Mary2e

When is the best time to split a PNR?

vkng

Thanks Channa, and everyone else.

Apparently trying to upgrade on CO while on personal trips just isn't worth the hassle (irrops being a big one). Too bad I didn't know it automatically split it, I said yes using the Android app and the boarding passes I received now have two separate confirmation numbers. Wonderful. And I couldn't change my passport # on the app, so now I'm not fully checked in and therefore not on the upgrade list.

Scottrick

I would catch hell from my gf if I tried to sit in F and left her in Y (or even if I gave her the F seat and took her Y). IMO, this is the annoying part of CO's EUA policy. I understand I'm going to have lower priority because I'm trying to upgrade a companion with my status, but I also don't want to get separated. It seems like there ought to be a way to average the difference (maybe PP+companion is lower on the list than PP alone but higher than Silver).

vkng

To follow up on the (to me) backwards way that CO handles this:

I called to take care of some other things with my reservation and asked about the upgrade process. There is no longer any gaurantee that we will be sitting together since we are on separate PNRs. So much for companion upgrades. Also, since I booked through united.com all the flights have UA flight numbers so she could not confirm if I was on the upgrade list or not. So now we are on separate PNRs AND I may not be on the upgrade list. Looks like the integration is going well... I really hope there's no irrops.

Here's to hoping the UA UDU process stays, or at least a good mix of it.

channa

After booking, but before your EUA window.

channa

I don't think you should be worried about that. While there's a risk you two will get split up, CO doesn't really extend much special treatment to Elites during IRROPS anyway. They treat everyone equally bad.

Mary2e

Thanks, that's what I figured but I just wanted to check.

Mary2e

They're also treated equally bad during equipment changes

vkng

^

But at least we'd be accomdated together.

mogulskiir

I really hope after the merger this is NOT how UA handles upgrades. UA current system is much better. If I fly 100,000 plus in a year and take a trip with a Co-worker I would be not too happy if we got split up. The purpose of traveling together is to get work done on the plane. The UA system is much better in my opinion. Also it is nice when I am able to travel with my wife and we both get upgraded on UA. It makes it less of an argument when I have to be gone so much. She gets a benefit every once in a while when with me. Seems like a much better and less confusing system.

Please UA keep the current UA upgrade policy after the programs are combined and allow one companion to be upgraded at the same time as the highest status passenger. Splitting up co-workers or a husband and wife is just not a friendly situation.

dmurphynj

Quick question while we're talking about companion upgrades ...

I know that a companion can be added to the upgrade list "at the airport"...

Does that mean the gate? Or can I do it at the checkin counter?

If I'm at the airport, say, 4 hours before my flight, can they take care of it at the checkin counter? Or does it have to be within 2 hours of flight?

Thanks!

channa

They can add you to the list at the counter or the club.

The two-hour rule is for all practical purposes gone. The reason for the 2-hour rule was that in the past, CO had no way of ranking companions any differently from their sponsor. So, if they let people on early, a Plat Companion would trump a bona fide Plat! Now they rank Plat Companions at below all the Plats, so that's not a concern any longer.

Though some agents do still enforce the 2-hour rule, there's no reason for them to.

aacharya

Not sure many would agree that folks travel together to work together on th eplane.

As for splitting up co-workers - upgrading a Platinum companion ahead of a Gold is even more unfriendly.

EWRFlyerAL

Similar question but reversed. I'm Plat with CO. I'm traveling on UA on the same PNR with a coworker that does not have status. Do I need to split the reservation for an upgrade chance?

dmurphynj

Perfect, thank you!! I'm headed to Cozumel in June, and that's a pretty easy flight to get upgraded on... I'm going to buy the wife an F ticket with miles (I can get an F SaverPass, but Y only has SleazyPasses available), and pay for mine & my son's with cash. Try to get an EUA myself, and try to get my son upgraded at the counter.

Then, let my parents take my seat & my son's. He'll be 4 and has no business in F (I love him to death, but 4-year-olds have no business in the F cabin, IMO....) My parents have never flown in F before; this is a nice way to get them there in style.

Of course, I'll let my wife ride in style either way... I'm no fool