United Award Flights - not displaying true availability

nwdogahunt · Jan 10, 13, 11:29 am

Trying to book some award seats, had flight on United on the outbound and USAirways on the return. Well the US Airways return flights all appear to be a problem with United award reservations. Even calling into the Premier line with no luck, they saw the same issue and said flights are not available. Anyone else seeing this happening! Agent said this had happened a few weeks ago but they thought it was cleared up but apprently not.

star_world · Jan 10, 13, 11:34 am

Where are you checking the US Airways flights and finding availability?

I've seen something like this happen in the past but not too frequently.

nwdogahunt · Jan 10, 13, 11:48 am

On United's website. Maybe I am pushing the envelope with the number of days forward since this is the first day you can book for December 13. Or maybe because it is Friday the 13th I am booking. Nothing shows up for United, only US Airways flights for award availability.

star_world · Jan 10, 13, 12:07 pm

That seems to be the opposite to what you said in the first post - "US Airways return flights all appear to be a problem with United award reservations".

To ask my question in a different way - you're trying to book a certain combination of flights, and they aren't showing up when you do a search. Generally if they don't show up it's because there is no award availability for those flights. What's leading you to believe that there is award availability, and something is wrong?

nwdogahunt · Jan 10, 13, 12:19 pm

It allowed me to select the flights because the US Airways flights were displaying but errored out when trying to purchase. Called the agent on the premier line and she said they have seen issues like that before. There was no availability but flights do appear when you search for them.

witthuus · Jan 10, 13, 2:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwdogahunt

It allowed me to select the flights because the US Airways flights were displaying but errored out when trying to purchase. Called the agent on the premier line and she said they have seen issues like that before. There was no availability but flights do appear when you search for them.

same thing here with LH F flights. They show available on certain dates and when you book them, you get an error

WineCountryUA · Jan 10, 13, 2:19 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwdogahunt

... Maybe I am pushing the envelope with the number of days forward since this is the first day you can book for December 13. ....

Just because paid flights can be booked, award flights may or may not be completely available. Thi is not new and can take a few days or more for the inventory to be completely loaded and available to all systems. A bit premature to be raising a flag.

mduell · Jan 10, 13, 8:00 pm

Phantom availability is a standard feature of the 2013 UA.sux (formerly CO.sux) website.

star_world · Jan 10, 13, 8:13 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mduell

Phantom availability is a standard feature of the 2013 UA.sux (formerly CO.sux) website.

Really? I presume you're not referring to the LH issue, which is an LH issue?

I've booked dozens of rewards on a range of partners and not once have I had an issue with phantom availability.

PhillyPhlyer40 · Jan 10, 13, 8:33 pm

Looking to book VIE-NYC.

Expertflyer availability-check
Online .bomb availablitly-check
GS agent...NOPE

VIE-NYC 8/12/13 ; 4 seats ; business class

star_world · Jan 10, 13, 8:53 pm

What an odd conclusion to arrive at based on the experience of dealing with one agent.

I presume you hung up and called back?

Is this an OS flight? There have been numerous issues with LH-published availability not being real.

channa · Jan 10, 13, 8:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by star_world

There have been numerous issues with LH-published availability not being real.

It's a CO thing.

The ANA site seems to match LH availability properly. It's the CO website that has an issue showing phantom availability.

PhillyPhlyer40 · Jan 10, 13, 9:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by star_world

What an odd conclusion to arrive at based on the experience of dealing with one agent.

I presume you hung up and called back?

Is this an OS flight? There have been numerous issues with LH-published availability not being real.

GS agent....nope
GS agent....nope
GS agent....nope
GS agent....nope

4 TIMES!

Quote:

Originally Posted by channa

It's a CO thing.

The ANA site seems to match LH availability properly. It's the CO website that has an issue showing phantom availability.

ANA/Expert flyer/Ua.bomb all show 5+ seats...but the agents are unable to book.

channa · Jan 10, 13, 9:20 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyer40

ANA/Expert flyer/Ua.bomb all show 5+ seats...but the agents are unable to book.

If ANA shows it, it's likely available.

It could be that CO's back end can't book it. Is it a new flight number or something? I've had issues before where a new flight number or range is used, and CO hasn't updated their systems.

PhillyPhlyer40 · Jan 10, 13, 9:26 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by channa

If ANA shows it, it's likely available.

It could be that CO's back end can't book it. Is it a new flight number or something? I've had issues before where a new flight number or range is used, and CO hasn't updated their systems.

Actually, am on the SAME flights, just want to move dates. Numbers are the same....times are the same...dates need to change. And, it is showing the ENTIRE month of available, but GS line says nope.

I changed my whole dang thing now...from a superb reservation...to a kinda happy but wouldve been MUCH happier if I couldve just got the darn VIE-JFK flight.

ETA:
So the agent was dumping the old itinerary, and said "please hold, something is wrong". Apparently the new itinerary did not "stick" and would not hold with a "data error" "crash" on her screen!!! I am on hold, with old tickets released, not knowing if new tickets are safe!!!!