Starnet Blocking Back?
Mar 22, 2012 | 10:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CHI - LIS
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 544
Starnet Blocking Back?
Trying to book a one way award in early June ARN-ORD. KVS and the new united.com show availability in LH F through DUS. The website sold it to me, it didn't ticket immediately. I called the next day and the agent assured me it would ticket and it didn't. Fast forward several days later and it's gone from my itineraries without a trace. Called 1K line and they couldn't tell me what happened. Agreed to rebook since miles never debited and card never charged. Tonight, united.com shows the same itinerary available but won't book. Agent says she can't see it or book it. Now confirmed in saver F on LH and UA metal through MUC.
Not happy.
Not happy.
Mar 22, 2012 | 10:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 185
Last Tuesday, I booked a C Award AUS/SFO/ICN on the web, but what I really wanted was CRK and neither Old United, New United nor CO ever recognized that airport code. According to aeroplan.com ICN/CRK on OZ was available.
Called up the 1K line, got the nag about massive call volume and eternal hold times but I was connected to an agent in 15 seconds. Asked the agent to add the segment, took the agent 5 minutes and the taxes due dropped in half. I'm good to go now.
Very happy. Still looking for and not finding the unmitigated disaster.
Called up the 1K line, got the nag about massive call volume and eternal hold times but I was connected to an agent in 15 seconds. Asked the agent to add the segment, took the agent 5 minutes and the taxes due dropped in half. I'm good to go now.
Very happy. Still looking for and not finding the unmitigated disaster.
Last edited by smitopher; Mar 22, 2012 at 10:56 pm Reason: spelling
Mar 22, 2012 | 11:50 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,807
It sounds like SHARES issue rather than Starnet Blocking.
PMCO has the practice that tickets are not issued instantly.
PMCO has the practice that tickets are not issued instantly.
Mar 23, 2012 | 2:27 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: LEJ/BTV/LEB
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, TK Elite, GE
Posts: 84
Reads similar to my recent experience: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ticketing.html
Anyway, I also believe that it's a SHARES issue.
Anyway, I also believe that it's a SHARES issue.
Mar 23, 2012 | 3:16 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Asia
Programs: RVT 1K
Posts: 885
I think this is what is happening to me right now and after 5 hours on the phone dealing with the TOTAL BS of the new UA maybe this may be helpful to some:
If you look for inventory like me and see an F seat but agent says NO "not available" ( I am trying to do a stopover trip and can not book online!) try to book it on line, when you get to the payment page hit the "phone order" link or something like that...if you get an error page than that inventory does not really exist...if it does it should give you a conf. # to call in with...
One step forward and two back with the new website...
Keep up the great work Smi/J
If you look for inventory like me and see an F seat but agent says NO "not available" ( I am trying to do a stopover trip and can not book online!) try to book it on line, when you get to the payment page hit the "phone order" link or something like that...if you get an error page than that inventory does not really exist...if it does it should give you a conf. # to call in with...
One step forward and two back with the new website...
Keep up the great work Smi/J
Mar 23, 2012 | 4:20 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: LEJ/BTV/LEB
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, TK Elite, GE
Posts: 84
Just called UA again and booked the award online while still having them on the phone. Again, I got the message "not ticketed, pending confirmation from Egyptair". But the agent sees two of the flight segments in the same moment as "UT" (unable to ticket).
Mar 23, 2012 | 6:48 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: HPN
Programs: not anymore! I'm FREE!
Posts: 3,489
I think this is what is happening to me right now and after 5 hours on the phone dealing with the TOTAL BS of the new UA maybe this may be helpful to some:
If you look for inventory like me and see an F seat but agent says NO "not available" ( I am trying to do a stopover trip and can not book online!) try to book it on line, when you get to the payment page hit the "phone order" link or something like that...if you get an error page than that inventory does not really exist...if it does it should give you a conf. # to call in with...
One step forward and two back with the new website...
Keep up the great work Smi/J
If you look for inventory like me and see an F seat but agent says NO "not available" ( I am trying to do a stopover trip and can not book online!) try to book it on line, when you get to the payment page hit the "phone order" link or something like that...if you get an error page than that inventory does not really exist...if it does it should give you a conf. # to call in with...
One step forward and two back with the new website...
Keep up the great work Smi/J
Mar 23, 2012 | 7:17 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 10,117
It may be a partner issue, not SHARES. I just booked an award itin and the UA segments allowed the ticket to issue on 016 stock almost immediately, but the partners do not seem to have confirmed the space in their own inventory yet. Still waiting to see if this has happened.
Mar 23, 2012 | 8:15 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NYC
Posts: 491
Exactly. I saw availability on an award to HNL online both on .bomb and EF that the agent couldn't see on their screen. I booked it online and it ticketed within 5 minutes despite the agent assuring me that there was no award space on the return segments I asked about.
Mar 23, 2012 | 12:48 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Carmel Valley(was Hawaii)
Programs: United 1K 2.7 MM
Posts: 1,188
Tried to book a 12:30 flight from IST to LHR on LH through Munich for my Dad on an award ticket. The flight shows up on the screen but the Agents at the 1k Desk could not see it or ticket it; they even called their support team. No go.
Mar 23, 2012 | 12:59 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: BOS / ICN
Programs: nothing but freebies
Posts: 250
As mentioned, phantom availability is not new-especially PMCO. Also, I've known LH does not release TATL F until 15 days before the actual flight date-I could book all the other segs in award F and but had to wait until LH releases seats to O inventory.
Mar 23, 2012 | 1:08 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: SoCal to the rest of the world...
Programs: AA 1MM EXP. UA 2MM Lifetime Plat
Posts: 6,742
So why not book it online then? No need to talk to the agents; LH generally doesn't have the issues SQ does with ticketing and not accepting cabin class.
Mar 23, 2012 | 1:16 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,173
Minor nit here: this is a united.com (formerly continental.com) issue, not a SHARES issue. Tickets are still issued instantly when purchased through other sources, but united.com seems to do batch processing for ticketing.
Mar 23, 2012 | 1:18 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: SoCal to the rest of the world...
Programs: AA 1MM EXP. UA 2MM Lifetime Plat
Posts: 6,742
I just had a UA issued eticket from my agency with UA LAX-NRT and NRT-BKK segments on NH. Submitted Noontime Pacific; was e-ticketed and shown on united.com as ticketed a few mins later.
united.com is the issue here NOT SHARES!