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
Mar 5, 2014, 9:09 am
#451
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
But there's a big difference between directly booking an upgrade fare class (which uses standard booking processes and is akin to an award booking) and waitlisting an upgrade for another carrier to process at some point in the future. The later will be much less standardised and of less general value to UA, which is why I don't think it will ever be done.
Mar 5, 2014, 9:20 am
#452
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,172
With the new LH Premium Economy annoucement...I wonder if and when the use of these paper GPUs will only be good towards PE (or PE->J) going forward...
Mar 5, 2014, 9:26 am
#453
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
UA has consistently ignored the existence of PE on any other *A partners (NZ and TK), you can't book awards in those cabins and can't upgrade to/from those cabins. Therefore I don't see what would prompt a change here.
Mar 5, 2014, 9:31 am
#454
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
But there's a big difference between directly booking an upgrade fare class (which uses standard booking processes and is akin to an award booking) and waitlisting an upgrade for another carrier to process at some point in the future. The later will be much less standardised and of less general value to UA, which is why I don't think it will ever be done.
Now, whether they choose to invest ANY resources in this, well, that I agree with, they won't.
Mar 5, 2014, 11:47 am
#455
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,867
LH will treat it as a different cabin in which case GPU's may only be good for upgrades from E to PE, that's a big change. Award space won't change, not sure how *A upgrades will work either.
Mar 5, 2014, 11:50 am
#456
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
But that isn't how *A upgrade awards are handled on NZ or TK. I would be extremely surprised if UA chose to do this, they're more likely to terminate the progamme all together.
Mar 5, 2014, 11:50 am
#457
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Washington, D.C.
Programs: UA Premier 1K: PlAAtinum; DL SM, MM; Marriott Gold; CO Plat Emeritus; NW Plat Emeritus
Posts: 4,776
Mar 5, 2014, 11:54 am
#458
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,867
Mar 5, 2014, 11:56 am
#459
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
Mar 6, 2014, 9:11 am
#460
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: back to Europe
Programs: FB Plat for Life & Marriott lifetime Platinum
Posts: 236
A quick question on re-using non cleared certificate
If I receive a Certificate for a given date / LH flight / route (and a given confirmation number) but do not clear on that date, may I re-use the same cert for the same route / flight but on a later date ? (in order just to avoid the issue of resending / reissuing a new cert..)
I undertand that no one check at the gate that the confirmation number is valid and it looks like the travel date is not always printed..
so re-using an existing cert for the same person / route / flight number should work ?
Correct ?
Thanks for the feedback
I undertand that no one check at the gate that the confirmation number is valid and it looks like the travel date is not always printed..
so re-using an existing cert for the same person / route / flight number should work ?
Correct ?
Thanks for the feedback
Mar 6, 2014, 11:10 am
#461
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,346
If I receive a Certificate for a given date / LH flight / route (and a given confirmation number) but do not clear on that date, may I re-use the same cert for the same route / flight but on a later date ? (in order just to avoid the issue of resending / reissuing a new cert..)
I undertand that no one check at the gate that the confirmation number is valid and it looks like the travel date is not always printed..
so re-using an existing cert for the same person / route / flight number should work ?
Correct ?
Thanks for the feedback
I undertand that no one check at the gate that the confirmation number is valid and it looks like the travel date is not always printed..
so re-using an existing cert for the same person / route / flight number should work ?
Correct ?
Thanks for the feedback
Having said that, I've read lots of reports online of most LH stations not caring about the data but more about the flight (e.g. JFK-FRA). I would think you would run into a problem in FRA and MUC where they are all staffed by LH personnel who are most likely to follow the rules. Outstations not handled by LH staff directly are most likely to ignore the date and allow you to use the cert if your name and the city pairs match.
Airlines recognize that flight changes happen all the time so if you're booked JFK-FRA on 10March and then change it to 11March you obviously don't have time to get a new cert printed. LH would likely accept it in that situation (I would hope...)
But to be safe, just redeposit it with UA and get them to print a new one.
-RM
Mar 20, 2014, 11:32 pm
#462
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Boston
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, United Global Services/1MM
Posts: 630
I apologize in advance if this has already been answered, but I have not been able to find it after 20+ pages of reading.
Here's the situation: I have a flight booked with 3 segments on LH (FRA-BOS, BOS-FRA, FRA-SIN), all booked in C/D. Also, I have 3 paper upgrades pre-printed from UA for these segments and PNR.
The issue was that the original flights were in mid-April, and I just had to push the trip out until mid-May. The routing won't change, but in May, there are twice daily FRA-BOS/BOS-FRA flights and the second flight time works better. So, although my routing would be the same, my flight number may go from LH422 to LH420.
I realize that the date change shouldn't be an issue, and the PNR won't change, but am I going to have an issue if the flight number changes?
Thanks
Here's the situation: I have a flight booked with 3 segments on LH (FRA-BOS, BOS-FRA, FRA-SIN), all booked in C/D. Also, I have 3 paper upgrades pre-printed from UA for these segments and PNR.
The issue was that the original flights were in mid-April, and I just had to push the trip out until mid-May. The routing won't change, but in May, there are twice daily FRA-BOS/BOS-FRA flights and the second flight time works better. So, although my routing would be the same, my flight number may go from LH422 to LH420.
I realize that the date change shouldn't be an issue, and the PNR won't change, but am I going to have an issue if the flight number changes?
Thanks
Mar 21, 2014, 2:16 am
#463
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,187
Apr 22, 2014, 8:48 am
#464
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: back to Europe
Programs: FB Plat for Life & Marriott lifetime Platinum
Posts: 236
Boarding pass question
Hi,
I finally did not use my GPU .. as my flight was cancelled due to the LH April strike. So i got another quick question.
How does an upgraded LH boarding pass looks like ?
Lets consider I upgrade from Business to First with a GPU.
Will the boarding pass show a O class booking ? or will it still show someway the original business class fare ?
In fact, i would like to have the mile of the flight allocated to a third party star alliance FF program (neither UA or MM).
I fear that i ll just get zero miles if i provide a "O" booking class ticket (that deserve no miles as per their FFP rules for mile accrual on LH)
So it would be nice if the boarding pass could show that this is not a first class award ticket, but a business class fare that was upgraded to first..
Is it the case ?
Thanks for the feedback
Eddy
I finally did not use my GPU .. as my flight was cancelled due to the LH April strike. So i got another quick question.
How does an upgraded LH boarding pass looks like ?
Lets consider I upgrade from Business to First with a GPU.
Will the boarding pass show a O class booking ? or will it still show someway the original business class fare ?
In fact, i would like to have the mile of the flight allocated to a third party star alliance FF program (neither UA or MM).
I fear that i ll just get zero miles if i provide a "O" booking class ticket (that deserve no miles as per their FFP rules for mile accrual on LH)
So it would be nice if the boarding pass could show that this is not a first class award ticket, but a business class fare that was upgraded to first..
Is it the case ?
Thanks for the feedback
Eddy
Apr 22, 2014, 12:11 pm
#465
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
...
I fear that i ll just get zero miles if i provide a "O" booking class ticket (that deserve no miles as per their FFP rules for mile accrual on LH)
So it would be nice if the boarding pass could show that this is not a first class award ticket, but a business class fare that was upgraded to first..
Is it the case ?....
I fear that i ll just get zero miles if i provide a "O" booking class ticket (that deserve no miles as per their FFP rules for mile accrual on LH)
So it would be nice if the boarding pass could show that this is not a first class award ticket, but a business class fare that was upgraded to first..
Is it the case ?....