Originally Posted by chrisksc

Just wondering it this diversion will generate more PQM vs the normal route? I am on the flight the day after, would have love to be on this flight to get the additional PQM as this is my annual year-end MR to re-qualify for 1K.

Originally Posted by Kacee

Shouldn't impact PQM at all. It will earn based on SIN-SFO.

Originally Posted by j2simpso

Drats! I'm taking UA2 in 2 weeks back to YYZ (via SFO) and would have loved to have a layover in paradise! I'm guessing immigration would be cleared at SFO meaning HNL -> SFO is Dom? Whilst I doubt there would be enough time to do some surfing on the beach, it would be nice to catch some Hawaiian sun and check out the (hopefully improved) UC at HNL. The last time I was at the UC @ HNL (Dec 2017) it was easily the worse the UC I've ever been to! Anyone who thinks edamame is a snack should be sacked!

Safe Travels,

James

Originally Posted by PremEx2000v2

So I'm on this flight tomorrow, and it happens to be a very special flight for me. After 19 years of flying on United, this flight will take me over the million mile mark. A little back-story. I used to be very active on FT, from way back in 1998. I actually suggested to Randy the idea of starting the Mileage Run forum! Back then, I was just known as PremEx2000 (and later ChicagoBound). I did lots of mileage runs to Singapore and elsewhere over the years. This trip is actually a mileage run to get me over the 1MM mark. My days of mileage runs ended in 2003 when my wife and I had twins. But once I explained to my wife that with this mileage run, she too could become Premier Gold for life, she was okay with me going. I bought my ticket in October for $767 round trip from ORD-SIN. Not bad for a trip that's nearly half way round the world. Last week, I decided to bring my 11 year-old commercial aviation buff son along (on a separate PNR)--an important point for later in this story.

So we are in Singapore for two and a half days total. His school friends are understandably jealous, and his teachers were surprisingly cool with him missing 3 days of class. Yesterday, on my way to Lau Pa Sat, I get a flurry of texts from United about unusual operations. The texts didn't really explain much. And first, they moved me to a flight leaving the next day but kept my son on the flight tomorrow (Dec. 3). Obviously, that's a little bit of a problem given that he's 11 and probably shouldn't be traveling without me. So I call United and explain the situation. I even told them that this was a very special flight for me--pushing me over the 1MM mark. The first agent I talked to never even apologized about the flight delay, etc. He didn't even say, "Hey, thanks for being such a loyal United customer". Really shockingly bad customer service. He also was totally incurious about possible work-arounds--like getting us to HKG or NRT on non-United metal and then on to ORD on a United flight. He basically knew nothing and cared even less. I was unfailingly polite throughout. He then said he was going to get another agent for me. When she came on, I explained the whole situation, the two different PNRs, the 11 year-old traveling with me, etc. And I told her that this was my milestone flight. Again, no apology. No thank you for my loyalty. No nothing. She didn't even confirm that the flight is actually going out tomorrow.

Later in the day, I called again and got a very helpful agent. She didn't know much about the flight, just that it was leaving and going to SFO and leaving 4 hours late. She didn't know about the whole HNL thing. But she set things right (and thanked me for my loyalty). But in SFO, they had us with a long layover and a morning flight on December 4, getting in in the afternoon. This was problematic for me from a work standpoint and from a school standpoint for my son.

Later last night, my amazing wife called United and confirmed that we are indeed going through HNL. (No reason was given about a flight crew family emergency or anything (which is understandable). She asked if we could get on the HNL-ORD nonstop. The terrific agent said "yes."

So long story short, we get 11 hours in Honolulu--a first for my son. That's enough time for me to rent a car, take him to Pearl Harbor four days before the 77th anniversary of the Japanese attack. And perhaps enough time to take him to Waikiki or maybe Ewa Beach for some quality HNL plane-spotting. So in the end, it will be a great way to mark my milestone flight. If only I hadn't had to deal with a couple of terrible UA phone representatives. Oh well.

Originally Posted by keitherson

You are a great dad but a terrible parent

Originally Posted by j2simpso

Drats! I'm taking UA2 in 2 weeks back to YYZ (via SFO) and would have loved to have a layover in paradise! I'm guessing immigration would be cleared at SFO meaning HNL -> SFO is Dom? Whilst I doubt there would be enough time to do some surfing on the beach, it would be nice to catch some Hawaiian sun and check out the (hopefully improved) UC at HNL. The last time I was at the UC @ HNL (Dec 2017) it was easily the worse the UC I've ever been to! Anyone who thinks edamame is a snack should be sacked!

Safe Travels,

James

Originally Posted by chrisksc

Immigration will be at HNL given it is the first point of entry into the USA. According to the connection, there is a 3 hours layover.

Originally Posted by OpenSky

Did I read this thread correctly?

A peronsal family emergency of a crew member meant that the plane had to stop in HNL? ( at the great inconvenience of an entire full plane?

Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH

Originally Posted by chrisksc

Immigration will be at HNL given it is the first point of entry into the USA. According to the connection, there is a 3 hours layover.

Originally Posted by fumje

Not so certain about that — they may hold everyone on the plane and just swap crews. That is what they did with MEL(-HNL)-LAX earlier this year (crew timeout after mx).