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
Aug 15, 2018, 12:43 pm
#1291
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Before OLCI or before T-25h to departure of the first flight segment? If only the former, the SSR tag needs to be removed as well.
Aug 15, 2018, 5:08 pm
#1292
was thetravelingRedhead
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So from what I gather in this thread, its been nearly 6 years of this issue causing people who opted out of this to still have split PNRs, but it's still happening?
Why does this not surprise me at all.
Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
Why does this not surprise me at all.
Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
Aug 15, 2018, 5:32 pm
#1293
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Not quite true. UA's IT simply can't accommodate it. One can easily opt out by declining the upgrade and pulling PNRS before check-in. Or booking one-ways.
This is not to absolve UA IT, but it's not as simple as "happening to those who opt out".
Aug 15, 2018, 5:41 pm
#1294
was thetravelingRedhead
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Should have formulated my thought more along these lines. Interesting that the IT cannot accommodate it.
Aug 15, 2018, 6:10 pm
#1295
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Specifically, SHARES cannot process upgrades of a multi-pax PNR once any passenger on the PNR has checked-in. At that point, upgrades can only be processed for single passenger PNRs. So the auto-split is an attempt by UA to permit passengers to obtain upgrades despite the system limitation. In practice, it can cause problems, as this thread attests.
Aug 16, 2018, 1:41 am
#1296
Join Date: Feb 2014
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- It was before OLCI but after T-25
- I was on the phone with an agent who removed both the RPU and the CPU requests
Aug 16, 2018, 8:38 am
#1297
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Aug 16, 2018, 9:55 am
#1298
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SSR ("Special Service Request," I think) is the notation on the PNR that gets picked up by the check-in process and causes the split to occur. The agent didn't remove it; hence, you still got split. If you'd removed the instrument upgrade prior to the time that this tag got added, you wouldn't have split. As findark says, that normally happens around T-25 -- it triggers the "we're sorry you didn't get upgraded, but we'll add you to the upgrade standby list" message.
Aug 17, 2018, 7:13 am
#1299
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 397
I did. Still got split.
So if I were to call in, inside of T-25, and ask the agent to pull the SSR, would that help?
SSR ("Special Service Request," I think) is the notation on the PNR that gets picked up by the check-in process and causes the split to occur. The agent didn't remove it; hence, you still got split. If you'd removed the instrument upgrade prior to the time that this tag got added, you wouldn't have split. As findark says, that normally happens around T-25 -- it triggers the "we're sorry you didn't get upgraded, but we'll add you to the upgrade standby list" message.
Aug 17, 2018, 8:11 am
#1300
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Aug 22, 2018, 12:44 pm
#1301
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I don't travel with companions often, so excuse the obvious question...I've read the wiki, and read most of the thread. If the goal is to get both passengers upgraded, is the recommended idea to split the PNR at check in? Do I wait until T-4 to check in?
Aug 22, 2018, 2:06 pm
#1302
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It's not whether the goal is to get both upgraded -- that's always the goal 
The question is whether it's okay if only one of you clears, or if you're willing to sacrifice some upgrade chances to make sure you don't get separated. To stay together, wait to check-in. Otherwise check in and split the PNR right away.
The question is whether it's okay if only one of you clears, or if you're willing to sacrifice some upgrade chances to make sure you don't get separated. To stay together, wait to check-in. Otherwise check in and split the PNR right away.
Aug 23, 2018, 10:13 am
#1303
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It's not whether the goal is to get both upgraded -- that's always the goal
The question is whether it's okay if only one of you clears, or if you're willing to sacrifice some upgrade chances to make sure you don't get separated. To stay together, wait to check-in. Otherwise check in and split the PNR right away.
The question is whether it's okay if only one of you clears, or if you're willing to sacrifice some upgrade chances to make sure you don't get separated. To stay together, wait to check-in. Otherwise check in and split the PNR right away.
Sep 25, 2018, 5:42 pm
#1304
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 65
Upgrade question for two people on same itinerary
I and my partner are both on the same itinerary and are currently on standby for upgrade. However, there is currently just one seat available. My question is: is there a possibility for just one person to be upgraded (to the only available seat) while the other traveler on same itinerary doesn't get upgraded? In other words, does the condition for getting two people upgraded on the same itinerary holds only if both parties can be upgraded? Thanks
Sep 25, 2018, 5:46 pm
#1305
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If you are on the same PNR, and only one seat is available for upgrade, you will be skipped and the next single pax will get the upgrade.