Help! United Award on Avianca but can’t checkin
Jul 17, 2018, 12:20 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 238
Help! United Award on Avianca but can’t checkin
We booked a biz award on United six months ago. MIA>GUY open UIO>MEX. The first legs were on Copa and all went just fine. We went to check in on Avianca for the UIO>MEX flights (scheduled for 5 am tomorrow) and discoverd that unbeknownst to us, Avianca has rebooked us on other flights of theirs. Not a huge deal though no one can explain why.
Anyway, because our ticket number is for the original flights, After spending literally 6 hours on the phone (first with AV, then UA and finally on a conference call with both) Avianca says we aren’t ticketed on the new ones and United has to do that. United says that there aren’t award seats available. Avianca’s solution was for United to “release” the tickets to them and they promise we will have new ticket numbers in 2-4 hours.
Wondering if any of you more savvy flyers have any suggestions on my next step should the promised reticketing not occur?
TIA
Clay
#StrandedInQuito
Anyway, because our ticket number is for the original flights, After spending literally 6 hours on the phone (first with AV, then UA and finally on a conference call with both) Avianca says we aren’t ticketed on the new ones and United has to do that. United says that there aren’t award seats available. Avianca’s solution was for United to “release” the tickets to them and they promise we will have new ticket numbers in 2-4 hours.
Wondering if any of you more savvy flyers have any suggestions on my next step should the promised reticketing not occur?
TIA
Clay
#StrandedInQuito
Jul 25, 2018, 1:46 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
Go early to the airport and let the AV staff deal with it. However, it complicates matter that these are award tickets, and often other carriers will refuse to touch such tickets and refer you to contact the issuing carrier (as I believe you have already found out).
Jul 25, 2018, 6:55 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,052
there was a schedule change which didn't come through. Yes, technically UA needs to re-ticket that. Sound be a no-brainer with AV putting the change into the system and UA ticketing it. Definitely expect issues at the airport
Jul 25, 2018, 8:32 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,024
We booked a biz award on United six months ago. MIA>GUY open UIO>MEX. The first legs were on Copa and all went just fine.
We went to check in on Avianca for the UIO>MEX flights (scheduled for 5 am tomorrow) and discovered that unbeknownst to us, Avianca has rebooked us on other flights of theirs.
We went to check in on Avianca for the UIO>MEX flights (scheduled for 5 am tomorrow) and discovered that unbeknownst to us, Avianca has rebooked us on other flights of theirs.
So the problem will have been solved.
Would be good if the OP returned to say what happened
Jul 26, 2018, 6:07 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
Indeed, it would be very nice with a follow-up msg from OP about how this turned out. I expect it was solved since we haven't heard anything further.
Jul 29, 2018, 7:16 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 238
Sorry. I thought I had subscriptions set to email me with any comments but apparently didn’t so I was unaware anyone had responded.
Around 9 pm before our 1:30 am wakeup call to get to the airport by 2:30 am, we received an auto email that we were ticketed and then were able to check in using the app.
So in the end it all all worked out but it was really stressful and ruined our last day in Ecuador. I’ve requested that 1/4 of the points be returned to us since the whole issue was a lack of communication between United and their partner. Received a rejection email today in which it was quite obvious that they had not read the request and the rationale for it. Going to keep trying.
Thanks dor uour replies and again my apologies for then delayed response!
Clay
Around 9 pm before our 1:30 am wakeup call to get to the airport by 2:30 am, we received an auto email that we were ticketed and then were able to check in using the app.
So in the end it all all worked out but it was really stressful and ruined our last day in Ecuador. I’ve requested that 1/4 of the points be returned to us since the whole issue was a lack of communication between United and their partner. Received a rejection email today in which it was quite obvious that they had not read the request and the rationale for it. Going to keep trying.
Thanks dor uour replies and again my apologies for then delayed response!
Clay
Jul 30, 2018, 8:09 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 238
Update: Got an email from United today and they have deposited points equal to 1/4 of the amount of points we used for our award bookings into each of our accounts.
Happy with the outcome but hope no one else has to go through it!
Happy with the outcome but hope no one else has to go through it!
Aug 2, 2018, 9:14 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK
Programs: OZ Diamond (*G), KQ Asante Gold (ST+), Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,511
Sounds like a fair outcome to me. Watch your award bookings closely next time, especially when booking on partners.