SWU question
Dec 28, 2005, 3:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BUR/LAX
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, HHonors Diamond, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 2,505
SWU question
I just made 1K in September this year for the very first time so please excuse the newbie question. I requested the early deposit of 4 SWUs when it became available and used them to support upgrades for my wife and daughter BUR-HKG on Christmas day and return on 1/1/06. When I initially suported their upgrade on UAL.COM, 2 SWUs were pulled from my account and the upgrades on both legs were waitlisted. The upgrades for BUR-HKG cleared the day before the trip and when my family checked in at BUR, they were asked how they wanted to support their upgrades. My wife told the TA that they were using the SWUs from my account. When I checked my account the next day, 2 more SWUs were pulled leaving me with no SWUs left from the original 4. My concern is that if the return trip cleared the upgrades, will the TA in HKG asked for more SWUs from my account which, of course, contain no more SWUs. Is this how SWUs are usually pulled or do they only pull the SWUs after the upgrades cleared? Should I call UAL to make sure the missing SWUs are designated for my family's return trip? Thanks for any insight.
Dec 28, 2005, 3:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: YYZ
Programs: UA1K2MM ACMME50 SQPPS HHDiamond Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 4,391
Originally Posted by wilp888
I just made 1K in September this year for the very first time so please excuse the newbie question. I requested the early deposit of 4 SWUs when it became available and used them to support upgrades for my wife and daughter BUR-HKG on Christmas day and return on 1/1/06. When I initially suported their upgrade on UAL.COM, 2 SWUs were pulled from my account and the upgrades on both legs were waitlisted. The upgrades for BUR-HKG cleared the day before the trip and when my family checked in at BUR, they were asked how they wanted to support their upgrades. My wife told the TA that they were using the SWUs from my account. When I checked my account the next day, 2 more SWUs were pulled leaving me with no SWUs left from the original 4. My concern is that if the return trip cleared the upgrades, will the TA in HKG asked for more SWUs from my account which, of course, contain no more SWUs. Is this how SWUs are usually pulled or do they only pull the SWUs after the upgrades cleared? Should I call UAL to make sure the missing SWUs are designated for my family's return trip? Thanks for any insight.
1.If they are, check if they are on reserve for the Return flights.If they are for the return flights, they will be taken out once the flight clears.
If they flights do not clear,they will be returned to your account.
2. If they are not in Reserve or were in reserve for the outbound flights, I would call UA MP.
Dec 28, 2005, 3:25 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UA 1K 3MM, UA 1P/1K since mid '80s; CO Bronze/Silver since mid 80's, Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,279
Good job monitoring your account. Call Mileage Plus right away. You could be in serious trouble trying to persuade the HKG agents that there really are SWUs in your account.
Sometimes these things can take awhile to sort out.
If I understand your situation correctly, it seems to me that you can expect to get two more SWUs in your account on Jan 1 as part of your annual allocation of six SWUs. That won't do you much good on the other side of the dateline. When your flight departs HKG, it will still be December 31 in the USA. I am presuming that MP issues SWUs according to a clock set on an American time zone.
Look into it soon. And whatever is decided, have notes placed in the United field of your PNR so that check in and connecting agents have something to
go on besides your word.
Sometimes these things can take awhile to sort out.
If I understand your situation correctly, it seems to me that you can expect to get two more SWUs in your account on Jan 1 as part of your annual allocation of six SWUs. That won't do you much good on the other side of the dateline. When your flight departs HKG, it will still be December 31 in the USA. I am presuming that MP issues SWUs according to a clock set on an American time zone.
Look into it soon. And whatever is decided, have notes placed in the United field of your PNR so that check in and connecting agents have something to
go on besides your word.
Dec 28, 2005, 3:35 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BUR/LAX
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, HHonors Diamond, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 2,505
I just checked my account and the missing SWUs are indeed reserved for the 1/1/06 flight. Thanks so much for the advice.
Originally Posted by yyzprincess
Were any put on Reserve? Maybe the first 2 are in reserve.
1.If they are, check if they are on reserve for the Return flights.If they are for the return flights, they will be taken out once the flight clears.
If they flights do not clear,they will be returned to your account.
2. If they are not in Reserve or were in reserve for the outbound flights, I would call UA MP.
1.If they are, check if they are on reserve for the Return flights.If they are for the return flights, they will be taken out once the flight clears.
If they flights do not clear,they will be returned to your account.
2. If they are not in Reserve or were in reserve for the outbound flights, I would call UA MP.
Dec 28, 2005, 4:42 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 613
Yup - usually it's pretty good - they reserve it so you wouldn't think you have more than you do. And they put it back into your account if it doesn't clear