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
May 3, 2013, 12:11 pm
#616
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: IAH, HOU
Programs: MileagePlus 1K, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Titanium/Lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,073
record split at not request of my own
Hi, I am hoping this is the right place to post this. My wife (non Elite) and me (Gold) were on the same record locator. I went on United.com and wanted to change a flight (just for her). Before I could complete the change, I decided not to make the change and cancelled the transaction. This morning when I checked my itinerary, my records were split. Is there recourse for this? I don't recall the system alerting me that we would be split (but I realize I may have done that inadvertently when I only selected her name with a check mark when wanting to make a change to the reservation). My intention for being on the same record was to maintain flexibility since we wanted to take a later flight on the day of departure and I was under the impression that since I am elite and she is on the same record, we would be able to do that at no charge. I understand now that we no longer have that flexibility....
May 3, 2013, 12:13 pm
#617
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
You split when you asked to split. Has nothing to do with this thread.
May 9, 2013, 5:49 pm
#618
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Floating somewhere in the midwest
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 42
Well, I checked in at 6am this morning for our flight tomorrow. I declined splitting the PNR, especially since I knew there was no way we were going to get the upgrade. Most important thing for me was to confirm that my fairly tall companion (GM) has E+ access. Changed our seats to E+ at check in and we were good to go.
Nearly 12 hours later, I get an email indicating that our PNR's have been split! I am just really annoyed because F is nearly full on the inbound this Sunday - no need for me to be on upgrade list. Really hoping that a GA can get my companion a seat in E+ on Sunday since it appears my companion has no status at all. Otherwise, I will just give her the seat that I snag and hang back in E-. Ugh :-(
Nearly 12 hours later, I get an email indicating that our PNR's have been split! I am just really annoyed because F is nearly full on the inbound this Sunday - no need for me to be on upgrade list. Really hoping that a GA can get my companion a seat in E+ on Sunday since it appears my companion has no status at all. Otherwise, I will just give her the seat that I snag and hang back in E-. Ugh :-(
May 9, 2013, 5:51 pm
#619
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
Well, I checked in at 6am this morning for our flight tomorrow. I declined splitting the PNR, especially since I knew there was no way we were going to get the upgrade. Most important thing for me was to confirm that my fairly tall companion (GM) has E+ access. Changed our seats to E+ at check in and we were good to go.
Nearly 12 hours later, I get an email indicating that our PNR's have been split! I am just really annoyed because F is nearly full on the inbound this Sunday - no need for me to be on upgrade list. Really hoping that a GA can get my companion a seat in E+ on Sunday since it appears my companion has no status at all. Otherwise, I will just give her the seat that I snag and hang back in E-. Ugh :-(
Nearly 12 hours later, I get an email indicating that our PNR's have been split! I am just really annoyed because F is nearly full on the inbound this Sunday - no need for me to be on upgrade list. Really hoping that a GA can get my companion a seat in E+ on Sunday since it appears my companion has no status at all. Otherwise, I will just give her the seat that I snag and hang back in E-. Ugh :-(
May 9, 2013, 5:54 pm
#620
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Floating somewhere in the midwest
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 42
May 9, 2013, 6:29 pm
#622
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA1MM*GL/1K, AA, BnVy PlatL, HH Silver,
Posts: 681
No one should have to waste their time calling this craptacular airline because their IT systems haven't been upgraded to handle eTickets in over 20 Years.
Don't forget the phone lottery now. Will they be too busy and auto hang up on you? Will you get an agent that says no? Will you get an agent who has no idea why to do?
Nothing is "easy" with COua
May 9, 2013, 6:31 pm
#623
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
Right, except for the fact YOU now have to do something because of CO's crappy IT/ res system screwed up your reservation...something any pmUA flier simply expected to work...and it did.
No one should have to waste their time calling this craptacular airline because their IT systems haven't been upgraded to handle eTickets in over 20 Years.
Don't forget the phone lottery now. Will they be too busy and auto hang up on you? Will you get an agent that says no? Will you get an agent who has no idea why to do?
Nothing is "easy" with COua
No one should have to waste their time calling this craptacular airline because their IT systems haven't been upgraded to handle eTickets in over 20 Years.
Don't forget the phone lottery now. Will they be too busy and auto hang up on you? Will you get an agent that says no? Will you get an agent who has no idea why to do?
Nothing is "easy" with COua
May 9, 2013, 6:42 pm
#624
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA1MM*GL/1K, AA, BnVy PlatL, HH Silver,
Posts: 681
Your assuming you get to an agent. System just kicks you out and say their too busy call back later. Happened on CO and now happens on UA. Whole point having to call about a reservation you made and was oK is completely ridiculous; a waste of resource in extra people to handle tasks that a computer shouldn't screw up and frankly an insult to customers having to waste time on this nonsense. CO has "been working on fixing problems" for years...probably more years than some people on this board have been flying. I highly doubt this problem will be fixed. But you can keep believing..."maybe 6 months...maybe a year...maybe never."
May 9, 2013, 8:54 pm
#626
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Your assuming you get to an agent. System just kicks you out and say their too busy call back later. Happened on CO and now happens on UA. Whole point having to call about a reservation you made and was oK is completely ridiculous; a waste of resource in extra people to handle tasks that a computer shouldn't screw up and frankly an insult to customers having to waste time on this nonsense. CO has "been working on fixing problems" for years...probably more years than some people on this board have been flying. I highly doubt this problem will be fixed. But you can keep believing..."maybe 6 months...maybe a year...maybe never."
I've experienced it as a non-status member on DL and agree it's frustrating. But never with UA.
May 9, 2013, 9:23 pm
#627
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: 2012 Plat-2013 Plat-2014 Silver-2015 GM
Posts: 818
May 9, 2013, 9:53 pm
#628
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
When was SMD4? Last November? I think the announcement that the entire CPU process is being reprogrammed from scratch was made then. So it hasn't really been a year--it's been more like six months.
May 9, 2013, 9:58 pm
#629
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
May 11, 2013, 12:11 pm
#630
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Floating somewhere in the midwest
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 42
Called Premier Line after checking in today...agent said my non-status companion was not eligible for complimentary E+ access or CPU. She stated only companions of Golds or higher are eligible for those benefits. I read her exactly what was on .bomb and she said it was incorrect. Claimed both she and her manager attempted to get companion E+.
Will call again and hope for different agent. Otherwise, will give companion my upgraded BC seat and E+ seat on second leg.
Thanks for the info though everyone!
Will call again and hope for different agent. Otherwise, will give companion my upgraded BC seat and E+ seat on second leg.
Thanks for the info though everyone!