Question about United vouchers on Continental
May 5, 2011, 6:26 pm
#47
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SF Bay area
Posts: 269
May 9, 2011, 8:59 pm
#48
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FL, but want to Expatriate to SE Asia ASAP
Programs: WN,DL,AA,UA,B6,more!
Posts: 810
I would love to hear more of your experiences with this.
I am trying to use my $100 UA type B voucher before it expires July 1. That is also when my CO status match runs out.
I will go anywhere (weekend same day turn) and I am ATL based.
Has anyone been able to book over the phone and mail the voucher in on any CO metal flights?
Any page I can cite on united.com?
Thanks,
Foo
I am trying to use my $100 UA type B voucher before it expires July 1. That is also when my CO status match runs out.
I will go anywhere (weekend same day turn) and I am ATL based.
Has anyone been able to book over the phone and mail the voucher in on any CO metal flights?
Any page I can cite on united.com?
Thanks,
Foo
May 10, 2011, 9:52 am
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,995
I have been unsuccessful to use a travel apology flight credit on united.com for CO flights. Has anyone else been able to do this? Or does it have to include a mix of CO/UA metal to be usable?
May 10, 2011, 10:27 am
#50
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 25
Latest update: Personal experience using UA Type B Voucher on Continental metal
Update from my (rather lengthy!) post from last week.
After being told numerous times by UA Phone Reservations that I can't fly EWR-BOS on Continental using a UA Type B voucher, I decided to head to my airport (DFW) to see what could be done by the airport staff.
Thirty minutes into the process, a supervisor is called over. She interprets the voucher rules literally and sticks to her guns about the "valid on UA/United Express only". No amount of "Ma'am this has been done before, please contact you help desk" will sway her. Looks like I'm shot down yet again.
I head next door to the Continental counter. They are much friendlier, but they tell me although they operate the flight they can't accept a UA voucher. (Who ever said airline mergers weren't a barrel of laughs?)
Time for different tactics. I call UA Res once again, I get a friendly HNL based agent. We make a temp booking, I receive a PNR code. She advises me that mailing the Type B to Dearborn, MI is one option, but not a guarantee that it will be accepted. Since I am reluctant to mail my vouchers in, possibly to not receive credit and never to get them back, I decide to spin the reservations roulette wheel at the airport one last time.
Back to the UA counter. Same supervisor. "I have a PNR this time. Can we please try to make some further headway on this?". This time she tells me "Okay- I can ticket this only if UA Reservations okays it, and puts a note in the record to that effect". One last call to UA Res, this time to South Asia. Could barely hear the agent, but *bless* him and his supervisor for doing what was needed. I walked out of there with my res. Total time: 90 minutes.
After-action report:
a) I do not have elite status on either UA or CO. Perhaps this would have made the process much more streamlined. The important thing to take away here is that you clearly can fly Continental metal using UA vouchers.
b) Be firm, persistent, but civil. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw lining up the right staff who will accomplish the task. You won't get the chance to meet them though, if one chooses to rant and rave like a lunatic about rules and restrictions.
c) IMHO, I wouldn't chance mailing your vouchers into Dearborn. Certified mail with a return receipt will only prove that it was received by UA, but is no guarantee that UA will return said vouchers if the transaction doesn't work out. You're also out at least a week or more waiting for the transaction to process, at the whim of a faceless nameless agent whom you have no influence over. Try to accomplish this in-person at the airport. You can always walk away with your vouchers in hand should things go sour.
d) Last thought: My Type B's are clearly printed "UA/United Express flights only". I don't know if the trick was getting them to show up on their computers as UA Code shares vs. Continental flights, but you've got to try different options here.
Best of luck in navigating these murky waters!
After being told numerous times by UA Phone Reservations that I can't fly EWR-BOS on Continental using a UA Type B voucher, I decided to head to my airport (DFW) to see what could be done by the airport staff.
Thirty minutes into the process, a supervisor is called over. She interprets the voucher rules literally and sticks to her guns about the "valid on UA/United Express only". No amount of "Ma'am this has been done before, please contact you help desk" will sway her. Looks like I'm shot down yet again.
I head next door to the Continental counter. They are much friendlier, but they tell me although they operate the flight they can't accept a UA voucher. (Who ever said airline mergers weren't a barrel of laughs?)
Time for different tactics. I call UA Res once again, I get a friendly HNL based agent. We make a temp booking, I receive a PNR code. She advises me that mailing the Type B to Dearborn, MI is one option, but not a guarantee that it will be accepted. Since I am reluctant to mail my vouchers in, possibly to not receive credit and never to get them back, I decide to spin the reservations roulette wheel at the airport one last time.
Back to the UA counter. Same supervisor. "I have a PNR this time. Can we please try to make some further headway on this?". This time she tells me "Okay- I can ticket this only if UA Reservations okays it, and puts a note in the record to that effect". One last call to UA Res, this time to South Asia. Could barely hear the agent, but *bless* him and his supervisor for doing what was needed. I walked out of there with my res. Total time: 90 minutes.
After-action report:
a) I do not have elite status on either UA or CO. Perhaps this would have made the process much more streamlined. The important thing to take away here is that you clearly can fly Continental metal using UA vouchers.
b) Be firm, persistent, but civil. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw lining up the right staff who will accomplish the task. You won't get the chance to meet them though, if one chooses to rant and rave like a lunatic about rules and restrictions.
c) IMHO, I wouldn't chance mailing your vouchers into Dearborn. Certified mail with a return receipt will only prove that it was received by UA, but is no guarantee that UA will return said vouchers if the transaction doesn't work out. You're also out at least a week or more waiting for the transaction to process, at the whim of a faceless nameless agent whom you have no influence over. Try to accomplish this in-person at the airport. You can always walk away with your vouchers in hand should things go sour.
d) Last thought: My Type B's are clearly printed "UA/United Express flights only". I don't know if the trick was getting them to show up on their computers as UA Code shares vs. Continental flights, but you've got to try different options here.
Best of luck in navigating these murky waters!
Last edited by DFW-EXPLAT; May 10, 2011 at 3:07 pm
May 14, 2011, 2:24 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Programs: UA Platinum MM; DL Silver; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Hilton Gold; Marriott Gold
Posts: 24,251
I successfully used $400 in UA Type B VDB vouchers to ticket an itinerary with all CO-operated segments at SAT today. Booked and held the reservation over the phone with a UA representative earlier this morning. Although all the flight segments are operated by CO, I deliberately build the itinerary with UA flight numbers. Called UA twice; the first agent said it wouldn't work (so I politely disengaged and hung up); the second agent said it would. Headed over to the airport ticket counter this afternoon, gave the agent manning the ticket counter the record locator number, the Type B vouchers, and my credit card to take care of the small residual balance, and the agent manning the ticket counter applied the Type B vouchers and ticketed the reservation with no problems and no fuss.
My advice for anyone who is looking to do the same would be two-fold: first, try to build the reservation with UA flight numbers only; and second, keep trying until you find an agent willing to accept the vouchers in ticketing it.
My advice for anyone who is looking to do the same would be two-fold: first, try to build the reservation with UA flight numbers only; and second, keep trying until you find an agent willing to accept the vouchers in ticketing it.
May 14, 2011, 4:07 pm
#52
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: FL, but want to Expatriate to SE Asia ASAP
Programs: WN,DL,AA,UA,B6,more!
Posts: 810
I successfully used $400 in UA Type B VDB vouchers to ticket an itinerary with all CO-operated segments at SAT today. Booked and held the reservation over the phone with a UA representative earlier this morning. Although all the flight segments are operated by CO, I deliberately build the itinerary with UA flight numbers. Called UA twice; the first agent said it wouldn't work (so I politely disengaged and hung up); the second agent said it would. Headed over to the airport ticket counter this afternoon, gave the agent manning the ticket counter the record locator number, the Type B vouchers, and my credit card to take care of the small residual balance, and the agent manning the ticket counter applied the Type B vouchers and ticketed the reservation with no problems and no fuss.
My advice for anyone who is looking to do the same would be two-fold: first, try to build the reservation with UA flight numbers only; and second, keep trying until you find an agent willing to accept the vouchers in ticketing it.
My advice for anyone who is looking to do the same would be two-fold: first, try to build the reservation with UA flight numbers only; and second, keep trying until you find an agent willing to accept the vouchers in ticketing it.
I will definitely try this if I can find a decent fare!
Foo
May 14, 2011, 9:58 pm
#53
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: LAS
Programs: CO *G, PC Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 47
The reverse, if you ever happen to encounter this, is quite simple. I booked some UA metal through the CO website utilizing CO vouchers with all segments operated by UA. Ticketed, e-confirmed, and showed up on .bomb without incident.
May 25, 2011, 8:41 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Programs: UA Platinum MM; DL Silver; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Hilton Gold; Marriott Gold
Posts: 24,251
I successfully used $400 in UA Type B VDB vouchers to ticket an itinerary with all CO-operated segments at SAT today. Booked and held the reservation over the phone with a UA representative earlier this morning. Although all the flight segments are operated by CO, I deliberately build the itinerary with UA flight numbers. Called UA twice; the first agent said it wouldn't work (so I politely disengaged and hung up); the second agent said it would. Headed over to the airport ticket counter this afternoon, gave the agent manning the ticket counter the record locator number, the Type B vouchers, and my credit card to take care of the small residual balance, and the agent manning the ticket counter applied the Type B vouchers and ticketed the reservation with no problems and no fuss.
My advice for anyone who is looking to do the same would be two-fold: first, try to build the reservation with UA flight numbers only; and second, keep trying until you find an agent willing to accept the vouchers in ticketing it.
My advice for anyone who is looking to do the same would be two-fold: first, try to build the reservation with UA flight numbers only; and second, keep trying until you find an agent willing to accept the vouchers in ticketing it.
Jun 7, 2011, 12:29 pm
#55
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 411
I have an interesting scenario. I'm trying to book a sub-$400 CLE-BOI roundtrip sometime in July using vouchers I received from being bumped off a United flight last year. I found some options, with one catch. The only way to get the price below $400 is to book one way via United and the other way via Continental. If I book the whole roundtrip via United, it adds $100 - $200 to the cost, even though the flights are exactly the same. Some flight segments are operated by United, and some by Continental.
Anyone have any unique ideas to allow me to use my United vouchers for this trip? Is there any chance United would be able to price match a Continental flight (assuming it is literally the same exactly flight/plane/etc) so all segments can be booked through United?
Anyone have any unique ideas to allow me to use my United vouchers for this trip? Is there any chance United would be able to price match a Continental flight (assuming it is literally the same exactly flight/plane/etc) so all segments can be booked through United?
Jun 10, 2011, 12:13 am
#56
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA-1P SPG-G PC-PLT
Posts: 521
Earlier this month, I used some Type B (S*/Travel Credit) vouchers at SFO to ticket a mixed metal itinerary. My itinerary consisted of two segments, both with UA flight numbers--one operated by UA, and one operated by CO. Two phone reservations agents swore to me that it was impossible to use type B vouchers on CO-operated codeshares. But I constructed a held reservation, took my vouchers to the airport, and the ticketing agent ticketed it without batting an eyelash.
Jun 15, 2011, 11:58 am
#58
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 10
I've been trying to use my Type-B vouchers for an international trip using both UA and CO metal, but all UA flight numbers.
I've talked to 6 different reservation agents over the phone over the last few days, and 5 of them told me outright that these cannot be used. Last one went to double check, as she saw some policy changes memo last week, and after several minutes told me that only e-certs can be used on CO metal, and paper vouchers are still limited to UA/UAX.
Moreover, I was not able to place a hold on a reservation. 2 agents told me that united does not do this anymore for regular folks, only for 1k members.
I also tried the counter at LAS over the weekend, and was once again turned down, because part of the itinerary is operated by CO.
Finally, I said "screw this" and just bought the tickets...
Does anyone know if I can get e-certs for getting bumped off a UA flight at the gates? Or do they only issue paper ones?
I've talked to 6 different reservation agents over the phone over the last few days, and 5 of them told me outright that these cannot be used. Last one went to double check, as she saw some policy changes memo last week, and after several minutes told me that only e-certs can be used on CO metal, and paper vouchers are still limited to UA/UAX.
Moreover, I was not able to place a hold on a reservation. 2 agents told me that united does not do this anymore for regular folks, only for 1k members.
I also tried the counter at LAS over the weekend, and was once again turned down, because part of the itinerary is operated by CO.
Finally, I said "screw this" and just bought the tickets...
Does anyone know if I can get e-certs for getting bumped off a UA flight at the gates? Or do they only issue paper ones?
Jun 16, 2011, 11:45 am
#59
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Stockholm, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AY Gold, Hyatt diamond.
Posts: 157
Ideas about when they could be used on CO?
I've been trying to use my Type-B vouchers for an international trip using both UA and CO metal, but all UA flight numbers.
I've talked to 6 different reservation agents over the phone over the last few days, and 5 of them told me outright that these cannot be used. Last one went to double check, as she saw some policy changes memo last week, and after several minutes told me that only e-certs can be used on CO metal, and paper vouchers are still limited to UA/UAX.
I've talked to 6 different reservation agents over the phone over the last few days, and 5 of them told me outright that these cannot be used. Last one went to double check, as she saw some policy changes memo last week, and after several minutes told me that only e-certs can be used on CO metal, and paper vouchers are still limited to UA/UAX.
They did not say when it would be possible to use paper vouchers on CO metal?