Close-In Ticket Fee Bug
 

So I just purchased a flight from SFO-LAX about two weeks hence, online. After I received the email confirmation for the flight/purchase I received a subsequent "close in ticketing fee receipt" for $75! I called the 1K line and they said the system is not "supposed" to do this and that I have to apply for a refund. That's pretty annoying, and I don't see any way to apply for the refund of such a fee on the online refund page.

Evidently the system is dinging people when they use certificates to purchase tickets. Genius.

I don't know if this will help anybody, as I have not discovered any way to avoid it. Heck, at this point I don't even know how to get my money back.

I guess this is just another one of the changes we're gonna "like".

my friend told me the same thing happened to her, but she's getting an ecert for her trouble. Not sure why they are making you "apply" for a refund, they should have just taken care of it when you called. Try calling back, I guess. It's their problem, not yours.

-David

Same issue for me on two separate reservations! No info or warning, only a charge receipt via email after reservation was made. Did you call web support or resevations? I am not a 1k member.

IIRC, the close-in award fee is back for non-1Ks.

Used to be that UA indicated during booking that an award would entail the close-in fee--sounds like IT has screwed up here, and they're charging but not warning they will?

Also, for the OP, 1Ks are not supposed to have the fee (one of several we get waived, including award mileage redeposit fees, standby & same-day change fees, ticketing by phone fees, etc.). You should get a refund plus an e-cert (whatever the going rate for 1K issues is at the moment--$150? haven't had issues meriting them so far this year, amazingly).

Just happened to me too!!
First thing I did was check FT, and low and behold, I wasn't the only one.

These are for PAID fares!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just checked my credit card online, and my available credit is out the $75, so they are probably going to charge it.
The question is, call now, or call once it hits?

Same thing just happened to me...ANNOYING! The 1K desk was awesome but had to call and deal with web support (what fun for them lol)-said i should see a refund shortly.

Sounds like a good class action law suit to me, especially if they aren't proactively giving refunds, especially when you call? You have to "apply for a refund" because they screwed up???

Wow.

-David

Happen to me too!
 

Same experience...hopefully the bug is fix soon..

Same thing happened to me last night. I just called the 1K desk and they said it was a system error, that they're working on it and that all the erroneous fees would be refunded. Noone told me I had to "apply for a refund"

I'm actually kinda hoping it stays there and I have to call them a few more times. I need some more e-certs...

Hi kcblakely, we indeed have an error on united.com where we’re charging the Close-in Ticketing Fee when it’s not applicable. I'm sorry that you and others have been inconvenienced by this. We are working through a process to automatically refund the fee in the cases. I’ve outlined a bit more detail in my post on in the Award Fee Changes thread.

Shannon Kelly
Director, Customer Insights and Metrics
United Airlines

Brilliant idea to institute the renewed "close-in" fee. Piss off thousands and thousands of customers to raise a little bit of change. We know this fee was supposed to be charged for award tickes, but who cares. Just another nickel and dime scheme that irritates customers who can't grasp any rationale for charging a service fee of $75 for an electronic transaction and virtually or not entirely no cost to the airline.

And what about folks who use debit cards for purchases and the fee o/d's their account and bounces the ticket back? Guess what...your reservation is gonna be canceled and your gonna be dinged an nsf fee from your bank and that to me is far more severe than simply getting a "delayed" :rolleyes" refund as that affects your standing with the bank in terms of o/d counters and check holds as part of that is based on if you've had any nsf items as that can make you a "high risk customer" just to name two and imho, United needs to fix this issue very very quickly as that is where the lawsuit would come from*.



*and United won't stand a chance no matter how deep their pockets are.

Urgh, this just happened to me as well. What The Heck? $75 receipt close-in fee on a paid fare.

It's still happening :confused:? WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot, United?

They said they estimated a fix would be ready on Tuesday.