Premier benefits for companions on separate tickets, " off-pnr " [Consolidated]
Mar 7, 2020, 9:57 am
#136
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
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The handling of off PNR companions is a manual process. You called and your companions were seated in "preferred seating" which Golds can do for up to 8 companions. It was not something you could do without an agent's assistance. The computer systems are unaware those individuals are connected / linked to you such as in irrops -- you will need mention you have traveling companions
As for CPU, at the gate (but not earlier), you may be able to request one of your companions (if on a paid ticket, not award) be added to the CPU waitlist. Many agents will do this but it is not a published benefit.
Nov 12, 2020, 11:24 pm
#137
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 1
I (Premier Gold) am traveling with friends (no status) who booked separately on the same flight— if I ask United to "link" the reservations will my upgrade request still clear if there is availability?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Nov 13, 2020 at 12:21 am Reason: Moved to master thread
Nov 13, 2020, 12:14 am
#138
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Welcome to FT!, saitama
There is no actual concept of formally linking reservations / PNRS. Agents can put a note in the comment section of the PNR but it does nothing. Placing that comment in your PNR would not impact your upgrade chances nor provide an elite benefits to your friend.
However, you can "guest" a single friend into E+ (need to call to do that) and your friends can board with you. Some gate agents will also put a single friend on the gate upgrade list, at the bottom of your status group -- their is no formal policy to do this but some gate agents will.
However, you can "guest" a single friend into E+ (need to call to do that) and your friends can board with you. Some gate agents will also put a single friend on the gate upgrade list, at the bottom of your status group -- their is no formal policy to do this but some gate agents will.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Nov 13, 2020 at 12:23 am Reason: just a single friend
Nov 13, 2020, 12:24 am
#139
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,413
However, you can "guest" your friend into E+ (need to call to do that) and your friend can board with you. Some gate agents will also put your friend on the gate upgrade list, at the bottom of your status group -- their is no formal policy to do this but some gate agents will.
Pre-COVID, early boarding benefits would have applied to everyone. Today, I'm not sure what boarding process they're following.
* At Platinum or higher, you'd be able to seat the entire party in E+, but you'd still only be able to get one other person onto the upgrade list (on a qualifying flight).
Jan 27, 2021, 2:20 pm
#140
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K; DL DM; IHG Platinum; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Gold; Hertz President's Circle
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For E+ access, call now -- BTW strictly speaking you also need to be in E+.
If up front, the agent may decline. The idea of the benefit is to join you in E+. Agents can be all over the map if you are in a premium cabin.
The CPU companion upgrade can only be requested at the gate if separate PNRs.
If up front, the agent may decline. The idea of the benefit is to join you in E+. Agents can be all over the map if you are in a premium cabin.
The CPU companion upgrade can only be requested at the gate if separate PNRs.
We recently booked a an CPUable flight with three 1k members on a single booking and a non-Elite on seperate PNR.
Since the 4th traveller booked a couple of hours later, he was on a seperate booking. First / Business class was quite empty and there even remained some empty seats after upgrade list fully cleared.
We could easily get the Eco+ seat for hom. Trying to get him on the upgrade list was really frustrating however:
- 1K hotline told us to ask at the airport
- service desk at EWR couldn't assist, but asked us to call the 1K hotline instead
- Polaris lounge staff (after arriving internationally) couldn't assist unless the companion would show up as well. However lounge staff refused entry for him (since he didn't fly Polaris)
- no luck at the United Club
- Twitter team recommended to use PlusPoints for his upgrade, couldn't put him on the CPU list as well. But looks like you shouldn't rely on companion-CPU on seperate booking nowadays
- Gate Agent refused to put him on the upgrade list despite those empty seats + empty upgrade list
We finally managed to get him upgraded by asking the Purser while boarding.
Since the 4th traveller booked a couple of hours later, he was on a seperate booking. First / Business class was quite empty and there even remained some empty seats after upgrade list fully cleared.
We could easily get the Eco+ seat for hom. Trying to get him on the upgrade list was really frustrating however:
- 1K hotline told us to ask at the airport
- service desk at EWR couldn't assist, but asked us to call the 1K hotline instead
- Polaris lounge staff (after arriving internationally) couldn't assist unless the companion would show up as well. However lounge staff refused entry for him (since he didn't fly Polaris)
- no luck at the United Club
- Twitter team recommended to use PlusPoints for his upgrade, couldn't put him on the CPU list as well. But looks like you shouldn't rely on companion-CPU on seperate booking nowadays
- Gate Agent refused to put him on the upgrade list despite those empty seats + empty upgrade list
We finally managed to get him upgraded by asking the Purser while boarding.
All the approaches to others than the GA were bound to have met with failure. This has been a GA only "feature" and is not a published benefit. (It was a pmCO feature that was not formally carried over post-merger). And should never be an expected benefit. Best not to bring this up with others, could lead to a complete shutdown.
This was a pmCO practice but was not carried over formally post merger . It is YMMV
The Purser violated company policy.
This was a pmCO practice but was not carried over formally post merger . It is YMMV
The Purser violated company policy.
I would expect ground staff at pmCO hubs like IAH or EWR would know how to do this since it was a pmCO practice, but from delpiero's post, it seems like it's really a YMMV situation. (Though, I've never encountered competent staff at EWR. LGA, IAH, and SFO staff have been helpful, IME; and DEN staff are knowledgeable but super by-the-book.)
This post seems to suggest other ground staff at the airport (besides GAs) can add off-PNR companion to the upgrade list, but that was from a while ago, so it might not be a thing anymore.
Jan 27, 2021, 2:23 pm
#141
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
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At some smaller airports, the GA may be doing check-in and may handle it at that time
Jan 27, 2021, 2:38 pm
#142
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
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Posts: 9,452
I used to know the SHARES command to add a companion on another record for CO Plat (I recall it was something that included "PLC") but I've long since forgotten. I think it's something an agent needs to switch into native SHARES to carry out, as it's not a incorporated into the AERO interface, and agents are now discouraged from "going native".
Jul 7, 2021, 11:33 am
#143
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Pleasanton, CA
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Posts: 432
Considered a "Companion" if booked in different class and payment?
If my adult son travels with me but I'm in Polaris (Paid) and he's in Economy (Points), can he get Economy Plus seating by me calling UA?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Jul 7, 2021, 11:36 am
#144
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
You are at the mercy of an agent. If he/she gives you a one-time exception, your son will be in an E+ seat. Technically, both are in the same cabin. Good luck (“hang up and call again” might be needed)!
Jul 7, 2021, 11:38 am
#145
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
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The "intent" of this policy was to have your companion seated with you in E+. Suspect some agents will say no, but if you call a couple of times you might get lucky. Realize that if an aircraft change, even sometimes a tail number change, and the off-PNR companion will be reseated into E-, requiring another set of calls.
Jul 7, 2021, 11:59 am
#146
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
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Posts: 7,418
I have been denied E+ for a "companion" (work colleague) in this scenario (though in J by upgrade). However, I have been able to do it and the companion hasn't lost E+ if I'm subsequently upgraded.
Jul 7, 2021, 1:30 pm
#147
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
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United considers E+ just a different seat in the same cabin, just as preferred seats are. They're all coach seats tied to coach fares (ie there's no fare code exclusive to E+) . Some coach cabin seats (E+ or preferred, or PE on flights not marketing PE) require a fee or status to sit in. A coach T fare passenger can sit in E-, E+ preferred, or PE seats (on flights not marketing PE). PE, however, IS a different cabin on those flights with fare codes tied specifically to the PE seats,. A coach passenger cannot just pay a fee to sit in a PE-marketed seat - they actually have to do a buy-up, resulting in a new fare code.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Jul 7, 2021 at 1:42 pm
Jul 7, 2021, 1:49 pm
#148
Moderator: United Airlines
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Jul 7, 2021, 2:15 pm
#149
Join Date: Jan 2008
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E and E+ are absolutely the same cabin. You can tell, because they have the same letter! 
(But really, the standard of service is the same, the recovery is the same, the IRROPS is the same... it's the same. Functionally, it's just a preferred seat with more leg room and a higher price.)
Seating different-PNR passenger next to you is not a published benefit, but is a practice. I think if you just call and say, "Hi I'm on flight XXX, can I get my companion on a different PNR in seat YZ" you will have good odds.
I've even done, "Hi, I booked (whoever) on flight XXX, can I get them in seat YZ" and had that work even when I'm not on the same flight! (I don't try this often so maybe I just got lucky.)
(But really, the standard of service is the same, the recovery is the same, the IRROPS is the same... it's the same. Functionally, it's just a preferred seat with more leg room and a higher price.)
Seating different-PNR passenger next to you is not a published benefit, but is a practice. I think if you just call and say, "Hi I'm on flight XXX, can I get my companion on a different PNR in seat YZ" you will have good odds.
I've even done, "Hi, I booked (whoever) on flight XXX, can I get them in seat YZ" and had that work even when I'm not on the same flight! (I don't try this often so maybe I just got lucky.)
Jul 7, 2021, 2:28 pm
#150
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Posts: 2,258
As a GS, I probably do this 10 times a year. II have never been denied. Not once.