F dropped after F award
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: AA Exec Plat; Marriott LT Tit
Posts: 38
Synd, are you certain that level of compensation applies to a downgrade on an award (free) ticket through a different *A carrier - in my case US - and to non-EU citizens? I'd just hate to wait until check-in only to be offered no (or little) comp for a downgrade on an award ticket and then have no meaningful opportunity to switch to a route with F that could get us home that day. Thanks
#17
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: BKK, CDG, TLS
Programs: QR G, A3 G, EK G, IHG Amb, GHA Black, WOH LT something
Posts: 1,306
cobbs1,
1°) you're entitled to EU regs since it's an european airline, and you're going to FRA. If it was an US airline, leaving from the US you would not.
2°) yes no matter how you got into F (miles, $, upgd, vouchers, except surely, at least i hope so, firends and family) you'll get compensation by LH if you're downgraded into C, and they are as I stated before very very generous! print your receipts where it mention you are in F, and bring them with you. If you have one from the LH website even better.
3°) look at those two threads:
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/swiss...downgrade.html posts #5 and #15 will be interesting for you
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...rd-flight.html (old post but the values mentionned are still applicable. The first post talks about tap, so don't worry about it but the others talks about LH compensation)
hope this helps out. if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask me via pm.
synd
1°) you're entitled to EU regs since it's an european airline, and you're going to FRA. If it was an US airline, leaving from the US you would not.
2°) yes no matter how you got into F (miles, $, upgd, vouchers, except surely, at least i hope so, firends and family) you'll get compensation by LH if you're downgraded into C, and they are as I stated before very very generous! print your receipts where it mention you are in F, and bring them with you. If you have one from the LH website even better.
3°) look at those two threads:
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/swiss...downgrade.html posts #5 and #15 will be interesting for you
- http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...rd-flight.html (old post but the values mentionned are still applicable. The first post talks about tap, so don't worry about it but the others talks about LH compensation)
hope this helps out. if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask me via pm.
synd
#20
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SF
Programs: UA MM, AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTP, HH Dia
Posts: 1,132
I've had no luck getting US (or UA or AA for that matter) to open up inventory on other airlines... they've always been willing to rebook me for no fee into any flights with availability, but they have been unable to get partner airlines to release award inventory.
... last week I noticed that UA134 was switched from a 3-class 767 into a 757. I had redeemed US miles for an international F award, continuing to MUC, and United simply switched the 3-class SFO-ORD 767 from flight 134 to flight 972 80 minutes later. The later flight still worked for my connection, so I was hoping US could just convince United to put me on it, but no dice. (This is where it helps to have your award ticket booked with the carrier you're flying, as United has gladly opened up inventory for me on flights they've ticketed and operated in the past.) I also called the United 1K line, and the agent I spoke with put a call in to inventory management, but the response I got was that since it was a US ticket, US had to be the one to change it.
... last week I noticed that UA134 was switched from a 3-class 767 into a 757. I had redeemed US miles for an international F award, continuing to MUC, and United simply switched the 3-class SFO-ORD 767 from flight 134 to flight 972 80 minutes later. The later flight still worked for my connection, so I was hoping US could just convince United to put me on it, but no dice. (This is where it helps to have your award ticket booked with the carrier you're flying, as United has gladly opened up inventory for me on flights they've ticketed and operated in the past.) I also called the United 1K line, and the agent I spoke with put a call in to inventory management, but the response I got was that since it was a US ticket, US had to be the one to change it.
So I called US again, got an excellent Phoenix-based agent named Jody, and was able to convince her to call the 1K line with my United MP#. (It always amazes me how good US phone agents can be, and how quickly I am usually able to get through, given I currently have and never had any status on US.) The 1K line transferred Jody 4 times, and when she finally got through, the woman we got said she'd never heard of inventory management. Jody actually conferenced me on the line with both of them (against the 1K agent's apparent protests), so I was able to explain what I wanted, after which the 1K agent still claimed that in her 15 years with United, she'd never heard of IM opening up seats for a passenger who wasn't already waitlisted. Nevertheless, she talked to a supervisor and was back in 5 minutes with the 2 seats for us-- incidentally, she claimed it was a service director and not IM that opened up the seats for us... I'm not sure if there is a difference, but I was pretty happy.
Anyway, the whole process took north of an hour, so I'm not convinced it was a valuable use of my time for a 4 hour flight that I may not use if award space opens up in F on LH459 or LX39 on the day I'm traveling. But I wanted to share that it is possible to get UA to release seats for a US ticketed award, in case anyone else is in a similar situation.
#21
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Invercargill, New Zealand
Programs: BA Silver, NZ Jade, QF Bronze, A Club Platinum, Hhonors Silver
Posts: 374
There is only 2 seats left in this example and the airline is prepared to sell 1 at A class levels (restricted F class). This same seat is also offered, along with the other one in this cabin, at the full F fare.
#22
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SF
Programs: UA MM, AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTP, HH Dia
Posts: 1,132
Originally Posted by ps9a View Post
... I needed 2 seats, UA972 (3-class 767) was showing F3 A1, and the seat map was only showing 2 seats available in F for some reason.
There is only 2 seats left in this example and the airline is prepared to sell 1 at A class levels (restricted F class). This same seat is also offered, along with the other one in this cabin, at the full F fare.
... I needed 2 seats, UA972 (3-class 767) was showing F3 A1, and the seat map was only showing 2 seats available in F for some reason.
There is only 2 seats left in this example and the airline is prepared to sell 1 at A class levels (restricted F class). This same seat is also offered, along with the other one in this cabin, at the full F fare.
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: ORD, HKG
Programs: UA*G, AA Emerald, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt globalist
Posts: 10,279