LX (Swiss) Phantom Award Space
Jun 6, 2016, 6:20 am
#31
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA MM GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 520
Normally it's impossible, but for about 3 hours last Thursday around early afternoon, LX accidentally published bookable inventory for UA and AC mileage members (my friend tried AV lifemiles didn't work) most were phantom inventory but i found the real one. And to boot, it's the new product on 777-300ER.
And it's not really "amendment" but simply extending the one way trip from LAX ZRH out to LAX ZRH HND - a super long way from LA to Tokyo, but get to experience 2 of the best F products within the alliance for the exact same number of miles ($0 change fee for 1K)
And it's not really "amendment" but simply extending the one way trip from LAX ZRH out to LAX ZRH HND - a super long way from LA to Tokyo, but get to experience 2 of the best F products within the alliance for the exact same number of miles ($0 change fee for 1K)
How did you extend it though? Just called them and asked to add another leg to it?
Jun 6, 2016, 6:53 am
#32
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 4,511
A three-hour window of availability that contradicts LX's published and long-established policy of no F awards published to StarNet? LX will have no problem meeting its burden of showing mistake.
And there doesn't have to be a hack. Just a mistake:
DOT Mistake Fare Policy.
And there doesn't have to be a hack. Just a mistake:
DOT Mistake Fare Policy.
Jun 6, 2016, 8:11 am
#33
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,478
Yes. Right here.
Aug 19, 2016, 10:47 am
#34
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: BOS/BDL
Programs: MileagePlus Club, Amex Platinum, AAdvantage, SkyMiles
Posts: 232
Display of Availability for LX flights on UA
For three days the UA site showed availability of a Biz Saver award on LX52 from ZRH-BOS on 6/21. However, when I tried to book it, and click the "Purchase" button (after going through all the steps up til then) I got a general error message with a number to call.
When I called to try to book it I was told that return flight is not available in Biz, only Econ. The first time, I thought "ok, tech lag/disconnect". But after trying multiple times on multiple days it just seems bizarre.
So after having the same problem three days in a row I called again. I was told that what it means is that there ARE Biz Saver awards available on LX, but they haven't released them to UA yet. Sorta makes sense, but not really.
Anyways, I ended up booking Biz out and Econ return for now, and hope to switch to Biz when they're released.
All that to come to this. When I try to "Change Flight" it shows* the availability of the Biz Return (presumably using the same data as the original flight search) but when I click on it, the screen darkens a few shades and I get a small, one-line box in the middle that says "Account Sign-in:" (BTW, I have signed in a new session and come directly to this point, so my login has not expired). There is no place to put anything and the only thing you can do is click the X on the right end of the box and nothing further happens. Is this behavior the same issue as the general error message I was getting when trying to originally book the ticket? And if so, I assume that when the flight is actually available I won't get that message, or that the box will have a place for me to reconfirm my account?
*interestingly, it's in the "old" format of the UA flight search tool.
When I called to try to book it I was told that return flight is not available in Biz, only Econ. The first time, I thought "ok, tech lag/disconnect". But after trying multiple times on multiple days it just seems bizarre.
So after having the same problem three days in a row I called again. I was told that what it means is that there ARE Biz Saver awards available on LX, but they haven't released them to UA yet. Sorta makes sense, but not really.
Anyways, I ended up booking Biz out and Econ return for now, and hope to switch to Biz when they're released.
All that to come to this. When I try to "Change Flight" it shows* the availability of the Biz Return (presumably using the same data as the original flight search) but when I click on it, the screen darkens a few shades and I get a small, one-line box in the middle that says "Account Sign-in:" (BTW, I have signed in a new session and come directly to this point, so my login has not expired). There is no place to put anything and the only thing you can do is click the X on the right end of the box and nothing further happens. Is this behavior the same issue as the general error message I was getting when trying to originally book the ticket? And if so, I assume that when the flight is actually available I won't get that message, or that the box will have a place for me to reconfirm my account?
*interestingly, it's in the "old" format of the UA flight search tool.
Aug 19, 2016, 11:09 am
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
For three days the UA site showed availability of a Biz Saver award on LX52 from ZRH-BOS on 6/21. However, when I tried to book it, and click the "Purchase" button (after going through all the steps up til then) I got a general error message with a number to call.
When I called to try to book it I was told that return flight is not available in Biz, only Econ. The first time, I thought "ok, tech lag/disconnect". But after trying multiple times on multiple days it just seems bizarre.
So after having the same problem three days in a row I called again. I was told that what it means is that there ARE Biz Saver awards available on LX, but they haven't released them to UA yet. Sorta makes sense, but not really.
Anyways, I ended up booking Biz out and Econ return for now, and hope to switch to Biz when they're released.
All that to come to this. When I try to "Change Flight" it shows* the availability of the Biz Return (presumably using the same data as the original flight search) but when I click on it, the screen darkens a few shades and I get a small, one-line box in the middle that says "Account Sign-in:" (BTW, I have signed in a new session and come directly to this point, so my login has not expired). There is no place to put anything and the only thing you can do is click the X on the right end of the box and nothing further happens. Is this behavior the same issue as the general error message I was getting when trying to originally book the ticket? And if so, I assume that when the flight is actually available I won't get that message, or that the box will have a place for me to reconfirm my account?
*interestingly, it's in the "old" format of the UA flight search tool.
When I called to try to book it I was told that return flight is not available in Biz, only Econ. The first time, I thought "ok, tech lag/disconnect". But after trying multiple times on multiple days it just seems bizarre.
So after having the same problem three days in a row I called again. I was told that what it means is that there ARE Biz Saver awards available on LX, but they haven't released them to UA yet. Sorta makes sense, but not really.
Anyways, I ended up booking Biz out and Econ return for now, and hope to switch to Biz when they're released.
All that to come to this. When I try to "Change Flight" it shows* the availability of the Biz Return (presumably using the same data as the original flight search) but when I click on it, the screen darkens a few shades and I get a small, one-line box in the middle that says "Account Sign-in:" (BTW, I have signed in a new session and come directly to this point, so my login has not expired). There is no place to put anything and the only thing you can do is click the X on the right end of the box and nothing further happens. Is this behavior the same issue as the general error message I was getting when trying to originally book the ticket? And if so, I assume that when the flight is actually available I won't get that message, or that the box will have a place for me to reconfirm my account?
*interestingly, it's in the "old" format of the UA flight search tool.
Sep 15, 2016, 7:18 am
#36
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: BOS/BDL
Programs: MileagePlus Club, Amex Platinum, AAdvantage, SkyMiles
Posts: 232
FWIW, after nearly a month of trying to change the flight online - and every time it showed the Business Saver upgrade available but I would get the "Account sign in" message - this morning I finally decided to try calling and got the upgrade no problem.
Jan 21, 2017, 8:12 am
#38
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold, United Silver Elite, Starwood Gold, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 86
BEWARE- Phantom Award Availability with Swiss United.com
Looking for 3 Business Class Award tickets to India from NYC. SWISS showed availability in one direction so went ahead and transferred a total of 220K Ultimate Reward Points to my United account and then paid about $500 more to transfer some miles from one of our accounts to another. Went ahead to do booking and when finally tried to purchase the tickets, it came back with an error message. Called United and they said that on their end, they show no available seats for my dates. Checked on other dates and all SWISS flights that show availability on United.com are all inaccurate! This has been the case for at least the past 3 days that Ive been looking. So beware: before transferring points to different accounts etc, call United first to ensure that this is not Phantom Award availability. I hate United!
Jan 30, 2017, 3:28 pm
#40
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: UA 1K, AA Gold, DL Silver
Posts: 410
LX award seats "not released yet" but visible online
I recently saw a saver award ticket in J on LX -- when I tried to complete the transaction, I got an error message and it said to call in.
So I called 1K line, she said the seats aren't technically open yet (and wouldn't be until about 6 months in advance). Why are they appearing online then?
So I called 1K line, she said the seats aren't technically open yet (and wouldn't be until about 6 months in advance). Why are they appearing online then?
Jan 30, 2017, 4:33 pm
#42
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: UA 1K, AA Gold, DL Silver
Posts: 410
See my trials here for LX on UA awards. Did finally get it.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 30, 2017 at 8:18 pm Reason: Uplink updated after merge
Jan 30, 2017, 5:42 pm
#43
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Programs: UA GS, AA Exec Plat, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 348
I am having this same issue. I was looking for NYC to BOM awards for December. I found 3 J seats, but when I went to book, it turned out to be Phantom space. I called the GS line to confirm and they couldn't see anything either. What's weird (and concerning to me) is that a few weeks back I successfully booked a few LX J seats to EU in August. They did successfully ticket and do pull up on the LX site, so I guess those tickets are good. Really not looking forward to any last min nasty surprises at the airport....
Jan 30, 2017, 9:35 pm
#44
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,478
Jan 31, 2017, 3:16 am
#45
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 241
I recently saw a saver award ticket in J on LX -- when I tried to complete the transaction, I got an error message and it said to call in.
So I called 1K line, she said the seats aren't technically open yet (and wouldn't be until about 6 months in advance). Why are they appearing online then?
So I called 1K line, she said the seats aren't technically open yet (and wouldn't be until about 6 months in advance). Why are they appearing online then?
At first it seemed like the inventory was real. The agent quoted me flights, correct award pricing, routing and everything. I'm not sure exactly at what point it errored out on her end, but it was far enough in the process that she had entered all the needed information for the passengers.
The agent said something like "I can see that they show as available, but when I go to verify with Swiss, they're not there."
If you don't have enough miles in your account, do not rely on the site OR the initial results from the phone agent's search.
Go as far as possible in the booking process before transferring any miles over.