+1000. UA has handled the switchover terribly; they were clearly unprepared for the complex nature of all of the existing reservations when bundled together, and have been ridiculously slow to make helpful announcements where they belong; on their website and as a message in the phone queue instead of MP Visa offers. They have not been able to add resources to deal with problems, as evidenced by the fact that a week in to the switchover, existing reservations, upgrades, and CS phone lines are still a mess.

And, from appearances in last few days, not enough training on SHARES for PMUA agents prior to the 3/3 go-live. Still seem to be learning the system in front of customers - longer lines because of slower processing with unfamiliar system, plus more frustration (agents and customers) because of "don't know how to do that anymore".

Seem to have gone to a lot of trouble to muck about with the distances between cities but not to make a smooth customer experience during transition.

That is not just a cheap jibe - perceptions matter - and trivia can impact perceptions very quickly and blind customers to any future fixes or good work.

More? Do you think there was any testing? It is hard to believe with all the basic problems that are being reported. Perhaps Microsoft were advising them on the rollout.

Just an update on my experiences with a saver first class award ticket LAS-DEN-PHL-ORD-LAS wherein the DEN-PHL segment was and has been IN=0 from start to finish. I offer this as a data point and not a gripe. I needed to be on these two outbound flights due to my schedule and economy was booked to Y1 from LAS to DEN -- it was a either economy standard or first saver.

System booked me into XN for DEN_PHL and did not waitlist me for first, which I think it properly ought to do automatically. I called and was added to the IN waitlist. Agent said she had added me to the "priority waitlist" but did not respond to my gentle probing of what that turn of phrase actually meant. (I think I was talking to the ICC, so language or protocol may have made it impossible to get my question answered.) It took about a day, but I did see a new listing open up at the bottom of my itinerary that noted the IN waitlisting. Since then F7, A7, JN7, ZN7, P7, PN7, R5, RN5 have slowly but surely dwindled down to F2, A2, JN2, ZN2, P2, PN2, R0, RN05 over the past few days. IM apparently had no love for IN.

There was no way to check waitlists on either .com or the mobile site. The former says they are working to bring this capability and the latter offered no "flight status" button until this morning when it said no passengers are waitlisted for this flight. That may be true if it only refers to people trying to get on the flight, not waiting for first to open up, but is ambiguous.

Upon check-in this afternoon, at 24 hours prior to my departure from LAS and nearly 27 hours before departure of the flight in question, I noticed that the waitlisted entry on my itinerary had vanished.

Additionally, I was offered an upgrade to first class for $399. I can't fathom the logic within the PSS that would permit this. (1) I am already on a first class ticket and checking into first class for the first segment. (2) If there is a first class seat purportedly available for sale as an upgrade, then shouldn't a passenger ticketed/waitlisted in first be given that seat? (3) I'm a little surprised that an award ticket would be upgradable anyway. I'll admit I didn't test to see what would happen, so maybe this is just a mistake in the web interface and would have been a dead end.

I called in again and asked about this and was reportedly placed on the waitlist again. I can't see any indication one way or the other.

I'm trying to decide how I feel about the handling in general of waitlisted saver first tickets. On the one hand it is a saver award and IM for some reason decided not to offer it on this flight. However, IM does often change what buckets are offered for specific flights, so it is not set in stone. If someone wants to buy a first class ticket outright with money or RDMs, or obtain one via a Y/B/M up, then that seems like the way it should work. I do see a problem though, if the IM waitlist isn't honored ahead of CPUs. Allowing someone to use an instrument to upgrade before the IM waitlist is a gray area --- but it seems to me that the priority ought to go to the IM waitlist.

have three over the water flights, nrt-iad, iad-cdg, & cdg-ord, booked Y and waiting for GPU. the waitlist entries show R, which i believe should be RN. is this normal this week, or should i call GS and whine?

Do you have them waitlisted with GPUs? If so, call in and have them manually process it.

You don't just "get a GPU" for free however, even as a GS.

I have a feeling that even if you had more training, it wouldn't help because they received it months ago. From what I've heard from GAs, it is the timing of the training (or better planned training) that was necessary.

+1 again. Outrageous.

applies to International too...

YBM instant Upgrade applies to only CPU eligible flights -- so yes can apply to some international flights but not to the long haul international flights. best to look at Upgrade regions and eligible fares

Hey
My experience - UA ticket issued from MEL-JFK in Y. Phone UA in AU and applied for 2x 30k miles + $600 copay - both ways waitlisted from MEL-LAX and SFO-SYD. Used x2 Regional Upgrades to upgrade PS SFO-JFK and v.v to C - both cleared as avialability for NC was good
later that day on united.com under travel options was offered a US$1220 upgrade from Y to F for MEL-LAX Paid it, credit card charged. Phones US Mileage Plus back, had 30k miles put back into my a/c and left 30k deduction in place wailtisted for SFO-SYD
At gate in Melbourne and at baggage drop was interrogated and stood for 45 minutes whilst the Continental US agent who identified herself as such (Ms Ellis Baldevia) told me United would rectify the situation as paid upgrades =not allowed from Y to F through the united website
After this situation I said I would not fly and would refund my ticket - left standing there and evetually an Australian United agent told me they would honour the upgrade I was then allowed to board

On a separate mileage run JFK-LAX VV had upgraded to C on PS from Y with mileage upgrade award - no problem - On checking seating at LAX at united machine was offered a elite maximiser and miles maximiser which I paid for all ok but no receipt and the united service staff could not issue me with a receipt as their systems were not working properly
At gate for PS flight LAX-SFO UA890, LAX First class lounge agent came up to me and said hello as she remebered me from being in the LAX Int First Lounge upon arrrival from MEL on Sun 3rd march - nice touch very friendly and the fact someone remembers you and just wants to say hi - gives u a feel good feeling- happens often with lots of mileage runs on PS JFK-SFO/LAX vv - that is what I'm used to with the old United and one of the things which keeps me flying with United over using AC to JFK and also to/from EU via USA with UA to maximise my Mileage Plus a/c and status and also my LH Senator status
Anyway we boarded the plane , were about to take off, told we had to go back to the gate. We were kept on the plane and tol;d they had ordered a part for the 757 and they would install the part - lots of drinks passed around - after 1 hour we were told to deboard the aircraft as the 757 was not fit to fly - no rebooking or anything - no gate staff so went to service desk and was told they were bringing another plane for us which would depart at 1935 (instead of the original planned 1330) - no p-roblems mileage run for me but not nice to arrive at JFK at 330am!

For return flight to AU online checkin on 9 March in NYC offered me a US$1729 upgrade from Y to C- for SFO-SYD sector only (still had to fly in Y+ from SYD-MEL on an empty plane but thats ok for a 1 hour flight on a 747) - paid the $1729 (after noting I was also offered earlier a US$5731 upgrade from Y -F which I declined on earlier on 9 March) and selected my seat 6J
Onboard another guy said we had the same seat - I'd been upgraded to F for my SFO-SYD sector but no-one at the gate had told me when I boarded - that was koo land a nice redeeming touch from United given the earlier botchups in Melbourne and LAX which would have given a less patient person a stress-induced heart attack
So I telephone Mielage Plus today in AU -you get a Singapore call centre - asked to have my 30k miles recredited for the waitlisted upgrade from Y-C as I had paid the upgrade fee offered at online checkin - Singapore agent tells me she cant recredit - email me ur etik receipt (which clearly states -under adddtional charges
Thu Feb 9 Amex xxxx was charged US$1220 for the following: First Class Upgrade Fee
Thu Mar 8 Amex xxxx was charged US$1729 for the following: First Class Plus)
She cant see my etik receipt so she can recredit the miles? She wants a copy of my credit card statement -

After all of this Im cancelling my upcoming ticket - LX/LH half tiks with UA sectors MEL-SFO in Z and LAX-MEL in Z - have to call Lufti and check AC availability SYD-YVR v.v I've had it with United
Toothpicks gone in PS C (they were there Sunday , gone Tueday, and again on Friday
PS crew have changed it seems - u ask them and they admit they havent worked PS before
Toothpicks in F from SYD-LAX last Sunday, gone yesterday from SFO-SYD
Nice new touch though - chees fruit trolley which Ive never seen in F before - used to this in LX/LH/SK C)

I did say "booked Y and waiting for GPU"

I called, though i hate to spend GS agents' time on upgrades in these chaotic times.

GS agent looked my itinerary up in SCARES and said R was GPU and NR was for comp upgrades, which does not match the data floating on this forum. I suspect information is still filtering through the ranks and through the fora.

The agent said she was emailing Inventory, disappeared for fifteen+ minutes, and cleared the two of the three upgrades that are in the next few days.

My flights from 3/6 and 3/7 haven't posted either.

Shannon, the Global Services desk (now staffed by ex-Continental reps) really has no clue about our issues (e.g. getting the Systemwide upgrade on LH). The airport staff in United hubs still can't figure out the CO computer system (e.g. how to rebook flights), and the "new" website is really buggy (e.g. tells me United doesn't fly between SFO and HKG). When will these issues be cleared up? I still don't have my new GS card either.

HA! Silver my friend ... But I have found a happy medium with United... What I like about the new system is it is a lot more honest with the waitlist as it works with booked not just checked in...

I know my chances are low... United Silver.. living off freaks of nature...