Leenco

Great, I didn't even think of that... well I always got the E+ anyway, even after the policy changed, but booking it in advance would give me some peace of mind, a bulk head would be perfect too.
I don't care about the upgrade per se, I'm just worried that if I have to sit in such a cramped position, I will be in pain for at least a couple of days after the flight or maybe even do some damage...
Since I already "payed" to be on the waitlist, I was just wondering what the chances are (w/o expecting anyting.)

brentito86

With regards to calling them...use skype and call them with this number:
1-800-864-8331
that will connect you with the american call centre for free and i've found american call centres to be a little more customer friendly than european (in my experience).

If not use the belgian number: 02-2-0088-68

stevneil

Look for an R booking code, and see if UA will let you change your flight, although you may not find a non-stop. It may also make sense to break up the trip into two legs so you have a chance to move around.

zombietooth

Obviously this is important for you, so you should watch for buy-up opportunities in your "Manage Reservations" tab, and check every day. I am usually offered a buy-up (for cash) option on my international flights multiple times prior to my flight. Often, the buy-up prices are quite reasonable--$700- to $900- to Asia and $500- to $700- for EU. These buy-up offers seem to show-up randomly, so you need to check your reservation daily.

It seems like this is more common when I have a GPU applied, but that could be observational or confirmation bias.

Good Luck!


This is a good idea.^

Agents do have a lot of leeway in switching you to another flight that might have more R avail.
Your condition should help you in finding a sympathetic agent.

Kacee

May I ask, if you live in Belgium, why are you flying out of FRA?

FRA-SFO is one of the more difficult upgrades in the system.

If you want a much higher chance of clearing the upgrade, change your flight to depart out of BRU, AMS, or MUC, connecting to SFO through ORD. You may even be able to find R (upgrade space) available at booking.

+1
There is no good reason to spend money on long distance phone calls these days.

mdspadeccom

I went through the same scenario about a month ago for a trans Atlantic flight. Multiple agents said that they could not process an upgrade for me due to recent knee surgery. I luckily got a "buy at check-in" upgrade.

Don't forget to order a wheel chair in the departure and arrival airports. It's free (aside from the tip for the attendant) and makes a huge difference in getting through the airport. Just call United to put in the request.

Hawk Circle

I had knee surgery in November and faced a long domestic flight a month later. Upgrade didn't clear but I was able to get an E+ aisle seat with the bad leg on the aisle side. That made stretching it pretty easy.

5khours

A bulkhead will not be perfect. You will not be able to straighten your leg.

Kacee

delete

Bear4Asian

A couple things:

Don't count on any help because of your situation - especially since you know in advance of your issue. I was in a hospital in China with what turned out to be a gallbladder attack and couldn't take my scheduled flight. The local UA reps had no power to get me out to an important meeting a day later. Skype calls to the states got sympathy, but no help. Couldn't get on the flight in coach, couldn't upgrade. Finally was able to buy a E- one way ticket from local agency for $1800.

Unless you really need to take this flight after your surgery, consider the possible complications. You have a higher risk of blood clots or deep vein clots, especially if you are in a cramped E- or even E+ and immobilized. Talk to your doctors please.

DaviddesJ

Actually, I think the number of handicap parking spaces is mostly determined by local ordinances, not specifically by demand. Given that the spaces exist anyway, it makes sense for people to use them even if their disability is relatively modest, imho.

But airlines don't have disability seating so this isn't that germane.

To the OP, if you're on the UA 747-400, you probably want a non-bulkhead E+ aisle seat (C, G, or H; not D). You obviously can't sit in an exit row, the bulkhead non-exit-row seats have relatively little legroom, and the D seats have underseat equipment that restricts legroom. You can check out the relevant thread here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...747-400-a.html

IAH-OIL-TRASH

?

And what determines local ordinances? Demand. Stores allocate spaces. They fill up. County or city ups the space requirements. Repeat. The number of spaces increases as every lazy or broken toe-nailed creep uses a space. I've often seen people park, hang (probably their dead grandmother's permit) on the mirror, and then practically sprint to the store. It's out of control. Laziness should not be a criteria for a reserved space. I have plantar fasciitis currently due to my incurable inability to stop running for exercise. I have more pride than to lie to a doctor and tell him I need a handicap placard because I can't walk 100 feet.

boss315

in the words of the Wizard, "Ain't no way, no how!"

UrbaneGent

Monsieur Leeco, I had a girlfriend who had a motorcycle accident in Mykonos. The motorcycle slipped and she fell with it and parts of her skin on her left side...she was bandaged up in Mykonos and again in Athens. She was a mess when she arrived at the gate at LHR for her UA connection to ORD.

I wanted to buy her a business class ticket but she refused. I tried to upgrade her (I was a GS/1K/MM) to no avail, (it was Friday before Labour Day) and the CS agents saw her condition at the gate and still, was treated like any other passenger, she ended up in an E+ aisle. She was a mess by the time she arrived, swollen with a fever, and was taken straight to the emergency room by her family upon arrival in Chicago.

I say this because what others are saying is true. Just be very careful flying with your condition, too. If you end up in Y, you don't want to do more damage to your leg. Good luck!

Pat89339

The 2010 ADA requirements for Disabled parking spaces vary by the type. For a parking facility they are on a tiered level. It starts at 1 for every 25 spaces for the first 100 spaces and decreases in higher tiers:
101-150=5
151-200=6
201-300=7
301-400=8
401-500=9
501-1000 = 2 percent of total.
1001 and over=20, plus 1 for each 100 or fraction thereof over 1000.

Information for other facilities can be found here.

As to the OP's problem. UA blocks specific seats for disabled passengers in Y which display on the seat map as taken. If you call them and tell them that you require a wheelchair and ask about disabled seating available in the Y cabin, they can open up the seat for you.