Originally Posted by
travelcomments
this is misleading and unworkable online.
It is not either one. Your failure to understand your certificate is your fault, not United's.
Originally Posted by
travelcomments
fare buckets are even not displayed when pricing out a tix. how is one supposed to know the fare class?
Select your flights. It will tell you exactly what fare basis it would book you under.
You seem to care an awful lot more about using your certificate than about getting the lowest fare. They're trying to give you the lowest fare, yet you insist you want to pay more just to have the satisfaction of using your certificate. If you really want to do that, UA will let you (call web support), but you're in the minority.
Originally Posted by
travelcomments
tell me again how this works from a customer standpoint.
Customer gets cheapest fare. That may or may not involve using the certificate. End of story.
Have you ever heard of the term "informed consumer"?