Originally Posted by
avi8tir
So, what gives? The GS agent in Houston told me they 100% COULD NOT "short check in" but the GS agent from DC who called me took care of it, was able to reinsert my LAD leg (although through fantkfurt now and at no additional charge) and then cancel my recently purchased BRU-LAD leg that I no longer needed. So, all was made well and I made my meeting thanks to an obviously experience GS agent.
What are the rules here?
The rules are simple: You were inadmissible for your destination, so you were ineligible to check in, and UA is under no obligation to allow you to check in for a partial trip without re-faring you. You got an exception from the second GS agent, as a courtesy, likely due your status.
Depending upon whether or not UA communicated the cancelation to SN, it's actually quite possible that what they did at IAH was exactly what needed to be done -- removed the segment that was preventing checkin, while leaving it SN's record so that you'd have been able to check in with them in Brussels and wouldn't have needed the extra ticket. But that's speculation on my part.