UAs Official Response to HKG Ticketing/IT Error: Redeem @ Correct Amount or Redeposit
Jul 16, 2012, 9:28 pm
#151
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 690
I'd probably settle for some miles or a voucher
Jul 16, 2012, 9:31 pm
#152
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: IAD, and sometimes OMNI/PR. Currently: not far from IAD, but home will always be SAN (not far from the "touch my junk and I'll have you arrested" Memorial TSA Check Point) even if I'm not there so much these days.
Programs: UA, CO, Calcifer Award for Mad Haiku Skillz
Posts: 5,076
Ha! So it seems there ARE errors they CAN resolve quickly. 
Jul 16, 2012, 9:33 pm
#153
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Raleigh, NC, US
Posts: 74
I'm not a lawyer, and I know nothing about DOT regs on error fares, but I know enough about contract law to know that for a contract to be valid, you need consideration. When you book an award ticket, something of value has to flow from United to you (the flights) and from you to United (they get miles off of their books). As I understand it, the law looks at the presence of consideration (not fairness or adequacy) but somehow I think that 4 miles qualifies as the absence of consideration on UA's part! Plus, let's be real everyone: if you booked the 4-mile fare, you knew it was an error and not a real offer. That also would seem (to me) to influence whether there was consideration.
Any real lawyers what to chime in?
Still, I'll be totally floored if people don't get some sort of goodwill gift (miles or certs) from UA. Just some small token. If UA gives nothing, it'll show that they are truly as messed up these days as most people argue they are. After all, this was their screw up.
Any real lawyers what to chime in?
Still, I'll be totally floored if people don't get some sort of goodwill gift (miles or certs) from UA. Just some small token. If UA gives nothing, it'll show that they are truly as messed up these days as most people argue they are. After all, this was their screw up.
Amen to your last paragraph. As to the consideration issue, it would be more of an issue if the DOT did not specifically have the mistake rule, which basically says the fare has to be honored whether there is sufficient consideration or not. But even absent the DOT regs, the consideration they requested at the time of booking was paid and the tickets were issued. There is no doubt some consideration was exchanged, albeit minimal.
Jul 16, 2012, 9:34 pm
#154
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,812
Save the sermon. This is a matter of federal law and whether it was/is being followed by UA. And if the choices being offered to us by UA do not even acknowledge a violation, the parties involved have no choice but to fully pursue the remedies available to them under the law. That's just the way the law works, you know that. If UA doesn't want to play nice, we shouldn't either.
Jul 16, 2012, 9:38 pm
#155
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: CAE,AGS
Programs: AAExP, Hyatt Globalist, HHonors Gold, IHG Spire, Marriott Plat
Posts: 3,124
Just as an FYI my confirmation page showed 4 miles Required and Total Miles of 4 as well. It did not show what UA says was the 'disclosed' amount as I worked my way through booking. Not that it seems to matter....
Jul 16, 2012, 9:41 pm
#156
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Raleigh, NC, US
Posts: 74
Very true, but in my view UA is violating federal law by trying to rescind these tickets. They do not have the right to do it. They made a mistake and they are trying to get off unscathed. But they don't let us off unscathed. When things seem fair to us and they want a fee the answer is RULES RULES RULES. Turnabout is just fair play, I'm going to enforce every last entitlement of the rules just like they would on a 51 pound bag.
Jul 16, 2012, 9:44 pm
#157
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,080
It's days like today, when I'm embarrassed to be an online member of Milepoint and Flyertalk.
If you want to live a healthy stress-free life, move on. I won't bother with additional editorial comment, since it's already been discussed (not on this thread, but on many threads over the years).
If you're keeping score over the years, we've done well.
$25 fare SFO/CDG on UA
$20 BA fare in WT from the US to Europe/Middle east
$2.00 fare to ART (Watertown NY)
$1500 biz class fare NY/SYD/Auckland on UA
Larnaca fare
$25 room at the W Times Sq (that was a good one)
Etc etc etc.
dh
If you want to live a healthy stress-free life, move on. I won't bother with additional editorial comment, since it's already been discussed (not on this thread, but on many threads over the years).
If you're keeping score over the years, we've done well.
$25 fare SFO/CDG on UA
$20 BA fare in WT from the US to Europe/Middle east
$2.00 fare to ART (Watertown NY)
$1500 biz class fare NY/SYD/Auckland on UA
Larnaca fare
$25 room at the W Times Sq (that was a good one)
Etc etc etc.
dh
Jul 16, 2012, 9:44 pm
#158
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,816
I agree...I'd suggest everyone say "no." when they ask you to make a choice, just say no. say you bought a confirmed ticket....which was then ticketed by them and you expect them to honor it. see what they do....i'm not so sure they would cancel it. if it is the law...for all we know this is their way of decreasing their final costs of their screwup.
What you bought is a ticket to fly first class to Asia for four (4) miles.
Obviously a mistake. Move on, people.
(Though I do agree with the following sentiment - if UA can cancel tickets when it makes mistakes, clearly customers should be given the same latitude.)
Jul 16, 2012, 9:45 pm
#159
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near SEA
Programs: UA MM, AS MVPG75K, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,969
Jul 16, 2012, 9:45 pm
#160
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Very true, but in my view UA is violating federal law by trying to rescind these tickets. They do not have the right to do it. They made a mistake and they are trying to get off unscathed. But they don't let us off unscathed. When things seem fair to us and they want a fee the answer is RULES RULES RULES. Turnabout is just fair play, I'm going to enforce every last entitlement of the rules just like they would on a 51 pound bag.
Take action, show your color to UA and argue your case in the Federal Court, instead of an internet website!
Jul 16, 2012, 9:46 pm
#161
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,816
Yeah, I got the Lanarca fare (that is Cyprus, right)? I also remember something sweet to Rome, no?
Jul 16, 2012, 9:46 pm
#162
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: Landry's President's Club, Marriott Silver, Awesomeness EXPLT
Posts: 20,421
The other thing UA should do is throw a bone to the "disappointed" HKG ticket holders.
AA's shopping website company offered 2500 miles "on your next purchase" to anyone who bought one of those silly $5 Verizon products in the hopes of snagging the "promised" 80,000 AA miles.
UA could easily offer 5000 miles off your next award ticket (maybe with a 30 day time frame) to everyone who's getting their HKG rez cancelled.
Who's doing PR for this company? Use your noggin. Don't look like the heartless, uncaring huge corporation that your critics are making you out to be.
AA's shopping website company offered 2500 miles "on your next purchase" to anyone who bought one of those silly $5 Verizon products in the hopes of snagging the "promised" 80,000 AA miles.
UA could easily offer 5000 miles off your next award ticket (maybe with a 30 day time frame) to everyone who's getting their HKG rez cancelled.
Who's doing PR for this company? Use your noggin. Don't look like the heartless, uncaring huge corporation that your critics are making you out to be.
Cheers
Howie
Jul 16, 2012, 9:46 pm
#163
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,393
Jul 16, 2012, 9:46 pm
#164
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,998
Very true, but in my view UA is violating federal law by trying to rescind these tickets. They do not have the right to do it. They made a mistake and they are trying to get off unscathed. But they don't let us off unscathed. When things seem fair to us and they want a fee the answer is RULES RULES RULES. Turnabout is just fair play, I'm going to enforce every last entitlement of the rules just like they would on a 51 pound bag.
Jul 16, 2012, 9:48 pm
#165
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Programs: Hilton G/SPG G/IHG RA/Accor P/Aeroplan Elite/CZ S
Posts: 73
Purchase Summary
2 award 130,000 miles
additional $103.40
taxes/fees
-----------------------------------
Total Price 8 Miles and
$103.40
It didn't even mention "miles required"
at least for me, there are many ways to interpret this@:-) let alone the receipt we've received.