Winter Storms Hercules/Ion and Impact to UA's Operations (Travel Waivers Unitl 8 Jan)
 

Weather waiver posted at united.com for ORD, MSN and MKE:

Chicago Winter Storm

Airports:
Madison, WI (MSN)
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Chicago, IL (ORD - O'Hare)

​Original Travel Dates:
December 31, 2013 – January 2, 2014

Final Travel must be completed by:
End of Validity of ticket (one year from date of issue)​​

Flight Changes:
Fees for same-day flight changes are waived within 24 hours of original departure.

For all other changes, the change fee will be waived, but a difference in fare may apply.
​​

Departing ORD on 1/2, smart to rebook?

Doesn't seem like it will be a bad by Wed / Thurs. There will probably be residual delays but I (personally) would not rebook if I didn't need to.

I just changed my EWR-ORD-PEK flight (heading to ORD tonight and PEK tomorrow) to EWR-DCA/IAD-PEK. Weather in DC looks much better than Chicago. Really happy to have gotten seats last minute. Hotel in Chicago even waived cancellation saying that it was going to be messy and that they understood.

Wish this had posted before I no-showed an unnecessary MR last night :td:

Pretty sure it did - UA were linking to the waiver 19 hours ago:

https://twitter.com/united/status/417763276966346753

Oh well. I was distracted preparing for a holiday party. At least it was only a $150 rt.

Switched my CMH-ORD-YVR to CMH-DEN-YVR. Much lighter loads through DEN, better chance of CPU. Plus it's one less Barbie Jet to endure.

Used weather waiver to cancel award ticket
 

I used the weather waiver to successfully cancel a one-way saver award ticket xxx-ORD-yyy on Jan. 1 with no fee and no redeposit fee to have the miles put back in my account.

The ticket was actually from a year ago, and I'd pushed it back to Jan. 1, 2014 - but then I learned I wouldn't be able to make the trip. So I was looking at paying $125 for the redeposit or eating the loss of 12,500 miles. But I called as a 2P and was able to get the miles redeposited no problem. The agent was in Chicago. Weather waiver worked wonderfully for me in this case.

Switched tomorrow's XXX-ORD-FRA-XXX to XXX-SFO-FRA-XXX. Bonus is the longer leg on a 744.

Here is the latest forecast: http://meteorologicalmusings.blogspo...new-years.html

UA Travel Waiver Change Fee not Working
 

With the bad weather on the East Coast, I've noticed UA have issued a travel waiver for Jan 2-4. I am flying LAX-BOS on the 3rd, and am interested in changing my flight.

When I got to change my flight however, I notice the change fee is still showing despite the "Your reservation may qualify for exception handling" message prior to it. I know I can't get a waiver on SDC fees until T-24, but shouldn't the change fee be waived if I, say, changed date of travel form the 3rd to the 4th?

Thanks for the help, I'm waiting until T-24 anyway to change but was curious if it will require a phone call.

Happy New Year!

They must have just issued the waiver for the east coast as it was not there last night, maybe not programed yet usually if there is a waiver no change fee shows up. You will probably have to call.

Good to know - maybe it'll work with an SDC. The waiver was issued this afternoon I believe.

Just call now and within two or three agents you should be able to do anything within reason. United has every incentive to deal with these issues proactively, and good agents will happily do so.

I tried to change my flights through ORD twice online yesterday and kept getting error messages. Then I called and did it over the phone. Got a competent agent the first time, and changed through DEN in <5 minutes.

NYC (EWR) expects 6-10" of snow Thurs night 1/2 - Fri 1/3 ,Fri will be in the single digits with blowing winds = snow drifts alot higher then 10" Its the Chicago express heading East

Can I cancel a flight?
 

If I have a flight through EWR on Jan 4, can I cancel it altogether and get a refund? UA site implies I can delay, but nothing about refund.

Complicating factor is that this is the return of a RT ticket, so not even sure what the value is of the unused portion if I cancel.

Flight Changes:

Fees for same-day flight changes are waived within 24 hours of original departure.
For all other changes, the change fee will be waived, but a difference in fare may apply.

Call and see what you can finagle.

Be aware that you may have to refer them to the "Weather Waiver' as some of them are unaware what it is or if it even is in effect for your cities.

This is what the UA site says for this weather waiver:
AFAIK, maybe in the event the flight is cancelled (due to the weather, etc.), otherwise you typically wouldn't get a refund with this waiver.

I personally haven't done this before, but I'm currently making changes to my itinerary as well (due to the weather waivers) and I came across this post, which you might find helpful: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/21859629-post33.html

If the flight actually cancels, you can get a refund.

I booked United flights for this Friday using KrisFlyer miles. I was originally booked on JFK-SFO on p.s. business, but it looks like I was changed to EWR-SFO. Wasn't even notified. Going to call to get it fixed, but is this normal for United?

As it is an SQ reservation and ticket they should be the ones notifying you. Are you sure it's a recent change? JFK/EWR is nothing the computer would automatically change; looks like someone messed with your reservation. I'd try and call UA and have them fix then reservation on their end and then cal SQ to get the ticket re-issued.

Definitely a recent change because I booked the flight less than 24 hours ago. I assumed it was due to the coming storm in NYC, and I think that's what it was. Looks like a connecting I flight I had to JFK was cancelled and I was put through EWR instead. But still, no notification from either airline is disappointing.

No escape!
 

I rebooked away from ORD to a CMH-DEN-YVR routing.

Pilot for our DEN-YVR flight is delayed 2.5 hours coming inbound from CLE. Latest departure estimate is 10 pm, with YVR arrival at midnight PST.

I'd have been better off staying with my original routing!

can't even get through to an agent
 

I have a DSM-EWR-ZFV trip that I would like to change, but I cannot get an agent on the phone (foreign star gold, no united status). Called last night- estimated hold time 20 min, was on hold over an hour before giving up. Current call- estimated hold time 5-10 minutes, so far have been on hold for 40 min.

Is there a trick to this? I am trying to be patient, but I am within T-24 of my flight now so am getting antsy. Also- I have not checked in- would it be advisable to do so?

I think you need to be patient, as lots of flights have been canceled due to the impending storm (esp. out of the NYC area, but other connections are affected, as well), so lots of other pax needing to be rebooked. GL!

With 12 inches of snow in the forecast, and 0 degree F forecast, I would rethink this trip on Friday.

It's nasty here in Chicago. Took me 50 minutes to get to work versus the usual 25 minutes. If you can avoid ORD I would.

Just boarded plane from ORD to SAT. Lucky to be on one of the flights that wasn't cancelled.

I'm on a late flight tomorrow ORD-PHL, hope they have things under control by then.
The plane (a dark 739) is going SAN-EWR-SFO-EWR-LAX-ORD so I'll be keeping an eye on changes.

Trying to remain zen.....2hr 50 min on hold...sigh. Flight was cancelled while on hold- Trying twitter...

I called using two different phones and was on hold for over two hours. Finally go through only to be hung up on. Tweeted @united and didn't receive a timely response either. I ended up having to call a foreign office, where I got through quickly, but the agents weren't too competent. Just a bad situation all around.

Whew....all done
 

I feel your pain!

While on hold on one phone- Dialed a second phone using the number listed under my flight cancellation notification when signed in to united.com- while waiting for a twitter response.

Got a twitter response after 1 hr- and was re-booked by twitter rep. JUST after which a united rep answered the second phone call (~30 min total hold time on that one- speedy!) and I confirmed via phone that the changes the twitter rep made were all set. Then ended first united call- where I was still on hold (3 + hrs total)

whew.

unable to change reservation online and call center hung-up stating "system problem" ????

Glad to hear it all worked out!

so shouldn't you be able to change your affected itinerary online? Other airlines let you do it that way. I mean, 3 +hour wait times is ridiculous.

United too stingy with storm-related fee waiver
 

United had ample notice that a major snowstorm was on tap for the east coast. Yet up until at least yesterday, United's had a very ungenerous travel waiver. Its Upper Northeast Snowstorm waiver stated:

• Fees for same-day flight changes are waived within 24 hours of original departure.
• For all other changes, the change fee will be waived, but a difference in fare may apply.

This was a very stingy waiver, and for me to change my flight to get out before the snowstorm, more than 24 hours ahead of time, meant I would still have to cough up a hefty fare difference. I would have been happy to get out ahead of the snowstorm, but United made it uneconomic to do so.

United now realizes, after the snowstorm, began, that it was too stingy and has changed its waivers to include fare differences, but it is too late.

I am very unhappy with United's bean counting, which will cause even more congestion and difficulty for travelers, when the snowstorm passes.

Did you actually call a reservations agent and ask for their help rebooking you and get told there would be a fare difference? In my experience, if the request seems logical/reasonable and is going to get you home, agents often apply latitude during these irrops-related situations to rebook you without applying a fare difference. The published travel waiver guidelines are often a minimum guaranteed standard, with better results often available if you ask.

It can be hit-or-miss, though. I got a very sharp, ultra-fast sCO phone agent once who insisted on recalculating and charging the approx. $4 fare difference to turn W->V when I changed travel that had been cancelled due to a horrific New England snowstorm and rebooked 2 weeks into the future.

This approach (first publish "we waive change fees" and then, later, publish "we waive change fees and fare differences" if things get as bad as predicted) has been a standard operating procedure for at least the past year.