A big thumbs-up to United phone reservations.
I was scheduled to fly DCA-ORD-LAX Friday afternoon. Boss needs me to stay late, so I SDC to a flight Saturday via EWR. I check in, don't like my UG chances, and SDC to the next EWR-LAX flight on my app. My UG rank is even worse. Called Reservations, get rebooked back into my previous EWR-LAX ticket, and attempt to check in on my phone.
I get boarding passes and seat assignments. But I'm nowhere to be found on the UG list (and there are only three people listed for two seats). I call UA reservations and learn that, likely due to my rebooking into a flight I'd previously checked-in to, the system was confused, thought I was already checked in, and wouldn't process my check-in request.
What's "worse" (First World problem), the system apparently didn't see me as even in contention for the UG. Reservations said only the airport could check me in. I was concerned that, by the time I arrived Saturday morning, the list would clear. So I made what I consider a big request: I asked my phone agent to call Newark (DCA's ticket counter was closed for the night) and have an airport agent check me in. I didn't know if they could, or ever would, do this.
The agent put me on hold. Fifteen minutes later, she came back on to let me know that Newark Airport had checked me in and that I was number 2 on the list.
I cleared the upgrade, the last to do so, overnight.
Thanks, United.