CO_Nonrev_elite

Again, this is just another case of United taking ZERO responsibility for their actions. The rules can be bent whenever like (when it suits them) but cannot be bent to help a customer. The correct course of action is that they say "well, this guy bought a business class seat, and we have business class seats in a different inventory, so while it is a different fare bucket, that isn't the customers problem as we let him down, so let's just give him the business seat and everyone is happy.

You can talk them around with a lot of patience and probably several HUCA

ryman554

Perhaps, but this is a case of united schedule change causing the re-route. Agents should be able to (and have in the past for me) force open I space for this on UA metal, particularly when J is wide open.

This is one of those times where the fare bucket availability means nothing. Find the flights you really want and force them to book you in C.

OP -- do you have any status?

transportprof

I think we all agree on the desired outcome, but in my experience trying to "force" UA to do anything doesn't end well these days. What should OP do over the phone: yell at the agent? Threaten them?

I think that being positive, reasonable, and dare I say it, friendly will work eventually. Although it could take multiple attempts over an extended time period.

CO_Nonrev_elite

For reference, my recent experience was:

Mrs CO_Nonrev_Elite and 3 month year old Mini Ms CO_Nonrev_Elite were traveling in business from Osaka (KIX) to SFO Newark (EWR). Just before departure from KIX, UA downgraded her lay flat 757 from SFO to EWR to a domestic config. While not the end of the world, it was certainly disappointing. Upon landing, that flight had been cancelled and they had protected them onto the next flight (in economy). That protected flight was showing a 7hr delay for mechanical delay in EWR and the flight had not yet left EWR.

At this point, I told her to talk to the agent at SFO and get them to endorse her ticket over to another carrier. I could hear clearly as the agent said "We don't endorse tickets, we don't transfer to other carriers you'll have to wait like everyone else.

At this point, I called the 1K desk (Wife and I are both 1K) and said I wanted them to endorse her ticket over to another carrier. The agent started with the same spiel about how they don't do that. I slowly talked her through the fact that they DO actually do it, and I want her to do it. After much attitude, she capitulated but told me that none of the other carriers had any space. I again, slowly told her which AA flights (wide open) and which Delta flights had space .. and again after much attitude I eventually got her to do it reluctantly. I then checked online while on with the agent to see the AA locator and the AA ticket number. Then I checked the flight in online, chose a seat assignment (in business) and got them on the way to the lounge.

So, it can absolutely be done, but you need to be patient, know the rules about what they can and cannot do, and then you have to spoon feed them solutions.

The kicker was that my Wife said the flight on AA was far superior to anything she had ever experienced on UA. Food was way better (Sea Bass) and staff were WAY better, way more helpful, and could not have helped her more with the 3 month year old Mini Ms CO_Nonrev_Elite.

Aside from being rude and unhelpful, United staff (as confirmed by their internal training) are now actually obstructive beyond the rules of the company. Almost all staff training at the moment is about making sure YOU are not part of the problem.

Baze

I read complaint after complaint after complaint from you about UA so I have to ask, why do you keep booking UA? I am asking seriously, not trying to dig that you complain a lot about UA.

cjermain

Just trying to understand: you are currently booked, you have the business seat, but the schedule is now not to your liking?

According to the CoC, UA has three options (their discretion) in the face of a schedule change: rebook in the same class of service (the one you originally booked into) on UA, rebook in the same class of service on another carrier, or refund your payment, with no penalties/charges.

So if they really want to, legally, all they have to do is give you your miles back.

However, in my experience, there is little or no standardization on how agents handle re-booking when UA cancels a flight or has a schedule change, especially far in advance; every one of the will tell you a different story. Some will require space in your original fare class (which is bogus, in my opinion) and some will not. Some treat revenue and award seats differently (also bugus) and some do not.

My advice: call, politely explain the situation, that due to a UA schedule chance you need to be rebooked, and if someone says they can't rebook you without I space, act surprised, politely say, "well, that's too bad. Let's leave things as they are"---this ensures no note in your record. Then hang up and call back. If you do this five+ times, I think it's likely you will find someone who will help.

Often1

Agents do not have the authority to alter RM/IM decisions. Agents may, however, make a request for IM to force I space for OP.

If OP calls back and when the agent notes that there is no I space simply ask the agent to request that space be opened. If denied, ask for a supervisor.

In the end, as noted above, the contract to which OP agreed does not allow him to "force" UA to do anything other than give him a refund.

JBord

It's rare I read a thread and agree with almost everything. The approach above is what I'd recommend as well. In fact, I usually act dumb (don't talk about "I space", how many seats on the seat map, or anything like that), and if the agent wants to explain it to me, I listen patiently. Don't think I've ever called more than twice for something like this.

channa

Keep repeating that the words "schedule change" and "3 hours" when asking for the new flight.

Make sure that is drilled into their head. If they say no, ask for them to check because it's closer to the "original flight time" that you had before United's "schedule change" of "3 hours."

If they say they don't do that, ask to speak to the supervisor, because it makes sense to keep you close to the "original flight time" that you "originally booked" before United had the "schedule change."

You get the idea...

michaelr

Someone asked if I have any status. I don't.

I had assumed that UA would simply re-book me into the same class of service because of their schedule change but it seems like this may not be the case or is not guaranteed anyway. I understand now that the issue was likely that no award space on this new flight was available. My wife does not a thing about any of this and was simply told that "nothing" was available.

Wow, I appreciate all the feedback. I can't easily call UA today but will tomorrow and follow up. My plan is politely ask and see what the outcome will be. The schedule change is actually critical to me as I am flying with my 7 year old on Christmas day. So we are trying to leave as late as possible and United changed my flight from 6 pm to 2:47pm. That's not going to fly with the in-laws.

warakorn

Thank goodness; the EU has regulated that issue for UA flights departing from an EU airport.

Kacee

UA is generally very good about opening award space where the circumstances clearly warrant (e.g., cancellation, misconnect, etc.). But I'm not sure they will (or necessarily should) open I on another flight for a no status pax based on a 3 hour schedule change unless it forces a misconnect or an uncomfortably tight connection.

This explanation will probably work. It may take a couple of calls. Don't argue if an agent is uncooperative; hang up politely and call again.

exerda

This is a tangent, but on Monday I witnessed what, to an observer not clued into all the facts, seemed to be a deliberately-unhelpful UA agent dealing with an endorsed ticket.

SFO-IAD was oversold and seeking 2 volunteers. Boarding begins with no takers (despite actually having some decent alternatives available), and the GA pages a couple to the podium... at which point she tells them they're off the flight because AA didn't properly endorse their ticket, and blamed them (the couple) for not having everything in order.

The couple protested that AA had handled it that morning, and they'd even spoken to the UA check-in agents, etc., to confirm everything was in order. Now, it could very well have been AA's fault... but why did the GA wait until the flight was boarding to page the couple, then tell them, "Well, you could go get AA to fix this, but it's too late now, because we're boarding, and I'm giving your seats away?"

Was it really the case the UA GA didn't notice the problem until boarding (note the couple hadn't tried to board yet; the GA paged them)? You'd think they'd be reviewing the manifest closely given the likely IDBs to come and would have known well in advance of that point--in time for the pax to dash over to AA or call AA or whatever and get it fixed.

CO_Nonrev_elite

Absolutely a fair question. Two part Answer

1. I've been 1K for almost 13 years. Multi Million Miler and made an investment in flying United for the long term perks that they were offering for said loyalty. I remain hopeful that it cannot get worse and will eventually get better.

2. I fly a lot for work, certainly close to 200 days per year in the air. United gets far less of our business than they used to. I now have a criteria of situations that I will allow myself to book United. ASSUMING another option exists, I will not book United on any prop, any 50 seater, I will not book a connection under 2hrs and from recent experience, even that is not enough for me to make the connections. I'd say that this year, I have flown United maybe 20% of the time, and while I'll still make 1K again, they continue to frustrate me

I find it harder and harder to fly them as almost every time we (Group of 11 are all premier customers) do, it is a bad experience. I'm no longer allowed to book some of the group on United. I've said before, but I am consistently treated better on Delta with zero status than I am on United. I've flown Delta probably 40% of my flights this year.

Baze

Fair enough. Thank you.