Originally Posted by
Boraxo
Yes, was asked at the beginning of the request, as a security question. Usually they just ask for birthdate of traveler
It does provide extra security if someone tries to modify a reservation by phone and only has the record locator (not access to MP account). Anyone can find a record locator on paper boarding passes, confirm emails, printed itineraries. But as noted above this is somewhat pointless if there is no security question when you enter the record locator online.
I don't know that the KTN is that much more secure -- I've never shouted it from the rooftops but I've also never guarded it nearly as carefully as say my SSN or even MP# (there are probably dozens if not hundreds of corporate travel agents/travel coordinators for my clients that have my KTN, MP#, and DOB) -- my TSA PRE KTN is also stupidly simple, though, when I first received it I thought it was a placeholder rather than the actual KTN (AA###BC#D where all of the #s represent the same digit - A, B, and C are not the actual letters but represent variety) -- now my Global Entry KTN (I really don't know exactly why I renew both, but I've never given the GE# to UA) I couldn't tell you if my
life reservation depended on it; I just remember it's a bunch of decimal numbers....
I have had UA send a OTP as SMS which seems like the most secure and foolproof of all of the "authentication" methods I know of them using on the phone but it also seems very random on what method(s) they choose for what transaction.