I was just going to call. Should i just call the 1K line and not bother asking for the refund dept.?

In the times that I called the refunds dept this week, they were quite helpful (and each time I called, they answered pretty much on the first ring)

how did you get thru ??? i get a recorded message ask alex...

First time I was transferred from reservations and got disconnected with a fast-busy signal so when I called back and asked to be transferred I also asked for the number in case I got disconnected again and they gave me the number. Now I don't know if things have changed since yesterday, but again, no wait at all for me

Tomorrow will be my second international flight in March post merger; my husband has also flown two international segments. We are 0 for 3 now for upgrades. The likelihood of an upgrade for me tomorrow is poor, despite being a 1K on a Y fare. Since I have a refundable ticket I can use different routings with connecting flights, but no there is not one available European gateway with an available upgrade. On top of that, I can't seem to maintain my economy plus seat in the row I want, and United hasn't returned my unused system wide upgrade or my husband's miles. At this point the benefit of my 1k status appears to be United drink coupons (I think they actually come with silver premier status) and less time on hold to resolve constant problems. Agents sympathize with my plight and several have told me to complain to United. I will try again but so far the customer service complaint route has proved totally ineffective. I am disheartened (and dreading tomorrow's flight).

Could you share the number? We are also waiting for refunds but trying not to call the over burdended 1K Desk.

If you have a Y ticket, can't you call Reservations and cash it in for a Z ticket, since you KNOW that you're flying tomorrow? Unless you need flexibility on your return date, I would!

I used to do that a lot, but there have to be some cheaper fare class seats left of course, to make it economically viable. All they should charge your credit card for is the difference in fare; not do a refund, and then issue a new ticket.

I know that you probably want to use the GPUs you've earned but I don't know how useful they're going to be in the new UA. It's early, so we'll have to see how successful people are with them. In my view, overwater segments are so long, you might want to save your GPU lottery for a shorter trip and "buy" your upgrade, so to speak..

I like the "less time on hold" part. This has been true for reservations issues (my average wait time is less than 5 mins for that), but not for MileagePlus, where I've managed to get through once (45 mins wait after hearing "the average wait time is 3 minutes"), had to just hang up after 30-60 mins a few times (I do have to do some work once in a while), and gotten the "unfortunately, blablabla, goodbye" a number of times.

I just discovered something disconcerting and I ask here if this is correct.

Previously on United if I was offered the opportunity to buy up to Business Class on a ps flight (generally for $375) my fare code would change to Z class. I would then receive the 50% EQM bonus.

I just bought up to Business on an upcoming ps flight (for what I consider a whopping $535) and the fare code changed to PN. It also shows that I will earn 100% PQMs, not 150%.

Is this the new way? If so then buying up will no longer be my practice. Live and learn.

In the past for PMUA -- if purchased at time of booking would book into Z BUT if purchased at checkin would book into NC

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...book-into.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...e-options.html

My sister and bro in law are flying MIA-PER next week with 2 young children. United was nice enough to upgrade their infant son, MIA-IAH segment, without his parents!

Meanwhile us 1k's can't get an upgrade for our lives. Do the FA's change diapers?

You've been upgraded from Miami, FL (MIA) to Houston, TX (IAH - Intercontinental) on Sun., Apr. 1, 2012. Your new seat will be assigned upon check-in or at the departure gate. Below is a recap of your flight information:
CUTEKIDINF NEPHEW
MileagePlus/Partner Frequent Flyer: xx123456
United Confirmation Number: ******

Right, with PMUA that was my experience. If I bought the upgrade before check-in it booked into Z and was only offered if NC>0.

But this time I bought an upgrade for mid-April and it booked into PN. I did not buy the upgrade at booking but immediately after the reservation was ticketed. Is the fact that R/RN=0 the reason? Or would it have still been PN if R/RN>0?

Looking at another post I see that code PN translates to a B/M-Up for Elites and that it tracks to the P bucket. The P fare is a discount business fare that's supposed to give 150% PQM.

At this point, you don't want to look solely for upgrade availability so much as flights with a lot of seats left in biz class.

My experience has been that the 1K desk also could not get thru to refunds.

I am looking for flights with a lot of business class seats, not just looking for flights with current upgrade availability. There aren't any flights today that I can see with more than 1 or 2 bclass seats from Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, or Brussels. The business inventory has gone way down. One flight has a few business seats open but they are listed in the fare class as nonexistent, and agents say they are not there and advise me not to change.