Any else have this problem in the last day? I'm stuck abroad while trying to change my flights, and the website keeps giving an error any time I click on changing an existing reservation. It directs me to call the 1-800 # in the US, which isn't even accepting calls due to high call volume. How much more incompetent can an airline get? They're screwing me over in an emergency.

I went ahead and put a hold on the flights I want, and then call the United # in the country I'm in. Turns out those clowns can't merge the two reservations. I have to give up the only seat that came up in the last week, hope it goes in the availability pool and someone doesn't snatch it, then I have to sit around and call immediately when I see it show up again.

Anyone know of a # to call or a way around this?

lots of problems, see
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...dec-8-jan.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...orm-irops.html
take a deep breadth --- you are far from alone.
no airline can -- ranting against things that can not be done does little good
skype and call standard numbers -- waits are long or get to an airport were they direct access to reservations.

I had it all ready to go last, click the payment screen, and then the errors started. There's absolutely no excuse or justification for this. I've given their agents ways around this by holding my desired itinerary but the stupidity and inflexibility of the people on the phones is mind boggling. It's little consolation to people stuck abroad that everyone has problems from time to time with websites.

Also, I have no premier status, and my flights are from Asia to SFO, so I'm not the subject of any consessions. None of the links in your reply are of any use to me.

I've been getting this error message a lot recently (almost always when I am mid-trip and try to make a change). I don't think it has anything to do with the current weather situation in the midwest.

+1 to that. I've only been able to change a trip online *once* - all other attempts over the last few years failed exactly as per the above.

I haven't figured the pattern yet, although I typically get this error when using a web browser on a PC or on iOS. I don't recall trying to change via the United app; so it may be a website-specific issue.

With more data points, I hope someone will eventually figure it out... By any chance, are you initially starting from a localized United website (i.e. non-US) page, as I do?

I've tried non-US and US based website. I've been able to do modifications before, and even this one almost worked. It just seems like something broke overnight because United's facebook page has plenty of the same comments. People stranded in airports with no way to change flights.

There's absolutely no excuse for how poorly they're handling this. They can't do the simple task of taking my desired itinerary that+ cancelling the old one, which costs a lot more.

I am having exactly the same problem right now. My change involves a NH connection at NRT. Previous problems of this type were always due to united.com showing NH flights available at the particular fare class but NH itself does not have availability. I am now waiting for more than one hour after the initial tape recording said wait time 10 to 15 minutes.

I had this problem this morning. I was trying to make a free (no fare difference within 24 hours of booking) change. I kept getting error messages. But when I went to look up my reservation using the comfirmation code, it showed the new flight and not the old one. It also shows the new flight in "my reservations" when I log into MileagePlus. I did try calling to confirm all was well, but gave up after 1 hour on hold. Anyone have experience with this situation? It seems to me that the change went through but the glitchy online system just threw an error message for no reason. I also never received any auto-generated confirmation of the change, though it will let me email the itinerary (showing the new flight) to myself.

Try clicking the "add e-mail address and request receipt" button. Then either wait for an e-mail or wait a couple of minutes and click "view receipt" on your online itinerary view to see your most recent e-ticket.

If the flights shown on your e-ticket match the flights shown on your reservation, you are good to go. (If all the new flights you want are operated by United, you are probably also good to go.)

tried this yesterday, did a flight change and it got to revenue screen, submitted (no cost) and error! called 1k line, asked them to do it, seat was gone. went back online and tried to change to a new flight that popped up, gave me an error but actually changed it that time. trial/error FTW!

Yes, the same happened to me a few times yesterday.

I got it to accept my desired change after a few LOCA (Log Off Change Again?)

Thanks very much for this suggestion. I tried it and the receipt does not match. The receipt still has the old flight even though the new flight shows on the reservation. The changed flight is operated by Aer Lingus so that worries me. I am not sure how many hours I can devote to sitting on hold today. I am afraid they will try to charge me a change fee if I cannot get it done within 24 hours of the original booking (though I think that would be very unfair and I would dispute it). Anyway, it is better to realize I have a problem now. Thanks again.

So after another hour on hold I was told my reservation had to be changed through some special highly complex process that would require transferring me to multiple additional departments because it was such a very special sort of reservation. Gee whiz, it was just a codeshare booked on their main website! Several holds and transfers later they just disconnected me. Although they had taken down a number "in case we are disconnected," they of course did not call back. So I went online to just cancel the whole thing. This seemed to work.