^ Is this spelled out anywhere in the rulebooks?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...lable-not.html

See Post 11. It's also discussed in other threads.

b8b, you have your answer! Thanks for the clarification aacharya!

I had a reservation ticketed with UA miles for two people - but no UA flights.
Because I wanted a direct UA flight waitlisted I called in to split the ticket and was said 100% not possible on *A award.
Asked to waitlist. First agent said can only be done if you have all UA flights.
Second agent said he did it in about 2min - but nothing showed up.

Finally I cancelled this PNR and called to book two separate ones - BIG mistake. Agent first thought she could split it, then realized she couldnt.
She went to super and came back with theory that not splitting is better for my chances to clear two people. I said I will take my chances...
In the end she still booked it as one and after talking more to supervisor said, and I quote as close as possible:
"The supervisor told me that I could lose my commission if I book two reservations for two exact paths for exact same miles. I could lose my job."

No point in arguing... Its properly waitlisted since I could see the segment now in PNR, but there is no way my chances of clearing EWR-DEL are better with two ppl than one at a time... Are they? Am I crazy?
I think I will have to book it 3rd time with separate agents...

That is correct.

You can waitlist from non-UA metal to UA metal, but can't waitlist at all for non-UA metal.

Some poorly-trained/lazy/ill-informed/whatever agents will insist that having a non-UA segment at all on an itin means you can't waitlist for anything, UA or otherwise. I had one recently try to claim that "whoever did this" (waitlisting two UA metal segments in place of confirmed LH segments on an award) was "wrong and shouldn't have been allowed to do so." She even claimed that would "mess up" the whole ticket, but I managed to convince her to leave the waitlisted segments alone.


All you can do is watch. If it's really important to you, use Expert Flyer and set up alerts. You will have to call in to get the segments switched when space is available.



AFAIK, the agent was correct. It is a single tiicket, issued on UA stock. It doesn't matter that you have stopovers or non-UA-codeshares. You could actually have an itin on 016 stock which doesn't have any UA metal or UA codeshares at all on it, and no *A carriers, even.

The PNRs will differ between carriers, but the ticket # is all 016...

I have a question about options if a waitlisted award flight does not open up. I've been waitlisted on a n/s flight from IAD > GVA on July 20th for many months. I am Premier Silver and confirmed with a Saver Award on the same flight on July 21st but would really like to fly on the 20th. Unfortunately, I have a meeting in WDC until noon on the 20th so none of the earlier flights are possible.

I've tried the Flyer Talk strategy of repeatedly calling the Premier desk until I finally got what I think is straight information on this. I am willing to go to the airport on the 20th to try to fly stand-by on the flight I want, but I was told that since the flight I want is 24 hours earlier than the flight I am confirmed on, it is very likely that I will be told I cannot get on the stand-by list. Does this sound correct? My impression is that my chance of finding someone from UA who would bend the rules a bit and put me on the stand-by list is very small. Has anyone else managed to get on the stand-by list in this type of situation?

Any suggestions? My impression is that my chances of getting off the waitlist at this point are very low. Agreed?

Thanks for your help!

that is correct and the computer will no allowed SDC -- also the fare class needs to be available and that could be a problem at that point

this has happen but requires the agent to overrule (and be recorded as such) doing this.

not sure I would state this, but you best time for this will likely be in the last few hours prior to desired flight. But I would not give up hope -- watch the Y fare class and as long as it is Y9 or even a bit less as you get close the possibilities exist -- the available seats may not be the best, but keep watching....

Thanks for your help!
What's the best way to watch the Y fare class? And does Y9 mean 9 seats are left? I assume I should be calling UA at that point to see if they will confirm me on the flight?

Y9 means there are least 9 seats (maybe more). For whatever reason, only a single digit is used to show availability.

Remnants of COBOL programming days and the desire not to provide too much competitive information. Some airlines limit the max number visible to 4.

Thanks, but where on the website can I find this information?

More the latter.

Need to sign-up for Expert Mode (read the T&Cs)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...cket-data.html
and then while booking click on fare class hyperlinks for the segments you are considering.

Thanks again, WineCountryUA! The flight does show Y9 and lots of open seats in Economy Plus - and I'm Silver but not sure if I am eligible for Economy Plus on an Award Flight.

One more thing: One of the agents told me that they do not move people off the waitlist in the last 24 hours before the flight. Does that sound right?

access to E+ is the same regardless of paid or award ticket, Silvers can select open E+ seats at T-24

If they are stating that once T-24 occurs the alternative award flight waitlist disappears, i believe that is correct. At T-24 you change to SDC (Same Day Change).