nevansm

I remember reading a while back that the weekend specials were exempt from the SDC process now, does anybody know if this is still the case?

mduell

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...daychange.aspx unambiguously states: "Excluding fares that do not allow changes of any kind, such as United Specials"

emcampbe

I was actually wondering this too. PMUA definitely allowed it. Not sure about PMCO. I had heard the same thing.

Was trying to see if this was somewhere within the fare rules - definitely not specifically disallowed but didn't see anything specifically allowing it on a regular ticket recently. FAQ on the same day change fee says something like it is not available on itineraries where changes aren't allowed, such as United Specials. However, the fare rules on the weekend special I saw said changes are allowed for $150. So the FAQ makes it clear as mud.

docbert

I've had no problems using SDC multiple times on the weekend special rates. In every case the change has put me outside of the window for the normal weekend rates. eg, changing a Monday return to a Wednesday return (via 2 or 3 intermediate flights).

Last time I did this was probably about 6 months ago, so it's possible things have changed since then, but given that these are published fares that book into a standard bucket (normally L) I can't see how they could realistically not allow SDC's on them.

exerda

My guess is that UA's fabulous IT may not always be able to enforce the restriction. Given this would constitute a bug favoring the customer, I expect it to be high up UA's priorities to fix.

fjfv19

I just did a SDC this past weekend on a UA special. Went home to YUL to visit my parents, and I was scheduled to fly back on UA5683 (YUL-EWR) on Monday. So as not to take any time off work, I did a SDC to UA3569 on Sunday evening. Verified the fare class availability on ExpertFlyer before calling in and the 1K agent never questioned it for a second.

ralfp

IME the web system (UAL.com, mobile site, and app) enforces the no SDC policy. When on LINRTNET fares, I have only been able to change flights for free (1K, so SDC is free) online when a weather waiver is in effect. Even in this case I still never see the standard search for other flight options option during OLCI; I have to use the option to change flights from the reservation page.

However, I have a 100% success rate getting on earlier flights when asking at the gate, regardless of any delay (or lack thereof).

Was a weather waiver in effect? If not, perhaps the 1K agent did not enforce the rule against SDC on LINTRNET fares.

docbert

No weather waiver, and it was all done online.

However as I said the last time I did this was about 6 months ago (just checked - July 2012 so actually just over 7 months ago), and although I can see that the class was L I'm not sure if it was before or after they introduced the specific LINTERNET fare classes.

fjfv19

Actually, the weather waiver was in effect for travel occurring between the 23 Feb - 24 Feb for YUL. I did a SDC for my original flight on 25 Feb, and instead changed to travel within the weather waiver period on 24 Feb. The storm was really no different than normal light winter flurries in Montréal and there were no weather issues in EWR when I arrived.

On an unrelated note, I almost missed the flight because I dozed off in the Maple Leaf Lounge and woke up 15 minutes before departure. It had been a while since I had a full out sprint through the entire length of an airport, so it was nice to bring back some memories.

OMAguy

i agree with ralfp - united.com and the mobile app will NOT allow you to do a SDC on a weekend web special - it does not even give the option to change a flight. however, i have always been accommodated at the gate when i have arrived early and asked to go on an earlier flight. i even said once to an agent "i know i am on a web fare..." and he said not to worry - he could handle it. interestingly enough, when i viewed my reservation on united.com it showed me WAITLISTED in L class for the flight i was given a seat - it never showed confirmed.

if an agent has rebooked you to a different flight over the phone without a weather waiver, the agent most likely just made a mistake that was in your favor - consider it a gift...

in general the airport has the ability to be more flexible than phone reservations.

buckeyefanflyer

Weekend specials going back to the CO days allows no travel on Sunday yet on some of my trips the web site offered take alternate flights when I checked in for the early AM monday departure for a Sunday flight. The past few years it won't do that. Weekend specials allowed no changes and never heard they were except frpm SDC.
I thought it had something to do with how the flight was booked. Can be booked on the United Special page but you will get the same fare on the regular reservation page but the fare class is the same.

AlbConst

Where would I see if I fare that I booked is a weekend special fare? It just says L for the fare class but doesn't not say LINTRNET or anything like that in the fare rules as far as I can tell.

Is there a reliable way to figure that out?

Thanks!

fjfv19

Basically what I've taken away from this thread, as I have with dozens of other threads on FT, is that United has rules that likely preclude SDC on Weekend Specials but the gate agents/phone agents/check-in agents all play by their own set of rules so just call or ask until somebody gives you the desired outcome. Am I missing something?

I am shocked, shocked to learn that UA employees don't follow the rules since they so consistently do in other situations like 1K meal prioritization, boarding procedures, award routings, et al.

OMAguy

many times i think agents are trying to appease the customer and make exceptions....but when there are too many exceptions people begin to expect that exceptions to be the rule instead of seeing it as a one-time exception

docbert

Yup, it does say that. The problem with that is that the fare rules for the LINTERNET fares state :

There's also no mention of the word "special" in the fare rules/fare code/etc. There's also no mention of these being a "United Special" fare when buying through the website (unless you access via the specific specials links, which you don't have to) or if you buy via a 3rd party website (as they are standard published fares).

I'm not doubting that people have been denied doing this in the past, but the specific statement above doesn't seem to hold any water as these fares DO allow changes...