itinerary. If you no-show you'll just be offloaded and your seat given to a standby (assuming there are any).
Apr 28, 2023, 8:07 am
#57
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,349
Is this paid or award? Not that it really matters. Do this once (or even occasionally), not a problem. You can call or not, though with a paid ticket there's some chance UA tries to reprice the itinerary. If you no-show you'll just be offloaded and your seat given to a standby (assuming there are any).
Yeah, the repricing is what's scaring me!
Last time I did this (years ago) at IAD I was told off for about 5 minutes, before they let me go.
Apr 28, 2023, 8:26 am
#58
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
An argument can be made that calling is a diversion of cs resources and thus not helpful to UA net-net.
Apr 28, 2023, 8:44 am
#59
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
Really helps if you specify the airports - at least for the international ones. At a minimum, what country is CCC in? Is it Canada, Ireland, or somewhere in the Caribbean? If it is, you will most likely not be able to access your bags at BBB.
Apr 28, 2023, 8:47 am
#60
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,694
If a rare or one-off occurrence, I don't think you'd get dinged for hidden city, since you can drive home from BBB (assuming that saves heaps of time)