kinglobjaw

I have a United MileagePlus award ticket booked for July 2020 JFK-NRT on NH 9 in First Class (O Class). A few days ago NH cancelled/scheduled change the flight for the Summer and removed NH9 JFK-NRT service entirely, but six hours later on the same day NH109 JFK-HND still shows operating and still has 7 First Class seats open for revenue. With that in mind, NH cancelled the NH9 segment and left me a blank PNR.

I have called UA and of course, until NH place the 'O' First class segment for the HND flight into my PNR, UA can't reissue anything. Multiple calls to NH have result in nothing- NH says they have no obligation to provide a substitute flight even though they are the ones who cancelled it. Typically, when a Star partner carrier cancels an award flight or makes a schedule change, they put in a substitute flight and then let the issuing carrier accept/re-ticket it. I have had this before with LH, SQ when using United miles. The operating carrier rebooks and UA accepts the change and reissues. NH has not done so and I believe their agents/supervisors aren't necessarily grasping this idea that they can't just leave it as blank PNR.

This is my first time dealing with ANA, and am hoping to see if there's a good contact person at ANA whether it's US-side or in Japan that will understood the issue and can place a flight into the PNR that in turn will allow UA to re-ticket. Is there a Star Alliance liason? UA has also reached out on my behalf- but they call the general 800 number which results in nothing. I'm thinking it would need to be above the general call center where this gets rectified.

Any ANA suggestions are greatly appreciated. Anyone have a similar experience?

Often1

NH is not going to do anything, including "placing" the new flight into your PNR.

It is entirely on UA to reticket you. The number of seats is irrelevant. What matters is whether there is award availability on the new flight. If there is, UA should be able to reticket. If there is not, then UA will not be able to do so unless NH agrees to open space. This will require a call from a UA liaison agent to a NH liaison agent and can take several days (with no guarantees that NH does so).

Hopefully there is either award space or NH agrees to open it. If not, you will then have to find other routings to TYO, perhaps not in F.

global happy traveller

“Typically, when a Star partner carrier cancels an award flight or makes a schedule change, they put in a substitute flight and then let the issuing carrier accept/re-ticket it. I have had this before with LH, SQ when using United miles. The operating carrier rebooks and UA accepts the change and reissues.”

Sorry that statement quoted above is not true. Sometimes carriers would do it in the interest of customer service, but often it’s up to the reward issuing carrier to solution with the customer.

With the exception of IROPS, scheduled reward flight is solutions by the ticketing carrier and not the operating carrier. I have several Star Alliance carrier accounts and they have been consistent in this regard.

In the case of Aeroplan, their practice has been.

1. Open air canada seat where possible

2. contact the operating carrier that cancelled the flight for compromise

3. look for flight alternatives (other routes/carriers) with the customer

4. buy a revenue ticket altogether

Often1

UA would do #1, #2 (*A liaison program), #3 (so long as reroute is on *A and the *A partner is award space or carrier willing to open it). Pretty clear that UA will not purchase a revenue ticket on another carrier for travel 5-6 months off (I presume that OP meant 2021 not 2020).