cfischer

Ask them to call the rate desk. If they look at the fare rules it'll say something like that:

V FARE BASIS BK FARE TRAVEL-TICKET AP MINMAX RTG
1A QAX0HFFN D‡X 1498.91 ---- -/1 -/ - 794
PASSENGER TYPE-ADT AUTO PRICE-YES
FROM-HNL TO-CLE CXR-UA TVL-11MAY22 RULE-HFF2 DFR/11
FARE BASIS-QAX0HFFN SPECIAL FARE DIS-N VENDOR-ATP
FARE TYPE-FON OW-FIRST CLASS SELL-UP OW NON-REF
USD 1437.68 0794 E22APR20 D-INFINITY FC-QAX0HFFN FN-1U
SYSTEM DATES - CREATED 21APR22/0919 EXPIRES INFINITY

PUBLISHED RTG HNL-CLE/UA794 /TAR-DRG1 EF-21APR22 DIS-INDEF

MAP CONSTRUCTED LEFT TO RIGHT AND RIGHT TO LEFT
1. HNL-SFO/LAX/DEN-CLE
2. HNL-OGG/LIH/KOA/ITO/HNL-SFO/LAX/DEN-CLE
3. HNL-SFO/LAX/DEN-HOU/CLE/CHI-WAS/EWR-CLE
4. HNL-OGG/LIH/KOA/ITO/HNL-SFO/LAX/DEN-HOU/CLE/CHI-WAS/EWR-
CLE
5. HNL-SFO/LAX-DEN-WAS/EWR-CLE
6. HNL-OGG/LIH/KOA/ITO/HNL-SFO/LAX-DEN-WAS/EWR-CLE

findark

I'm 0-for-many to the point of knowing it's HUCA as soon as an agent says the words "rate desk" but YMMV.

Regardless, it's a messy battle. Good luck!

fumje

Yes, this might be the one instance in which the rate desk is good news.

Sorry you keep getting bad agents.

Kacee

I doubt that many current UA agents are familiar with this nuance of the fare structure and rules. The number of really good, knowledgable agents was always small, and it's shrunk considerably the past couple years.

Wooglin

HUCA attempt 3-

This time the agent informing me that "I'm sorry the website is showing you that fare incorrectly. The experts have already done everything they could this morning so there's nothing else I can do."

She then suggested that I "try signing up for the MileagePlus Visa Card from Chase if you want to be able to buy first class tickets with more availability in the future."

This entire thing would be comical if it weren't so frustrating. :facepalm:

I already have the Chase Club Infinite Card- these tickets were purchased with it. And even if I weren't, in no case does being an MP Chase Cardholder grant me access to additional inventory for paid tickets- only award tickets.

I'm just going to give up for a week and wait for last month's chase spend to finally post PQPs that will push me back to Silver.

Maybe the Premier Line still has all the "good" agents.

fumje

Miserable. Seems like someone decided to faff about with the remarks this morning too.

Honestly, waiting until you can get routed to premier might be a decent strategy. Sorry state of affairs.

VWang1111

Try DM'ing United's Twitter Account.

Wooglin

Just an update on my previous situation.

Attempted to work thru the Premier Line now that I'm back to UA Silver. They definitely seemed to understand the request better, but ultimately still no resolution.

They reached out to the rate desk, who relayed that despite HNL-CLE having a single (unbroken) fare, that the ticket was subject to the combined fare basis of the entire round-trip itinerary...

The outbound flight (CLE-ORD-HNL) is booked mixed-cabin (CLE-ORD in Y and ORD-HNL in F) not because of a 1-cabin aircraft but because there aren't enough F seats on the aircraft to accommodate the entire party. (7 pax, only 6 F seats on CR7).

That the return flight was booked HNL-CLE on an unbroken fare seems to be overridden by this mixed-cabin fare basis on the outbound CLE-ORD.

Not sure I follow that logic there, but at this point I'm just giving up. Maybe I'll get a decent DOD/OLCI upgrade offer.

cfischer

Wow, that is one load of crap. While there are provisions that the most restrictive rules apply, that is only true for changes/refunds and alike. If you have a business fare outbound and a coach fare inbound ... by their logic ... you should be in coach all the way. Insane.

serpens

In September, I'm flying AMS-ORD-xxx with first leg in Polaris JN. The ORD-xxx leg was just changed (adding four hours to the layover, so I guess I don't need to worry about clearing customs) from CRJ to Embraer 175. The Embraer 175 has first class seats available, but United put me in Economy (which is all that had been available on the CRJ). The web site offers to let me buy first class for $180. Should I be able to get first class at no extra charge since I'm in Polaris TATL? If so, how do I go about it? Thanks.

jsloan

View your fare rules from your itinerary page. If you have a single fare AMS-XXX, then it should include an F seat. If you have separate fares AMS-ORD and ORD-XXX, then it would not. I suspect it’ll be the former; however, that isn’t necessarily a guarantee that you’ll be able to get a UA agent to understand and agree to correct it.

What’s the current AMS-XXX JN fare? Is this a one-way or part of a larger itinerary? If the fare hasn’t increased, canceling and rebooking may be easier than trying to get an agent to help.

serpens

Many thanks, jsloan, for the prompt response.
I think it's one fare rule, but I'm a total novice at this stuff. Here's an image.


I think that says I need to call or visit a ticket counter. Yes?

Current fare is 105,300 miles plus $90.45, up from 98,000 miles plus $88.65, so the cost has gone up, but little enough that it would be worth rebooking at the higher fare to get the front cabin, I think. It is not part of a larger itinerary; that's the entire ticket.

jsloan

Yes, that's one fare rule that should include business class travel to your final destination.

Yes, you should call. Agents working the ticket counter are generally supposed to be working on same-day travel issues.

Fair enough. In that case, what I'd do is call once or twice to try to get it changed for free, and then I'd bite the bullet and pay the fare difference. The message for the agent is something like this: "I'm calling about reservation ABC123. I booked a business class award from AMS to XXX. At the time, the flight from ORD to XXX was on a single-cabin plane. Now that it's been replaced with a larger plane, I was hoping that you could move me into the front cabin on ORD-XXX, since that's the cabin I paid for."

We've seen mixed repots of success with this technique. There's no question that your fare covers first class on the connecting flight; the problem is purely agent confusion.

If you're getting desperate, and you're ready to hang up, cancel, and book the more expensive flight, here's the Hail Mary: "I looked at the fare rules and verified that I'm on a through fare to XXX, so it should definitely cover JN class on the connecting flight. Is there any chance I could get you to contact the rate support desk to validate pricing?" This is rather aggressive -- you're basically telling the agent how to do her job -- and you're either going to get what you want or going to get a 'no!' along with a note in the PNR saying not to offer any further assistance. That's why I wouldn't do this until you've exhausted your patience.

Good luck!

serpens

Thanks again.
Should I wait until a weekday for the first call? I can't think why that would be better, but I wouldn't be able to uncall if I should have waited. Thanks again for your help.

Lux Flyer

Rates doesn't handle award tickets. If you get to the point of trying this technique, save yourself the rates hold time (and the agent inevitably getting told to call support) and ask them to contact their support desk.