sdix

Ok, trying to change my first leg on a flight SFO-BOS

Getting the message:

! There are no First/BusinessFirst/International Business Class seats available on UA2396 in the San Francisco, CA, US (SFO) to Boston, MA, US (BOS) market.

Well the seat map for this flight is wide open but I'm getting the message for any flight I want to change to.

Tried First, Business etc but nada. Very frustrating.....

diburning

When is the flight? They've really screwed up the SFO-BOS flights in the system since the schedule change starting September.

sdix

September 22nd

Alex

...but lots available on same flight when booking as new ticket.

I was booked on a flight SMF-IAH in mid- September, in F, on an A fare (paid). Tried to change the SMF-IAH leg to SAN-IAH, and there were no first class seats available on any flights the same date. Tried to get F the following day, and the next, then the preceding 3 days. Every attempt showed no F seats available SAN-IAH on any flight on any day, in any fare class.

Then I tried to book a new flight SAN-IAH on my original, preferred date; and 7 out of 10 seats were available. I grabbed what I wanted (again, on a paid A fare), and cancelled the original SMF-IAH flight.

My question is, since seats were available on my desired SAN-IAH flight, and since the fare classes were the same, and all fares in the itinerary were fully changeable and refundable, why did my attempt to change the SMF-IAH leg to SAN-IAH show no seats available, when they were clearly available when I booked a new flight? TIA for any insight.

jsloan

The online change tool works poorly, if at all. You would have been able to make this change by calling and paying the fare difference.

Alex

Actually the SAN-IAH flight is cheaper than the SMF-IAH leg, by a little over $500...

jsloan

In that case, you would have received a refund of the fare difference. Point is -- online changes rarely work.

exerda

Call.

I haven't even been able to get online changes to work the past 5 times or so I've needed them. I just get "Error! Please call United to make changes to this reservation."

Also, I have had this happen many times when trying to do a SDC. SDC won't offer F seats on the flights I want, even though the same fare buckets are available. Calling has always fixed it.

halls120

Same here. SDC on line hasn't worked in ages.

JBord

Is that only when you're booked in F?

I last used it a few weeks ago and it worked fine for me. Simple DEN-ORD that I moved up by about 18 hours.

cfischer

worked fine for me a few weeks ago on a transcon Z fare

Often1

Try it. If it does not work, then call. Simple.

Aussienarelle

Worked for me in F on Friday. During OLCI.

Aussienarelle

No F seats available during OLCI last night, only Y seats so kept original flights.

I was able to call in and change to earlier "F" flight and grabbed last seats. No fare difference.

sbm12

Any chance this is a /UPDI fare so the change shows only the underlying booking cabin of economy? I've faced similar with other airlines as well.