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Consolidated "Can I Upgrade an Award Ticket?" Discussion Thread [Merged]

Consolidated "Can I Upgrade an Award Ticket?" Discussion Thread [Merged]

 
Old Jul 16, 2007, 3:12 am
  #76  
 
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Originally Posted by UrbaneGent
I open my mouth and nicely say call UGS (or I would) do you think a UGS will just stand there and put up with that nonesense?
The agents at the SFO IFL have been known to ignore reality presented to them by other United employees. See posts above. I had an agent from Detriot reading them the profile over the phone and she still wouldn't accept that as good enough.

As a sidenote, I've since been in the SF IFL numerous times (for various SQ and LH flights) and have not seen this particular dragon since. Perhaps my discussion with the station manager had some effect.
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 4:21 am
  #77  
 
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Wow!

Originally Posted by Axey
The agents at the SFO IFL have been known to ignore reality presented to them by other United employees. See posts above. I had an agent from Detriot reading them the profile over the phone and she still wouldn't accept that as good enough.

As a sidenote, I've since been in the SF IFL numerous times (for various SQ and LH flights) and have not seen this particular dragon since. Perhaps my discussion with the station manager had some effect.

Wow Axey - I am beside myself, knowing almost everyone at the SFO RCC, to the point where I've been given their e-mail addresses and telephone number. I'm not saying this to belittle your situation because it would have ROYALLY pissed me off.

Many years ago, as a young gent (I was 23ish), I used to Concorde it to and fro, and just by mistake I saw on the BA monitor "F Class PAX traveling F, but in jeans" - I was annoyed and disgusted - told I "should not have seen that."

I told them they were "marking" their passengers like Nazis. And worked my way through in a nice manner (this way they can't call police) to all the managers, finally the airport manager of BA in London, who refused to give me a copy of my PNR (I got it once I got to NY).

It was then I switched to United (this was when United WAS "THE" United). I still fly BA every now and then because I can't stand LH.

I'm sorry you got that treatment. I wish you would write this all down and send it to [email protected]

Wow - some people are just nuts...

UG
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 4:43 am
  #78  
 
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Originally Posted by UrbaneGent
Wow Axey - I am beside myself, knowing almost everyone at the SFO RCC, to the point where I've been given their e-mail addresses and telephone number. I'm not saying this to belittle your situation because it would have ROYALLY pissed me off.

Many years ago, as a young gent (I was 23ish), I used to Concorde it to and fro, and just by mistake I saw on the BA monitor "F Class PAX traveling F, but in jeans" - I was annoyed and disgusted - told I "should not have seen that."

I told them they were "marking" their passengers like Nazis. And worked my way through in a nice manner (this way they can't call police) to all the managers, finally the airport manager of BA in London, who refused to give me a copy of my PNR (I got it once I got to NY).

It was then I switched to United (this was when United WAS "THE" United). I still fly BA every now and then because I can't stand LH.

I'm sorry you got that treatment. I wish you would write this all down and send it to NOT HERE

Wow - some people are just nuts...

UG
Hi UG,

I dont think that you should post email addresses here (whether correct or not :-))...
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 5:04 am
  #79  
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Originally Posted by UrbaneGent
Wow Axey - I am beside myself, knowing almost everyone at the SFO RCC
I forgot the exact connection, but the people that staff the IFL are different than those that staff the RCC. I believe the RCC people are CSR's that "bid" for that position, while the IFL agents are something else.
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 7:17 am
  #80  
 
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Originally Posted by tealeaf99
Just got a few more details from a GS agent...

(1) Upgrade currency can only be electronic certs (SWU for int'l travel, and 500 milers and CR-1's for domestic travel). So, paper sales certs cannot be used.
So you are saying that UGS cannot use miles for these upgrades? Just want to be sure.
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 7:19 am
  #81  
 
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Originally Posted by lucky9876coins
I forgot the exact connection, but the people that staff the IFL are different than those that staff the RCC. I believe the RCC people are CSR's that "bid" for that position, while the IFL agents are something else.
AFAIK CSRs bid for IFL just as they do for Gates, Lobby and RCC.

Takes a considerable amount of seniority at hubs to get RCC and away from the gates, with day shifts usually requiring more seniority than swing.
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 8:19 am
  #82  
 
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Originally Posted by John26
So you are saying that UGS cannot use miles for these upgrades? Just want to be sure.
If you use miles to upgrade a miles ticket, you're just getting a better class mileage ticket...
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 8:31 am
  #83  
 
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Originally Posted by Sooks
If you use miles to upgrade a miles ticket, you're just getting a better class mileage ticket...

But there are many times when NF is available and XF is not. That's why I'm asking - I just want to be sure.

Also can these be used to double upgrade a paid Economy fare to 3-cabin First?
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 8:15 pm
  #84  
 
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
This seems illogical. So you need BOTH NF and XF space in order to confirm this upgrade?
Originally Posted by UrbaneGent
My ticket ANY boarding pass had "NF" on it - I didn't see an XF anywhere. The NF was in tiny letters on the bp part that UA keeps, so I know where to look.
UG
Originally Posted by John26
So you are saying that UGS cannot use miles for these upgrades? Just want to be sure.
Originally Posted by John26
But there are many times when NF is available and XF is not. That's why I'm asking - I just want to be sure.
I was just on the phone booking a ticket, and I asked the questions that were raised. Here is the info that I got:

- Miles cannot be used for the upgrade. The upgrade instruments can only be 500 milers, CR1's or SWU's.
- If you are using 500 milers, then the 120 hour upgrade window does apply.
- To upgrade from XC, there must be availability in NF. If there is no NF, then there is no upgrade. If there is NF, then the agent changes the ticket from XC to NF (I think the term 'upsell' was used?). Then, the agent changes the NF to XF. There does not have to be XF availability in order for this to be done. The final status of the ticket is XF.

(Note: It looks like tickets do book into NF, and not into XF as that agent said.)

- BUT ... if you have a XC ticket and there is XF availability (but no NF availability), then the agent will NOT upgrade you from XC to XF. You will have to cash in more miles to get the XF ticket - just because XF is available.
- UrbaneGent: I am not sure why your ticket said NF.
- (And here is a strange one...) When your award ticket is upgraded, your upgrade instruments will NOT show as 'Reserved' as they do with normal tickets. The upgrade instruments will remain in your available e-bucket. The agent advised that the upgrade currency be available at check-in, as that is when the currency will be deducted from your account.

I hope the above clarifies this wonderful new perk

Last edited by tealeaf99; Jul 27, 2007 at 4:26 pm Reason: Added Note about NF vs. XF.
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Old Jul 26, 2007, 9:13 pm
  #85  
 
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Originally Posted by tealeaf99
Just got a few more details from a GS agent...

(1) Upgrade currency can only be electronic certs (SWU for int'l travel, and 500 milers and CR-1's for domestic travel). So, paper sales certs cannot be used.

...

(4) Tickets are XF. The GS agent has to do multiple steps to get the XF. So, your XC ticket is first converted to NF, and then the NF is converted to XF ... or something like that. Because of these multiple steps, only GS agents have the authority and know-how of the transactions.
Can upgrades be applied to "free tickets" obtained from a VDB?
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Old Jul 27, 2007, 4:24 pm
  #86  
 
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Originally Posted by droopydog
Can upgrades be applied to "free tickets" obtained from a VDB?
I am not sure about those.

Originally Posted by tealeaf99
- UrbaneGent: I am not sure why your ticket said NF.
My apologies UrbaneGent, but you were right in that the booking class is NF. In that previous phone call the agent said "definitely XF as the final status". But, as I look at a ticket I just booked, the ticket does say NF all over it. Hmmm.
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Old Jul 27, 2007, 7:59 pm
  #87  
 
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I see no reason why United should not allow double upgrades even on free tickets for its elite members.
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Old Jul 28, 2007, 10:58 am
  #88  
 
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Slightly off-track but I just got back from LAX to HNL and when I went to the gate to inquire if any upgrades were available, the GA said that she op-upped my wife and I. My wife was on an award tkt, no less. ^

And I'm not close to being GS, mind you.
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Old Aug 29, 2007, 12:21 pm
  #89  
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Question. I want to upgrade a 15,000 mile LAX-SFO award with E-500's. The agent said he could not set if up because I was still outside the 120 hour window and that I would need to call back inside the window as he would have to manually override it? True or should I call back?
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Old Aug 29, 2007, 12:44 pm
  #90  
 
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Originally Posted by honmani2
Slightly off-track but I just got back from LAX to HNL and when I went to the gate to inquire if any upgrades were available, the GA said that she op-upped my wife and I. My wife was on an award tkt, no less. ^

And I'm not close to being GS, mind you.
Yup, it's not really relevant to this conversation... But, I've had this happen to me too. Y was overbooked and so they op-upped us. I had offered to use instruments to support an upgrade but informed them I was on an award economy ticket.
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