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Old Sep 12, 2013, 5:33 am
  #1  
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Change Flights feature on web
I will not infrequently make a change to a flight on the day of departure. One of the tools on the manage reservations page is the change flights option, a useful tool I have used a lot. For me, it quit working about 2-3 months ago - all attempts to change flights return an error page. This has always periodically happened...usually representing something out of synch or otherwise wrong with the ticket. But now every time. Changing at check-in overcomes this.

Anyone else having this issue (or better any solution to it)?
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Old Sep 12, 2013, 6:19 am
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If changing through the check in tool works, why not just use that? Not only can you change when you initially check in, after checking in, you can go back to the tool, either on the website or app, and use the change flight option to make the change.
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Old Sep 12, 2013, 6:24 am
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I had the same problem for reservations I had in July/August. It worked for me one time, but the dozen other times I tried I got error messages. I haven't tried on any of the upcoming itineraries I have since I don't plan on changing, but I certainly found it very annoying because I too liked the ability to browse my options, particularly in the days prior to flying.
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Old Sep 12, 2013, 6:31 am
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Originally Posted by P50sundevil
I had the same problem for reservations I had in July/August. It worked for me one time, but the dozen other times I tried I got error messages. I haven't tried on any of the upcoming itineraries I have since I don't plan on changing, but I certainly found it very annoying because I too liked the ability to browse my options, particularly in the days prior to flying.
Problem is, even when it is working, the options given by the change flights tool is not, IME, a complete set. In fact, I have only once been able to complete a change online - and that was an award ticket. Every other time, the flights I wanted to change to were available (per a dummy search), but no matter what preference I put in to the change flights tool, I either can't seem to get the right flights to show, or it errs out when I select it. So instead, I usually just skip that, do a dummy booking, and then call to have the change made. For SDC, I go to reprint boarding passes and do it from there.
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Old Sep 12, 2013, 6:34 am
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Join Date: Aug 2005
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Hello FTers,

Two days ago I easily was able to change my flight to an earlier flight on an award ticket from IST-SFO. It costs me a little bit of money, but I was able to get F on 902 (FRA-SFO).

I love that feature.

David
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Old Sep 12, 2013, 7:27 am
  #6  
 
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There's discussion of this in the SDC thread. It's sad, as the change flights tool is more flexible.
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Old Sep 12, 2013, 8:53 am
  #7  
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Originally Posted by emcampbe
If changing through the check in tool works, why not just use that? Not only can you change when you initially check in, after checking in, you can go back to the tool, either on the website or app, and use the change flight option to make the change.
Because you can't use it to bring departure in by more than 24 hours (meaning you can change a Friday afternoon flight to a Thursday afternoon flight as it is within 24 hours) but you can't use the check-in tool until Thursday afternoon. You can push it out via check in.

I like being able to browse for alternate flights and as was noted above, the list shown is frequently incomplete. When it works, it is a very handy feature.
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Old Sep 12, 2013, 8:59 am
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Originally Posted by mgcsinc
There's discussion of this in the SDC thread. It's sad, as the change flights tool is more flexible.
so flexible in fact that it is generally presumed that UA intentionally broke it, at least for the purposes of SDC.
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Old Sep 12, 2013, 9:11 am
  #9  
 
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Originally Posted by cmculp
Because you can't use it to bring departure in by more than 24 hours (meaning you can change a Friday afternoon flight to a Thursday afternoon flight as it is within 24 hours) but you can't use the check-in tool until Thursday afternoon. You can push it out via check in.

I like being able to browse for alternate flights and as was noted above, the list shown is frequently incomplete. When it works, it is a very handy feature.
Most of us call. Doing it manually changes it from a handy feature to the bestest feature in all of airlinedom.

Originally Posted by ddrost1
so flexible in fact that it is generally presumed that UA intentionally broke it, at least for the purposes of SDC.
Especially given UAInsider's radio silence on the issue.

I did have it work properly on a trip a week ago, though. Not sure if it was a fluke, or maybe there was a weather waiver, which changes the way it does everything.
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Old Sep 13, 2013, 10:52 am
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Originally Posted by ddrost1
so flexible in fact that it is generally presumed that UA intentionally broke it, at least for the purposes of SDC.
LOL. But for SDC, the change flights feature of the check-in tool shows the same crazy mileage run worthy options. What you can't do is change outside the check-in window...when fare basis differences and change fees apply. You would think that would be a good feature for UA to have up and running well.

Interestingly, the change option at check-in frequently allows $0 options that book a higher fare basis.

United continues to perplex...
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Old Sep 13, 2013, 12:43 pm
  #11  
 
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Originally Posted by emcampbe
Problem is, even when it is working, the options given by the change flights tool is not, IME, a complete set. In fact, I have only once been able to complete a change online - and that was an award ticket. Every other time, the flights I wanted to change to were available (per a dummy search), but no matter what preference I put in to the change flights tool, I either can't seem to get the right flights to show, or it errs out when I select it.
Interesting. I've noticed that even for changing an award ticket, the options given are extremely limited - limited to 4, in fact, even if literally dozens of options show up when you do an original search. Sounds like there's something totally screwed up with the change flights algorithm (intentionally or not).
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