Will UA issue ticket (016 ticket) w/ partner airline only, no UA/UX flight on itin?
#46
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
Programs: 1K 2010, 1P in 2011, Plat for 2012,13,14,15 & 2016. Gold in 17 & 18, Plat since
Posts: 8,824
remembered it and remembered seeing it linked in the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ification.html wiki. Did not search.
I do think there should be a separate thread or resource for the limitations of what can be booked on whatever the present incarnation of ua.com is. Along with what an agent on the phone can and cannot book. But as long as we have human search engines like yourself, maybe not needed.
#47
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 812
Has anyone actually tried to call United to get a non-UA *A ticket plated on 016 for 2014? If so, did it work? Did you have to tell the agent that you're doing this because of PQDs?
#48
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: 1P, AA EXP, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,491
So it's not just me!!!
Sometimes you can go through the initial process of booking an Award ticket and have the missing carrier show up there... then it may give you the option of purchasing the ticket instead. Trouble is, the purchased ticket is often sky-high because it defaults to booking the non-UA segment in Y (if it's not a code-share flight). This is really causing me grief trying to book an award ticket for my wife and a paid ticket for myself, because there's no award availability (at saver rates) for 100% UA itin, and the non-UA segments showing up for awards cannot be booked as paid flights (on UA's website).
Sometimes you can go through the initial process of booking an Award ticket and have the missing carrier show up there... then it may give you the option of purchasing the ticket instead. Trouble is, the purchased ticket is often sky-high because it defaults to booking the non-UA segment in Y (if it's not a code-share flight). This is really causing me grief trying to book an award ticket for my wife and a paid ticket for myself, because there's no award availability (at saver rates) for 100% UA itin, and the non-UA segments showing up for awards cannot be booked as paid flights (on UA's website).
#49
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: UA
Posts: 239
Also noticed that there are a lot less code share flights. For example, been looking at flights to several points in asia, including tpe. if UA flies the same route, it does not appear that it code shares with BR, OZ or NH. UA used to code share with NH NRT to JFK. That's gone now, along with other TPAC NH flights. It does not appear that LH code share flights have been affected at the moment.
#50
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
My experience exactly. Looking at a NZ operated flight next year. Lowest fare UA shows on .com is $3500, although NZ is selling seatss around $1200. I recognize that might need to pay a little higher to get a fare basis to earn PQM on UA (leaving aside issue of PQD), but UA.com isn't even close to being competitive. I haven't tried calling UA yet. Will wait to see if others report any success before wasting any time on this.
Here is what ITA search shows, only two Nonstop flights on this itinerary for the dates I'm interested in. They're on NZ metal:
1/25 SFO-AKL 19:45 - 5:45 NZ7 Economy (T)
2/1 AKL-SFO 19:30 - 10:30 NZ8 Economy (V)
Total fare: $1777
1/25 SFO-AKL 19:45 - 5:45 UA6755 Economy (Y)
2/1 AKL-SFO 19:30 - 10:30 UA6754 Economy (Y)
Total fare: $5003
#51
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 947
wco81... I'm a leisure/self-funded flyer dreading the PQD world. AKL is on my list of places to fly, and I'm grateful for your post in the other thread and the advice others gave you there.
#context
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Last edited by l etoile; Jan 8, 2014 at 6:42 pm Reason: Removed deleted quote and response thereto
#52
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
Going by the method described in this thread - award ticket search and then trying to check the buy ticket without redeeming any miles option, the only fare classes being sold are Y/B/M for economy. For business it might make sense, but what if I want to do personal travel? I cant afford Y/B/M fares. What to do in this case?
#53
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NYC
Posts: 536
Going by the method described in this thread - award ticket search and then trying to check the buy ticket without redeeming any miles option, the only fare classes being sold are Y/B/M for economy. For business it might make sense, but what if I want to do personal travel? I cant afford Y/B/M fares. What to do in this case?
#54
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
Exactly my point. Hence the wait for some, rather any information from UA about booking tickets to destinations where there are no UA flights. They have been quiet far too long about the new PQD and qualification requirements!
#55
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: NYC
Posts: 536
I would just try to book something instead of waiting for information from UA. If you try to book, you will a real-life example for a datapoint instead a theoretical situation that can be ignored by the bureaucracy.
#56
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
Agreed Now if only I can find myself some tickets to MLE...wait I do...at 3 times the cost with UA and Fly Dubai as compared to TK
#57
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 130
I have an itinerary I'd like to book on US Air for January and tried twice today to book it with United so I can get my PQD's.
First attempt: agent was extremely rude, incredulous that I would even think it might be possible for him to book the flights I wanted, and refused to try.
Second attempt: very nice agent was happy to try, but could only book availability in much higher fare classes. The flights are not codeshares, and availability on the US website shows in R (I went as far as the credit card screen, but I didn't actually book so can't be 100% sure). The agent said she could see the R availability but couldn't book it.
Any ideas? This process could get frustrating pretty fast... what used to take 5 minutes I have an hour invested in already! Thanks -
First attempt: agent was extremely rude, incredulous that I would even think it might be possible for him to book the flights I wanted, and refused to try.
Second attempt: very nice agent was happy to try, but could only book availability in much higher fare classes. The flights are not codeshares, and availability on the US website shows in R (I went as far as the credit card screen, but I didn't actually book so can't be 100% sure). The agent said she could see the R availability but couldn't book it.
Any ideas? This process could get frustrating pretty fast... what used to take 5 minutes I have an hour invested in already! Thanks -
#58
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
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#59
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,187
I'm in Singapore now, coming in from Dubai & BOM & on my way to NY. Even though the PQD / 016 restriction does not start till next year, I decided to try to buy my SQ BOM-SIN-FRA-JFK ticket thru UA. (The DXB-BOM portion was purchased directly from EK). I Wanted to have the ticket issued in BOM anyway as SQ has special F (P) fares from India-USA that are over $4000 cheaper then if the same ticket is purchased anywhere else. I made 3 calls to UA & surprisingly, on the 3rd call (after being told no twice) the agent was willing to book it but in order to get the fare she directed me to UA's Mumbai ticket office for payment.
[...]Did the agent make a mistake booking this for me? Are the other two agents wrong in not booking it? I would think UA would not mind doing this since I assume they get paid the same commission as a travel agent but who knows????
Does anyone know UA's official position on this? It's going to be very important for me as we'll as I'm sure others either who are based outside the US ( even though right now foreign addresses are exempt). I used to use my Dubai address for MP but changed it to NY last year. I will change it back if I must but this would be much easier leaving it in the US if I can use UA to ticket my SQ flights
[...]Did the agent make a mistake booking this for me? Are the other two agents wrong in not booking it? I would think UA would not mind doing this since I assume they get paid the same commission as a travel agent but who knows????
Does anyone know UA's official position on this? It's going to be very important for me as we'll as I'm sure others either who are based outside the US ( even though right now foreign addresses are exempt). I used to use my Dubai address for MP but changed it to NY last year. I will change it back if I must but this would be much easier leaving it in the US if I can use UA to ticket my SQ flights
#60
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 130
I was a little worried about my dollars-per-mile being sub-par to start with, but now I'm getting really worried since I like to fly on *A partners (also in low fare buckets). I suppose the silver lining is I won't have problems with US Air after March!
Thanks -