emcampbe

Well, just checked an email from an ETC I got a couple of months ago, and in the T&Cs (which are in the email itself) it does say this (bolded is the relevant portion:

That seems to be what you couldn't find, but it is there (you can view the terms from certs issued at the airport by going onto United.com and looking up with your PIN on the promotional certificates page).

In fact, the wording would seem to me, since there aren't further details, that you could only use one per purchase as opposed to per ticket/person. They could probably argue, without changing terms, that you could only use one per transaction, no matter how many people are on the reservation.

transportprof

I recently booked a one way ticket for Mrs. Transportprof and me SMF-YVR on a single PNR and applied two separate ETCs to cover the full value. So it does seem to be one cert per pax in practice.

TomMM

I recently booked a domestic itinerary and applied a $125 ETC. If I were to change the itinerary to an INTL trip with a codeshare segment on LH, what happens to the original value of the ETC? Will it be applied to the cost of the new itinerary or is it lost?

emcampbe

I've done this as well - you can most definitely apply one per passenger, at least now. Just saying the wording could easily be interpreted differently by UA at some point if they only wanted to allow one per purchase, or something like that.

Tchiowa

I never thought UA could get me this worked up, but they did.

I fly BKK/NRT/SFO/NRT/BKK several times a year in Business or First. Mrs. T always flies with me. Flights between NRT and BKK are United code share operated by ANA.

Last year we had to change dates on a ticket I already had issued. Travel had not started. I paid the $200/ticket change fee. Then they informed me that the fare for the new dates was significantly lower than the fare I had paid. So they owed me roughly $750 per ticket. But because of the fare class they couldn't refund the difference so they would have to issue me travel certificates. Not a problem since I know I'll be traveling again.

So today I go to buy another set of tickets. Exact same itinerary. Same flights, new dates. I can't find a place to enter the certificate numbers. So I call the 1k line. They inform me that since the itinerary includes a code share I cannot use the certificates! They certs were issued *from* a code share flight but I can't use them on the same, exact flights? I asked for a supervisor. Her name was Barbara (don't know if the mods allow us to name people). Rude as all heck. Told me "We can't, can't, can't. Listen to me. We can't, can't, can't".

So I'm out $1,500. I find their policy dishonest.

I am now the proud owner of 2 tickets I got on points. I have a few more to use. Then I guess I'm going to be an ANA customer.

And once my miles are all consumed I'm going to find out if Small Claims Court agrees with United or me.

BOSTransplant

I enjoy piling on UA as much as the next guy, but I don't understand your complaint. It says right under the certificates Terms and Conditions (https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/pro...ficates.aspx):

Valid for use on flights operated by United and United Express®only.

zrs70

Use the carts to buy a no-fee, changeable ticket on United.

Once ticketted, use the new ticket to buy the route you really want.

Cumbersome? Yes. Does it work? Yes. Need for small claims court? No.

It bothers me that UA can't at least help you to think outside of the box to turn the "we can't" to "let's figure out how we can."

PV_Premier

SCC wouldn't get the OP the results desired either.

OP could also buy SFO-SIN tickets on United metal and use miles or $$ to go from BKK to SIN to start the ticket. In fact with the nonstop flight getting going soon, I would much rather go to BKK on that route than via NRT + the ANA kneecrusher. YMMV.

Tchiowa

It doesn't say that on the certificate and when they said they were going to refund me using certs they didn't say that. Further, 75% of the itinerary (2 of 4 flights, but they are the TATL flights) are on United metal. Operated by United.

TomMM

Were these issued as ETCs? I've recently used 2 ETCs and each one contains:

8) Travel permitted on flights operated by United or operated by other airlines and branded "United Express". Otherwise, it is not valid on flights operated by other airlines, such as United-marketed code share and Star Alliance flights.

zrs70

SCC?

WineCountryUA

Small Claims Court

thejaredhuang

So I tried to do this today: booked a refundable ticket, cancelled it and tried to change flights to a partner only flight. The website says to call United to complete my booking so I called the agent and he said I can't change to a partner flight. Should I try another agent? It seems like if I can get the desired flight itinerary held then I should be ok but with the new website you can't do cash payments anymore so I can't hold the itinerary.

EDIT:
New agent had no problem doing what I desired if United had a codeshare on the route I wanted. Since it was a straight partner flight the system is unable to do it.

subarge

I have two $125 ETCs for my wife and I. I would like to be able to use them on flight in May from YYC-PHX which is operated by Air Canada. Normally it wont let me use my ETCs. Am I still able to use the workaround? Buy a fully refundable fare and pay with ETCs. Cancel and use funds for partner fare?

If so, im confused about how united issues the refund, will it be in the same form as ETC or another type of credit?

bioyuki

Long story, we book travel through HRG, and a ticket had to be refunded. There now exists a credit, but when I try to apply the credit, I'm being told that it can only be applied towards a United operated flight, not a United-marketed or codeshare flight?

Is this the case? This makes no sense given UA makes money on the marketed flights and have a JV with LH...