Originally Posted by
jsloan
If you can't justify paying a $40 premium -- and I don't blame you -- and you still want to take a trip, then book with ctrip. In the worst case, you get what you're expecting, and what United would offer you -- BE. In the best case, you get a bonus.
What routes/dates are you looking at where the pricing matches BE?
It is an interesting case who is at fault. UA publishes the fares and allows them to be sold, but prohibits their sale outside the US. If a third party - which UA allows to sell tickets and takes your $$$ from - books you in N against UA's rules, I would think you have a good argument that given (a) no disclosure of fare rules, and (b) POS outside US that they have to give you regular Y.