stevenshev

So where do type AB certificates fit in?

cepheid

I thought VDB vouchers could only be combined with other vouchers from the same booklet... or is that a common misconception that I should get out of my head?

So do you think an e-cert counts as a Type A, or are we still unsure about whether electronic and paper can be combined? (If they can be combined it should be as simple as doing a book-and-hold with the e-cert already applied, then completing it the usual way via ticket-by-mail or in-person to handle the paper vouchers... whether this is possible or not is the crux of the matter.)

mahasamatman

Because it would require United to hire IT personnel and programmers - something they've been very unwilling to do in the past.

cepheid

Why do you say that? I don't think it would be a software issue, since the certs are applied differently (and presumably, although I am just guessing, in different fields in the ticketing software). I suspect that if I were to do a book-and-hold with the e-cert then a phone or airport agent would still be able to apply the other certs. It might fail an audit... but presumably the agents could do it. I guess nobody has actually done this, though, or at least nobody has posted such.

1KChinito

You cannot do a book and hold when using an electronic certificate. The only way you can proceed is by charging the balance to a credit card.

I have had problems combining VDB vouchers (4 in one booklet with same serial number) with other type B (Cash) vouchers. VDB T&C clearly states those VDB vouchers are not combinable with other vouchers.

Type AB voucher is not combinable with any other type of vouchers; type A or type B.

goalie

i've alwayas been successful in combining type b (vdb/re-fare) certs from multiple booklets but as to combinning an e-cert with something else, you basically are catch of the day (scrod ) as there is no way (afaik) to book and hold a reservation when using an e-cert and as such, you can't go to the airport/ticket by mail to use the paper vouchers.

skyglider99

Goalie**for a guy that stops hockey pucks**you are very smart***E-certs cannot be combined with "any other" form of paper discount certs or vouchers.

cepheid

OK, well, that clears THAT up! So if book-and-hold isn't doable, that certainly makes it difficult, and now we have the official word - not combinable.

Thanks for the info! Of course, now I need to decide whether I'd rather use the e-cert (expires soon) or the Type B vouchers (good until at least November). Ah, decisions. Anyway, good to have this info, thanks!

Where2next?

For anyone successful at getting A&B certificates combined for a single ticket, do you have any suggestions as to how to nicely "coach" an agent that doesn't know how to do this?

goalie

for me, if the agent (most often sfo or oak as that's where i do most of my ticketing) can't figure out/doesn't know how to do it/says it can't be done, i usually play dumb and say that "the agent who did my last reservation about a <insert date> ago needed to make a phone call. i don't know who she spoke to but they walked her thru it". that usually sets the ball rolling and then it's done. now it also depends what airport you go to to ticket as with sfo & oak, most of the folks know me ("did you bring them" or even on occasion, "my dentist hates you ) and they have figured out how to get it done. so with all that, the bottom line is that it all depends on who the agent is.

Pat89339

I successfully used all the certs I mentioned above ticketing at SFO last night. The agent initially said that I couldn't use multiple dollars off PMO certs, so I told him to split the PNR since there were two of us travelling and then he could. He split them up this way:

$200 dollars off PMO
$300 VDB vouchers
$69.97 refare vouchers

leaving a $21.00 credit which he applied to the next ticket.

$100 dollars off PMO
$200 VDB vouchers
$69.97 refare vouchers
$21.00 credit from other ticket

It saved a whopping 20 cents over combining them they way I had which was:

$200 dollars off PMO
$200 VDB vouchers
$69.97 refare vouchers

and

$100 dollars off PMO
$300 VDB vouchers
$69.97 refare vouchers

When all is said and done it was a miserable 1 hour and 40 minutes standing in a line served by two agents. Hey WHQ in case you don't know this is a major International Airport that has regular "irregular ops." I was third in line and it took and hour and 20 minutes to get served. Why don't they have an elite ticketing line? By the time I left there were more than 20 people lined up. They are probably still standing in line.

goalie

sorry you had to wait so long pat but it does look like you had a good agent (even after 'splaining "slpit the pnr" )

1KChinito

If you want a hassle free ticketing experience at an airport ticket counter, call UA in advance and inform phone CSR exactly what voucher/s you will be using, PMO, tic code/s and dollar amount for each voucher. Once it is set up over the phone, hopefully correctly. All you have to do is to show up at an ATC, surrender your vocher/s, charge the difference to your credit card and you are all set. This will save you tons of time in line and parking fee.

Pat89339

Thanks for the tip 1KChinito!

1KChinito

You are welcome. This way, you will not chance who is/are at the airport ticket counter when you arrive. FYI, SFO now has at least two CSR at the ticket counter at all times unless s/he is on his/her break. I was told the best time to arrive is Tue and Sat evenings. Since UA has cut back their domestic operations, there are fewer people at the airport. The last time I was at SFO for ticketing at 7 pm on a Tuesday, there were two CSRs and no one in line. I could not believe my eyes.