Duke777

UA cancelled this afternoon's YHZ-EWR (per usual) and rebooked me tomorrow afternoon. I called UA and after 1.5 hours they finally rebooked me on AC.

I have an AC confirmation number, but it appears I don't have a ticket number and says "coupon required" on my boarding passes.

I've done a bit of searching and sounds like I may have issues because I don't have a "coupon". Is there anything I can do other than arrive to the airport early and hope this works itself out? I'm trying to call AC now, but wondering if they're going to tell me it's a UA issue (who will tell me it's an AC issues).

As an aside, the rebooking process was ridiculous. What happened to putting me on partner flights when flights aren't cancelled due to weather? I was on an M fare base. The only reason I booked UA was because of PQD, but I'm going to switch to AC to ensure I'm not stranded in YHZ with the abundance of recent cancellations.

CDKing

Sounds like UA never ticketed. Not uncommon when rebooked on another carrier. You better call UA. I wouldnt wait until the airport. You can also check the receipt and see if there is a ticket number. you may be able to provide that to AC but i have not personally run into this so not 100% on the process

Often1

Without a ticket, all you have is a reservation. The ticket is the form of payment used by UA to "pay" AC to transport you.

Call UA ASAP and have them push the ticket. Stay on the phone with the agent until the agent can read you off a ticket #. If timing gets in the way, go to the airport early (way early) and ask UA to print you a hard coupon which can accompany your AC travel document.

Duke777

I called AC and the agent was very helpful.

She said I need to provide the UA ticket number at the airport and request a "SIM". Then, I should receive the coupons I need.

Hopefully this works. I'm not sure why UA didn't ticket the rebooking in the first place.

Okay, I should probably do that. I really don't like not having a ticket. Usually I wait until I see a ticket number, but after 1.5 hours on the phone, I assumed they could figure something out.

kenn0223

It's a UA issue. Your ticket is most likely out of sync. I'd call UA and ask them to resync your ticket and confirm that there is an available ticket coupon for the AC segment.

The term coupon is a holdover from the days of paper ticket. When you had multiple segments on a single ticket each segment was a single sheet (or coupon) in a booklet that was the ticket. When you boarded each flight the gate agent would tear out the applicable coupon from your ticket booklet and keep it leaving you with the rest of the coupons and the ticket booklet (which often contained the receipt and an itinerary). Now, with e-tickets the process is the same but it's all digital. When you buy a ticket it consists of electronic coupons for each flight that are marked as used when you board each flight. The ticket represents the money and its how the airline reconciles their own books and is the basis for how money is exchanged between carriers when you have a flight operated by one carrier and a ticket from another.

AC will not let you board without the coupon issue resolved since it is the only way they will get paid for transporting you.

I am sure the OP has a ticket, so the ticket number by itself won't be very helpful. UA needs to make sure there is a coupon properly associated with the AC flight and that it's available for use by AC (either actively "pushed" or just attributed to the AC flight and open for use). AC can use a SIM or MCO to force it though but they are likely going to need to call UA first and its probably just faster to take care of it now.

BTW, UA will not print paper tickets or coupon if e-ticketing is an option. I don't even think their airport systems allow for printing of paper tickets except for, perhaps, very specific reasons (non ticketing agreement carriers maybe). The last paper ticket stock expired in 2010 and the ARC has since stopped providing settlement services.

Duke777

I called UA and the agent said this is common (it's not), I just need to present my UA ticket number and the coupons show as active under AC.

I don't understand why the agent wouldn't sync everything up to avoid issues at the airport.

mherdeg

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exerda

UA should be able to fix it.

However, I've had the exact same problem arise on a US flight where UA apparently never re-sync'd the ticket, and US was able to handle it with a quick call from the gate to their service desk. It's possible you could call AC and have them fix things... but UA should be able to push the ticket out.

PTahCha

Part of the issue could be that the ticket wasn't pushed/released by UA, and it's not as simple as adding the ticket number to the reservation. I had a similar issue when US tried to push its ticket to AA - guess what, US also uses SHARES.

The worst case scenario is having AC or UA print out the physical ticket, and they can attach that to the BP.

weirdlyndon

They're referring to a FIM - Flight Interruption Manifest. It's a form of a paper ticket, whereby it'd be collected upon boarding at the gate.

UA should be able to sync the ticket to AC. If not, have a copy of your e-ticket or the ticket number, and provide the ticket number to the AC agent. They should be able to associate your UA ticket number in the AC res and issue you a boarding pass with no issue.

Often1

It's very common. But, fixing it is on UA. Yes, there are ways that an AC agent can retrieve your "coupon" with a UA ticket #, but that presumes more than minimal training (which many GA's lack and don't have time for).

lalalandMCI

The only way for the AC agent to retrieve the coupon is for the coupon to be exchanged for an AC flight. For example, YHZ-EWR on UA1234 has to be exchanged for AC1234 YHZ-EWR then AC can grab the ticket. If the ticket is still listed for a UA flight AC will be unable to get it.

This is one situation where SHARES is wonderful in the opposite, SHARES can literally find, and take control of any ticket regardless of carrier who issued.

FlyingNone

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Do this.....it is the absolute best advise. HUACA if necessary.

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The correct term is FIM (Flight Interuption Manifest); However UA is loathe to do this - it means FULL fare payment to the other carrier - versus synching (face value or less) -- (which CAN be done over the phone). We very, very rarely do FIMs.
To "push" and sync this ticket to another carrier is very quick and easy. Try again by phone (HUACA if necessary); otherwise just get to the airport a little early and deal with it there (at United, not Air Canada).

lalalandMCI

Very close... Many agents hate to "FIM" because they don't know how. Also, as you said it means full payment for a Y fare.

INVOLing a ticket to AC would result in AC having control, and UA only paying 40% of a Y ticket to AC (or other negotiated rate, as they differ by carrier)

channa

This is a big no no in the UA world. While it would solve a lot of problems, and sometimes quickly, it creates a few minutes of work on their accounting side, and UA thinks it's better to have the customer wait while the agent (or agents) work with the Helpdesk to automate this.


When OALs are involved, it's not a resync, it's a reissue.


If it's been reissued for the AC flight, this should work.


Yes, but it's not automated.

When they moved to SHARES, UA hired some FTEs just to reconcile OAL tickets in the background because UA has a lot more OAL tickets than CO ever did.


Within Star, it is my understanding the negotiated rates are quite favorable.