LOT Polish Airlines (LO) award booking experiences, phantom inventory, ...
Jul 1, 2018, 11:12 am
#46
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA, AS, IHG
Posts: 10
Usually when I book non UA metal on an 016 ticket I get a warning that United needs to confirm space availability. This is on paid tickets so perhaps they do not provide the same caveat for award tickets. I have booked award tickets through UA but am not sure if I remember the message appearing.
I do know I recently tried to book 016 tickets on non UA metal and they error out as the inventory is not really avaliable. Ended up buying directly with another sirline.
Is there a fee to transfer the points back (please excuse my ignorance as I do not transfer points)? Is it possible to book directly with LO using points or do you need a combination of your MP points and the points you transferred?
I will be interested in the suggestions of others more experienced in this area as it is frustrating at times.
I do know I recently tried to book 016 tickets on non UA metal and they error out as the inventory is not really avaliable. Ended up buying directly with another sirline.
Is there a fee to transfer the points back (please excuse my ignorance as I do not transfer points)? Is it possible to book directly with LO using points or do you need a combination of your MP points and the points you transferred?
I will be interested in the suggestions of others more experienced in this area as it is frustrating at times.
What ends up being the fate of these not-ticketed tickets? (Mine has other segments that seem to have actually booked?) Will anything bad happen to me if I just keep remaking the booking every day until it either tickets or else disappears from UA site (other than that I'll become grumpy from wasting so much time)?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 1, 2018 at 12:04 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Oct 4, 2018, 7:31 pm
#47
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: CLE
Programs: UA MileagePlus Premier Platinum
Posts: 1,352
Is LO phantom availability something common? I've run into OS issues before, but they usually error out during booking. I booked an award in I this morning including a segment on LO, got the first email, but then when it didn't ticket by this afternoon, I called. I was told LO got back to them that there is no availability in I. The flight is still bookable on united.com
Oct 24, 2018, 6:57 am
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,157
Today - Website offering an itinerary (one-way) which included LOT segment in business. When selecting and continuing, website advises due to rapidly changing inventory, that flight is no longer available. But it continued to show up in web searches.
I called the 1K desk, and they were able to complete the transaction. Now ticketed and confirmed.
Return showed itinerary with LOT segment in business, and was able to complete the transaction on-line. Now ticketed and confirmed.
Just FYI in case others find the same. Might be worth a phone call to try and snag it. Looking forward to trying out a new carrier...
I called the 1K desk, and they were able to complete the transaction. Now ticketed and confirmed.
Return showed itinerary with LOT segment in business, and was able to complete the transaction on-line. Now ticketed and confirmed.
Just FYI in case others find the same. Might be worth a phone call to try and snag it. Looking forward to trying out a new carrier...
Oct 24, 2018, 7:54 am
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,335
Had the same thing with my itinerary last week. I called and the agent couldn't even find the flight I was looking for (LO-coded/operated intra-Europe flight). She eventually found it but told me it didn't have availability so that the website was correct. Oh, and EF said the flight *did* have availability. Maybe I just got a bad agent.
YMMV big time on this.
-RM
YMMV big time on this.
-RM
Jul 10, 2019, 4:53 am
#50
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 87
Mileage Plus Business Saver Award on LOT
Anyone had recent experience flying LOT from EWR or JFK, connecting in Warsaw for Europe?
There is a lot of availability for Business Saver awards for next year on their new Neo equipment but don't know what to expect on LOT?
Any input would be appreciated!
There is a lot of availability for Business Saver awards for next year on their new Neo equipment but don't know what to expect on LOT?
Any input would be appreciated!
Jul 10, 2019, 7:18 am
#51
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1P-1MM, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,930
There is a thread in the LH forum discussing the LOT 787 experience.
Review from The Points Guy
Older review from One Mile at a Time
Review from The Points Guy
Older review from One Mile at a Time
Last edited by tods27; Jul 10, 2019 at 7:30 am
Jul 10, 2019, 7:52 am
#52
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 8,994
I did it last year from EWR. The ride is fine, the seats have no privacy though. WAW is easy to transfer in, although I found the immigration agents to be grumpier than other EU countries.
I also booked using MP award miles and had no issues for check-in, lounge access, etc. Overall, the experience won’t be as nice as some of the other seats that fly TATL, but the Dreamliner is a nice plane.
I also booked using MP award miles and had no issues for check-in, lounge access, etc. Overall, the experience won’t be as nice as some of the other seats that fly TATL, but the Dreamliner is a nice plane.
Jul 10, 2019, 11:27 am
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,900
I've never had grumpy immigration staff at WAW - mostly they just take and stamp your passport.
WAW is a dream airport for transfers - very compact and organized.
The food is OK, but Do&Co is sort of meaningless - they're decent but they'll prepare whatever food the airline wants according to their specifications and how much they're willing to spend.
Jul 10, 2019, 2:36 pm
#56
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1P-1MM, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,930
I have no issues with flying LOT. You need to reset your expectations a little - LOT is really very bad on the ground. The website is hard to use, phone agents usually mean a long wait listening to endless waltzes (causing an ear worm). At the airport expect the gate area to be chaotic at best, but on board everything is normal.
Jul 10, 2019, 3:38 pm
#57
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 148
Consult EF beforehand to see which seats are empty.
Overall, their 787 experience is what you'd expect from that kind of configuration. Not great for privacy and no direct aisle access for every seat but excellent for sleeping en-route to Europe.
Jul 10, 2019, 9:31 pm
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,900
You can enter passport into via LH but I’ll see in a week whether it actually stuck.
Bottom line for me: LOT takes a bit of work but for 1/4 of what UA is charging I can’t complain.
Jul 12, 2019, 9:39 am
#59
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1P-1MM, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,930
Facebook Messenger Chat worked well for me as well to get seats selected.