You've changed this ticket too many times.
 

I booked a couple of the $60 LAX-ORD-LAX a few months ago in anticipation that I would need a few miles to keep gold status. It turned out that we had an extra trip to Europe and that put me over the top and I didn’t need the miles. But, I thought I might as well go anyway and spend some time in Chicago. The first trip was fun even though UA canceled the return trip and rescheduled us on a horrendous return back through SFO (I fixed that by calling the priority desk and getting a more reasonable flight although we still arrived 5 hours later than we had planned.)

The second trip was supposed to be yesterday (Tuesday). It was a same day turn. I decided to move it to Wednesday using the Same Day Change mechanism. Because it was a same day turn, I was having trouble as UA.com wouldn’t allow me to make a change that left less than four hours between arriving and departing ORD. (At least that is what the priority desk told me on my first call.) I could make the change if I moved my return a few hours—as far as the 24 hour limitation would allow. And then moved the departure a few hours. Sort of like building the pyramids bit by bit.

After a few changes, .com would not allow me to make changes and would not show any available flights that could be changed even WITH a payment. I called the priority desk again and requested they make the change for me. I said I was having trouble with the website. She made the change but then apparently looked again and said, “You’ve changed this ticket too many times and the computer caught you. You can only change within 24 hours from the original ticket.” Actually, everything was 24 hours from the original ticket. Then she said, “I am having a supervisor change this ticket back to its original fare class. And I’m adding a notation that this ticket cannot be changed again without the regular change fee.”

I guess I was abusing the computer system. Although, some companies might like the fact that their customers are “engaging” with the system. Especially customers that regularly fly international business class. I guess it is a point of view.

It was still not the optimum flight and I had wanted to change it one more time when we got to ORD. Now, that was out the window. After she hung up I realized that she had not assigned seats. I selected the seats myself and then tried to check in. On line check-in not available for the 730am flight. Just that I had to “go to the airport.” I lost all enthusiasm for the mile run and canceled the reservations.

I have to go back to France in November and although another J ticket might get me to Platinum I’m just not feeling much love for UA after the conversation. I’m now thinking it might be fun to try AF’s A380. Or go on TK, which I really like (even though it would take longer but I would have access to the beautiful LAX *Alliance lounge). And, I don’t seem to really get much more from being Platinum over Gold on UA.

I thought I would post as I previously thought that you could do SDC almost indefinitely as long as seats were available. Also wondering if it is really worth it to strive for Platinum or try something new.

Same day means same day--you tried to move it to another day and got caught.

But it really doesn't mean same day. It means 24 hours. Many of us have rolled an SDC into the next day. Some have done it multiple times.

OP didn't tell us exactly how many changes he had made to the ticket. I can see how changing both outbound and return repeatedly might raise a flag. That said, it sounds like he had the bad luck of drawing one of those overly officious agents who takes pleasure in shutting pax down.

When using the app looking at SDC options for a Thursday EWR-SFO flight I routienly get shown some late Wednesday flight. As others mentioned it's seems to be within 24hrs (even if it's a different calendar day(. However, I'm sure the system does have triggers after many changes.

buy one way+one way then you wont have problems doing MR next time (if there will be one)

I'm a bit confused why she said this? Same Day change implies that the fare class has to be available so your fare class wouldn't have changed if you were just SDC'ing?

Furthermore, I've SDC'd a flight multiple times, my record (and I've only done this once) was SDC'ing a SFO -> LAX flight for 11 days. If your fare class is high enough, the options should show.

Abject nonsense. Classic "we don't know how to make this work but the easiest thing for us to do is blame the customer" stuff. The VERY BEST you can do is politely disengage then hang up and call again. UA has some customer service agents who really, really, really, really do not like customers.

Are you actually going to spend less money on UA based on this interaction? Really?

And over a $60 ticket.

Happened to me before but only after an agent at customer service called in to try a change (I had a companion that against my wishes got a split PNR). They called into UA ticketing and the operator put a note on my record to not allow any more changes. Never happened to me using the app or online.

My only advice is to never talk to a person about changes unless its absolutely needed, e.g. return flight somehow ended up before departure flight. If then call MPSC and not someone at the airport unless its a gate agent. I learned that trip that gate agents provide the best customer service on the ground.

I also felt the same way about UA as you but I got over it. This was a one time thing on one reservation and they will probably never do it again on another reservation.

No, it does not.

Yes. That is exactly what I should have done. FWIW I was very polite to the service agent, but I would have been better off saying that I needed to call back.



Sure. I like to fly and I like to be excited about flying. This agent's attitude was something of a buzzkill. For 2016, I will have to work to get to the next level (platinum). Since I am already Gold (barely) and can live without Platinum, I might have more fun flying airlines or aircraft that I haven't been on before. Yes, I might try something else since my enthusiasm was a little dampened by this agent. I'm saying this without any sort of anger or sense of revenge. But I think it is worth mention that an agent's attitude over a $60 ticket could result in the loss of a pair of J tickets to Air France or TK. I find it interesting that UA has this person working the priority desk and she is not more big-picture oriented. She certainly did not need to add the notation "no more changes without a fee." That was at her discretion.

btw, I appreciate the responses. Thanks.

I wouldn't let one agents attitude influence my future purchases, but that's just me. You got a super cheap fare, be happy you scored what you got.

It is absolutely possible that a PNR can get too long and break things in the system. Lots of changes will add length to the record and speed that process. Not that it means you cannot still operate within the rules, but it can break some of the automated systems (like SDC).

And, yes, many have used SDC to their advantage, changing over multiple days or even weeks. But to pretend that's what the policy was put in place for is disingenuous. Calling too much attention to such abuse will likely end about as well as the "free one-way" award situation did. @:-)

Possibly a more polite way would be NOT actually say you're calling back. Never know what notes the agent might write in your 'file' if you announce that you're going to call back.

I just reread the comments and I'd like to ask why does the fare amount give agents the right to justify their actions? On my trip twice I was told that you only paid XX for this ticket. A revenue ticket is a revenue ticket, it's not in my control or the agent's control how much I paid for it.

A 1K agent used the ticket price (code G in the original booking) to deny me a chance for upgrade with GPU after the fare code was changed to full-price Y during IRROPs. I guess that agents were told to use the ticket price as an excuse.

Oddly enough, I got better service from the phone agents than United's horrid LAX ground staff (except the gate agents who were very helpful as well).

That's annoying and against the rules, but every so slightly justified.

In my case both ground customer service agents quoted the dollar amount I paid as an excuse for:
1. not putting me on the CPU list, not on because of companion
2. not letting me SDC my ticket, again with an agent because of a non status companion

First offense was rectified by a LAX gate agent. Second put me on the no change list.

That's not how they've implemented it.

Against what rules? If the first agent went by the book, the ticket would never have been changed to full Y in the first place. Generally, agents who do this are just lazy or untrained.

That flight was full. Only Y code was available to book me on that flight at the time. The rebooking agent did it right but she also denied my GPU request. I called again and got the same answer.

I've never had (normal) SDC change my fare class. (I have had a change to Y in IRROPS SDC, but that still credited as the original class.) Even the one time I asked an airport agent to do it for me - still the original fare class.

I've actually done 2-3 day rolling SDC a few times now, no issues whatsoever. Even once on a connecting ticket (turned a layover into a 1.5 day stopover).

At least one of their SDC channels was changing XN to Y for a while.

However in SHARES...Is it true that you still apply GPU after the IRROPs-rebooked within 24 hours of departure? If you have the GPU already applied, I don't see why you couldn't do it, but if you are saying before the flight no GPU was applied but afterwards GPU was applied then it's a different story.

PS: I have no idea why 1K agents couldn't put RPUs or GPUs within 24 hours of departure. I can technically right now book the flight next day morning and apply GPU to it right away. :/

I see where you're coming from. I often take different airlines or routings to try something different. This year I hit 1K quite early and Unityed was rather underwhelming on a few trips so used it as a chance to try VS, AF, and KL premium cabins on some of my Europe trips. I really enjoyed all three of them. I make this choice because I don't see huge incremental value in GS and there's more value in trying and learning about other products.

That said United still has great agents at the 1K desk who really save the day when things REALLY go wrong (in a way that no other airline does). So don't hold too much against the airline for one surly agent.

I've had SDC via website offer to change my fare class, but I've never bit to see what it does.

This happens to me almost every week. I commute home DFW-IAH-CLE and back on weekends as personal travel and I book 6+ weeks out on G fares. Agents constantly bring up the fare price as a benchmark for their level of effort when changing a flight...

Never happens on Delta

I have a friend, who is a FTer who has stayed 'in transit' for a week, 24 hours at a time! It can be done, you just need to know how to do it.....and get a some great agents on the phone.

I am going off topic but only because OP started it. :D

not as fun as you might think. AF have angled seats in business. So, if your idea of 'fun' is waking up under the seat in front of you, go ahead. Though the plane cams are kind of cool.

Or don't change fare class to Y in the first place if you're not happy with the consequences. Or fix your IT so that it doesn't have to.

United always wants it both ways.

Make stupid issues over pennies and risk the big picture. I had a client once who you could say lost a 2mil+ contract over a .35 piece of plastic, but that'd be inaccurate too, just like it is here.

Thought the same thing

It doesn't - it's just FT noise... I get the same thing all the time from UA agents - even on $8k Z fare tickets - since I purchase a "cheap" fare lol...