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
Nov 25, 2017, 8:03 am
#1156
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,462
Yeah, if you have instruments waitlisted, and you don't want to split, you need to remove the instruments prior to check-in. Otherwise, without instruments applied, you will be asked at check-in whether you want to split the PNR to waitlist for the CPU.
From my perspective, the most immediate consequence of the auto-split is that one pax can get upgraded without the other.
From my perspective, the most immediate consequence of the auto-split is that one pax can get upgraded without the other.
Nov 25, 2017, 8:09 am
#1157
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Posts: 337
I had a PNR split at check in last week, most likely due to waitlisted upgrades. And after the split my companion was not able to check in online. I did read about syncing the reservation by requesting a receipt and that actually resolved the problem. My companion retained BG2 and was even above me on the upgrade list, but lost premier access privileges which was not an issue at all.
Nov 25, 2017, 8:31 am
#1158
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,088
Recent trip AUS-Den. RT same reservation.
I’m Silver. Bride is not. On leg to Denver we are both on upgrade list. On return, I am. She is not.
This has happened before. Why was she on list for first leg, then split off with separate confirmation number?
I wasn’t too worried about it as we were about number. 20 in the list for a CRJ-700 with six FC sears. We had the E+ exit row with much more legroom than FC had.
Also, I keep seeing reference to an “instrument.”
Would soneone please tell me what that means?
I’m Silver. Bride is not. On leg to Denver we are both on upgrade list. On return, I am. She is not.
This has happened before. Why was she on list for first leg, then split off with separate confirmation number?
I wasn’t too worried about it as we were about number. 20 in the list for a CRJ-700 with six FC sears. We had the E+ exit row with much more legroom than FC had.
Also, I keep seeing reference to an “instrument.”
Would soneone please tell me what that means?
Nov 25, 2017, 9:06 am
#1159
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
Recent trip AUS-Den. RT same reservation.
I’m Silver. Bride is not. On leg to Denver we are both on upgrade list. On return, I am. She is not.
This has happened before. Why was she on list for first leg, then split off with separate confirmation number?
I wasn’t too worried about it as we were about number. 20 in the list for a CRJ-700 with six FC sears. We had the E+ exit row with much more legroom than FC had.
Also, I keep seeing reference to an “instrument.”
Would soneone please tell me what that means?
I’m Silver. Bride is not. On leg to Denver we are both on upgrade list. On return, I am. She is not.
This has happened before. Why was she on list for first leg, then split off with separate confirmation number?
I wasn’t too worried about it as we were about number. 20 in the list for a CRJ-700 with six FC sears. We had the E+ exit row with much more legroom than FC had.
Also, I keep seeing reference to an “instrument.”
Would soneone please tell me what that means?
An instrument, in this context, refers to an “upgrade instrument” to support an upgrade (as opposed to the complimentary upgrades that every elite member is waitlisted for automatically on eligible routes). These instruments include GPUs, RPUs, and miles + copay upgrades. The process for avoiding the split is different for the two cases, as UA will automatically split any reservation at check-in if it has a waitlisted instrument attached, without even asking.
Dec 16, 2017, 11:45 am
#1160
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: 1K
Posts: 220
Does IRROPS force auto split? Wife and I traveling in paid F, on all legs, international and encountered an emergency return to starting airport. After some frenzied work with the gate agent got on an alternate flight. Noticed the autosplit when wife (gold) got an email from customer service offering compensation for the issues, but I (1K) did not - so I checked reservations and noticed a new PNR for me. Not a big deal, but still a bit annoying.
Dec 16, 2017, 1:15 pm
#1161
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,461
Does IRROPS force auto split? Wife and I traveling in paid F, on all legs, international and encountered an emergency return to starting airport. After some frenzied work with the gate agent got on an alternate flight. Noticed the autosplit when wife (gold) got an email from customer service offering compensation for the issues, but I (1K) did not - so I checked reservations and noticed a new PNR for me. Not a big deal, but still a bit annoying.
Dec 16, 2017, 1:50 pm
#1162
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 32
Had a similar issue as UA NYC above...family of 4 on one confirmation split into separate PNR's due to RPU/GPU requests. No issues on outbound. On return however, my youngest was not linked back to the original locator record. I could not access his boarding pass etc. Again, no major issues however when I called the 1K desk, it took them almost an hour to find his reservation. He literally dropped out of the system. They couldn't find the original or the split. The agent had to delete the entire record, voiding the other confirmed reservations, and then start from scratch. I was very appreciative of her assistance, but annoyed that a minor got lost in the system. I wrote a lengthy letter to Oscar and got an immediate response from the executive compensation services department. They awarded me four $300 vouchers and 10K miles per account.
regardless of the outcome, something in the system needs to be fixed. I shudder to think what would have happened to a novice flyer or someone without access to 1K/GS service support.
regardless of the outcome, something in the system needs to be fixed. I shudder to think what would have happened to a novice flyer or someone without access to 1K/GS service support.
Dec 16, 2017, 2:10 pm
#1163
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: LAX
Programs: UA GS, Marriott Plat, SPG Plat, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 873
We had an interesting experience last month during our trip to Cabo. Wife and I are Global while daughter (2.5 years) is not. I booked a reservation using miles, with all three of us on the same PNR. When we checked in (at the airport, not online), our reservation was split three ways. Before boarding, during the document check process, I was #1 on the list while my wife was #2 , with one open seat in first. My daughter wasn't on the list since this was an award ticket. Anyhow, I informed the agent that my wife and I didn't want the upgrade, so #3 on the list ended up getting upgraded.
For the return, I didn't expect an issue since the flight was sold out in first. However, two days before departure, a couple of seats opened up. My wife got upgraded first, followed by me the next morning. Net result was that our daughter was in a middle seat in coach all by herself. Fortunately, my wife and I were upgraded to 4E and 4F (since they were the only seats open). The GS agent moved our daughter to 7D, right behind us, so we were able to work things out. Given my daughter's age, the FA was fine with having her sit on our laps in first the entire time, except for taxi, takeoff and landing when I sat in 7D.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining at all, since I appreciate the CPU on an award ticket and everything worked out at the end. In fact, in this case, I don't know if/how the system would have handled upgrading two of three passengers on a single PNR, especially since the third wasn't eligible for an upgrade.
For the return, I didn't expect an issue since the flight was sold out in first. However, two days before departure, a couple of seats opened up. My wife got upgraded first, followed by me the next morning. Net result was that our daughter was in a middle seat in coach all by herself. Fortunately, my wife and I were upgraded to 4E and 4F (since they were the only seats open). The GS agent moved our daughter to 7D, right behind us, so we were able to work things out. Given my daughter's age, the FA was fine with having her sit on our laps in first the entire time, except for taxi, takeoff and landing when I sat in 7D.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining at all, since I appreciate the CPU on an award ticket and everything worked out at the end. In fact, in this case, I don't know if/how the system would have handled upgrading two of three passengers on a single PNR, especially since the third wasn't eligible for an upgrade.
Dec 16, 2017, 4:59 pm
#1164
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,055
Strange thing happened last weekend. Traveling with my wife and at OLCI the PNR was split; nothing I could do, no option given. Strangly enough I was #1 and she was right behind me on all UG lists (she is only Silver) and we both got upgraded on 3/4 fights. Very strange, previously she would have fallen back on the list w/ her status priority but last weekend she kept mine ... weird
Jan 13, 2018, 11:28 am
#1165
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: DEN / SEA
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 132
Happened to us just a few days ago.
Flying from SFO to DFW - I am Plat and wife is Silver. We were both CPU requested but were not confirmed. When I checked in using the phone app it didn't ask me anything - but after I looked at the boarding passes I realized TSA-pre was not on my wife’s boarding pass. Then I realized PNRs were split. Neither of was were upgraded.
The frustrating thing is, on the return flight tomorrow, my CPU cleared as a single Platinum with room to spare. What this means is that had the PNR stayed together (it split for no reason) my wife would have been upgraded as Plat companion.
I am going to go look at upgrade options for my wife as I grind my teeth down...
Flying from SFO to DFW - I am Plat and wife is Silver. We were both CPU requested but were not confirmed. When I checked in using the phone app it didn't ask me anything - but after I looked at the boarding passes I realized TSA-pre was not on my wife’s boarding pass. Then I realized PNRs were split. Neither of was were upgraded.
The frustrating thing is, on the return flight tomorrow, my CPU cleared as a single Platinum with room to spare. What this means is that had the PNR stayed together (it split for no reason) my wife would have been upgraded as Plat companion.
I am going to go look at upgrade options for my wife as I grind my teeth down...
Jan 13, 2018, 11:45 am
#1166
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,890
Happened to us just a few days ago.
Flying from SFO to DFW - I am Plat and wife is Silver. We were both CPU requested but were not confirmed. When I checked in using the phone app it didn't ask me anything - but after I looked at the boarding passes I realized TSA-pre was not on my wife’s boarding pass. Then I realized PNRs were split. Neither of was were upgraded.
The frustrating thing is, on the return flight tomorrow, my CPU cleared as a single Platinum with room to spare. What this means is that had the PNR stayed together (it split for no reason) my wife would have been upgraded as Plat companion.
I am going to go look at upgrade options for my wife as I grind my teeth down...
Flying from SFO to DFW - I am Plat and wife is Silver. We were both CPU requested but were not confirmed. When I checked in using the phone app it didn't ask me anything - but after I looked at the boarding passes I realized TSA-pre was not on my wife’s boarding pass. Then I realized PNRs were split. Neither of was were upgraded.
The frustrating thing is, on the return flight tomorrow, my CPU cleared as a single Platinum with room to spare. What this means is that had the PNR stayed together (it split for no reason) my wife would have been upgraded as Plat companion.
I am going to go look at upgrade options for my wife as I grind my teeth down...
I had had a situation on an award (with no CC benefit) where I checked in with wife (gold) and daughter (3 - no status) and as expected, no splitting and none of us on the list. I know because all BPs has same PNR on t. When we arrived at the airport I noticed the three of us were all on the list (daughter first). And had been split. Upgraded into last 3 seats. I suspect it was an IM decision with overbooked Y over holidays with no other elites eligible, so they basically were helping to free up a couple of Y seats.
Apr 1, 2018, 8:53 pm
#1167
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
1k traveling companions in same reservation don’t have Premier Access and are BG3-4?
I was just looking at my boarding passes for our flight from Hawaii this evening and my boarding passes correct but my traveling companion‘s or not. I checked us all at the same time but our boarding passes for them say boarding group 3 or four and don’t have premier access. Heading to airport now. Can this be fixed at the counter? Worried about being charged for bags.
Apr 1, 2018, 9:08 pm
#1168
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
Just have them board with you in group 1. I do it all the time.
Apr 1, 2018, 9:11 pm
#1169
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
Apr 1, 2018, 9:15 pm
#1170
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
Security is the issue. I’m Pre and my wife got it. The 10yo is cool, but 13yo, without Premier access, is the slow down. We all got pre on the way out, but the kids didn’t get it on their BPs on the return. The BG sequence is a non issue for boarding, it is security and bags I’m concerned about.