2014 UA Issued Awards on Air China (CA) Are Mysteriously Being Canceled (Hacked?)
May 13, 14, 4:42 am - Wikipost
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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:
Originally Posted by ordbkk
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: [email protected]
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. 
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Apr 24, 14, 8:24 am
#571
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: Delta Plat, UA Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 255
Originally Posted by CDKing
Well IAH/PEK is still open for my date so hopefully i'm safe but doubt it 
I'd be curious as to what routes are the ones being cancelled.
Im debating switching now to a different routing. Really wanted to try CA F but it seems the seat in 777-300ER isnt much different than the TG A380 F seat.
I'd be curious as to what routes are the ones being cancelled.Im debating switching now to a different routing. Really wanted to try CA F but it seems the seat in 777-300ER isnt much different than the TG A380 F seat.
The post is growing, but would united inconvenience everyone based on 14 people's cancellation and take on a huge number of calls? To make everyone call in to cancel would not be a good solution. One storm and there will be another thread about how the call lines don't even work.
Apr 24, 14, 8:35 am
#572
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX/SFO
Programs: AA EXP; AS 75K; WN A List; UA 1K 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott AMB; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 50,430
Originally Posted by CDKing
Temporary disabling of the ability to cancel online until the PIN based requirement can be implimented sounds like an excellent idea.
I find that virtually everything I do on an award reservation has to be called in anyway, so this would really add just a minor inconvenience.
Apr 24, 14, 8:49 am
#573
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DCA, ex-IAH
Programs: nada
Posts: 1,368
Nervously sitting on a ticket containing IAH-PEK (and then -SIN-NZ that same day).
However, this is ticket has double open jaw with stopover...I've flown a single segment and am on a [very long] stopover currently before my CA segment. I've noticed that because of this, I apparently can still change flights, but the option to cancel is gone. Hope that means I'm safe, but also suggesting that it might also be an option for some of us with CA tickets to help protect ourselves.
However, this is ticket has double open jaw with stopover...I've flown a single segment and am on a [very long] stopover currently before my CA segment. I've noticed that because of this, I apparently can still change flights, but the option to cancel is gone. Hope that means I'm safe, but also suggesting that it might also be an option for some of us with CA tickets to help protect ourselves.
Apr 24, 14, 9:03 am
#574
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: 10^7 mm from Ȱ
Programs: Hyatt D/HHonors D/ SPG P/ Marriott P/ IHG P/ UA 1K/ AA EXP/ DL D
Posts: 1,959
Originally Posted by crnk
I apparently can still change flights, but the option to cancel is gone. Hope that means I'm safe, but also suggesting that it might also be an option for some of us with CA tickets to help protect ourselves.
Apr 24, 14, 9:08 am
#575
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,626
Maybe just disable cancellation on the Chinese-language site? At least then the emails will come in English.
Seems like you didn't read the post you were responding to.
Originally Posted by lewende
What are you talking about? The "cancel/refund" button is still available for each rez no matter you log in or not.
Apr 24, 14, 9:12 am
#576
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,234
Originally Posted by critten
I'd take TG over CA before this whole debacle. Your call on the risk, but I agree with most in that it would take significant time to implement anything. My single first ticket that wasn't stolen is still available, so you just have to hope there is no one wanting your seat :P
Another option would be to see if i can cancel the return, get 1/2 the miles back and keep my inbound stop-over in BKK. But once again doubt UA would allow that while res is intact and if it wasnt i would have lost my non CA segments anyways
Apr 24, 14, 9:12 am
#577
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX/SFO
Programs: AA EXP; AS 75K; WN A List; UA 1K 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott AMB; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 50,430
Originally Posted by lewende
What are you talking about? The "cancel/refund" button is still available for each rez no matter you log in or not.
Apr 24, 14, 9:19 am
#578
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: 10^7 mm from Ȱ
Programs: Hyatt D/HHonors D/ SPG P/ Marriott P/ IHG P/ UA 1K/ AA EXP/ DL D
Posts: 1,959
Originally Posted by Kacee
Not if travel has commenced.
Originally Posted by mgcsinc
Seems like you didn't read the post you were responding to.
Apr 24, 14, 9:21 am
#579
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: Delta Plat, UA Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 255
Originally Posted by mgcsinc
Maybe just disable cancellation on the Chinese-language site? At least then the emails will come in English.
Seems like you didn't read the post you were responding to.
Seems like you didn't read the post you were responding to.
Apr 24, 14, 9:30 am
#580
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 33
Add one more to the Wiki List. And, be warned: don't rely on UA's assurance that the CA flight is reinstated.
I received the email in Chinese in mid-March, a couple months after making a reservation that included IAH-PEK, and, after a TWOV stopover, PEK-SYD. I called MP within 5 minutes of receipt of the email, after logging in to MP Account and seeing the flights had been cancelled. A very helpful CSA - although insisting that I must have cancelled the reservation myself, even inadvertently - spent the next 1 1/2 hours working to reinstate the flights. USAir refused to reinstate the positioning flight to IAH, so UA put us on one of its own flights. The other 7 flights in the itinerary, were, she said, reinstated.
Later that week, we fortunately called each airline to (re)request seat assignments. CA said no (notwithstanding the assurance from the UA CSA that it was reinstated) and insisted that the IAH-PEK ticket had been cancelled by UA. I called MP again. After the (again, ultimately very helpful) CSA insisted that that was not true, I persuaded her to contact CA anyway. She came back quite a while later to tell me that, yes, CA continued to insist that the ticket was cancelled and refused to reinstate the ticket. UA opened up seats on its own flights to and from another city.
But, this cut our 2 full days and one 1/2 day TWOV stopover to only one full day and two half-days - not enough time to really see the sights. After thinking about it, I called MP and said I would prefer to just pay for the visas and have enough time in PEK and asked if they could move us to a flight a day or two earlier, which the CSA very kindly did, actually offering several choices. She assured me that CA PEK-SYD flight was still OK. We immediately called CA and did get seat assignments.
Three phone calls totalling about four hours. UA totally did the right thing, bent over backwards, and I am very appreciative. BUT - who knows?
I then changed password and PIN. I did not know anyone else had the same problem until happening upon this thread. Now a month later, I have logged into MP many times. It shows the flight reservation, but does not allow me to View or View/Change Seats (I get an error screen). So, perhaps this is a mechanism to prevent on-line cancellation? Or (if anyone has read this far), should I call MP again to make sure all is OK? Either way I am going to be on pins and needles until actually in a seat this summer on the CA flight to SYD.
I received the email in Chinese in mid-March, a couple months after making a reservation that included IAH-PEK, and, after a TWOV stopover, PEK-SYD. I called MP within 5 minutes of receipt of the email, after logging in to MP Account and seeing the flights had been cancelled. A very helpful CSA - although insisting that I must have cancelled the reservation myself, even inadvertently - spent the next 1 1/2 hours working to reinstate the flights. USAir refused to reinstate the positioning flight to IAH, so UA put us on one of its own flights. The other 7 flights in the itinerary, were, she said, reinstated.
Later that week, we fortunately called each airline to (re)request seat assignments. CA said no (notwithstanding the assurance from the UA CSA that it was reinstated) and insisted that the IAH-PEK ticket had been cancelled by UA. I called MP again. After the (again, ultimately very helpful) CSA insisted that that was not true, I persuaded her to contact CA anyway. She came back quite a while later to tell me that, yes, CA continued to insist that the ticket was cancelled and refused to reinstate the ticket. UA opened up seats on its own flights to and from another city.
But, this cut our 2 full days and one 1/2 day TWOV stopover to only one full day and two half-days - not enough time to really see the sights. After thinking about it, I called MP and said I would prefer to just pay for the visas and have enough time in PEK and asked if they could move us to a flight a day or two earlier, which the CSA very kindly did, actually offering several choices. She assured me that CA PEK-SYD flight was still OK. We immediately called CA and did get seat assignments.
Three phone calls totalling about four hours. UA totally did the right thing, bent over backwards, and I am very appreciative. BUT - who knows?
I then changed password and PIN. I did not know anyone else had the same problem until happening upon this thread. Now a month later, I have logged into MP many times. It shows the flight reservation, but does not allow me to View or View/Change Seats (I get an error screen). So, perhaps this is a mechanism to prevent on-line cancellation? Or (if anyone has read this far), should I call MP again to make sure all is OK? Either way I am going to be on pins and needles until actually in a seat this summer on the CA flight to SYD.
Apr 24, 14, 9:34 am
#581
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BTR
Programs: AA PlatPro; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Globalist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,168
Originally Posted by CDKing
Temporary disabling of the ability to cancel online until the PIN based requirement can be implimented sounds like an excellent idea.
UA doesn't need to create problems for thousands of customers to protect the reservations of hundreds of customers.
Apr 24, 14, 9:40 am
#582
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: Delta Plat, UA Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 255
I've sent you a PM for some contacts. Hopefully the growing numbers will push this up the priority chain.
Originally Posted by bubble o bill
Add one more to the Wiki List. And, be warned: don't rely on UA's assurance that the CA flight is reinstated.
I received the email in Chinese in mid-March, a couple months after making a reservation that included IAH-PEK, and, after a TWOV stopover, PEK-SYD. I called MP within 5 minutes of receipt of the email, after logging in to MP Account and seeing the flights had been cancelled. A very helpful CSA - although insisting that I must have cancelled the reservation myself, even inadvertently - spent the next 1 1/2 hours working to reinstate the flights. USAir refused to reinstate the positioning flight to IAH, so UA put us on one of its own flights. The other 7 flights in the itinerary, were, she said, reinstated.
Later that week, we fortunately called each airline to (re)request seat assignments. CA said no (notwithstanding the assurance from the UA CSA that it was reinstated) and insisted that the IAH-PEK ticket had been cancelled by UA. I called MP again. After the (again, ultimately very helpful) CSA insisted that that was not true, I persuaded her to contact CA anyway. She came back quite a while later to tell me that, yes, CA continued to insist that the ticket was cancelled and refused to reinstate the ticket. UA opened up seats on its own flights to and from another city.
But, this cut our 2 full days and one 1/2 day TWOV stopover to only one full day and two half-days - not enough time to really see the sights. After thinking about it, I called MP and said I would prefer to just pay for the visas and have enough time in PEK and asked if they could move us to a flight a day or two earlier, which the CSA very kindly did, actually offering several choices. She assured me that CA PEK-SYD flight was still OK. We immediately called CA and did get seat assignments.
Three phone calls totalling about four hours. UA totally did the right thing, bent over backwards, and I am very appreciative. BUT - who knows?
I then changed password and PIN. I did not know anyone else had the same problem until happening upon this thread. Now a month later, I have logged into MP many times. It shows the flight reservation, but does not allow me to View or View/Change Seats (I get an error screen). So, perhaps this is a mechanism to prevent on-line cancellation? Or (if anyone has read this far), should I call MP again to make sure all is OK? Either way I am going to be on pins and needles until actually in a seat this summer on the CA flight to SYD.
I received the email in Chinese in mid-March, a couple months after making a reservation that included IAH-PEK, and, after a TWOV stopover, PEK-SYD. I called MP within 5 minutes of receipt of the email, after logging in to MP Account and seeing the flights had been cancelled. A very helpful CSA - although insisting that I must have cancelled the reservation myself, even inadvertently - spent the next 1 1/2 hours working to reinstate the flights. USAir refused to reinstate the positioning flight to IAH, so UA put us on one of its own flights. The other 7 flights in the itinerary, were, she said, reinstated.
Later that week, we fortunately called each airline to (re)request seat assignments. CA said no (notwithstanding the assurance from the UA CSA that it was reinstated) and insisted that the IAH-PEK ticket had been cancelled by UA. I called MP again. After the (again, ultimately very helpful) CSA insisted that that was not true, I persuaded her to contact CA anyway. She came back quite a while later to tell me that, yes, CA continued to insist that the ticket was cancelled and refused to reinstate the ticket. UA opened up seats on its own flights to and from another city.
But, this cut our 2 full days and one 1/2 day TWOV stopover to only one full day and two half-days - not enough time to really see the sights. After thinking about it, I called MP and said I would prefer to just pay for the visas and have enough time in PEK and asked if they could move us to a flight a day or two earlier, which the CSA very kindly did, actually offering several choices. She assured me that CA PEK-SYD flight was still OK. We immediately called CA and did get seat assignments.
Three phone calls totalling about four hours. UA totally did the right thing, bent over backwards, and I am very appreciative. BUT - who knows?
I then changed password and PIN. I did not know anyone else had the same problem until happening upon this thread. Now a month later, I have logged into MP many times. It shows the flight reservation, but does not allow me to View or View/Change Seats (I get an error screen). So, perhaps this is a mechanism to prevent on-line cancellation? Or (if anyone has read this far), should I call MP again to make sure all is OK? Either way I am going to be on pins and needles until actually in a seat this summer on the CA flight to SYD.
Apr 24, 14, 9:43 am
#583
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: HPN
Programs: not anymore! I'm FREE!
Posts: 3,338
Originally Posted by bubble o bill
Now a month later, I have logged into MP many times. It shows the flight reservation, but does not allow me to View or View/Change Seats (I get an error screen).
Sorry this happened to you (and so many others). It's really high time that UA fixed this. I find it really irritating that even though other airlines can password-protect reservations (see the blog post referenced in this post), somehow UA can't or won't implement that functionality.
Apr 24, 14, 9:53 am
#584
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: Delta Plat, UA Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 255
Originally Posted by snic
You can't use UA's website to view/change seats on partner flights - only on UA metal. Get the CA confirmation number and try selecting seats on the CA website instead.
Sorry this happened to you (and so many others). It's really high time that UA fixed this. I find it really irritating that even though other airlines can password-protect reservations (see the blog post referenced in this post), somehow UA can't or won't implement that functionality.
Sorry this happened to you (and so many others). It's really high time that UA fixed this. I find it really irritating that even though other airlines can password-protect reservations (see the blog post referenced in this post), somehow UA can't or won't implement that functionality.
Maybe put a 24hr Delay on CA cancels before redepositing into the bucket. Gives us a chance to call and rebook - and hopefully change the confirmations number around, meh.
Apr 24, 14, 9:55 am
#585
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 163
I too am nervously monitoring a couple of CA J seats that lead-off my upcoming trip. Am I safe in assuming that if the reservation still appears on united.com and via the saudi airlines website, things are still good? Or do I need to confirm directly with CA (or anything else)?
