Checking refund status: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
 

The UA website is giving a very informational response to my Check Refund Status request:

"Error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

Programmers!!

Problems when requesting a medical refund
 

Attempted to file a medical refund of a change fee (understand there still will be a $50 processing fee).
When to the Refund web page and selected e-ticket refund and selected the change fee option.
Filled in the data fields and then go to attach the doctor's letter
Browsed and selected 120KB PDF file -- No Upload button appears!!

Have used IE and FF, 2 different computers -- no success, No Upload button :confused:

Is anyone else having this problem? Any workarounds?
Operator error or website issue?

I don't see a process for calling and the letter is required.
Suggestions?

I had to file for one of these back in April -- at first I tried by phone, and fax, and got no response.

Then I filed one electronically, and that seemed to work the best. There was definitely an upload button when I went through it because I included a letter from a doctor. I was using Safari. Here are the steps I followed (sounds like you've done the same):
- On the united website, go to Refunds, under the "Reservations" drop down menu
- Choose e-ticket refund as the type
- Towards the bottom there is an "upload additional documentation" section
- choose your file
- after filling out the other parts of the page, click continue.

I think that the upload is automatic, but could be wrong.

In the end, that portion of the ticket was refunded, and no $50 processing fee was charged (maybe because I politely mentioned the hassle involved with filing one of these claims :)).

the instruction states there is a explicit "upload" button.

Additionally the first refund request (where I browsed the file) was denied because no letter was "submitted."

Works for me at http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...ds/refund.aspx . Here's what I see:

http://i.imgur.com/lHdSa.png

This is just an HTML form. Have you tried clearing your browser cache and restarting your computer?

I agree, but I think the "upload" button that they're referring to is the "choose" button or whatever your filesystem uses, when browsing for the file. I could be wrong. They also explicitly state that there's a "browse" button, but that one says "Choose File".

All I know is it worked for me and the letter must have made it along with the request, because it was processed.

where is the Upload Button? I see the browse but the submission done with the browse was denied because the file was not attached.

Jeez, OK, I see what you mean. There is no upload button. Reading through the source I see that this is kind of a mess. Tongue-in-cheek: try visiting UA Corporate and trying to save a file to "\\CIFS07\Persist7\cocom2\AdminFileUpload\".

I don't see an Upload button at all.

http://i.imgur.com/t5xOZ.png

Instead, after I click Continue at the bottom of the form, my file is automatically uploaded over http and the request gets processed and I get a confirmation code.

http://i.imgur.com/0pYO8.png

(Oops. Sorry, United.)

Can you confirm that the file you're trying to include matches UA's specs -- for example it's a PDF less than about a megabyte?

I ended up calling and getting transfered to the refunds desk. There is a procedure for adding a fax'ed file to an existing request.

No explanation why the file was not auto-uploaded or why the instructions states their is an Upload button.

Hi WineCountryUA, sorry for the issue and great catch! Looks like the wording we’ve used in the instructions isn’t quite right. It even varies between browsers and operating systems. We’ll work to fix this as I can certainly see the confusion. Others mention being able to successfully submit by browsing/choosing the file and then “continuing” (and that’s the experience we’ve been able to recreate here too). But, it sounds like that did not work for you either. I’m happy to hear you ended up speaking with the Refund group. If other pieces of the process didn’t work as well and you want to send them to me via PM, would be happy to see if there’s anything else we’re missing.

Shannon

Thanks for the feedback.
My best guess at the moment is due to my confused search for the upload button and trying different browser / computers is I messed up.

I will eventually have another Change Fee refund and I see how things go.

I did one the old fashioned way and mailed it via snail mail and it worked. :)

What's the deal with medical reasons and no change fee charged? This is new to me. I've had to cancel a couple of personal trips this year with myself and my family due to some medical problems and eventually surgery, and would have perhaps benefited had I known. On another trip my wife had to stay home to tend her post-op mother while the rest of us went on her trip.

Well, in my case I did have some surgery causing me to make changes to some reservations. Web support was assisting with the changes I needed to make and was kind enough to tell me that I could request a refund of the change fee, less the 50 dollars. Had to supply the information and statement from the doctor.

In some cases a non-refundable ticket with be refunded or more likely the change fee refunded The full refund is only if the passagner is unable to travel within one year.