I agree wholeheartedly with the bolded part but unfortunately my husband ordered 3 right before UA made their announcement.

If you have the luxury to preorder with the correct pnr, that is obviously preferred. Otherwise, there is no downside to blank paper. If it gets rejected by one lh rep, you can still try another (e.g., check-in, fcl if in Germany, other fcl if in FRA). Worst case, send the paper back to UA and get your e-gpu's back. This, of course, assumes that the paper actually arrives.

You are assuming a lot. Have you ever checked in and tried to use the previous version ie pre-2013 GPU at a station in India, or many other places around the world with very few LH staff? 'Try another' won't work if the one person who has authority says no.

Then there is the issue of the cert arriving as requested, which doesn't always happen in a timely fashion.

Then there is the issue of sending back the cert for reissue, which for many customers is difficult based on their location.

It's not as simple as you state; many of us have used the GPUs for years with LH and it hasn't been easy, but now the process becomes even more cumbersome and more subject to failure.

Aaron -

An electronic application of these GPUs to our record locator which would show a waitlist for the upgraded cabin would be a real ENHANCEMENT to this benefit. IMO this would be a win for all involved; UA/LH as well as your customers.

For me there is always uncertainty around the use of these certs because there are varying levels of knowledge with LH agents at many outstations, but I've also seen this even in FRA/MUC. I end up scheduling long layovers (arriving in FRA/MUC or LH gateway about 4 hours before the flight) to ensure that I can get to the counter well in advance to try and use this so that I'm not told there is no catering (and thus they will not upgrade me) or no seats left. Enabling us to apply this to our itinerary electronically with visibility in LH's reservation system means that LH flight planning can anticipate catering requirements (particularly in F) and not find out there's an additional passenger only 1 hour before departure. It also allows LH and UA to track the usage as well as ensure that the certificate is collected - something which happens only about 60% of the time in my experience (so I can see why you are trying to change the current process).

Win for LH/UA
* Electronic application allows traceability - track flights/fares/pax used
* Electronic application ensures that cert is "pulled" if used
* Electronic application saves labor costs on the return/recredit of unused certs
* Electronic application allows more effective flight planning - advance catering, visibility of upgrade requests in advance, etc.
* Electronic application reduces lost/stolen/missing certs and eliminates shipping costs (no more FedEx costs - surely this alone should make the bean counters happy!)

Win for Customers
* Electronic application allows for last minute flight changes which many business travelers have to do (no need to wait for the certificates to arrive - especially does not work if the flight in question is originating ex-USA)
* Electronic application allows for visibility of applied request in the record - reduces uncertainty
* Electronic application reduces the need for long layovers / arriving so early before the flight
* Electronic application reduces lost/missing certs both on receipt and return
* Electronic application eliminates the cost and hassle of returning unused certs, then tracking those and ensuring they were actually reapplied correctly
* Electronic application theoretically means we could have LH processing these at T-24 during flight planning and theoretically means we will get the upgraded BP when we do online checkin (this is me being hopeful!) ;)

If I missed some benefits, let me know. But to me the above would be a big win all around.

I'd also like to go on record and say that it would be really great if UA/LH could work to allow the usage of these GPUs across the LH Group (LX, OS, SN). This would make sense especially now that full revenue sharing is in place across the group (there is no longer an incentive not to allow this on the other group airlines).

Hope you will consider the above and keep pushing for Electronic Certs with your management.

Thanks.

I also wonder if the electronic version will also stay as "waitlisted" until you check-in or arrive at the gate!

If so, absolutely no enhancement, but actually a worse situation...

Even when you arrive at the gate you can still be waitlisted.

Being waitlisted prior to check in would be a vast improvement.

Does any other US carrier allow their instruments to be used on a Partners Metal? I know yrs ago DL didnt allow it as all I was able to Up was my DL metal flight and not my AF connecting flight, but may today.

Personally I dont see any benefits that will be Passenger friendly being put into place and thats among all 3 Alliances. No different then how the Hotel programs keep taking away some beenies yr after yr

I believe you can use DL on KL/AF

I did request cert on Friday night and receive it on Tuesday for my daughter to use on March 1 but it only had my name FF and address on it. Can my daughter still be able to use it? Any one know?

Yes, anything issued before 3/1 will retain the T&Cs of that cert and not those from 3/1 onwards. That said it is LH that will have to accept it and clear it.I imagine we will know very soon if LH will honor them or not

I take it that means it cant be done with AA? Does DL work as UA will be going forward or the way UA did till now?

Thank you for the quick answer, Craz

When it comes to the redemption requests for GPU redemptions as paper upgrade certs to be used on LH flights under the current terms, apparently a significant proportion of the customer requests are now being denied or conditioned under a policy that has been announced as being applicable from March 1st. In other words, those wanting the current certs prior to booking a LH flight may have to escalate the matter to supervisors and/or repeatedly play telephone call roulette because the de facto enforcement of the future policy has meant a premature subversion of the current policy in a way that is detrimental to customers.

Just wanted to chime in that I attempted to use my "plain" paper GPU on 3/1 on LH573 JNB-FRA but C was oversold by 2, so the guy at the ticket counter just laughed when I showed him the cert.

This doesn't say anything about whether there would have been a problem. I suspect not, since he didn't say that the cert was unusual in any way, but I guess the book is still open on whether these old certs will be accepted widely post 3/1...

Checking C availability
 

Little bit of a noob here.

I'm looking to book the 3:50pm flight out of LAX>FRA on March 28 on the new 747-8 and using a United GPU to upgrade a V fare. Can anyone tell me how to check how many business class seats are left and whether you think I have a decent chance of clearing given its the new business layout? Thanks for any assistance!