bseller

I'm GLAD that you had a good experience! Good for you!

I'm SAD that the simple fulfillment of a promise made over a year ago by "then" UA is so 'kind' as to warrant a post on FT.

Dave

nachosdelux

Anyone able to get Regional upgrades (RPU's) extended?

bseller

There's never been any statement made by UA regarding RPU's as the posting times / expirations for these have NEVER changed.

Whether you can be an exception or not is up to the fates.
Dave

gdemander

Another quick datapoint. I was able to extend 4 9/30 GPUs to 12/30.

JDT1955

And another one: 3 GPUs from Continental last year extended from 10/31 to 11/30. Not much, but lets me use them.

Renard

This new SWU expiration policy is one of the more bonehead moves in this merger of many bonehead moves.

I think that they should all expire the end of January of the following year and they should be granted once earned. This would allow us time to use them and reward those who earn lots of EQMs early and cross 1K early on. Yes I know I'm dreaming. The new UA only punishes its customers and doesn't reward buying their product.

Last year I made 1K in June. I was able to get my SWUs extended this year until 12/31. You can be darn sure that I won't cross the 1K finish line until after 12/1/12....and it's not because I'm flying less. I'm just flying UA less.

Cardiac Kid

About 3 weeks ago, called in to extend 8 expiring GPUs to 12/31. This was done easily, within 5 minutes. The friendly agent then offered spontaneously to do the same for my RPUs (I never even thought that could be done). But I took her up on the offer. Interestingly, they only got extended to 11/30/12, but still better than nothing.

gengar

I got all my remaining GPUs extended from 8/2012 to 12/2012 last week. The agent who extended the GPUs told me I could just hang up so I wouldn't have to wait on the phone and he would have it processed within the "next 10 minutes" (it was updated on the website within about 3 minutes).

Unfortunately this was not an easy transaction because I got redirected a few times: from reservations, where I found out the reason I couldn't apply GPUs online was that they were expiring; an attempted transfer to Mileage Plus, but I got disconnected; to Mileage Plus, where an agent (whose English was difficult to understand) told me I had to talk to the 1K desk; to an agent identifying herself as at the GS desk, who told me I had to talk to Mileage Plus; to the final agent, who actually identified himself as a 1K desk agent. It's irritating that these GPUs aren't simply automatically extended to 12/2012 and we're forced to waste our time calling in for these requests, and certainly lends credence to the argument that UACO is hoping for breakage.

For the record, the agent I spoke to stated (without prompting) that this was a one-time exception, that I should expect 2013 GPUs to expire one year from issue, and that I should not expect future extensions. He reiterated the excuse that UACO adopted this policy as "some" 1K members wanted their GPUs early. Obviously, if they truly were concerned about customer service for 1K members, UACO would give us the choice of whether to get the GPUs early or not - or simply award them immediately upon earning/requalifying for 1K and all with the same expiration date.

Because I want my GPUs to last as far into 2013 as possible, today I booked a premium TATL on BA rather than UA, so as to reduce my EQM earnings. As a side note, it's amazing I'm still experiencing benefits from moving my premium TPAC travel away from UA, as I would already have hit 1K this year had I still been using UA for my TPACs.

I would strongly encourage 1K members to write in expressing their displeasure about UACO's choice to once again focus on customer disservice.

arisaa

I don't know if this is newsworthy but the 1K MP line extended a GPU that was expiring 7/31 to 12/31. I could have sworn that I read here that they used to do that, then they didn't, and of course today they did (at least for me since I am more special than all the other 1Ks).

sfonorth

Has anyone been able to have their GPU's extended to 12/2012 by sending an email to 1Kvoice? I know the wait time isn't that long but this would seem more efficient.

UA-NYC

They're doing that for all 1Ks this year, though you may have to talk to a couple different agents before you get one willing to do it

I'd call it in, if you really want to get them extended quickly and correctly

Modern 49er

I have also stopped flying UA at 98,000 PQMs so that I don't hit 1K and receive GPUs too early. If we could be sure that 2013 GPUs would be extended, less of this would happen. So how is this good for UA??

bseller

First of all, I am SURE that the 2013s are not going to be extended. At least not by "rule". If you're lucky to get someone willing and able to do it, you've truly found an angel.

As for how it's good for UA?? It isn't. But then again, that's true of lots of CO driven policies that have gutted pmUA culture. C'est la vie.

Dave

UA-NYC

I think anyone maxing out UA flying this year and has had (or will have shortly) SWUs post will be in for a rude surprise come next year if they try and get them extended.

hughw

Has anyone had any luck in extending past 12/31/12. I have 4 SWU/GPUs currently waitlisted for use on a RT EWR-AMS in September with my wife. If they don't clear, I would like to try to get an extension into mid 2013 so they don't go to waste.