Jun 30, 2013, 9:22 am
Last edit by: PTahCha
I am flying on LH, but the ticket was not issued by LH; it is a code share. May I use a paper GPU?
Yes, the terms and conditions printed on the paper GPU are explicit on this point. Note that starting in 2014, when PQD-based elite qualification starts for 2015, flights on LH metal but not on UA 016 ticket stock earn zero PQDs, so we hope these terms and conditions continue.
How soon should I attempt to request to be added to the upgrade wait list (aka as the grading list)?
Because LH policy is to not upgrade a pax if there are not enough meals for that cabin, and because catering, even in FRA, requires as much as three hours notice, you should plan to present your request 3.5 hours before the flight departs.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC, how many GPUs do I need?
Two.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. When I check in at AAA, can I be added to the upgrade list for BBB-CCC?
Policy says no. There have been exceptions reported.
Can I be added to the upgrade list over the phone?
Policy says no.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. When I check in at AAA, can the LH people there alert catering in BBB that I intend to upgrade BBB-CCC?
Policy says yes. In practice, it rarely works. There have been exceptions reported.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. AAA-BBB is not LH metal, BBB-CCC is LH metal. When I arrive in BBB there won't be any LH people airside to request addition to the grading list. What should I do?
Exit the airside area of BBB 3.5 hours before the next LH flight from BBB departs and head to the LH check in counter.
I have reserved a special meal. May I use a GPU and eat my special meal?
Policy says no. A special meal will prevent you from being upgraded.
As a pax departing in F on LH metal may I use the LH FCL or FCT?
Yes.
As a pax arriving in F on LH metal may I use the LH FCL?
Yes.
As a pax departing in F on LH metal may I use the UA GFL?
Yes if not departing from IAD. In IAD you may be directed to the LH Senators Lounge , which is contrary to the Star Alliance lounge access policy and may not be official; see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20895856-post36.html .
As a pax arriving in F on LH metal may I use the UA GFL?
No.
If I am connecting in a station that has an FCT, and I am departing on LH metal in F, may I use the FCT?
Yes.
What are my chances upgrading from J to F on LH metal?
In general, very good. The earlier you try, the better.
If I go to the airport the night before departure, can I be added to the grading list?
Policy says no, but there have been exceptions reported, such as someone who has an overnight layover.
If I go to the airport the day of departure, but before I am ready to check bags, can I be added to upgrade list?
Yes.
I am traveling on a fare class that is not explicitly listed as permitted or prohibited on the paper GPU. May I use my GPU?
If the fare class prices out to less than any one of the prohibited fare classes, then assume no.
If the fare class prices out to more than any one of the permitted_ fare classes, then assume yes.
Does the person who sponsored the upgrade have to be present when the upgraded is requested?
No.
Does the person who sponsored the upgrade have to be traveling on the same flight?
No.
Do I call the 1K desk or the MileagePlus service center to get a paper GPU?
The latter. If you try the former, it is likely the 1K agent will confuse this request with a Star Alliance upgrade request, and then tell you that your fare class is prohibited. Keep in mind that outside of M+, few UA employees have ever seen a paper GPU for use on LH.
What is the number of the MileagePlus service center?
See http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contact/mileageplus/contact.aspx .
Or call the GS/1K phone line and select the "MileagePlus Servicing" option.
I called that the MileagePlus service center and the agent had no idea what I was talking about.
Call again.
The new policy requiring the paper GPU certificate to match an LH flight number and pax name means I cannot have any "on hand" when flying a TATL on UA metal to and from Germany in case of irrops and rebooked to LH metal, right?
According to new policy, correct. However, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20728446-post248.html documents a case where the LH employee only cared about the pax name on the GPU matching the name on the ticket.
Are flights operated by Privatair dba LH eligible to use a LH GPU Certificate?
According to, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/21655941-post362.html, yes.
Yes, the terms and conditions printed on the paper GPU are explicit on this point. Note that starting in 2014, when PQD-based elite qualification starts for 2015, flights on LH metal but not on UA 016 ticket stock earn zero PQDs, so we hope these terms and conditions continue.
How soon should I attempt to request to be added to the upgrade wait list (aka as the grading list)?
Because LH policy is to not upgrade a pax if there are not enough meals for that cabin, and because catering, even in FRA, requires as much as three hours notice, you should plan to present your request 3.5 hours before the flight departs.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC, how many GPUs do I need?
Two.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. When I check in at AAA, can I be added to the upgrade list for BBB-CCC?
Policy says no. There have been exceptions reported.
Can I be added to the upgrade list over the phone?
Policy says no.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. When I check in at AAA, can the LH people there alert catering in BBB that I intend to upgrade BBB-CCC?
Policy says yes. In practice, it rarely works. There have been exceptions reported.
I am traveling from AAA-BBB-CCC. AAA-BBB is not LH metal, BBB-CCC is LH metal. When I arrive in BBB there won't be any LH people airside to request addition to the grading list. What should I do?
Exit the airside area of BBB 3.5 hours before the next LH flight from BBB departs and head to the LH check in counter.
I have reserved a special meal. May I use a GPU and eat my special meal?
Policy says no. A special meal will prevent you from being upgraded.
As a pax departing in F on LH metal may I use the LH FCL or FCT?
Yes.
As a pax arriving in F on LH metal may I use the LH FCL?
Yes.
As a pax departing in F on LH metal may I use the UA GFL?
Yes if not departing from IAD. In IAD you may be directed to the LH Senators Lounge , which is contrary to the Star Alliance lounge access policy and may not be official; see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20895856-post36.html .
As a pax arriving in F on LH metal may I use the UA GFL?
No.
If I am connecting in a station that has an FCT, and I am departing on LH metal in F, may I use the FCT?
Yes.
What are my chances upgrading from J to F on LH metal?
In general, very good. The earlier you try, the better.
If I go to the airport the night before departure, can I be added to the grading list?
Policy says no, but there have been exceptions reported, such as someone who has an overnight layover.
If I go to the airport the day of departure, but before I am ready to check bags, can I be added to upgrade list?
Yes.
I am traveling on a fare class that is not explicitly listed as permitted or prohibited on the paper GPU. May I use my GPU?
If the fare class prices out to less than any one of the prohibited fare classes, then assume no.
If the fare class prices out to more than any one of the permitted_ fare classes, then assume yes.
Does the person who sponsored the upgrade have to be present when the upgraded is requested?
No.
Does the person who sponsored the upgrade have to be traveling on the same flight?
No.
Do I call the 1K desk or the MileagePlus service center to get a paper GPU?
The latter. If you try the former, it is likely the 1K agent will confuse this request with a Star Alliance upgrade request, and then tell you that your fare class is prohibited. Keep in mind that outside of M+, few UA employees have ever seen a paper GPU for use on LH.
What is the number of the MileagePlus service center?
See http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contact/mileageplus/contact.aspx .
Or call the GS/1K phone line and select the "MileagePlus Servicing" option.
I called that the MileagePlus service center and the agent had no idea what I was talking about.
Call again.
The new policy requiring the paper GPU certificate to match an LH flight number and pax name means I cannot have any "on hand" when flying a TATL on UA metal to and from Germany in case of irrops and rebooked to LH metal, right?
According to new policy, correct. However, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20728446-post248.html documents a case where the LH employee only cared about the pax name on the GPU matching the name on the ticket.
Are flights operated by Privatair dba LH eligible to use a LH GPU Certificate?
According to, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/21655941-post362.html, yes.
Update to Lufthansa (LH) GPU Certificate Request Process
Feb 14, 2013 | 4:48 pm
#136
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SNA
Programs: UA 1MM, Global Entry, Avis President's Club
Posts: 276
Try, try again! (I'm going to be optimistic for you to eventually reach the 'right' person, even if I had similar experiences with extending a GPU when other FTers were able to do so and I was not...)
Good luck!
(But I do have to wonder as well how LH will handle our 'blank' certs post 01.March, especially in some of the more particular stations such as in India)
Good luck!
(But I do have to wonder as well how LH will handle our 'blank' certs post 01.March, especially in some of the more particular stations such as in India)
Feb 14, 2013 | 5:14 pm
#137
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,964
Again the arrival and destination combinations are relatively low where this policy change may have an impact, but if it drives someone away from LH TATL onto a non-UA carrier TPAC then the carriers within that group do lose the revenue. SEA/PDX/YVR to India is probably the most likely situation for this to occur. It may especially be true considering how particular the agents can be at the Indian LH counters. I know that if I do use my 'blank' certs from India I can expect at least some push back, based on past experiences using them under the old process.
Feb 15, 2013 | 12:11 am
#138
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: UA 1K, AA PLT, SPG PLT
Posts: 1,612
Good Luck!
-jeremy
Feb 15, 2013 | 5:22 am
#139
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: UA, AA, LH, Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, Hertz
Posts: 1,762
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry 9000 (Bold): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 6_0_2 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/536.26 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0 Mobile/10A551 Safari/8536.25)
Data point: tried to get a couple of GPUs printed for use later this year. The first call accomplished nothin since the reservations agent insisted that I had to speak with the *A desk where no one picked the phone in 2 minutes that I was patient to wait. The second call I asked to speak with the MP desk and it took only a few minutes for the nice agent to process the request and FedEx the certificates to my house. All that's left is to sit and wait for them to arrive.
Data point: tried to get a couple of GPUs printed for use later this year. The first call accomplished nothin since the reservations agent insisted that I had to speak with the *A desk where no one picked the phone in 2 minutes that I was patient to wait. The second call I asked to speak with the MP desk and it took only a few minutes for the nice agent to process the request and FedEx the certificates to my house. All that's left is to sit and wait for them to arrive.
Feb 15, 2013 | 6:25 am
#140
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,077
Looks like I should order four of these ASAP.
Feb 15, 2013 | 8:32 am
#141
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: United Arab Emirates & Arizona, USA
Programs: UA MM/1P, EK Ag, Marriott Life Ti, Hilton Dia, IC Dia, Hyatt Glob, Accor Pt
Posts: 4,723
Whether that or some other accounting enabled by this, it occurred to me the biggest piece of detail they -should- be asking is fare class (e.g. the potential "lost" rev (from paid fares) on J-F is nearly nil compared to Y-J). I can't think of a good report coming from the additional detail without this dimension...
Feb 15, 2013 | 8:43 am
#142
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 52,796
The lost revenue is essentially nil in either case, given that it's a standby upgrade on the day of travel -- i.e., the seat would essentially go out vacant otherwise. I guess a GPU user could in some circumstances trump someone who was upgrading with cash and/or miles, though I wonder if LH's prioritization of these upgrades would allow that.
LH has no complex systematic/automated prioritisation mechanism for the grading list. If there is space and the FM has no problems filling the cabin because everything is catered for, the paper GPU upgrade will clear instantly the moment all the data is entered. The category used is 'M&M upgrade', so the mechanism is the same whether you use M&M miles/vouchers or a GPU. If the capacity is not available you end up on the grading list with every other open case for that flight (upgrades, rebookings without seat, employees on standby, etc) and the FM goes thru the list at his/her leisure to process the seating. GPU/miles/evouchers grading requests are normally considered before the employees are seated or any op-ups are handed out.
Feb 15, 2013 | 9:38 am
#144
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: UA 1K, AA PLT, SPG PLT
Posts: 1,612
Absolutely, 100% agree. And UA wants to make it even harder to fly other folks' metal - hence the reduction in RDM/EQM rates for partner flights.
That said, does anyone have any empirical evidence of how much redeeming one of the SWU certs on LH *costs* UA?
-jeremy
That said, does anyone have any empirical evidence of how much redeeming one of the SWU certs on LH *costs* UA?
-jeremy
Feb 15, 2013 | 11:06 am
#145
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: VCE
Posts: 14,165
If you read post 128, with the ATI the SWU does not *cost* UA anything at all- revenue and costs are shared across the atlantic- so the redemption of a certificate will have no impact positive or negative on UA costs, revenues, nor profits.
Feb 15, 2013 | 11:17 am
#146
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: UA 1K, AA PLT, SPG PLT
Posts: 1,612
The easiest example is a NON-atlantic flight, which I'm sure a lot of people are using these LH certs on (including myself in the past), such as FRA-JNB.
Also, does LH offer certs (or the option, at least) for UA flights? Not that anyone would rightfully take them up on the offer, but it would allow folks getting LH miles/status to use their upgrades (assuming they get them - I don't know much about M&M) on UA metal?
-jeremy
Feb 15, 2013 | 12:34 pm
#147
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CA USA
Programs: UA 1K 2.85MM // AS MVPG100K // TK Elite Plus // AA EXP // Bonvoy TE // Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 356
UPDATE
Received my printed GPU for use on LH today after providing all the itinerary info to the agent as she insisted the policy was in effect (on Wednesday). Result = same old generic printed GPU with only my name and expiration date.
So, this hasn't been implemented yet and you can still request GPUs without all this info and you will receive the same old generic printed GPUs. Call and make your requests before it's too late!
So, this hasn't been implemented yet and you can still request GPUs without all this info and you will receive the same old generic printed GPUs. Call and make your requests before it's too late!
Feb 15, 2013 | 3:44 pm
#148
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SNA
Programs: UA 1MM, Global Entry, Avis President's Club
Posts: 276
Received my printed GPU for use on LH today after providing all the itinerary info to the agent as she insisted the policy was in effect (on Wednesday). Result = same old generic printed GPU with only my name and expiration date.
So, this hasn't been implemented yet and you can still request GPUs without all this info and you will receive the same old generic printed GPUs. Call and make your requests before it's too late!
So, this hasn't been implemented yet and you can still request GPUs without all this info and you will receive the same old generic printed GPUs. Call and make your requests before it's too late!
Feb 16, 2013 | 3:07 am
#149
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,356
Apologies if this has already been suggested upstream this thread or if (more likely, I suspect), it is hopelessly naive. But would it be technically impossible to empower UA ticketing agents to issue and at least process the instant deposit of these certificates? Even if only the latter were possible, it would make the new system workable. Now that they don't need to print out gifted upgrade blueys for us to sign anymore they'll have some extra time on their hands and some garishly colored paper that is surplus to requirements...
Feb 17, 2013 | 6:37 pm
#150
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,608
GPU Question on LH
Can you use a GPU with a LH flight in "Z" Business Class?