Went to book two return tickets from LGA to ORD for friend and me. I use my explorer card so each of us can get 1 free checked bag. Go through whole booking process. getting ready to pay. GC says "After you have selected the flights you want, provide your GC number on the "Complete Your Purchase" page. On ual.com I get down to the box on the res screen that says "Continue to Purchase" and, since I wanted to purchase the ticket, like a dummy - I click the box. Next thing I know, the total charge is on my credit card, nothing about my GC. I immediately call res on the phone and after a long time telling them about my problem (including giving them the GC # several times, they tell me that I need tech support.
Okay, so after about another 20 minutes on hold, I get someone for whom English is not a primary language and I can barely understand. After going through the whole res scenario again, including the GC number several times, she informs me that I cannot use a GC if anyone else is on the res. Only can use GC for a single person on the res. Only solution is to separate the res by cancelling my portion of the res and leaving my friend on the existing res. She will refund my ticket cost and re-ticket me so that I can use the GC. Unfortunately, this leaves my friend without the free checked bag and puts us on two PNR. Not acceptable. I tell her that the GC doesn't say anything about only valid if one person is on the res. Too bad she tells me. These are United's rules. (familiar refrain anyone?)
I ask to elevate and after another fifteen minutes, the "supervisor" tells me to go fly a kite. Okay she used different words but you get the meaning.
I don't like separate PNR since IRROPs seem to occur so often I would call them Reg Ops.
I tell her to re-establish the original res and ignore the GC. I'll probably sell the GC and get the cash. Only kidding. @:-)
United has too many obstacles to a pleasant flight. And I'm not even at the airport yet!
