PV_Premier

I chalk it up to ADHD revenue management trying to milk every possible dollar out of short notice bookings -- at least when it comes to flights with 3 cabin...

NYRunner2

First time I have had to play the waitlist game on SYD-LAX, and based on all I have read it doesn't seem promising. I have an E class fare, depart 9/27 and right now it is showing:

Available Cabins: F2, FN2, A2, ON2, O1, J6, JN6, C6, D6, Z2, ZN2, P1, PN0, R0, RN0, IN0, I0, Y9, YN9, B9, M9, E9, U9, H9, HN9, Q9, V9, W9, S9, T9, L9, K9, G0, N0, XN9, X9

I had to change my ticket and it now shows R Class requested, with the GPU back in my account but the 1K desk assures me I am on the waitlist. We are just about 72 hours out now. Should I be buying a neck pillow for the long haul in E+ or do I have a shot here? Thanks.

Kacee

My theory is their algorithm is overly sensitive to certain inputs, such that small changes in those inputs cause large irrational changes in inventory. Last flight I watched closely was SFO-HKG which kept swinging wildly between P9 and D0 before I cleared off the waitlist at T-4 days. I saw similar behavior last week with an SFO-HNL fare, which kept swinging, literally hour to hour, between a $594 T and a $1359 M. I did manage to catch it on the downswing

Kacee

If the GPU was returned to your account, you should be back on the phone with UA.

J6 is not hopeless, particularly on an E fare.

expo

amen to that! yup, will be monitoring regularly. and of course, T-24 for R's...

richfish13

Do you get anything if the domestic leg doesn't clear? I cleared SFO-HKG but am still waiting on IAH-SFO. It's a 787 flight so it's definitely a bummer if I dont clear

tvroadman

Seven months ago I book two tickets to TLV via EWR with a return. As a 1K since the merger & A Continental Platinum before that with over 100,000 miles a year on Continental.(All domestic Tvl BTW) I used 4 Global upgrade for this vacation. The Cle to Ewr cleared right away and the usual waitlist for BF ensued. I even upped the fare class above the only need "W" to make this work. Now with only two weeks to the flight and only 4 BF seats left it looks very doubtful the upgrade will happen. Where is the incentive for us as 1K's to remain with an airline that won't take care of its bread and butter flyers. I am truly disappointed with these people. I would bet my right leg that if I was a GS customer, and bought a "W" fare that it would be upgraded immediately. Come on United, fix this.

bajrbajr

I hate to burst your bubble, but just because you are a 1K it doesn't mean you are UA's "bread & butter." It seems to me that UA sets the bar at HV customer where ever the spend threshold is to qualify for GS.

From what I've read here on FT, EWR-TLV is a very tough upgrade.

rankourabu

ok, so you are saying your W fare and 1K status is more bread and butter than the other 46 people that have actually paid (or had OPM pay) to be upfront?

btw, for the price of a UA W fare, you could have had flown confirmed BA premium economy.

EWR764

EWR-TLV is a notoriously difficult upgrade in most cases, though perhaps a bit easier than in years past as a result of increased competition.

A GPU isn't an entitlement to an upgrade, and even a GS wouldn't clear two weeks out on a W fare with R0 showing. The GPUs are a nice benefit, but, similar to when using miles, the likelihood of getting the inventory I want tends to be reduced when I don't have flexibility as to time, date and flight.

tvroadman

No I don't have a "W'....I upped to an "H" Fare.....read before you speak.....OH, so folks who don't travel domestice arn't considered bread and butter.....I see.........seriously. My but is probably in the chair more then some of the GS that take their twice a month trips overseas.

Tblack15

Relax... the bought fare class doesn't matter as much as the R fare class availability.. which is the upgrade from Y bucket.. If you want immediate upgrades, you need to use expert mode to see what the R availability is before you pay for the W, V, H, whatever class you book in pursue of a GPU clearance.

rankourabu

seriously. are you out to prove the 'overentitled' statements?
or are you just bitter because you didnt qualify for GS?

How is it that you cannot comprehend that you are not important to UA?
Where have you been in the last 3 years of gutting benefits and continuous kick sin the balls for all elite levels?


I have waitlisted SFO-HKG and NRT-SFO for February on empty planes. I dont expect them to clear close in. My only hope is that by some miracle an R space will open up before the work flyers start buying tickets close in (the actual bread and butter whose companies are forced to buy close-in H/B fares)

SFO777

UA also benefits from no "premium" competition on this route. LX has terrible connection timing and LH flies their lame EU Y-with-an-open-seat-middle J the last 4+ hours from FRA. So I suspect a reasonable amount of paid J here. I bit the bullet and booked two Standard Award BF seats for our Christmas trip. The timing was so much better than all other options.

bajrbajr

You are missing the point... BUTT-IN SEAT miles don't matter as much as SPEND. UA would much rather have someone who spends $35k on 5 r/t's, than someone who spends $10k on 25 r/t's.