COSPILOT

H outbound, V Return. Obviously no copay as its domestic travel. Cash upgrade is equal for respective segments. $79 for IAH-DFW, DFW-IAH, and $139 for COS-IAH, IAH-COS.

Edit, I see now what your talking about in looking at the chart. Had no idea.

landrew

Second time this season we've requested mileage and $$ (a lot of it) upgrades from MUC-SFO 5-6 weeks before flights. Last time we weren't even on the waitlist at check-in, because Lufthansa wouldn't let us check in for our prior flight except at airport, and even then we were not put on the standby list until after a complaint at the gate at MUC. Remarkably, we did get the upgrade seats at the very last minute. And then some compensation for the uncertainty and frustration at the airport.

Tomorrow going the other way. UA won't even let us check in without PPs being scanned at airport, despite having done so a month ago, and also taking perfectly accurate images whose details were verified and mirrored back to me through new UA app check in mechanism. Naturally, we don't show up on upgrade standby since they won't even acknowledge our attempt to check in.

1) Should I take any comfort from the fact that in the reservation for the long haul flights UA now states "Polaris Business" class? Will be repeating this scenario in one week. Or does this just mean "COULD BE Polaris Business Class?"

2) If we are not upgraded for the long haul, but only for the later short hop (which currently is practically empty) will all those $$$ and miles be expended? How and how late do I register that if that is to be the only upgrade I don't want to spend them?)

3) Does anyone know whether there is a known problem with the UA/LH interface, since somehow the UA agents in MUC had to MANUALLY enter our information to get us onto the flight at all last time. Doesn't help that UA's strange .......ization of our names to include prof degrees apparently confuses LH as to who we are. Can't even make seat selection for the ongoing flight. But am more worried about the same hassle before check in for the flight home, as it's ridiculously early.

Thanks for any advice. It's always sumpin'.

jsloan

Does it say "Upgrade Confirmed" or "Upgrade Requested"?

No; you'd get a full refund in that case.

landrew

On the usual Reservations page it says United Economy for the outbound flight (tomorrow) (nothing at all said about upgrade) (this was a B fare) and for the return it says United Economy and also says Upgrade Requested.
On the "change seats" screen, all of the flights (actual as well as potential upgrade) still show FWIW.
Also, they are offering to upgrade on the first long haul segment for more than the cost of the entire itinerary....and seatmap shows 5 available pods.

However, I just today attempted to download the entire itinerary to my calendar, and UA sent it in 7 separate emails.

The two long haul emails state, under trip Details: Flight: UA 195
Depart: MUC - Munich on Sat, Sep 22 2018 at 12:10 PM
Arrive: SFO - San Francisco on Sat, Sep 22 2018 at 2:55 PM
Fare class: United Polaris business

and


Flight: UA 926
Depart: SFO - San Francisco on Sat, Sep 15 2018 at 7:05 PM
Arrive: FRA - Frankfurt on Sun, Sep 16 2018 at 3:15 PM
Fare class: United Polaris business

And the one upgraded short haul states
Fare class: United Business

Whereas the short haul (no F cabin) states
Fare class: United Economy

Does this help? Which (website or email confirmation) is likely to be more accurate?

Thanks! Just trying to decide how many "props" I need to pack to get through this ordeal...

ajGoes

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking but it seems clear that your outbound and return long haul flights are both in business class. United's status tool says your MUC-SFO flight is on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. This aircraft does not have the Polaris pods but its business seats are lie-flats. All long-haul business flights are branded as Polaris whether or not they have the new pods.

landrew

Thanks, ajG, that IS what I'm asking (does this email increase the likelihood) but the problem is the reservation itself still says Economy, and there is no indication of an upgrade or even being on the Upgrade List. (nor, oddly is there a listing of those who HAVE been upgraded...strange). For that matter, the Business Upgrade SB list states "Error" although it also appears that there are 3 on the waitlist for upgrade to Business First.

For some bizarre technical reason I can't check in, despite valiant efforts including going to the airport (where no UA agent will appear until tomorrow----my hubby tried the kiosk), so won't know until tomorrow I guess unless anyone has ever experienced this disconnect between what the website says and what they send you.

I guess I will feed back to the group as another small piece of intelligence---be it good or bad!

ajGoes

Good luck then. I'm rooting for you!

findark

Sounds like you're in Economy then. If you applied an upgrade request to your outbound, it is not currently reflected in the PNR.

jsloan

OK, based on this information, I'd say you're probably still in Economy as of this moment. IME, as upgraded segments clear, the economy segments will disappear. However, sometimes the reservation goes out of sync when the upgrade clears -- that would also explain why you couldn't check in. So, I'd call UA, tell the agent that you couldn't check in online and that you were wondering if your upgrade had cleared or if you were still waitlisted. We can guess; a UA agent can tell you for sure.

BTW: if you're really on a B fare, there shouldn't have been a copay for the upgrade. B is the second-highest economy fare class.

landrew

So, this sounded like excellent advice. A 20 min call to UA Premier Desk and thought I had a very knowledgeable sounding agent. I learned that "heightened TSA security" is the reason we can't check in....hope that doesn't mean SSSS for both of us, she couldn't say. However, she did confirm that there are many people on the upgrade list already, and only a few seats.
She didn't have info as to whether our upgrade had cleared.
Her advice was if at all possible to go to the airport and check in ASAP.
I then called back to find out how to learn from this small airport whether there are any UA agents there at this time, and another agent said that time of check in makes absolutely no difference (and it hasn't for as long as she has worked at UA--24 yrs---though I clearly recall that it DID make a difference previously at least in some situations) She checked with her supervisor who confirmed what she had said.

At this point, I'm not making an extra trip to the airport (did that yesterday to no avail as there were no agents), but for future reference, who is right?

And yes, the B fare was VERY expensive. And as a result, I don't believe there was a co-pay (it's hard to tease this out), so I won't be refunded even if we are stuck in steerage. I'll just be disgusted.

Anyway, thanks for your info and for the well wishes of my other advisor! Flyer Talkers are the greatest! I will let you know what happened in case we can glean any other intelligence from all of this.

jsloan

This makes no sense at all. All she should have had to do is to look at the PNR and see whether or not the business class segments were confirmed.

Time of check-in is the third tiebreaker on the visible upgrade list, used at the gate, after status and fare class. However, in your particular case, I don't think it will matter, because they don't sell a lot of B fare tickets.

It's not uncommon for B fares to be more expensive than discount business class fares. On the other hand, most B fares will be refundable, so if you have flexibility in your travel plans, and your upgrade isn't going to clear, there's a good chance that you can cancel and find another flight. (Alternatively -- you may be able to use same-day confirmed change if there is an alternative flight available with R space).

Good luck!

landrew

Maybe I misspoke. She could not "confirm" any upgrade.

I thought I was right about that tiebreaker thing, but it's too late now, after the two agents said no (after the first one said yes). I guess Premier desk agents don't know the rules governing desk agents.

I have a sneaking suspicion any upgrade can only take place now in SFO, and that will be about an hour before the flight (if flights moving on time)

There won't be time to make any alternate flight plans looking for R, I can't work that fast!

I guess it's good to know "they don't sell a lot of B tickets"---maybe no one else was fleeced for this flight, and at least we can lie flat! I believe that this was the ONLY way I could get an upgradable fare, at least trying to do it online. I certainly didn't ASK for B. It also cost us $70K miles apiece.

Anyway, thanks for all the help and I know you wish me luck at the airport!

jsloan

All United-operated flights are upgradeable with miles + copay except for those that are specifically called out during the booking process (Basic Economy and TATL "Light" fares).

WineCountryUA

now the fifth factor --
agree it is doubtful there be other B folks on the list, so fare class will preempt the need for the other factors.

eeflyer

Hello all, I was hoping to get some advice from the experts here. Flying SFO-HKG later this year. However, the passengers are split between 2 PNRs. One PNR is originating in SFO while the other is connecting. We'd like to request upgrades using miles+copay but would also like to do all or nothing (as in all passengers get the upgrade or we'd rather sit together in Y).

Is there a way to do this? What are the other options, such as potentially waitlisting individually and turning down the upgrade at the gate if everyone doesn't clear?

Thanks!