UA mistake award redemption rates for China travel [UA says will void tickets]
Jul 15, 2012, 3:09 pm
#151
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: US Silver, UA Plat, HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 212
It's gone.
Jul 15, 2012, 3:10 pm
#152
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 8
The deal shut down roughly two hours ago, I think before 3pm EST.
Jul 15, 2012, 3:15 pm
#153
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: los angeles
Programs: BA Silver, Marriott Gold, BA Silver, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, Amex Plat
Posts: 39
I thought I read that someone just booked it about 20 minutes ago.
Darn it....never able to get these mistake fares.
Thanks for the info guys
Darn it....never able to get these mistake fares.
Thanks for the info guys
Jul 15, 2012, 3:17 pm
#154
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: PHL, EWR
Programs: UA Gold; AA; Amtrak Select Plus;HH Diamond;Hyatt Disc;Hertz PC; Total Wine Grand Reserve!
Posts: 2,401
I booked a PHL-SIN roundtrip first class for late March. :-) Don't have enough miles to cover this in my account. The itinerary was ticketed and confirmed; the 4 miles haven't been deducted so far, so we shall see.
Jul 15, 2012, 3:19 pm
#155
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
Have you read the DOT regulations that went in to effect earlier this year? It completely changes the conversation regarding mistake fares. For itineraries that touch the United States, airlines are now required to honor mistake fares once the purchase is complete, full stop ... as Korean Airlines and several others found out with the RGN mistake fares where they were forced to reinstate cancelled tickets. The open question is how this applies to award tickets.
).But let's assume the DOT said these are tickets covered by this rule. Couldn't the airline still challenge the rulemaking? As I recall, agency rules are kind of like legal "suggestions," as they are not actual laws passed by Congress (is my recollection about this correct)?
While I'd be delighted to have my free biz class tickets to HKG honored, this strikes me as a very dumb rule, as it upsets longstanding (many hundreds of years) contract law. It is widely agreed that there is no binding contract under "mistake" circumstances where the buyer knew or should have known the offer price was a mistake. This obviously makes sense. Everybody makes mistakes and -- God knows -- airline ticket pricing is a very hard business. While I could understand something like a 5-day rule to catch mistakes, or a requirement that expenses made based on reasonable reliance be paid, requiring airlines to honor all mistake fares in all circumstances seems a bit ridiculous.
And expensive. Let's say that 2,000 biz class tickets to HKG were "given away" here. I would suggest that the value of each ticket is roughly $5000, meaning that UA would otherwise be able to (on average) sell these seats for that price (some would sell for more, some would go empty). That would make this a $10 million mistake -- it would actually be material to UA's Q3 earnings! I know others will feel differently, but it certainly doesn't seem "fair" to me that UA should be on the hook for this when we all knew it was a mistake.
Jul 15, 2012, 3:23 pm
#156
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Silver, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 4,091
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This is interesting as some people got the 4 mile redemption while others report getting hit with the full amount. Getting this reconciled between those will be fun.
This is interesting as some people got the 4 mile redemption while others report getting hit with the full amount. Getting this reconciled between those will be fun.
Jul 15, 2012, 3:25 pm
#157
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
Smi/j may I introduce you to karma.
Jul 15, 2012, 3:26 pm
#158
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA Plat 2MM. DL Plat, AS MVP
Posts: 12,752
Jul 15, 2012, 3:27 pm
#159
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 690
I'm guessing United will probably cancel these tickets. I'd assume such cancellation would be accompanied by some kind of goodwill gesture (even Cartera had the business sense to do that), but I guess I'm not sure.
Jul 15, 2012, 3:28 pm
#160
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: AMEX PLT, AA PPro, Spire AMB
Posts: 1,617
To be honest, I don't care if these tickets don't get honored, i have more than enough on SQ itineraries...but it feels nice to "stick" it to them just a little bit
Jul 15, 2012, 3:30 pm
#161
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,577
Pax stranded for three days at PVG, massive award miles discrepancy, withdrawal of "dream" miles, the problems are not ending for UA. Heh,
maybe this is just the beginning.
maybe this is just the beginning.
Jul 15, 2012, 3:31 pm
#162
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: United Premier Gold 1 MM
Posts: 113
Jul 15, 2012, 3:31 pm
#163
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
No wonder people at United use words like "over entitled" and don't give a crap what people on FT think. (hay, don't get me wrong - if I knew about this or SQ in time I would have taken advantage as well). But I would certainly understand why UA does not value my business any more. If they read these threads I'm sure they think many of the people on here are getting exactly the service from UA they deserve. And AFAIK they would be right
Jul 15, 2012, 3:32 pm
#164
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 690
I doubt the people that got hit with full mileage are going to be able to do anything at all. I am sure someone will try, but there won't be any good result.
Jul 15, 2012, 3:32 pm
#165
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But I hope I'm wrong! Good luck to all who grabbed this deal!