channa

Sorry about the issues, but I'm not sure the reaction is appropriate. This stuff is par for the course with UA these days.

Yes, they promised a hotel and it couldn't be delivered. They gave you $200/each plus extra food for the inconvenience. What more did you want in that situation?

Then you asked for your vouchers to be combined, which they did. Yes, it took a long time, but so does everything with UA on SHARES these days.

Then they dropped your reservation but reinstated it in comparable seats in the same cabin. That's an everyday occurrence with United using CO's computer system.

Also, why weren't you in the United Club. Doesn't a ticket in First Class to Mexico get you club access?

As for your vouchers, UA flies GDL-SFO/LAX/IAH with onward connections. $600 probably covers most major markets with a good fare and advance purchase. Just pick where you want to go and go for it.

If you want to maximize, you can use the $600 on two tickets -- sometimes SFO or LAX can be had for the low to mid $300's.

leonidas

Yeah I would not read your email if I were Martin Hand. The email looks like it's 5 pages, and full of unprofessional rant.

If you want them to listen to you, write a one-two paragraph email, and write it professionally.

aacharya

OP won't listen, and neither will UA. Why compensate someone who won't ever fly UA again?

Lurker1999

Technically it would be 'compensate more' as the OP is already holding two $600 vouchers.

On the other hand I do have some sympathy for the OP's situation. This all started with VDB situation gone horribly awry. I do think that due to the OP's inexperience, recovery was worse than it could have been. If a room/sleep was that important why not ask at the information desk the following morning if any hotels had openings? Also why not use the pay showers?

It's really a shame that none of the United agents told them they could wait in the club. That would have been a nice gesture.

It appears this took place Nov 8, 2012. What was going on in SFO that week?

To the OP, I appreciate the 100% SC status and understand what it means. But it's completely irrelevant to the letter.

FlyWorld

When I wrote to them, I summarized everything that happened to me in a moderately sized paragraph then I attached the details in a point by point form in a PDF file.

So an executive opening that email could understand the totality of the situation in less than one minute.

And, it got two responses.

Agreed. Just say what happened. Nobody has time for the rest.

BRLAhere

xxxxx

FlyWorld

Where do you want to go?

gengar

I wouldn't worry about the letter. This forum on FT is sadly well known for jumping down the throats especially of new posters/less-experienced fliers and this thread has demonstrated it is no exception. The letter wasn't even a central part of the thread in any case.

I do like mre5765's suggestion of either trying to combine the two vouchers or using them on one-way tickets and then using miles for the rest. The vouchers will take a big chunk out of even F tix to many domestic locations.

BRLAhere

The only time I have ever used accrued air miles with CO, it cost me 140,000 miles for a RT GDL-LAS in coach. Thinking the formula may be more costly now, I'm not sure how far I can go with my current miles (110,000) and each of us holding $600 travel vouchers in addition.

We would like to travel 1st class, RT from GDL via SFO to wherever these miles & vouchers will take us. We had even considered doing a week (or so) in SFO. I will purchase additional fare if necessary. We can even originate in the U.S. if more favorable to us.

Seattle would not be our first choice, but a June trip there could be justified. I would prefer somewhere near Yellowstone for a summer visit. I plan to take my wife to Disney World in October, but those connections would be thru IAH (small aircraft out of GDL, no 1st class). We're open to anything for late Spring-Summer-Fall with favorable climate.

There is no particular destination for us.

Lurker1999

GDL-SFO-HNL should be 37,500 per person each way for a domestic first class flight. That would use up 75,000 of your 110,000 miles. If you added on two more stops on Hawaiian you could then use up more of your miles. Three segments in any combination bringing you back to HNL or ending in OGG would then use up 105,000 total miles. You could then use the $600 vouchers towards one-way tickets back to GDL as you intended although that may involve throwing another $600+ United's way. Economy back would of course be cheaper and may even come close to being covered fully by the voucher.

Alternatively if you don't mind flying in economy you could use the miles to get yourself round-trip to EWR and then using the vouchers towards a cheaper European destination (again in economy).

channa

I would isolate the miles and the money. The money has to be used to/from the USA (it's UA money, UA only flies to/from the USA). The miles can be used anywhere.

One of the good values ex-Mexico is to the Caribbean. If you don't transit the USA, it's 20K each way in Business Class. Airline would have to be CM or TA or one of the other Latin carriers.

So you could book say GDL-PTY-CUR for 40K RT in Business Class per person. You could even take a stopover on that if you wanted (e.g., in Panama) for no additional miles.

Then use the $600/each for a USA trip of some sort.

BRLAhere

Your information and advice sounds good. A Caribbean trip might be a possibility. Obviously, I have a lot to learn (based on your statement):

First, I'm unsure who CM or TA airlines are.

Also, I think more Latin carriers would be available out of Mexico City than GDL. I thought COPA was the only airlines flying south who was partnered with UA. How do I find out who accepts MileagePlus miles? When you say miles can be used anywhere, leads me to believe I'm in the dark and there are lots of other alternatives to choose from.

How does one find out who accepts UA miles? How do I find out how many miles per carrier is required. Do I just pick airlines and try to call them, or is there a central website, chart or reference I can go to? This is really above my head, but I sure would like to become privy to all the sources that are available to research for various carriers and their mileage requirements.

Please pass on any helpful resources to me and forgive my ignorance to all this.

Thank you!

sbm12

Copa and Taca.

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...s/default.aspx

Did you really never consider going to the company website and looking at the MileagePlus link clearly labeled on the front page?