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.

PS paid upgrades no longer Z class?
 

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

Infant ticket upgraded w/o parents
 

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! :confused:

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.

This issue continues to haunt my itineraries.

An itinerary next week, upgraded with miles, has been showing the following for weeks:
CLD-LAX United Economy (W) (one class dom)
LAX-SFO United First (ON) (two class dom)
SFO-HKG United BusinessFirst (R) (three class intl)

When I checked a few minutes ago, it had changed to:
CLD-LAX Coach (W)
LAX-SFO Coach (ON)
SFO-HKG Coach (R)
Seat assignments remained. The EMB120 exit row, 752 2 class first, 744 u/d biz.

I refreshed the page, and it reverted to the original codes and cabins. I took a screenshot of the way it is now.

Could this be part of an effort to correct the "(ON)" fare code issue?

Just booked a 28K mile round trip for me and Ms Tentacle for May

I wonder what the chances are that they will have everything sorted by then?

Side note, the system booked me with an illegal connection in LAX (60 minutes) minimum is 80 when comming in from international
Called the premier number and even as a 1P it got answered in 2 minutes
Nice lady in IAH got me re-booked for a much nicer flight later in the day
More hilarious was that she dumped me into Y to compensate for it even selling me the ticket with an illegal conenction in the first place (the origioanly booked K fare was not available or something)
So I called back 30 min later and asked for an upgrade for my Y fare and got it confirmed :D

Last bit and very anoying, when I was buying the ticket I put in my 20% off code but it appears it did not take as I got charged full price when the confirmation of ticketing showed up in my inbox
I'm tempted to want to call back and get it applied but then I possibly lose out on the confirmed upgrade for the LAX->SFO puddle jump

The new system does not seem to like dual citizens. While it will register 2 passports online, when it comes to check-in, it does not seem to fully understand when 2 need to be used on the same record.

I am both Aussie and American, so I need to use my US passport to fly to America and my Aussie passport to fly the return to Australia. For whatever reason, online check-in does not come up as an option and it talks about requiring a Visa or ETA for travel. Clearly the system is not programed in a way to allow me to swap out for my Aussie passport on the return.

United, again, another reason why you don't understand the needs of international travelers. The old ua.com allowed me to input the correct passport details during the online check-in ... while the new system seems to just think it knows best!!

Oh today is going to be fun - just see where my den to SFO is delayed and will make for a tight connection to SYD. Just range the 1K line and played the whole ZIP code hell (I'm sorry...your zip code does not match) OF COURSE IT DOES NOT AS I DON'T HAVE A DAMN ZIP CODE...Now because you are so valuable and we are unable to authenticate you your estimated wait time is 45 MINUTES!

United - I am reaching the end of my string. Can we please get a plan of action on correcting the multiple deficieincies. I want to throw up when I watch videos like the new one on the United Hub about how great things are going over at the New United!!!!

https://hub.united.com/en-us/Videos/...on-change.aspx

It is an ugly day here today at SFO. Starting pouring rain about 1.5 hours ago along with high winds, runways are reversed for take offs and landings.

Lots of delays both inbound and outbound. My SFO-SNA flight has been pushed back three times, and is now scheduled to depart 1.5 hours late.

The whole zip code thing is another reason they should have stuck with PMUA MP #s... when some of us pointed out the fact that CO's IVR was awful, we were told we could key in the CO OP# on the phone keypad... when we pointed out that there would be overlaps with that method, we were told, "No problem; the system asks for your zip code to prevent that." :rolleyes: :mad:

Smisek's fault... :)

A day like today will be a good one to explore Channa's hypothesis (SHARES can't handle irrops).

If people's flights are delayed / cancelled today, please let us all know how well irrops / rebooking is handled! Thanks.

I've never been able to get the IVR to accept my new MP# when keyed in on the phone. Always have to speak it, and in a noisy airport environment several times it wouldn't pick it up that way either. As far as the zip code issue, what was wrong with the old UA system of confirming via the name on your account?

Here's a hint at how the day is going, and it is only 9:25 a.m. Wait till all the delays starts cascading.

At the UC in Terminal 3 there are currently 10 people in line waiting to be helped. There are three agents behind the desk. One agent is helping a customer. The other two agents are collectively taking care of another customer, both pointing at the screen trying to figure out what to try next. In the meantime the other ten folks are cooling their jets in line.

While the move to SHARES ostensibly saved money, the one thing never factored in was the overall customer experience.