To follow up on this, I got home to find a problem had developed on one of the itineraries I had worked on with United back on March 6th. United had created an additional itinerary for a flight I AM NOT flying, and tied up my only available PlusPoints on that bogus itinerary...when the PlusPoints had been assigned to the itinerary I am actually going to fly. So I opened up the text chain from March 6th. Over an hour to get a live person...over another hour talking to two different people, only to not really get a firm solution, just a promise its nothing to worry about. Now I am not so happy and amazed at the texting option. In fact I am a bit pissed...I offered several possible solutions...nope, "nothing to worry about".

I was having trouble making a reservation with a partner (LX) segment yesterday. Called, quoted 15 minutes wait, option for callback but no thanks, gave up after 10 minutes.

Called again today, effectively no wait (usual "calls will be answered in order received" message, then immediate connection to agent). Got a great agent who sorted it out. :tu: Wish I could do that every time.

1K line: long hold times, offered call back
 

First for me. Have to call the 1K line to get a ticket issued that I put on hold last night. I was told my wait time is 20-25 minutes (longest I've ever had, even in most meltdown situations) and was offered to have my place in line preserved with a call back. I took them up on the offer. I'm curious if I'll get the 1K desk when they call back. Delta has done this in the past but they have awful hold times for even Diamonds on their elite line.

Any clue why the 1K line is so busy tonight? I don't see any issues on fly.faa.gov except a small delay in DEN. Last night when I called at this time I got right to an agent in 30 seconds.

-RM

They might be dealing with flight change requests as a result of the PW 777-200 reintroduction to flight schedules.

I've had to call the 1K line quite a few times in the past 10 days for a ticket I'm in the middle of (lots of changes to make). I've been calling anywhere between 3 & 5am ET and the hold times are generally 20-40 minutes but today I was given 60-80 minutes. Not once have I been given the call back feature again. I'm not sure why. I had it the first time back in May as I posted above. Now it's gone. Any clue when United does and doesn't use the feature?

I've noticed calling at/after 6am results in significantly lower wait times so I usually hang up and call back then. For example, two days ago I called at 530am ET and the wait was quoted 40-50 minutes. I called back at 6am and the wait was 5-10 minutes (and it was answered in 8). This morning I called at 4am ET and the wait is 60-80 minutes.

-RM

1K Help desk hold times, what is your experience
 

My flight today is delayed (crew, not weather), and will miss my connection. Usually calling 1k desk on the phone is better than airport customer service. I just called and got 60 minute hold time message. Wonder what others receive? Also No backup flight either...

I've called ~5 times in the last two months. Each time it was less than 5 minutes, but typically closer to 1 minute.

You may want to try the agent on demand option in the app.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...23-2022-a.html

There's severe travel waiver issued for the Eastcoast. I am sure their phones are being flooded with calls.
Usual wait time for me is: the duration of the automated greeting, the automated request to participate in their survey, + 10 seconds.

Have only had a few calls this summer and all have been answered within 2-5 minutes. This is certainly the storm at work.

^ same. i’ve unfortunately called twice as many times in the same period, mainly due to schedule changes, and wait times have been a couple of minutes in the worst cases.

My experience has also been no waits of more than a couple minutes.

Careful. Don't let this thread get too long and filled with all of us saying "usually just a couple of minutes" (also my experience) because the DL Diamonds will be flooding over here. DL Diamond waits can be quite long (according to the boards) and now they don't even get to board with first class.

-RM

One area where UA clearly beats AA and DL.

Never more than 5 minutes. If I were quoted 60 minutes, I'd HUACA on the theory it was an error.

Yesterday was absolutely brutal for UA, no surprise their phone lines were completely overwhelmed, even for 1Ks. Especially with the amount of international flying that got significantly delayed/cancelled.

I agree. I phoned twice Sunday evening, about cancelled flights out of ATL, and hold times less than five minutes. 😊