DrRockit91

My girlfriend and I are flying on CO, IAH-LAX-OGG on January 7. I will be 1K for 2012, but my girlfriend is non-elite. We currently have separate reservations (b/c the old CO system processes upgrades on combined reservations at the lowest level). But as I understand the new system, companion upgrades will process at the same level and time as the higher premier traveler on the reservation. So if there is any chance of a companion upgrade (maybe a long shot but what the heck), we'd be better off under the new system combining the reservations. BUT, from the info I've read on here, it seems like the new system may not take effect until sometime later in 2012 ("first quarter," which implies to me that it's not going live on Jan 1).

Anyone know more about when the new upgrade processing rules will take effect? I'm leaning toward leaving them separate so at least one of us has a chance at the upgrade (esp. since that one would be me.

Thanks.

channa

Is LAX-OGG on UA metal? UA processes them together so you have to keep them together.

mahasamatman

Welcome to FT, DrRockit91!

As far as I know, once the reservations are on separate PNRs, there's nothing you can do to put them together.

But I'm sure nothing will change before your trip. We're probably looking at late March at the earliest.

38,000feet

Interesting, mahasamatman. I thought that I had successfully combined my reservation with that of my girlfriend's for one overlapping leg of of an upcoming trip. We purchased separately since the itineraries are different, but then I called UA reservations and asked the agent to combine the reservation. She searched for my GF's name and claims to have combined our reservations. Do you think that we may still have separate PNRs? Is there any way to check? BTW I combined in hopes of a companion upgrade.

amartin1979

I've combined reservations before, but you have to get the right agent and it is very tricky. Most will say it cannot be done. YMMV

channa

It cannot be done. They cross-reference reservations all the time, but putting two (2) reservations back on one PNR would require rebuilding the res and exchanging tickets.

amartin1979

I've done it once. The agent cancelled the existing reservations, then created a new reservation and reattached the existing tickets to that new reservation. Most likely the ticketed booking class would still need to exist on all flight segments for an agent to do this. Perhaps most agents *won't* do this, but I did have it happen for me once before. I don't know if it is against UA policy for them to do so, but it is possible.

DrRockit91

Thanks for the welcome and the info. I'm confused though. When I view the reservations on the OP website, there are checkboxes beside all my reservations and the option to "combine selected." Is that something different from putting them on the same PNR for upgrade purposes?

I'm sure I'll end up talking to an agent, but just wanted to figure out as much as I could first. Thanks!

edcho

That's all cosmetic -- it doesn't actually combine the reservations in the back-end.

bmvaughn

Just combined two sets of two reservations - as noted, it's cosmetic... creates something called a Trip Plan.

canard

My partner and I have an upcoming trip on the same flights. We both had unused travel credits, so we had to book the flights separately. I would like to link our two PNRs, so that he can benefit from my elite status. I just called the CO elite desk, who told me this was not possible. Is this really the case? I'm pretty surprised, since I have done this operation with other airlines in the past, with no problems at all.

star_world

This definitely isn't possible.

sbm12

Probably not, really. They can add notes and such, but I don't know of any carrier that can actually combine PNRs into one. The systems simply aren't built that way.

If you're traveling together anyways then he can get most of the benefits like security and boarding priority. And any phone agent should be able and willing to seat him next to you, even in the $$ seats, without charge. The only thing that wouldn't likely work is free bags.

Steve M

He didn't ask for the PNR's to be combined, but to be linked. Some carriers do in fact have the notion of linking PNR's. Sometimes, things like standby and upgrade waitlist priority will be based on the highest elite level among passengers on linked PNR's, just as they are for multiple passengers on the same PNR. Also, linked PNR's may reduce the chances of seat assignments being mysteriously "changed" for only one passenger when a seat is needed for some other reason, but this depends on how on the ball the GA is.

canard

Thanks for the replies. Indeed, I'm not looking to combine the PNRs, just to link them. I would like to avoid bag fees for my partner, but it's looking like that might not be possible. I hope UA/CO offers this functionality going forward.