Programs: UA 2MM, DL 500k, SW CP, GP 1M, HH Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 3,922
Now that your story's almost all said and done, I've had it several ways... Pegged to the time zone of the point of departure (be it BOS or SFO); pegged to Hawai'i time, as a practice, not my point of departure; and, of late, consistently to Central Time. I feel better telling this as history, rather than as advice, but it's all been true. Causing me to infer that the person on the other end of the phone line has a lot of discretion -- at least to the midnight Hawai'i time limit.
Now that your story's almost all said and done, I've had it several ways... Pegged to the time zone of the point of departure (be it BOS or SFO); pegged to Hawai'i time, as a practice, not my point of departure; and, of late, consistently to Central Time. I feel better telling this as history, rather than as advice, but it's all been true. Causing me to infer that the person on the other end of the phone line has a lot of discretion -- at least to the midnight Hawai'i time limit.
or the pratice changed recently (in the past year or so) -- which I believe it has.
Online holds had changed to consistently Eastern Time Zone (which was clearly stated) before they were discontinued
Just found out that I'll need to make a trip to California (from BKK) in 2 weeks.
I know the outbound date (Nov 12 BKK/LAX) but don't yet know the inbound date (late November some time) or whether I'm returning SFO/BKK or LAX/BKK.
I checked the loads (via fake award booking) and saw F8, A8, C0, D0, Z0 for the BKK/NRT segment on Nov 12, YET I could still book a Z fare BKK/NRT/LAX/NRT/BKK going out on Nov 12.
So I tried to hold the ticket with the "flyertalk hold-itin-shuffle," pretending like I was booking and purchasing, then using bad credit card info during the payment process.
I planned to clear up some personal things tomorrow and drop by BKK's ticket office to see if they could help change the held itinerary to exactly what I wanted, then purchase the itinerary. But I wanted it held, because of the loads on that first segment.
The first time, I used my Chase United Visa card with incorrect CCV and expiration -- it failed, with a message saying 3 failures would put the itinerary on hold.
The 2nd time, I used my Capital One card, with incorrect CCV and expiration -- it succeeded!! I checked my Capital One account online and indeed... I had used up > $3000 of my credit (the transaction wasn't itemized yet online though).
I had purchased a ticket that I only wanted to hold (until I firmed up the return date and airport). It wasn't even the card that I wanted to make the final purchase with!
So I immediately called the Global Services line (and a representative answered immediately). I explained the issue, and she said she couldn't back out the transaction, but she'd transfer me to an agent who could.
I waited 9 minutes on hold, and then a woman with an Indian accent answered (I can't confirm she was from the Indian Call Center though, only her accent).
I explained that I wanted the itinerary held, but didn't yet want to purchase it. She said OK, and within a minute, told me that she had canceled the ticket.
I reiterated that I wanted the itinerary held.
She said she couldn't do it -- that they can't do that any more. I started explaining that it couldn't be done online, but that she could do it, and then I just stopped... and told her not to worry, I'd stop by ANA's city ticket office tomorrow and buy my business class ticket on their airline instead. It's $400 cheaper any way. Thanks, goodbye.
United just lost a $3000+ ticket. And possibly a GS pax (I'll decide that when I'm less pissed).
ANA just gained a $2600+ ticket.
... UA's double EQM promotion (the only reason I didn't go with ANA in the first place, since I've already got my 100K EQMs nd 50K premium BIS miles this year... was just thinking about those 2 extra SWUs), and ... UA in general. What a time-wasting pain in the ....
Last edited by iluv2fly; Nov 1, 09 at 9:00 am.
Reason: typo/spelling/language
Programs: UA 1K, NW/DL Gold, Red Carp Club, Priority Pass, CLEAR (rip), Hertz 5*, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 3,877
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajc1970
So I tried to hold the ticket with the "flyertalk hold-itin-shuffle," pretending like I was booking and purchasing, then using bad credit card info during the payment process. . . .
The first time, I used my Chase United Visa card with incorrect CCV and expiration -- it failed, with a message saying 3 failures would put the itinerary on hold.
The 2nd time, I used my Capital One card, with incorrect CCV and expiration -- it succeeded!! . . .
United just lost a $3000+ ticket. And possibly a GS pax (I'll decide that when I'm less pissed).
United's (not so) new rule is no more online holds. And you're pissed because your attempt to repeatedly enter bad credit card information to circumvent the rule and glitch united.com into holding the itinerary for you failed? This glitch may have been a convenient loophole for us pax to take advantage of. But IMO, providing a website with rule-breaking glitches is not really something that the airline should be faulted for "failing" to do.
__________________ CollegeFlyer is now LawSchoolFlyer. zomg i passed teh bar!!!
United's (not so) new rule is no more online holds. And you're pissed because your attempt to repeatedly enter bad credit card information to circumvent the rule and glitch united.com into holding the itinerary for you failed? This glitch may have been a convenient loophole for us pax to take advantage of. But IMO, providing a website with rule-breaking glitches is not really something that the airline should be faulted for "failing" to do.
Not to mention, technically entering in bad CC info., particularly on purpose, could be considered fraud by both UA and the CC company. Just sayin.....
Not to mention, technically entering in bad CC info., particularly on purpose, could be considered fraud by both UA and the CC company. Just sayin.....
He entered in a bad CVV and/or EXP for his own card. That doesn't count as fraud. It would only be fraud if he tried to use a different card number. Even then, he could have picked a number that failed the mod 10 check.
....
The first time, I used my Chase United Visa card with incorrect CCV and expiration -- it failed, with a message saying 3 failures would put the itinerary on hold.
The 2nd time, I used my Capital One card, with incorrect CCV and expiration -- it succeeded!! ...
United just lost a $3000+ ticket. And possibly a GS pax (I'll decide that when I'm less pissed).
....
While understanding your disappointment with UA on the lack of a hold, the credit card issue blame needs to go to the cc company (or your lack of understanding of the cc rules).
In this process, the cc must refuse the billing for united.com to provide the error message.
It appears Capital One was willing to accept the request with an improper CCV and expiration --- I guess I would be pissed at Capital One for lax online processing and not UA.
ajc1970 - Your post does not entirely make sense -- if you were going the next day and just wanted it held, as a GS you don't have phone wait times, so why not just call and give them the flights you want and request a hold. Takes a few minutes, sure - it also means no extra EQM off the UA credit card for a .COM purchase, but I don't think you care about that (and I rarely do this late in the year). In the end, you likely spent more phone time than taking that route to begin with.
Why buy UA anyway if there is a cheaper, still *A, option out there that you knew about? Obviously something about the desired UA itinerary was attractive.
United's (not so) new rule is no more online holds. And you're pissed because your attempt to repeatedly enter bad credit card information to circumvent the rule and glitch united.com into holding the itinerary for you failed? This glitch may have been a convenient loophole for us pax to take advantage of. But IMO, providing a website with rule-breaking glitches is not really something that the airline should be faulted for "failing" to do.
I'm pissed (still) that they removed the hold feature.
I'm pissed that it took 30+ minutes of my time, including a 10+ minute international call, and I still couldn't do what all of us used to be able to do online in a couple of minutes.
I'm pissed that they were able to charge my card, considering that I'd given them a bad expiration date and CCV #.
I'm pissed that the person I worked with first said she'd reverse the charge and put my itin on hold, but then didn't do that.
I'm pissed that I was forwarded from the GS line to what was likely the Indian Call Center, with a 9-minute wait in between. And I now have an extra reason to suspect that this was the case... upon reading the "changes in 2009" topic, I realize that the phone holds are still allowed, but only for 1K & GS members. She probably either didn't realize I was GS&1K or didn't realize the new "no holds" rule has an exception for GS&1K.
I'm pissed that the (probable) ICC agent (probably) didn't realize I was GS & 1K and put my itinerary on hold, as the rules state she could've done.
I fault them for failing to provide the service that they should provide ALL their customers. Not because their crappy website failed to error on my behalf.
If the "trick" just didn't work, I would've have gotten all worked up.
What pissed me off is that in attempting the trick, they were able to make a charge they shouldn't have been able to make, and then 2 agents poorly handled what followed. And all that is a consequence of their awful decision to get rid of online holds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by emcampbe
Not to mention, technically entering in bad CC info., particularly on purpose, could be considered fraud by both UA and the CC company. Just sayin.....
Maybe you should "just say" whom you think I'm defrauding if I'm entering my own credit card numbers... Just sayin...
While understanding your disappointment with UA on the lack of a hold, the credit card issue blame needs to go to the cc company (or your lack of understanding of the cc rules).
In this process, the cc must refuse the billing for united.com to provide the error message.
It appears Capital One was willing to accept the request with an improper CCV and expiration --- I guess I would be pissed at Capital One for lax online processing and not UA.
I agree with you. That 1 aspect is Capital One's fault.
UA still handled it poorly afterward.
And none of it would've been necessary if they hadn't gotten rid of the hold feature (back to the main topic).
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoingAway
Your post does not entirely make sense -- if you were going the next day and just wanted it held
To clarify (if this is what didn't make sense): I wasn't flying the next day, I was planning to drop by UA's ticket office in Bangkok the next day (now today).
I just wanted a "hold," simply to guarantee space on the first (very-loaded) segment that was only 12 days out and I knew I'd be flying on, while I figured out which segments I wanted for the return trip, and in case things (loads and prices) changed between Sunday night at home, online, and Monday afternoon at BKKCTO.
If what wasn't clear is why I didn't "just" call, read on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoingAway
as a GS you don't have phone wait times, so why not just call and give them the flights you want and request a hold.
I hate the phone.
And I still haven't bothered to figure out GS's toll-free Thailand line with the call here, enter codes, get re-directed there, etc... so when I call them, I call them in the States, at my expense. But my phone plan here charges me for local calls too, so I'd still have an expense with the local GS line.
I attempted to do it online, as I would've done in the past, because it's a strong preference for me. And free -- just because I'm GS doesn't mean I can't be cheap (when it's convenient).
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoingAway
Takes a few minutes, sure - it also means no extra EQM off the UA credit card for a .COM purchase, but I don't think you care about that (and I rarely do this late in the year). In the end, you likely spent more phone time than taking that route to begin with.
Yes, in the end, it wasted more of my time. How could I have known that before the end came? I thought it'd be pretty quick to enter a random 3-digit number and change the stored date for my credit card.
I hate the phone -- I avoid it. In the past, the online option was both quicker, and for me, more pleasant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoingAway
Why buy UA anyway if there is a cheaper, still *A, option out there that you knew about? Obviously something about the desired UA itinerary was attractive.
I was going to fly UA because the 2X EQM promo would've put me over 150K EQM for another 2 SWUs, and also the whole habit thing.
But ANA also has an office here, across from where I pay my phone bills, so I recently dropped in to get quotes on their xBKK biz-fares... now I'm glad that I did that. United is right about something -- I do have other flying options!
Programs: UA 3P, US, AA, WN, TZ; HH, *W, MR, GP+ (non-elite on all)
Posts: 6,526
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajc1970
And I still haven't bothered to figure out GS's toll-free Thailand line with the call here, enter codes, get re-directed there, etc... so when I call them, I call them in the States, at my expense. But my phone plan here charges me for local calls too, so I'd still have an expense with the local GS line.
FWIW, if you use Skype to call 1-800 numbers, it's free. That is my preferred method of communicating with U.S.-based companies in the (unfortunately) rare cases I am overseas.
Any UA agent can still put a fare on hold--even at the ICC.
But it is nearly impossible to find an ICC agent who is willing to do it.
I had a web support issue and had to have a U.S. reservations agent call web support for me in order to put the itinerary on hold.
Agents have been told to discourage holds, but you can still find ones who will--and my understanding is that they are still allowed to at the request of 1Ks and UGS.
