Originally Posted by
zrs70
Let's even say it did work. Is it the right thing to do?
Are you talking about getting credit for a ticket you could not use, but you didn't cancel? Take this situation ...ticket was $30 or so over the change fee and the travel dates no longer worked. Person decides it's not worth calling to get a voucher for $30. So doesn't cancel ticket and lives with fact ticket is a total loss. Turns out miles for the first flight post.
I don't see an ethics question here. I see a system UA created that doesn't always make it worthwhile to call, be put on hold, etc. to get a measly $30 credit.
None of the two instances I mentioned were done with the intent to get miles by not flying.
In the second, the person actually bought a refundable ticket and wanted to refund it. That was fun trying to get the refund when they somehow decided he made the flight when he never did and credited the miles.