I've been having a nightmare with SkyAuction (a web site that auctions off airlines' surplus seats) and (in this case) United.

It started with an auction for seat(s) from SFO or LAX to Paris, valid 6/1-30. The auction closed on May 9, and I got a seat for $450 (plus $84 in taxes & shipping fee). Great!

When SkyAuction contacted United with my preferred dates, though, it turns out that nothing was "available" from 6/13-27. This on a ticket offerred for 6/1-30 - exactly half the month (the better half, we'll note) apparently blacked out!! And 6/28-30 not exactly useful since travel had to be completed by 6/30. That's the United part of this problem.

I realize the SkyAuction site says you need to be "flexible," but to me that means go Tuesday if Monday's no good...it doesn't mean the airline can list June 1-30 when in fact June 1-12 is all you can get (and who knows what troubles coming back).

As for the SkyAuction part of the problem, they prefer to work by e-mail (and tell you this if you call), yet don't seem willing to respond to e-mail. I had e-mailed them 5/10 with my preferred dates of travel; they didn't respond with unavailability until 5/17. Much back and forth over the next week (including the dreaded telephone); on 5/25 she said she had my seats confirmed (did my Premier Executive status help?) and would e-mail me the itinerary...no e-mail ever arrived, so I e-mailed my understanding of the itinerary and told her to go ahead and ticket. 5/28 she e-mailed that "We will proceed with the ticketing" and send via 2nd day Fed-Ex; no ticket by 6/3 evening so I e-mailed (and called 6/4 a.m.): now they say this fare type has expired! And when was SkyAuction going to bother telling me that - when I got to the airport, perhaps?

6/4 SkyAuction said "we'll work on it" (I certainly feel they and United still "owe" me my trip); at noon it was "we should have answer in 1½ hours"; by 3:00 (when they close on the east coast) no e-mail, no message, no nothing.

I realize I got a great price, but since then it's been nothing but headaches. Has anybody else had problems (or better luck) with either SkyAuction or this type of ticket on United?

(this message posted on both United & The Buzz bulletin boards)

[This message has been edited by johna (edited 06-05-99).]