Aug 13, 2013, 12:23 am
Last edit by: Guate87
What is this whole PNR auto-splitting thing about?
First, you need to realize there are two separate upgrade waitlists. There's the advance upgrade waitlist, which runs periodically from your applicable upgrade window until about four hours before departure, and the airport waitlist, which is manually cleared by the gate agents about 30 minutes before departure.
The first waitlist can handle an elite and a companion automatically. If you're next in line for an upgrade and there are at least two upgradeable seats available, you'll both get the upgrade.
The second waitlist (the airport one) can only handle upgrading one traveler on a PNR. If there is more than one person in your reservation when you check in, you'll be asked if you want to either split the reservation if waitlisted for CPU or stay on the same reservation and decline being on the gate waitlist. For supported waitlisted upgrades (PPs or Miles) you will not be asked and it will split (without choice) at check-in.
Next, you need to be familiar with United's "auto-check-in" feature. If you select this option when you check in for your original outbound flight (depending on how you check in, it may automatically default to selecting this), then shortly after 24 hours before your return flight segment, you'll automatically be checked in and boarding passes will be electronically delivered to you. discontinued
If you opt for this and the system automatically checks you in, and if you have two people in your reservation, the system will automatically split your reservation. You and your companion will now be on two separate reservations, and you'll be waitlisted for an upgrade and your companion won't.
Why might splitting be bad?
[color=#000000]If your companions are not elite, they will no longer qualify for the elite benefits they inherited from you. That means no free baggage (including credit card companion bag benefit), no Economy Plus seating access (although they won't be booted out of E+ if they're already seated in it, barring irregular operations), no Premier Access, and potential issues in irregular operations as a result of being on a separate reservation (they may be rebooked on a separate flight from you without agent intervention). If you have TSA pre-check your family traveling with you on the same PNR can use the precheck line - which they cannot do if you split. And if you are traveling with children
First, you need to realize there are two separate upgrade waitlists. There's the advance upgrade waitlist, which runs periodically from your applicable upgrade window until about four hours before departure, and the airport waitlist, which is manually cleared by the gate agents about 30 minutes before departure.
The first waitlist can handle an elite and a companion automatically. If you're next in line for an upgrade and there are at least two upgradeable seats available, you'll both get the upgrade.
The second waitlist (the airport one) can only handle upgrading one traveler on a PNR. If there is more than one person in your reservation when you check in, you'll be asked if you want to either split the reservation if waitlisted for CPU or stay on the same reservation and decline being on the gate waitlist. For supported waitlisted upgrades (PPs or Miles) you will not be asked and it will split (without choice) at check-in.
Next, you need to be familiar with United's "auto-check-in" feature. If you select this option when you check in for your original outbound flight (depending on how you check in, it may automatically default to selecting this), then shortly after 24 hours before your return flight segment, you'll automatically be checked in and boarding passes will be electronically delivered to you. discontinued
If you opt for this and the system automatically checks you in, and if you have two people in your reservation, the system will automatically split your reservation. You and your companion will now be on two separate reservations, and you'll be waitlisted for an upgrade and your companion won't.
Why might splitting be bad?
[color=#000000]If your companions are not elite, they will no longer qualify for the elite benefits they inherited from you. That means no free baggage (including credit card companion bag benefit), no Economy Plus seating access (although they won't be booted out of E+ if they're already seated in it, barring irregular operations), no Premier Access, and potential issues in irregular operations as a result of being on a separate reservation (they may be rebooked on a separate flight from you without agent intervention). If you have TSA pre-check your family traveling with you on the same PNR can use the precheck line - which they cannot do if you split. And if you are traveling with children
The stupid PNR auto-splitting at T-24 needs to stop
Jun 17, 2012, 9:22 pm
#181
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA Plat, HH Gold, Marriott Amb
Posts: 418
Hi mmayer, although I’ve been seeing this work correctly lately, I’ll take a look at this particular use case. It could be that we’re not handling things correctly when there is a status change mid-trip. When you earn status (or a higher status), your reservation is refreshed with your new status. I’m guessing at the moment, but, it could be that it is trumping the previously noted status. We’ll take a closer look at this.
Shannon
Shannon
PM sent with the Conf# for that trip.
---Matt
Jun 18, 2012, 1:40 am
#182
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA 1K MM, Bonvoy LT Titanium
Posts: 436
[QUOTE=UA Insider;18769091]Hi vg247, sorry for the lack of details in the response you received. We indeed have room to improve here.
Shannon, thank you for taking the time to review our concerns and try to provide some explanations for what United fliers are going through...with that being said, I am hoping these issues are on the high priority list to fix over at United.. until I see and experience things the way they were when I am traveling with my companions and upgrades are made together, without PNR's splitting; anything else United says is just a smoke screen...
I have to agree with dsquared37 post #174 ^
Personally all my business and personal companions no longer care to fly together with me since we all found this system has shorted their upgrade with me as the 1P, so they have already left United and fly other airlines..as loyalty doesnt pay under current conditions..
Also want to take the time to thank all members here for continuing to share your experiences and frustrations so that there is an awareness among travelers, giving them the opportunity to learn from one another..you guys all rock and I enjoy being a part of the million flier club- to share, to learn, and show the ups and downs to help others who are less informed@:-)
Shannon, thank you for taking the time to review our concerns and try to provide some explanations for what United fliers are going through...with that being said, I am hoping these issues are on the high priority list to fix over at United.. until I see and experience things the way they were when I am traveling with my companions and upgrades are made together, without PNR's splitting; anything else United says is just a smoke screen...
I have to agree with dsquared37 post #174 ^
Personally all my business and personal companions no longer care to fly together with me since we all found this system has shorted their upgrade with me as the 1P, so they have already left United and fly other airlines..as loyalty doesnt pay under current conditions..
Also want to take the time to thank all members here for continuing to share your experiences and frustrations so that there is an awareness among travelers, giving them the opportunity to learn from one another..you guys all rock and I enjoy being a part of the million flier club- to share, to learn, and show the ups and downs to help others who are less informed@:-)
Jun 18, 2012, 8:48 am
#183
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1P, SPG Gold
Posts: 137
Just so that everyone has an understanding of the process today, here’s a quick review. If you’re a Premier member who has not been upgraded prior to checking in, and you’re traveling with a companion, you’ll see a question asking you if you’d like to be added to the upgrade standby list. When you indicate a companion as part of this, the companion will be divided out into a new reservation and an indicator will be added to the companion reservation so that they are recognized as traveling with the Premier customer. This also allows the companion to receive Premier baggage benefits and Economy Plus seating on the return flight (even though they have been divided from the Premier).
Jun 18, 2012, 9:38 am
#184
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,138
It would be nice if the Web site, when asking about splitting the reservation, were much more clear on what was happening and the implications thereof.
(And, of course, if the "link" between the two pax was correctly made.
)
Jun 18, 2012, 2:08 pm
#185
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: IAH
Programs: UA nada, Hyatt Disc, Hilton Gold
Posts: 846
Hi Shannon, have to also agree this isn't how it worked. My wife traveling originally on the same PNR who then got split lost the entire benefit and was going to get charged for anything (changing flight, baggage, etc). I originally sent you a PM describing the situation but realize you're busy. I would have been OK getting split had the benefits still been available to her but when they weren't, this is what created the problem for us.
Thanks for the explanation, but like others I can confirm it isn't working as you stated.
My wife and I flew some outbound legs on 5/23, and we were manually checked in (no kiosks here in St. John's, the agent did it all by hand) and not presented with an option to avoid the split. For the return on 5/30, the system did not recognize my wife has having originally been on a reservation with me with regards to baggage allowances. She already had E+ seats and retained those seating assignments, however.
Jun 18, 2012, 2:48 pm
#186
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
Shannon thank you for the helpful explanation. However it appears that UA management does not understand the full extent of the problem, nor does it sound that a solution is forthcoming or even a high priority. That is troubling.
Can you kindly confirm that a record that include "tickets" for 3 or more persons will not automatically split off the elite traveler for UDU? And similarly that if upgrades are requested for everyone in the record (using miles, RPUs etc) that SHARES will not confirm the elite traveler first and split off the others (who are then unlikely to clear the waitlist if they have no status/low fare)?
Addendum: The 1K line told me that my reservation will not be split prior to T-24 unless all upgrades can clear simultaneously, but would be good to get confirmation from Shannon.
Can you kindly confirm that a record that include "tickets" for 3 or more persons will not automatically split off the elite traveler for UDU? And similarly that if upgrades are requested for everyone in the record (using miles, RPUs etc) that SHARES will not confirm the elite traveler first and split off the others (who are then unlikely to clear the waitlist if they have no status/low fare)?
Addendum: The 1K line told me that my reservation will not be split prior to T-24 unless all upgrades can clear simultaneously, but would be good to get confirmation from Shannon.
Last edited by Boraxo; Jun 18, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Jun 18, 2012, 5:49 pm
#187
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: COS
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 464
If you’re a Premier member who has not been upgraded prior to checking in, and you’re traveling with a companion, you’ll see a question asking you if you’d like to be added to the upgrade standby list. When you indicate a companion as part of this, the companion will be divided out into a new reservation and an indicator will be added to the companion reservation so that they are recognized as traveling with the Premier customer. This also allows the companion to receive Premier baggage benefits and Economy Plus seating on the return flight (even though they have been divided from the Premier).
Skipping the past regardless - in my case I'm 1K with 3x family members all 1P booked together on a single PNR. Is it possible to keep the PNR together and get upgraded all-or-nothing still? If so, how?
Also, how do RPUs factor in to this - can I apply them to the whole PNR without splitting? Some pax on the PNR without splitting?
Thanks,
Richard
Jun 18, 2012, 5:49 pm
#188
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 151
Just another chime in that for BDL-ORD-BDL in May, split on the way there, on the way back I got upgraded, wife didn't retain my status couldn't change her e+ seat from middle to the window one I vacated. She got one of the last upgrades at the gate as a silver, but status is very definitely not being inherited upon split (seems it's maybe being inherited for upgrade priority, but not for boardin groups, bag allowance, e+, etc). I can send you the PNR if you want.
Jun 19, 2012, 7:51 am
#189
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Singapore
Programs: CX DM, Shang Jade, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 104
Does anyone know how this plays out in NRT?
First flight in Y in Asia since 3/3.
Me: Gold
Mrs Pemabuk: Plat
EWR-NRT-TPE-NRT-EWR in Y (S & Q) next week.
As I understand it we are eligible for CPU on the NRT-TPE-NRT portions of the flight. If these don't clear in advance, can we expect our PNR to be split if we accept the "you are eligible for an upgrade..." when we OLCI?
I'm well aware of the quirks for all our domestic travel with the splitting of PNR's but they are usually easy non-stop itins, and (knock wood) so far we've either both cleared or neither cleared.. Concerned about the split PNR in case of any issues on the connects in NRT.
Thanks in advance !!
Me: Gold
Mrs Pemabuk: Plat
EWR-NRT-TPE-NRT-EWR in Y (S & Q) next week.
As I understand it we are eligible for CPU on the NRT-TPE-NRT portions of the flight. If these don't clear in advance, can we expect our PNR to be split if we accept the "you are eligible for an upgrade..." when we OLCI?
I'm well aware of the quirks for all our domestic travel with the splitting of PNR's but they are usually easy non-stop itins, and (knock wood) so far we've either both cleared or neither cleared.. Concerned about the split PNR in case of any issues on the connects in NRT.
Thanks in advance !!
Jun 27, 2012, 5:27 pm
#190
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: SFO/JFK/MGA
Programs: UA 1P MM, AA-PP, AS, DL, HH G, SPG Gold, TA nada
Posts: 2,043
Still going on, but not surprised
Myself and a GM friend were both upgraded on 2 connecting flights in 36 hours, then auto-split. I for the life of me can't figure out why SHARES can't seem to keep 2 people on a same PNR.
Jun 27, 2012, 6:00 pm
#191
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,171
Jun 28, 2012, 2:39 pm
#192
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: SFO/JFK/MGA
Programs: UA 1P MM, AA-PP, AS, DL, HH G, SPG Gold, TA nada
Posts: 2,043
Jul 3, 2012, 10:54 am
#193
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SAF
Programs: HH Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 675
Originally Posted by UA Insider
Just so that everyone has an understanding of the process today, here’s a quick review. If you’re a Premier member who has not been upgraded prior to checking in, and you’re traveling with a companion, you’ll see a question asking you if you’d like to be added to the upgrade standby list. When you indicate a companion as part of this, the companion will be divided out into a new reservation and an indicator will be added to the companion reservation so that they are recognized as traveling with the Premier customer. This also allows the companion to receive Premier baggage benefits and Economy Plus seating on the return flight (even though they have been divided from the Premier).
I know this does not solve the problem, but, I hope that knowing it’s a critical item being worked on is helpful.
Shannon
I know this does not solve the problem, but, I hope that knowing it’s a critical item being worked on is helpful.
Shannon
Last edited by G2244; Jul 6, 2012 at 7:49 am
Jul 6, 2012, 7:48 am
#194
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SAF
Programs: HH Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 675
I am a confused newly minted Silver and am hoping someone can clarify. I am mid trip at destination and on the way out have been split from Ms. G2244 onto a separate PNR (answered yes to wanting to be put on stand by list). On the way, we were both upgraded into first on the final leg (mine was at T-24 and hers at the gate as #1 on the upgrade list - it was a late flight). So for the return is there no hope for her to get upgraded into F? From what UA insider mentions above she *should* be able to get E+ at T-24 but what about getting on the upgrade list? Sorry but this upgrade business is all new to me.
I did call MP and they were able to get her into E+ for one of the two segments. System wouldn't allow it on the second leg and they could not explain why.
Last edited by G2244; Jul 6, 2012 at 10:24 am
Jul 6, 2012, 8:54 am
#195
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Platinum
Posts: 396
I can also confirm that it is not working as UAinsider states. I'm platinum and companion is silver. We were auto split on outbound. Now his reservation is asking him to pay $75 for same day change which indicates there is no connection to the existing PNR with me. And accordingly, I'm concerned he will not be at my level on upgrade list when im at 72 hour mark tonight (currently RN6). The is extremely frustrating and needs to be fixed. The amount of trouble it causes is inexcusable.