Ticket change and fare unavailable (UA on NH)
Nov 14, 2018, 2:08 pm
#1
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Ticket change and fare unavailable (UA on NH)
Got a (not so unusual) issue I can use some advice on.
Have a flight ORD-NRT, NRT-SIN. ORD-NRT on UA, NRT-SIN on NH, all in W class (for upgrade purposes).
I made a change to the ORD-NRT segment (1 day earlier), and received a confirmed ticket for the new itinerary.
A bit later in the day I found a note in my reservation that the NRT-SIN flight is waitlisted. Called UA, who say that the W class is no longer available on NH (on that flight or any other flight on that day). The only thing they offer is to upfare (at more than double the original price).
I was under impression that once a ticket was issued, I should be good to go (and any problems with space availability should be resolved by United). Is that incorrect? Is the only solution now to pay a lot more for the new ticket? Any advice appreciated.
Have a flight ORD-NRT, NRT-SIN. ORD-NRT on UA, NRT-SIN on NH, all in W class (for upgrade purposes).
I made a change to the ORD-NRT segment (1 day earlier), and received a confirmed ticket for the new itinerary.
A bit later in the day I found a note in my reservation that the NRT-SIN flight is waitlisted. Called UA, who say that the W class is no longer available on NH (on that flight or any other flight on that day). The only thing they offer is to upfare (at more than double the original price).
I was under impression that once a ticket was issued, I should be good to go (and any problems with space availability should be resolved by United). Is that incorrect? Is the only solution now to pay a lot more for the new ticket? Any advice appreciated.
Nov 14, 2018, 4:08 pm
#2
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I’m a bit confused. Did you change both segments to the day earlier, or just ORD-NRT to the day earlier, and leave NRT-SIN on the original day. And did you look at the re-issued ticket carefully to ensure the last segment was still listed on the ticket?
I just ran into a similar situation not with a change, but with a new booming, where I booked an itinerary that was UA-UA-LH. I noticed the LH flight (FRA-BLR) was not on the eTicket receipt, and online that the segment was waitlisted. Complete pain to call in and get this sorted. Turns out for whatever reason, despite tons of abailability in LH in the V booking class I had, they kept ‘rejecting’ it. Agent, with help from her lead, ended up putting us into Q on the LH flight and even after me asking, told me they were t going to charge me. Still a bit worried what happens day of, but hoping I’m fine.
Back to yours - if you just changed the first segment, and not the second, I wonder if it’s an issue where this becomes a stopover, and the W fare isn’t valid for with that. When re-issuing, system should check availability and that you still meet the fare relies before re-issuing. If not, not sure. Maybe UA will revert to what they have.
The interesting thing is, you still are legally owed transportation to SIN, and not sure what happens if they claim no space. Sounds like something went wrong when this was re-issued.
I just ran into a similar situation not with a change, but with a new booming, where I booked an itinerary that was UA-UA-LH. I noticed the LH flight (FRA-BLR) was not on the eTicket receipt, and online that the segment was waitlisted. Complete pain to call in and get this sorted. Turns out for whatever reason, despite tons of abailability in LH in the V booking class I had, they kept ‘rejecting’ it. Agent, with help from her lead, ended up putting us into Q on the LH flight and even after me asking, told me they were t going to charge me. Still a bit worried what happens day of, but hoping I’m fine.
Back to yours - if you just changed the first segment, and not the second, I wonder if it’s an issue where this becomes a stopover, and the W fare isn’t valid for with that. When re-issuing, system should check availability and that you still meet the fare relies before re-issuing. If not, not sure. Maybe UA will revert to what they have.
The interesting thing is, you still are legally owed transportation to SIN, and not sure what happens if they claim no space. Sounds like something went wrong when this was re-issued.
Nov 14, 2018, 4:13 pm
#3
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ORD-NRT to the day earlier. No change to NRT-SIN. All segments, including the last one, were listed on the rebooked ticket in the same (W) booking class.
None of that made any difference to UA CS. According to UA, NH no longer has this fare available on the original flight, and there is nothing they could do about it.
UA initially offered to either upfare for $$$ or refund my ticket.
To close the loop, I'll say that to avoid fighting UA on this I agreed that they rebook NRT-SIN a day earlier (there were W fares available before and after the date I was booked on, just not on that date). I suppose in theory I could have fought this all the way to DOT, but that is not an effort I want to make.
UA IT strikes again, I guess.
None of that made any difference to UA CS. According to UA, NH no longer has this fare available on the original flight, and there is nothing they could do about it.
UA initially offered to either upfare for $$$ or refund my ticket.
To close the loop, I'll say that to avoid fighting UA on this I agreed that they rebook NRT-SIN a day earlier (there were W fares available before and after the date I was booked on, just not on that date). I suppose in theory I could have fought this all the way to DOT, but that is not an effort I want to make.
UA IT strikes again, I guess.
Nov 14, 2018, 5:00 pm
#4
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To close the loop, I'll say that to avoid fighting UA on this I agreed that they rebook NRT-SIN a day earlier (there were W fares available before and after the date I was booked on, just not on that date). I suppose in theory I could have fought this all the way to DOT, but that is not an effort I want to make.
Nov 14, 2018, 6:51 pm
#6
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I'm not convinced this was a cut-and-dry case, though. Did you pay a ~$100 fare difference plus the change fee? I just spot-checked a CHI-SIN W fare, and a stopover adds $100 to the base fare. Did you get a new ticket number? Did that receipt show the legs correctly?
By *A rules, NH has 24 hours to respond to a ticketing request -- and, yes, that includes revalidating space that you already have reserved, since the ticket needed to be reissued.
If the change was never completed, UA's only responsibility would have been to restore the ticket to its original state.
Nov 14, 2018, 7:00 pm
#7
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It sounds like you changed the ticket from a connection in NRT to a stopover. That has now to be priced as ORD to NRT and NRT to SIN. Unfortunately no more W fare on NH for the second leg so ticket issue fail.
Nov 14, 2018, 9:50 pm
#8
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Although if NH W space is no longer available on the orig date, OP would be out of luck right? That's the inherent risk with making any changes. UA could politely ask NH to open W space again or reroute on its own SIN flights but that's about it.
Nov 15, 2018, 7:06 am
#9
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United has 30 days to respond to a DOT complaint. The DOT won't force UA to do any particular thing, but UA's DOT liaison likes to keep them happy and will normally make sure that UA does the right thing.
I'm not convinced this was a cut-and-dry case, though. Did you pay a ~$100 fare difference plus the change fee? I just spot-checked a CHI-SIN W fare, and a stopover adds $100 to the base fare. Did you get a new ticket number? Did that receipt show the legs correctly?
I'm not convinced this was a cut-and-dry case, though. Did you pay a ~$100 fare difference plus the change fee? I just spot-checked a CHI-SIN W fare, and a stopover adds $100 to the base fare. Did you get a new ticket number? Did that receipt show the legs correctly?
I received a new ticket receipt with a new ticket number. All flight legs show correctly in that receipt in their respective fare classes. This is why I was not worried at the time - usually once the ticket receipt is issued, it's all clear.
By *A rules, NH has 24 hours to respond to a ticketing request -- and, yes, that includes revalidating space that you already have reserved, since the ticket needed to be reissued. If the change was never completed, UA's only responsibility would have been to restore the ticket to its original state.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Nov 15, 2018 at 11:56 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Nov 15, 2018, 7:11 am
#10
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Well, since NRT wasn't (originally) a stopover, rerouting would always be in play, and I agree that's what they likely would have done. I'm not sure exactly how firm the ticketing guarantees are after a voluntary change has been attempted, but IME UA generally tries to do the right thing and they likely would have found a way to get OP to SIN. An involuntary refund would probably violate DOT policy, although I don't know that regulations involving passenger-initiated changes are really spelled out that clearly.
Nov 15, 2018, 8:30 am
#11
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I'm not sure exactly how firm the ticketing guarantees are after a voluntary change has been attempted, but IME UA generally tries to do the right thing and they likely would have found a way to get OP to SIN. An involuntary refund would probably violate DOT policy, although I don't know that regulations involving passenger-initiated changes are really spelled out that clearly.
FWIW UA certainly did not try to do the right thing. Several levels of CS offered nothing but for me to pay more money for a more expensive ticket. The response to "but I have a confirmed ticket" was basically - "we don't care".
Nov 15, 2018, 8:35 am
#12
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if you transfer from intl segment 1 to intl segment 2 within 24 hour its NOT a stopover: it's a connection. Now you changed the 1st segment for 1 day earlier: it's now a stopover. Ticket need to be reissue (including potential reprice if stopover was not allowed on original fare). I worked for the airlines before. And I'm pretty sure that's what happened.
Nov 15, 2018, 8:42 am
#13
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Nobody can tell you that there is a viable DOT complaint to be had without reviewing the fare rules for the segments of the original and reissued tickets. Chances are good that it is as chebetr999 suggests, e.g., that while you may have viewed your original ticket as a stopover, that it was ticketed as a connection, but when you changed the date to take your time over 24 hours, it became a stopover.
While UA will scrutinize its actions when responding to DOT, if it is correct, UA (as well as other carriers) are quick to point to the terms as it advances the carriers' position with DOT that most complaints are unfounded.
While UA will scrutinize its actions when responding to DOT, if it is correct, UA (as well as other carriers) are quick to point to the terms as it advances the carriers' position with DOT that most complaints are unfounded.
Nov 15, 2018, 8:45 am
#14
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Good grief, 2 more replies missing several of my previous posts. Let me try this again:
The original ticket ORD-NRT-SIN included a 6 day stopover.
The changed ticket ORD-NRT-SIN included a 7 day stopover.
At no time was there a 24 hour connection.
Would anyone please read my posts Not that it matters, but simply so that this discussion makes some sense for anyone reading it in the future.
The original ticket ORD-NRT-SIN included a 6 day stopover.
The changed ticket ORD-NRT-SIN included a 7 day stopover.
At no time was there a 24 hour connection.
Would anyone please read my posts
Not that it matters, but simply so that this discussion makes some sense for anyone reading it in the future.
Nov 15, 2018, 8:55 am
#15
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You never said anything about a 6 days stopover only that you changed the first segment for 1 day earlier hence the confusion.
now I understand and the same comment apply. You had a W stopover fare for ORD to NRT STP NRT to SIN. To reissue this ticket, you need the same W stopover fare which was not available on the second leg anymore. Hence the problem. And yes, NH has 24 hour to confirm the reissue which they declined.
now I understand and the same comment apply. You had a W stopover fare for ORD to NRT STP NRT to SIN. To reissue this ticket, you need the same W stopover fare which was not available on the second leg anymore. Hence the problem. And yes, NH has 24 hour to confirm the reissue which they declined.