itsme

IIRC, this thread began some time back with OP's account, then someone else related their unhappy experience. Does the infrequency of posts reporting similar problems reflect how exceptional these sorts of things are, or are they not so exceptional and we just hear about these incidents? Is this something for FTers going through CC for international award travel to worry about?

username

I wonder if there is any update on this.

I wonder how much real damage is there to UA that people do this (other than fewer redemption opportunities / higher customer dissatisfaction for people who don't sell/barter tickets)? The people who buy awards might not travel on UA anyway, UA gets rid of the miles (liabilities) they have and it gives the people who do this more incentive to get UA miles.

I guess it is a good thing that UA is cracking down on this kind of thing - it leaves more seats open for "real" awards. I just can't understand why they need to do this to the traveller at the airport.

Then there is the attitude that the Fraud Department seems to have - assuming people are criminals, not available all the time (for a global airline). Treating the guests of your most frequent flyers as criminals is not the way to do business. Has anyone tried to escalate this to the CEO level? It seems they need to change their tactic.

HeadInTheClouds

You know, I used to think this. But I have been shocked by the stories I've heard from coworkers I know who had sold awards to brokers in the past. I was floored at how common this apparantly was, and from people that I never would have thought would do this. I can only surmise that were it not for some agressive action by the airlines, these types of brokers (and e-bay stuff) would be even more rampant today.

itsme

I haven't seen much FT discussion about selling award tickets, either because FTers aren't much interested in selling (or buying) award tickets or it is the sort of thing that isn't discussed too openly. I expect it is the former, that is little or no interest on the part of FTers in selling award tickets but a fair amount of interest in "bartering," and a general expectation that we can gift awards to others without them being hassled by UA or any other carrier.

z21218

If I use my UA miles to book an award ticket on a *A member airline (say Singapore) for someone with a different last name, will that person be interrogated at the airport?

bseller

In the circumstances you've described, the ONLY answer that is accurate is:
Maybe.

Best, Dave

itsme

Isn't it terrible that it should be so? I think it is. (I had a friend and his two children flying on C domestic award tickets last week and was preoccupied lest they be hassled when I was traveling myself and unable to intervene should it be necessary. They weren't hassled, but I don't think I should have had to give it any thought.)

bseller

Completely agreed. Shame, really.

Best, Dave

UAConcorde

is this still going on? I just booked a ticket fro a friend as a congratulatory gift for appearing on NY times, do I need to give him a card or something?

aacharya

If you read the whole thread, the person was stuck because they couldn't name any aspect of the mileage account holder (not even a name or contact).

If you really booked for a friend, you and he/she have nothing to worry about.

woodway

I have booked multiple award tickets for my stepson (he has a different last name then mine) and my mother-in-law over the years and they have never once been hassled.