UAs Official Response to HKG Ticketing/IT Error: Redeem @ Correct Amount or Redeposit
Jul 18, 2012, 11:47 am
#976
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minneapolis, MN USA
Posts: 107
I recall one or more passengers were able to successfully fly over there within 24 hours of purchasing the mistake fare. Has anyone flown yesterday or even today? Are they concerned at all about how they will get back if the tickets get cancelled?
Just curious.
Just curious.
Jul 18, 2012, 11:49 am
#977
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: KSTP KSPG
Programs: AOPA
Posts: 974
I just don't see how United would risk the bad PR and leave you in Hong Kong half way through your trip.
Jul 18, 2012, 11:51 am
#978
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
This has been mentioned a couple of dozen times on this thread, but I'm not sure it gets round the rules unless they also didn't charge your card and send you a something. The DOT rules seem to suggest that if I've been charged and a receipt emailed then I'm covered, the fact that I'm not 'ticketed'. If (big if) UA back down on this then we have an indication that them charging the card for taxes and not deducting the miles still counts as a purchase, then the debate would be what counts as a confirmation under DOT rules...
Jul 18, 2012, 11:52 am
#979
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Here's our scenario, and yes I called the airline, but many hours after they shut down the 4 miles per trip.
I booked 2 one-way tickets and 2 round trip tickets to Hong Kong. The first set finished off a planned trip, and the second for a get away next year. Like everyone else that booked, the receipt had the usual final amount of 4 or 8 miles, and taxes detailed on the receipt. A couple of hours later, and as many have reported, we had substantial miles deducted from our account, but not to the level to cause the account to go negative. The mileage they deducted after ticketing did not match any published award level. How could that happen? Perhaps they had someone manually deducting miles from accounts that had been previously ticketed?
Being a bit intrigued by this, I called (and don't flame me as it has taken me a while to decide to share this) on Monday morning and requested they return the higher mileage deductions and honor the tickets. After two hours, they did just that. I have the deducted mileage back in my account and the tickets are still valid. They said the tickets would be honored, and the return of miles was based on the receipt. Obviously, I called prior to any of their CSRs knew what was going on, but they obviously had some procedure to follow.
I booked 2 one-way tickets and 2 round trip tickets to Hong Kong. The first set finished off a planned trip, and the second for a get away next year. Like everyone else that booked, the receipt had the usual final amount of 4 or 8 miles, and taxes detailed on the receipt. A couple of hours later, and as many have reported, we had substantial miles deducted from our account, but not to the level to cause the account to go negative. The mileage they deducted after ticketing did not match any published award level. How could that happen? Perhaps they had someone manually deducting miles from accounts that had been previously ticketed?
Being a bit intrigued by this, I called (and don't flame me as it has taken me a while to decide to share this) on Monday morning and requested they return the higher mileage deductions and honor the tickets. After two hours, they did just that. I have the deducted mileage back in my account and the tickets are still valid. They said the tickets would be honored, and the return of miles was based on the receipt. Obviously, I called prior to any of their CSRs knew what was going on, but they obviously had some procedure to follow.
As for your own immediate situation, I hope you have the name(s) of the CSR(s) you talked to and the office they were in, or at least kept track of when you called. But having the miles deducted and then returned to your account should constitute some proof that the ticket should stand.
Jul 18, 2012, 11:53 am
#980
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: DFW
Posts: 1,145
Here's our scenario, and yes I called the airline, but many hours after they shut down the 4 miles per trip.
I booked 2 one-way tickets and 2 round trip tickets to Hong Kong. The first set finished off a planned trip, and the second for a get away next year. Like everyone else that booked, the receipt had the usual final amount of 4 or 8 miles, and taxes detailed on the receipt. A couple of hours later, and as many have reported, we had substantial miles deducted from our account, but not to the level to cause the account to go negative. The mileage they deducted after ticketing did not match any published award level. How could that happen? Perhaps they had someone manually deducting miles from accounts that had been previously ticketed?
Being a bit intrigued by this, I called (and don't flame me as it has taken me a while to decide to share this) on Monday morning and requested they return the higher mileage deductions and honor the tickets. After two hours, they did just that. I have the deducted mileage back in my account and the tickets are still valid. They said the tickets would be honored, and the return of miles was based on the receipt. Obviously, I called prior to any of their CSRs knew what was going on, but they obviously had some procedure to follow.
I booked 2 one-way tickets and 2 round trip tickets to Hong Kong. The first set finished off a planned trip, and the second for a get away next year. Like everyone else that booked, the receipt had the usual final amount of 4 or 8 miles, and taxes detailed on the receipt. A couple of hours later, and as many have reported, we had substantial miles deducted from our account, but not to the level to cause the account to go negative. The mileage they deducted after ticketing did not match any published award level. How could that happen? Perhaps they had someone manually deducting miles from accounts that had been previously ticketed?
Being a bit intrigued by this, I called (and don't flame me as it has taken me a while to decide to share this) on Monday morning and requested they return the higher mileage deductions and honor the tickets. After two hours, they did just that. I have the deducted mileage back in my account and the tickets are still valid. They said the tickets would be honored, and the return of miles was based on the receipt. Obviously, I called prior to any of their CSRs knew what was going on, but they obviously had some procedure to follow.
Jul 18, 2012, 11:53 am
#981
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Programs: Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 261
That's right, and I have a very hard time trying to justify that isn't stealing. It is. There is no other word for it.
Jul 18, 2012, 11:54 am
#982
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,149
I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but to be honest, I went to bed Sunday night fully expecting my trip to have completely disappeared by Monday morning. At least from my point of view, had UA cancelled this thing within the first 24 hours, I would have just shrugged my shoulders and said "oh well" and not given it another thought, except for my post-mortem "what if" dreams.
However, if they're retroactively debiting accounts for the "correct" mileages, that crosses a line IMHO. While I think the way UA presented the alternatives (pay up or cancel with no penalty) was atrocious, ultimately I believe they were the right alternatives. Perhaps UA felt that they'd get in even more regulatory trouble cancelling the mistake tickets?
Jul 18, 2012, 11:54 am
#984
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Raleigh, NC, US
Posts: 74
Where are you expecting defense costs to rack up on a case with no contested facts? Are they gonna depose my sister who watched me book the ticket to see if it happened the way myself and 1,000 other people have already told them it happened?
Jul 18, 2012, 12:01 pm
#985
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: UA 1MM/1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 6,832
Here's our scenario, and yes I called the airline, but many hours after they shut down the 4 miles per trip.
I booked 2 one-way tickets and 2 round trip tickets to Hong Kong. The first set finished off a planned trip, and the second for a get away next year. Like everyone else that booked, the receipt had the usual final amount of 4 or 8 miles, and taxes detailed on the receipt. A couple of hours later, and as many have reported, we had substantial miles deducted from our account, but not to the level to cause the account to go negative. The mileage they deducted after ticketing did not match any published award level. How could that happen? Perhaps they had someone manually deducting miles from accounts that had been previously ticketed?
Being a bit intrigued by this, I called (and don't flame me as it has taken me a while to decide to share this) on Monday morning and requested they return the higher mileage deductions and honor the tickets. After two hours, they did just that. I have the deducted mileage back in my account and the tickets are still valid. They said the tickets would be honored, and the return of miles was based on the receipt. Obviously, I called prior to any of their CSRs knew what was going on, but they obviously had some procedure to follow.
I booked 2 one-way tickets and 2 round trip tickets to Hong Kong. The first set finished off a planned trip, and the second for a get away next year. Like everyone else that booked, the receipt had the usual final amount of 4 or 8 miles, and taxes detailed on the receipt. A couple of hours later, and as many have reported, we had substantial miles deducted from our account, but not to the level to cause the account to go negative. The mileage they deducted after ticketing did not match any published award level. How could that happen? Perhaps they had someone manually deducting miles from accounts that had been previously ticketed?
Being a bit intrigued by this, I called (and don't flame me as it has taken me a while to decide to share this) on Monday morning and requested they return the higher mileage deductions and honor the tickets. After two hours, they did just that. I have the deducted mileage back in my account and the tickets are still valid. They said the tickets would be honored, and the return of miles was based on the receipt. Obviously, I called prior to any of their CSRs knew what was going on, but they obviously had some procedure to follow.
Jul 18, 2012, 12:02 pm
#986
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA Gold, Delta Gold, AA Plat
Posts: 1,269
the author reminds united/continental what they said earlier: "In a March 2010 story I did on mistake fares, a United spokeswoman said the carrier’s policy was to honor mistake fares because “that is the right thing to do,’’ and she cited a 2007 example where United had done just that. Continental, Southwest and JetBlue all said they honor their mistakes."
Jul 18, 2012, 12:03 pm
#987
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: UA 1MM/1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 6,832
The Department of Transportation is investigating United Airlines after the carrier sold tickets Sunday to and from Hong Kong for only four frequent-flier miles plus taxes, then announced it wouldn’t honor those reservations. It may be the first major test of a new pro-consumer ticket-buying regulation.
Jul 18, 2012, 12:05 pm
#988
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 537
Here's our scenario, and yes I called the airline, but many hours after they shut down the 4 miles per trip.
I booked 2 one-way tickets and 2 round trip tickets to Hong Kong. The first set finished off a planned trip, and the second for a get away next year. Like everyone else that booked, the receipt had the usual final amount of 4 or 8 miles, and taxes detailed on the receipt. A couple of hours later, and as many have reported, we had substantial miles deducted from our account, but not to the level to cause the account to go negative. The mileage they deducted after ticketing did not match any published award level. How could that happen? Perhaps they had someone manually deducting miles from accounts that had been previously ticketed?
Being a bit intrigued by this, I called (and don't flame me as it has taken me a while to decide to share this) on Monday morning and requested they return the higher mileage deductions and honor the tickets. After two hours, they did just that. I have the deducted mileage back in my account and the tickets are still valid. They said the tickets would be honored, and the return of miles was based on the receipt. Obviously, I called prior to any of their CSRs knew what was going on, but they obviously had some procedure to follow.
I booked 2 one-way tickets and 2 round trip tickets to Hong Kong. The first set finished off a planned trip, and the second for a get away next year. Like everyone else that booked, the receipt had the usual final amount of 4 or 8 miles, and taxes detailed on the receipt. A couple of hours later, and as many have reported, we had substantial miles deducted from our account, but not to the level to cause the account to go negative. The mileage they deducted after ticketing did not match any published award level. How could that happen? Perhaps they had someone manually deducting miles from accounts that had been previously ticketed?
Being a bit intrigued by this, I called (and don't flame me as it has taken me a while to decide to share this) on Monday morning and requested they return the higher mileage deductions and honor the tickets. After two hours, they did just that. I have the deducted mileage back in my account and the tickets are still valid. They said the tickets would be honored, and the return of miles was based on the receipt. Obviously, I called prior to any of their CSRs knew what was going on, but they obviously had some procedure to follow.
Jul 18, 2012, 12:07 pm
#989
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MBS/FNT/LAN
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Mariott Gold
Posts: 9,630
So some thoughts here..... and these are more of out-loud questions (rather then stating any facts):
Am I correct in assuming DoT CANNOT make UA honor the tickets.... they can only (and this is potentially) fine UA for not honoring them?
If that is the case.... what is the fine? 100.00? 500.00? 5000.00?
Maybe right now UA is cost analyzing the problem?
And now the speculation (and I am just pulling round numbers out of my rear... so please don't hold me to them):
UA Figures 1000 people booked tickets, and those tickets have a value of $10000.00 so this is "costing" $10,000,000.00, plus the lost revenue from those 1000 seats out of inventory. Cost to UA $10MM+
DoT says, if you cancel.... we will fine you $5000 per complaint (and only 1/2 the people complain) $2.5MM
So UA unilatterally cancels the tickets and figured they saved $7.5MM?
****Again, Do not hold me to the numbers.
Am I correct in assuming DoT CANNOT make UA honor the tickets.... they can only (and this is potentially) fine UA for not honoring them?
If that is the case.... what is the fine? 100.00? 500.00? 5000.00?
Maybe right now UA is cost analyzing the problem?
And now the speculation (and I am just pulling round numbers out of my rear... so please don't hold me to them):
UA Figures 1000 people booked tickets, and those tickets have a value of $10000.00 so this is "costing" $10,000,000.00, plus the lost revenue from those 1000 seats out of inventory. Cost to UA $10MM+
DoT says, if you cancel.... we will fine you $5000 per complaint (and only 1/2 the people complain) $2.5MM
So UA unilatterally cancels the tickets and figured they saved $7.5MM?
****Again, Do not hold me to the numbers.
Jul 18, 2012, 12:09 pm
#990
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA Gold, Delta Gold, AA Plat
Posts: 1,269
nbc is on it as well:
http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_ne...ier-miles?lite
“We don’t discuss investigations that may be underway, but to date we have not issued a penalty regarding the ban on post-purchase price increases that took effect in January,” said DOT spokesman Bill Mosley.
http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_ne...ier-miles?lite
“We don’t discuss investigations that may be underway, but to date we have not issued a penalty regarding the ban on post-purchase price increases that took effect in January,” said DOT spokesman Bill Mosley.