United cancelled award ticket involuntarily
Jun 25, 2016, 4:24 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 6
United cancelled award ticket involuntarily
I booked two economy award tickets on the 11th and subsequently upgraded on the 16th to business class for myself and my girlfriend. These seats have been confirmed with Aer Lingus and United and I have the confirmation receipts along with having being charged $120 each for fees and up to this point am still able to change seats. However I received and email saying my girlfriends ticket is no longer valid due to insufficient miles. This is frustrating because its a week after I've booked, a week before we depart, and given I have confirmation receipts and everything how can i be told I don't have enough miles? This seems like a mistake on United's part and our current tickets should be honored. Is there anything that can be done?
Jun 25, 2016, 6:37 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA Plat 2MM. DL Plat, AS MVP
Posts: 12,753
I booked two economy award tickets on the 11th and subsequently upgraded on the 16th to business class for myself and my girlfriend. These seats have been confirmed with Aer Lingus and United and I have the confirmation receipts along with having being charged $120 each for fees and up to this point am still able to change seats. However I received and email saying my girlfriends ticket is no longer valid due to insufficient miles. This is frustrating because its a week after I've booked, a week before we depart, and given I have confirmation receipts and everything how can i be told I don't have enough miles? This seems like a mistake on United's part and our current tickets should be honored. Is there anything that can be done?
1) when you upgraded from y to c, essentially you redepositted the original miles and purchased a higher award, right?
2) you probably had a redepodit fee of $150 per ticket, right?
3) were the new tickets in business both ways or one way?
4) what exactly is on the confirmation receipts?
Jun 25, 2016, 6:48 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,109
I can think of several ways to end up with insufficient miles after purchase. Like signing up for an Explorer Card for the bonus miles and then returning items after meeting the spend requirement (or not holding the card for the required 6 months). Or returning items purchased on MileagePlus Shopping.
Jun 25, 2016, 6:58 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
OP - You have asked if there "is anything that can be done?" The answer is that there is absolutely nothing that can be done until you supply all of the details. It does not do you any good to supply less than all of the details as that only results in people here, who could help you, either not responding, or responding incorrectly.
That does not help you in the least because if you take the wrong "argument" back to UA, UA will not react and you will not have your tickets.
The bottom line is that if you did not pay for a ticket, it either will not be issued or it will be cancelled as part of the audit process. That is no different for cash or award tickets.
So:
1. How much did the original tickets cost?
2. How many more miles did you need to add to purchase the new C award tickets (it is actually an entirely new award)
3. Did you have that # of miles?
4. You say that the C/J seats were "confirmed." Do you have e-ticket #'s (as opposed to a PNR?
5. If you had the # of miles at the time of the purchase, have you done anything (or has a CC issuer by way of example done anything) to reduce or withdraw your miles balance which brings you below what you needed for the C/J tickets?
That does not help you in the least because if you take the wrong "argument" back to UA, UA will not react and you will not have your tickets.
The bottom line is that if you did not pay for a ticket, it either will not be issued or it will be cancelled as part of the audit process. That is no different for cash or award tickets.
So:
1. How much did the original tickets cost?
2. How many more miles did you need to add to purchase the new C award tickets (it is actually an entirely new award)
3. Did you have that # of miles?
4. You say that the C/J seats were "confirmed." Do you have e-ticket #'s (as opposed to a PNR?
5. If you had the # of miles at the time of the purchase, have you done anything (or has a CC issuer by way of example done anything) to reduce or withdraw your miles balance which brings you below what you needed for the C/J tickets?