Apr 21, 2014, 11:37 am
Last edit by: Pat89339
A number of folks with award flights booked on CA (Air China) found their reservations cancelled. The only notification of cancellation appears to be an email in from UA written in chinese. UA reps confirmed that cancellations were made online and CA award space was no longer available. UA can rebook on other flights when award space is available.
It is plausible that a third party with access to PNR and pax name on the flight can fraudulently cancel an existing itinerary and book the reopened award seat.
Affected FlyerTalk members — with links to where in this discussion they posted their experiences — include:
It is plausible that a third party with access to PNR and pax name on the flight can fraudulently cancel an existing itinerary and book the reopened award seat.
Affected FlyerTalk members — with links to where in this discussion they posted their experiences — include:
- MikeMpls
- nihaoa
- lewende Reported 4 friends with this issue
- ordbkk
- twebst
- kb1992
- litesleeper
- zombietooth
- critten Reported 2/3 confirmations (3 people CA Business class) cancelled at the same time
- skyvanman Also 1 friend with the issue
- chris1234
- atiger29
- bubble o bill
- genemk2
- jefftiger
- CuddlyFlyer
- gpeso8
- imm2b
- acf1270
- dgxoxo
- ACM two passengers
It seems everybody wants to see the message.. here was mine:
united.com 通知 - 航班预订取消
2014年4月17日 (星期四)
united.com | 优惠促销 | 预订 | 赢取前程万里 (MileagePlus®) 奖励里程 | 我的帐户
先生 ORDBKK
您的预订 MYRES123 已取消，我们已收到您的退款申请。申请信用卡退款需 7 个工作日。如果信用卡退款未在一个付款周期内寄出，请联系信用卡公司。对于包括现金退款在内的 所有其他形式 的付款，需要 20 个工作日。
如需详细信息或查看退款的状态，请访问 united.com 并提供您的机票号码。
感谢您使用 united.com
电子邮件信息
请不要使用“回复”地址回复此邮件。
此电子邮件中的信息仅供原接收人使用。
如果您遇到技术问题，请通过电子邮件或电话联系 united.com 服务支持。
通知：机票取消确认
电子邮件地址: ORDBKK@MYEMAIL
2014年4月17日 (星期四)
united.com | 优惠促销 | 预订 | 赢取前程万里 (MileagePlus®) 奖励里程 | 我的帐户
先生 ORDBKK
您的预订 MYRES123 已取消，我们已收到您的退款申请。申请信用卡退款需 7 个工作日。如果信用卡退款未在一个付款周期内寄出，请联系信用卡公司。对于包括现金退款在内的 所有其他形式 的付款，需要 20 个工作日。
如需详细信息或查看退款的状态，请访问 united.com 并提供您的机票号码。
感谢您使用 united.com
电子邮件信息
请不要使用“回复”地址回复此邮件。
此电子邮件中的信息仅供原接收人使用。
如果您遇到技术问题，请通过电子邮件或电话联系 united.com 服务支持。
通知：机票取消确认
电子邮件地址: ORDBKK@MYEMAIL
Originally Posted by ordbkk View Post
For tracking purposes, I went through the 27 pages of this thread and compiled a list of those affected:
MikeMpls
nihaoa
lewende (reported 4 friends with this issue)
ordbkk
twebst
kb1992
litesleeper
zombietooth
critten
skyvanman (also 1 friend with the issue)
jefftiger (but, happened during October 2013)
So we're at 13 people affected, although some like critten have had multiple trips canceled.
From what I understand, all of these occurred in the last 3 weeks.
For tracking purposes, I went through the 27 pages of this thread and compiled a list of those affected:
MikeMpls
nihaoa
lewende (reported 4 friends with this issue)
ordbkk
twebst
kb1992
litesleeper
zombietooth
critten
skyvanman (also 1 friend with the issue)
jefftiger (but, happened during October 2013)
So we're at 13 people affected, although some like critten have had multiple trips canceled.
From what I understand, all of these occurred in the last 3 weeks.
2014 UA Issued Awards on Air China (CA) Are Mysteriously Being Canceled (Hacked?)
Apr 21, 2014, 3:11 pm
#451
Suspended
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 1,961
Why do you say that? I think there are plenty of potential avenues for legal action here. The main problem is simply that litigation would cost way more than the amount at stake, and would also take much longer than the available time before a trip a few weeks hence. And once you start down the path of suing UA whatever cooperation you might have had is going to disappear. They can probably also refuse to sell you any tickets going forward if you are in litigation against them?
Apr 21, 2014, 3:22 pm
#452
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,969
I doubt it. That's one of the things you give up in exchange for the numerous protections of being a common carrier: the right to refuse service to anyone. AFAIK, a common carrier must provide service to any person that can pay for it, unless they have a really good reason not to.
Apr 21, 2014, 3:32 pm
#453
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
Thank you for contacting United Airlines.
I have reviewed the records for your parents-in-law and have confirmed the information regarding the cancellation. I can confirm, our system indicates someone logged in as a guest, canceled XXXXXX at 10:42pm and then canceled XXXXXX at 10:50pm. I regret the records were canceled, however, we are unable to solicit Air China to give us additional mileage seats.
I have reviewed Air China's mileage availability for several weeks to the mainland, and at this time, there is no availability in First class or coach. The only option is to retain the routing currently indicated in each record.
Again, I regret the situation. We try to provide this value through a mix of safety, on-time performance, courteous and professional service, and a wide range of destination options. We want to make travel with us a convenient and trouble-free experience for our passengers.
Our goal is to provide exceptional service every time your parents travel with United. Your support is important to United, our regional carriers, and all Star Alliance member carriers. We appreciate your business and look forward to welcoming your parents on board for the flight to California.
Regards,
XXX XXX
United Airlines
I have reviewed the records for your parents-in-law and have confirmed the information regarding the cancellation. I can confirm, our system indicates someone logged in as a guest, canceled XXXXXX at 10:42pm and then canceled XXXXXX at 10:50pm. I regret the records were canceled, however, we are unable to solicit Air China to give us additional mileage seats.
I have reviewed Air China's mileage availability for several weeks to the mainland, and at this time, there is no availability in First class or coach. The only option is to retain the routing currently indicated in each record.
Again, I regret the situation. We try to provide this value through a mix of safety, on-time performance, courteous and professional service, and a wide range of destination options. We want to make travel with us a convenient and trouble-free experience for our passengers.
Our goal is to provide exceptional service every time your parents travel with United. Your support is important to United, our regional carriers, and all Star Alliance member carriers. We appreciate your business and look forward to welcoming your parents on board for the flight to California.
Regards,
XXX XXX
United Airlines
, it seems to me that the experiences that folks have been having are from "trouble free" 
Score is Air Jeff 100*/Pax zero
*1 point for acknowledging the issue and 99 points for sweeping it under the rug with BS
Apr 21, 2014, 3:47 pm
#454
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: California
Posts: 1,127
United, you guys need to do something. With 31 pages and 461 posts, you can't claim you didn't know anymore....
I don't have a cancelled reservation, but I have no confidence in United that I won't eventually end up being a victim of a crime that's really easy to prevent.
I don't have a cancelled reservation, but I have no confidence in United that I won't eventually end up being a victim of a crime that's really easy to prevent.
Apr 21, 2014, 3:51 pm
#455
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt/Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold, Hertz Prez
Posts: 162
Where is UAInsider in all of this? I agree, the lack of any statement from United is troubling.
Apr 21, 2014, 3:57 pm
#456
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: Delta Plat, UA Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 258
[Quote deleted by Moderator, and reply thereto, as the original quote since deleted.]
Blessed there was ample time. United stepped up and created saver space in Business and Global first.
What Smisek should do is go after CA for the lost revenue that was replaced with UA. Maybe kick them out of Star Alliance, meh. At least I can now sleep in peace without a possible cancellation - that others on here may still have to worry about.
Blessed there was ample time. United stepped up and created saver space in Business and Global first.
What Smisek should do is go after CA for the lost revenue that was replaced with UA. Maybe kick them out of Star Alliance, meh. At least I can now sleep in peace without a possible cancellation - that others on here may still have to worry about.
Last edited by Ocn Vw 1K; Apr 22, 2014 at 12:15 pm Reason: See note above.
Apr 21, 2014, 4:08 pm
#457
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
Here is my take on this issue:
Someone in China had access to Air China reservation system for MP+ awards. Only needed UA PNR+last name to cancel CA F/C awards from UA China site, hence the Chinese email notification.
If those affected could send original e-tickets and approximate time of cancellation to UA+CA, then it's not hard to track down those identical awards booked shortly after. Dates, flights, cabins match the cancelled PNRs.
This requires CA cooperation to nail down possible beneficiaries of this scam.
Someone in China had access to Air China reservation system for MP+ awards. Only needed UA PNR+last name to cancel CA F/C awards from UA China site, hence the Chinese email notification.
If those affected could send original e-tickets and approximate time of cancellation to UA+CA, then it's not hard to track down those identical awards booked shortly after. Dates, flights, cabins match the cancelled PNRs.
This requires CA cooperation to nail down possible beneficiaries of this scam.
Apr 21, 2014, 4:12 pm
#458
Suspended
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 1,961
This wouldn't likely happen in the US, because law enforcement could track down the perpetrator pretty easily, looking for patterns in the purchase of the replacement tickets, just as you say. But there's not really the same rule of law in China. Unless this turns into an embarrassment for the Chinese government---in that case the person or persons responsible will be really screwed.
Apr 21, 2014, 4:16 pm
#459
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,363
Though I normally consider it a joke, has anybody tried taking this to the highly visible bloggers and social media?
If 12 FT members have been hit, the actual number to date is likely near 1000 and if UA does the head-in-sand dance it will climb rapidly.
If 12 FT members have been hit, the actual number to date is likely near 1000 and if UA does the head-in-sand dance it will climb rapidly.
Apr 21, 2014, 4:18 pm
#460
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
Have none if the bloggers handled it yet? It's like there's some kind of bizarre veil of silence.
Apr 21, 2014, 4:19 pm
#461
Suspended
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 1,961
Maybe 100? I doubt there are even 1000 UA members a month who book F travel on CA using their miles. And some of the reports aren't from long-established FT members, they are from people who found this thread on Google.
Apr 21, 2014, 4:30 pm
#462
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: Delta Plat, UA Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 258
I'm sure if there was cooperation among carriers, this could be solved.
But come on- it's united and a chinese carrier...let's just blame the 1k members for accidentally cancelling separate records magically at the same time......like they don't fly enough anyway for them to be skilled at handling a website. Pshhh babies with their own phone line. Grow up already!
But come on- it's united and a chinese carrier...let's just blame the 1k members for accidentally cancelling separate records magically at the same time......like they don't fly enough anyway for them to be skilled at handling a website. Pshhh babies with their own phone line. Grow up already!
Last edited by critten; Apr 21, 2014 at 4:42 pm
When did you discover your itinerary was tampered with (or get the e-mail)?
Apr 21, 2014, 4:34 pm
#464
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clinging to the edifices of a decadent past from the biggest city in America nobody really cares about.
Programs: (ಠ_ಠ)
Posts: 9,077
Greetings Everyone -
The topic of this thread is related to UA issued awards on CA being canceled without proper authorization, not each other.
Discussion and flame-bating are grounds for a vacation from FT so please bear that in mind when posting.
(...and if there is an issue with a post, you can always report it to a mod for review.)
Safe Travels,
J. Edward
UA Forum Moderator
The topic of this thread is related to UA issued awards on CA being canceled without proper authorization, not each other.
Discussion and flame-bating are grounds for a vacation from FT so please bear that in mind when posting.
(...and if there is an issue with a post, you can always report it to a mod for review.)
Safe Travels,
J. Edward
UA Forum Moderator
Apr 21, 2014, 4:35 pm
#465
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 13
You shouldn't have paid the $200 and rather asked them to re-instate the ticket. Don't accept anything like this; make sure if they do this involuntarily that they note in the record. Small claims court might be your best avenue if corporate customer care doesn't take care of the situation.
Mine was on the 11th, 10 days ago.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Apr 21, 2014 at 5:31 pm Reason: merge