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
Mar 10, 2013, 8:18 pm
#346
formerly known as RK7
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Grass Valley SMF
Programs: Many
Posts: 720
Not splitting should not prevent you from being on the list. All it should do is make it upgrade both or neither. The system is so stupid. Whomever came up with if you don't split you can't be on the list should be fired. Still be on the list in the correct spot just pass over if only one seat, but if 2 seats upgrade both.
Same thing happened on the return KOA-SFO. We weren't on the list because of the "note" and the check-in agent was able to fix it and we both got upgraded on the return. Pretty nice considering that we're both only Silvers now.
After having past problems with splitting, I'm now going to choose to split.
Mar 10, 2013, 8:25 pm
#347
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
We just returned from a trip to KOA and on the outbound at SMF I chose to NOT split at the kiosk. We're both now Silver (after losing Gold on 1/31) and still had our favorite exit row seats on LAX-KOA. Arriving at LAX from SMF, it looked to me like there was actually a possibility that we could get a comp upgrade so I went to a UA cust service counter to check it out. Lo and behold our names WERE NOT ON THE UPGRADE LIST and a note had been added to the res that stated that we would not and did not qualify for an upgrade. I asked her to look at the upg list for LAX-KOA and she said that we would probably have gotten upgrades had we not had the "note" added to our res stating that we did not want to be upgraded. Long story short we changed the res to a "SPLIT" and got upgraded LAX - KOA. Ha!
Same thing happened on the return KOA-SFO. We weren't on the list because of the "note" and the check-in agent was able to fix it and we both got upgraded on the return. Pretty nice considering that we're both only Silvers now.
After having past problems with splitting, I'm now going to choose to split.
Same thing happened on the return KOA-SFO. We weren't on the list because of the "note" and the check-in agent was able to fix it and we both got upgraded on the return. Pretty nice considering that we're both only Silvers now.
After having past problems with splitting, I'm now going to choose to split.
Annoying but it works.
Mar 10, 2013, 8:34 pm
#348
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System limitation. You must split if anyone wants on the ug list.
Originally Posted by demkr
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So its impossible for two people to enter the airport upgrade list on the same PNR? Why? And they either do or don't inherit your status---? Why?
So its impossible for two people to enter the airport upgrade list on the same PNR? Why? And they either do or don't inherit your status---? Why?
Mar 10, 2013, 8:41 pm
#349
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Location: SFO/SJC
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We just returned from a trip to KOA and on the outbound at SMF I chose to NOT split at the kiosk. We're both now Silver (after losing Gold on 1/31) and still had our favorite exit row seats on LAX-KOA. Arriving at LAX from SMF, it looked to me like there was actually a possibility that we could get a comp upgrade so I went to a UA cust service counter to check it out. Lo and behold our names WERE NOT ON THE UPGRADE LIST and a note had been added to the res that stated that we would not and did not qualify for an upgrade. I asked her to look at the upg list for LAX-KOA and she said that we would probably have gotten upgrades had we not had the "note" added to our res stating that we did not want to be upgraded. Long story short we changed the res to a "SPLIT" and got upgraded LAX - KOA. Ha!
Same thing happened on the return KOA-SFO. We weren't on the list because of the "note" and the check-in agent was able to fix it and we both got upgraded on the return. Pretty nice considering that we're both only Silvers now.
After having past problems with splitting, I'm now going to choose to split.
Same thing happened on the return KOA-SFO. We weren't on the list because of the "note" and the check-in agent was able to fix it and we both got upgraded on the return. Pretty nice considering that we're both only Silvers now.
After having past problems with splitting, I'm now going to choose to split.
This will stick on your return (though only for the airport list - you can still be on the advance CPU list and get upgraded prior to the gate). Others have said you can call reservations to get this flag removed for the return. I've never tried, so can't comment either way.
There are actually certain circumstances where it makes sense to say no and others where it makes sense to say yes. Yes is a lot easier when your companion is the same status as you - if not, it has consequences on the return since the higher status doesn't seem to stick for both passengers, even though it is supposed to.
Mar 10, 2013, 9:01 pm
#350
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
So, I've been watching this thread for a bit, trying to understand what to do when I have a companion on my PNR. And there seems to be this constant lack of clarity about whether or not the second PNR inherits your status. raehl311's post is unequivocally clear that the other PNR does not inherit status. Other posts are just as unequivocal in the other direction. Is the system just so screwed up that no one knows what the real answer is?
Mar 10, 2013, 9:09 pm
#351
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Posts: 6,638
I agree. I'm more confused now than ever. But considering SHARES reputation, I'm going to err on the side of "The system will screw me over in any which way possible" =P
Mar 10, 2013, 9:34 pm
#352
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So, I've been watching this thread for a bit, trying to understand what to do when I have a companion on my PNR. And there seems to be this constant lack of clarity about whether or not the second PNR inherits your status. raehl311's post is unequivocally clear that the other PNR does not inherit status. Other posts are just as unequivocal in the other direction. Is the system just so screwed up that no one knows what the real answer is?
Mar 10, 2013, 9:37 pm
#353
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
So it's as if they're travelling on in a fare class below N? Or am I misunderstanding?
But neither person gets on the airport waitlist if you stay on the same PNR, right? So are you talking about non-waitlist clearing?
But neither person gets on the airport waitlist if you stay on the same PNR, right? So are you talking about non-waitlist clearing?
Mar 10, 2013, 11:42 pm
#354
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Mar 11, 2013, 6:35 am
#355
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
Has anyone split recently and seen whether the system has changed to allow SDC and E+ selection for a non-status companion after a split?
This has previously been the most annoying part of splitting - yes the companion could drop a bit lower (i.e. behind the other 1Ks) on the upgrade list , but it otherwise treats them as non-status which can be annoying if you want to make any changes.
Someone posted earlier that this was supposed to be fixed now.
This has previously been the most annoying part of splitting - yes the companion could drop a bit lower (i.e. behind the other 1Ks) on the upgrade list , but it otherwise treats them as non-status which can be annoying if you want to make any changes.
Someone posted earlier that this was supposed to be fixed now.
Mar 11, 2013, 3:13 pm
#356
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: EAU
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So, I've been watching this thread for a bit, trying to understand what to do when I have a companion on my PNR. And there seems to be this constant lack of clarity about whether or not the second PNR inherits your status. raehl311's post is unequivocally clear that the other PNR does not inherit status. Other posts are just as unequivocal in the other direction. Is the system just so screwed up that no one knows what the real answer is?
Just landed from the outbound and will attempt to get the reservation unsplit since we never asked for it to be split in the first place.
I do not, however, have experience splitting a reservation at check-in and seeing whether the companion maintained status for the airport upgrade list. I've just seen it where status is lost for upgrades on the return.
Mar 11, 2013, 5:21 pm
#357
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Mar 11, 2013, 5:51 pm
#359
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It's gone for good. IME and with pretty much every example I've seen on this board, the status does stick for the outbound, but its gone on the return, until you add them as a companion at the airport. This is not, however, the way most of us interpret the language on the website that states companions should have the same priority as the premier member, though I suppose technically once split, they cease to be a companion. Reservations can tell the record was split, but automated system - such as rebooking, upgrade, etc. can't tell.