I'm trying to give a couple of 2002 SWU's to my friend to use before they expire by the end of the month...she bought an ORD-HKG roundtrip ticket from united.com, and here's the fare rules on the e-ticket...

Fare Details: C07FEB03-SITI CHI UA HKG 344.00VXWEB1 UA CHI Q4.23 379.00VWWEB1 NUC 727.23 ROE1.00 FARE USD 727.00 TAX 26.80US TAX 10.26HK TAX 7.00XY TAX 5.00YC TAX 3.10XA TAX 2.50AY TAX 4.50XF TOT USD 786.16

I called United in HKG and they said since it's bought from united.com, it cannot be upgraded with the SWU's...

anyone knows if my friend is really out of luck ? I told the HKG agent that this is not really a very special Internet fare, but just a fare that has always been available on united.com...so I am not sure if it's really regarded as an "Internet-only fare" that cannot be upgraded with the SWU's...

it seems like the fare basis is "VXWEB1" ? so it's in V, an upgradable subclass...but does "VXWEB1" really mean that it's an Internet fare that cannot be upgraded ?

anyone has any advice / experience with this ? thanks a lot !!