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.

Thanks! I missed those, would have saved me a few bucks. Next time...

Hi Shannon,
I had to use this for the first time and successfully clicked continue, but when I go to check the status of the refund I see:

Your refund status:
Request Received - pending review

Error:
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Please contact your Customer Service representative at 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331).

a few days ago the refund was approved ^ but not yet showing on the credit card site yet.

based on posts of other folks, there appears to be a positive indicator of the attachment upload. Check the e-mail confirmation and look for "Your tracking number is xxxxxxxx. " If just after that is "x file(s) were attached to this request", the file(s) uploaded. If that additional sentence is not present, nothing was uploaded (as in my case).

reported when I talked to Refunds but didn't seem to be too interested (about this or the instruction problem)

Hi njcommodore, ah, I see. We'll look into this. Thanks for the example.

Shannon

Hi Shannon,
Got an email from Customer Service today saying I needed to provide additional information (specifically the letter I faxed). I called the elite desk who transferred me to refund desk. The very nice woman was aware of the upload problem and I emailed her the letter. If this is going to be a long fix could an email address get created/posted so we don't have to rely on faxing?

Refund request denied?
 

My fiancé and I had a trip to NYC planned. She had to have surgery and was ordered by her doctor to stay in bed rest for a month.

I cancelled the trip, requested and refund with the letter from the doctor stating that she could not travel and must stay in bed rest, and UA denied it.

Is that normal?

What was the fare rules? Some fares are non-refundable, and this is clearly indicated in the fare rules.

a full refund is probably to much for just a temporary grounding, but a reduce change fee is very common in this situation. (You pay the change fee and ask for a refund of all but $50 after making the new booking).

Huh? medical waivers apply to non-refundable fares

UA policy is clear-for a valid cancellation for medical reasons, UA will refund the fare paid or miles and taxes collected, less a $50 per ticket fee which is not waivable.

I find this policy very customer friendly and when I applied for a medical cancellation a few months ago, it was handled within a week without hassle. I mailed my documentation in.

resubmit it.

I got the same problem. anyone out there can help with this refund request from United?

Had the same issue with a refund for a cancelled tix using $/voucher together.

However, the actual status updated later on, regardless of the presence of the message.

long time issue and reported to UA multiple times

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...l#post19426757

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...a-refunds.html

The first link is broken.

Anyone knows the problem still persists?

I need to either cancel 2 refundable tickets or to rebook them to something else. Travel date is in August but we would be out of the country from Mid Jul and not come back until Mid Aug past the travel date.
So really need to do this before leaving.

I prefer to do the cancellation but after reading this thread I am afraid the refund would go to a black hole.