<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tullupump:
Assuming you are going to use them before they expire, some would argue it is better to have paper cert's than electronic ones </font>
I for one would agree with that.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> Heck you might even get comped if the gate agent "forget" to collect them - very rare when using e-upgrades. Outside of the hassle of carrying them around, paper cert's are much easier to trade for other goodies... </font>
Since UA went to e-upgrades, I've never had an agent "forget" to collect them; it happened to me several times last year, but never this year. Apparently there is now a screen on the computer that forces them to input something very specific about how an upgrade is being supported, either e-upgrade or paper; the screen then apparently prompts them to take the paper ones. There are also numerous threads in the last several months that suggest that UA personnel are being audited by the company and if the paper doesn't match the upgrades they've given it can be cause for reprimand.
The one way to "recycle" and extend paper upgrades that has happened to me is a hassle: When checking in and telling the agent "paper" and then finding later that e-upgrades were ALSO deducted. This happened to me two weeks ago and after emailing MP twice they reinstated two 500-mile e-upgrades that were mistakenly taken from my account. The paper 500 miler certs were expiring the end of July; the e-upgrade certs that were deducted were expiring in December; the new e-upgrade certs that were reinstated expire in 7/02.
[This message has been edited by cblaisd (edited 07-21-2001).]