How to fix a broken PNR (FareCalc error + MOLA greatest hits)
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
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Posts: 2,409
How to fix a broken PNR (FareCalc error + MOLA greatest hits)
Have a fairly simple round trip itinerary in January (AAA-BBB-AAA) booked as a flexible/refundable C class that I need to look at making more complicated (AAA-BBB as booked, BBB-CCC on date that was originally AAA-BBB, then CCC-AAA two days later). All domestic.
Trying to figure out what those options are un UA.com gets me this glorious bit of error
So it seems the PNR is broken (guessing it's detritus from a schedule change where UA's computers thought I'd be happy to take a CR2 instead of the 73G it was when I booked it. Not flying a CR2, and reservations found an alternate that would be acceptable but I digress)
Called the 1K desk and mentioned the error and asked about getting the PNR fixed up so I could see what my options were rather than dragging every possible option out of the agent when I might not even book it
"It will be a $200 change fee plus the fare difference."
"Uh... this is a flexible fare; I didn't think there was a penalty for changes according to the fare rules"
"Well, it was but if you're adding a segment, that means you have to pay the change fee plus the ticket will reprice"
"Um... ok, uh... are you sure about the change fee? I know the ticket will refare but there shouldn't be a change fee?"
"Absolutely, any time you add a city to a ticket you're going to get charged the change fee even if it's a flexible ticket"
"Ek. Oh, well, can you fix up the PNR so that I can at least see what those costs would be?"
"You're honestly going to be better off just forgetting about this ticket and booking a new one... the change fee is going to get you..."
"So nothing you can do to the PNR?"
"Nope... like I said, you should just book a new ticket"
Whaa?
So two questions:
1- How can I get the PNR fixed up so I can actually try to price changes?
2- Is there some rule I've missed about adding a city to a ticket attracting a change fee on a unrestricted ticket? (Again *change fee* vs. repricing the ticket which I expect)
Fare bassis is MAA0AFFY and penalties section is "Exchange - change to 1st ticketed flight coupon or wholly unused ticket -- Residual value may be refunded or applied toward most domestic or international new ticket purchase at current fare levels. Any difference in fare / tax collected/refunded at time of ticket exchange" "No charge or highest fee of only changed fare components" -- which I'm pretty sure means no change fee.
Trying to figure out what those options are un UA.com gets me this glorious bit of error
For pricing 0, unable to parse FareCalculation. Possible problem: There were 4 segments found in the farecalc, but only 3 coupons provided in the query. If the query has been correctly specified, perhaps the missing coupons represent flown segments at the beginning of the journey? Coupons provided: UA AAA-ORD UA ORD-BBB UA BBB-ORD Farecalc segments: UA AAA-CHI UA CHI-BBB UA BBB-CHI UA CHI-AAA
Called the 1K desk and mentioned the error and asked about getting the PNR fixed up so I could see what my options were rather than dragging every possible option out of the agent when I might not even book it
"It will be a $200 change fee plus the fare difference."
"Uh... this is a flexible fare; I didn't think there was a penalty for changes according to the fare rules"
"Well, it was but if you're adding a segment, that means you have to pay the change fee plus the ticket will reprice"
"Um... ok, uh... are you sure about the change fee? I know the ticket will refare but there shouldn't be a change fee?"
"Absolutely, any time you add a city to a ticket you're going to get charged the change fee even if it's a flexible ticket"
"Ek. Oh, well, can you fix up the PNR so that I can at least see what those costs would be?"
"You're honestly going to be better off just forgetting about this ticket and booking a new one... the change fee is going to get you..."
"So nothing you can do to the PNR?"
"Nope... like I said, you should just book a new ticket"
Whaa?
So two questions:
1- How can I get the PNR fixed up so I can actually try to price changes?
2- Is there some rule I've missed about adding a city to a ticket attracting a change fee on a unrestricted ticket? (Again *change fee* vs. repricing the ticket which I expect)
Fare bassis is MAA0AFFY and penalties section is "Exchange - change to 1st ticketed flight coupon or wholly unused ticket -- Residual value may be refunded or applied toward most domestic or international new ticket purchase at current fare levels. Any difference in fare / tax collected/refunded at time of ticket exchange" "No charge or highest fee of only changed fare components" -- which I'm pretty sure means no change fee.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 11,344
2- Is there some rule I've missed about adding a city to a ticket attracting a change fee on a unrestricted ticket? (Again *change fee* vs. repricing the ticket which I expect)
Fare bassis is MAA0AFFY and penalties section is "Exchange - change to 1st ticketed flight coupon or wholly unused ticket -- Residual value may be refunded or applied toward most domestic or international new ticket purchase at current fare levels. Any difference in fare / tax collected/refunded at time of ticket exchange" "No charge or highest fee of only changed fare components" -- which I'm pretty sure means no change fee.
Fare bassis is MAA0AFFY and penalties section is "Exchange - change to 1st ticketed flight coupon or wholly unused ticket -- Residual value may be refunded or applied toward most domestic or international new ticket purchase at current fare levels. Any difference in fare / tax collected/refunded at time of ticket exchange" "No charge or highest fee of only changed fare components" -- which I'm pretty sure means no change fee.
#3
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA Plat, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,126
I had this problem in the past, big mess.
Booked DTW-ORD-SFO-NRT-BKK, changed to DTW-IAH-NRT-BKK; the change in the number of segments for whatever reason pretty much locked me out of any changes when I needed to modify my return. I had to pay the change fee. My error was identical in wording other than the city names.
Booked DTW-ORD-SFO-NRT-BKK, changed to DTW-IAH-NRT-BKK; the change in the number of segments for whatever reason pretty much locked me out of any changes when I needed to modify my return. I had to pay the change fee. My error was identical in wording other than the city names.
#4
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Posts: 91,848
Often it's cheaper to change a RT ticket after the outbound portion has been flown, but then you risk not having seats available on the new flights you want.
HUCA? It sounds like the phone agent was making up the rule about the $200 change fee to add a city on a flexible fare, but it's hard to be sure without lots of details.
HUCA? It sounds like the phone agent was making up the rule about the $200 change fee to add a city on a flexible fare, but it's hard to be sure without lots of details.
#5
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,813
If you're sure the fare rules specify a $0 change fee, pay what the agent quotes and ask Refunds to fix it.
Alternately ask the agent what your fare basis is and could they please read you the PENALTIES portion of your fare rules (doesn't UA show full rules online now?). If they don't know how to do that, send @UNITED a tweet (hi, just talked to a phone agent who quoted a bogus change fee and seemed unable to read fare rules), and call again.
Alternately ask the agent what your fare basis is and could they please read you the PENALTIES portion of your fare rules (doesn't UA show full rules online now?). If they don't know how to do that, send @UNITED a tweet (hi, just talked to a phone agent who quoted a bogus change fee and seemed unable to read fare rules), and call again.
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 57
Agent in this case is incorrect. If you have a refundable/flexible fare -- you don't incur any penalties when making a change. Fare difference applies. If you get push back from the agent, ask them to contact the Rate Desk and the agent will be advised the correct rules.
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 11,344
MAA0AFFY is a zero-day refundable (without penalty) fare. There is no need for any of this complication; you can simply refund the ticket and buy a new one.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 12,100
I was wondering why this wouldn’t be an option - if it is, probably the best one. The only reason I could see it not being one of it is some rare combo where changes don’t incur a penalty, but a refund does. And while I’m sure it theoretically possible that’s the case, I’d guess it is extremely rare.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 2,409
If you're sure the fare rules specify a $0 change fee, pay what the agent quotes and ask Refunds to fix it.
Alternately ask the agent what your fare basis is and could they please read you the PENALTIES portion of your fare rules (doesn't UA show full rules online now?). If they don't know how to do that, send @UNITED a tweet (hi, just talked to a phone agent who quoted a bogus change fee and seemed unable to read fare rules), and call again.
Alternately ask the agent what your fare basis is and could they please read you the PENALTIES portion of your fare rules (doesn't UA show full rules online now?). If they don't know how to do that, send @UNITED a tweet (hi, just talked to a phone agent who quoted a bogus change fee and seemed unable to read fare rules), and call again.
FWIW, in something like eight or nine occurrences, I have never gotten a reasonable or correct result when an agent puts me on hold "to call the rate desk". I have even had to win an argument with them by pricing a new ticket manually on their website and ticketing it using "pay later" just to prove to them that the fare construction was valid (very impressed I won that argument actually).
MAA0AFFY is a zero-day refundable (without penalty) fare. There is no need for any of this complication; you can simply refund the ticket and buy a new one.
MAA0AFFY is a zero-day refundable (without penalty) fare. There is no need for any of this complication; you can simply refund the ticket and buy a new one.
Fair point on the 0-day -- I got myself stuck in the "need to figure out the cost difference by changing ticket" mindset rather than "figure out cost of new ticket, subtract existing ticket, and refund original if things go that route"
I was wondering why this wouldn’t be an option - if it is, probably the best one. The only reason I could see it not being one of it is some rare combo where changes don’t incur a penalty, but a refund does. And while I’m sure it theoretically possible that’s the case, I’d guess it is extremely rare.

#10
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,434
FWIW, in something like eight or nine occurrences, I have never gotten a reasonable or correct result when an agent puts me on hold "to call the rate desk". I have even had to win an argument with them by pricing a new ticket manually on their website and ticketing it using "pay later" just to prove to them that the fare construction was valid (very impressed I won that argument actually).
MAA0AFFY is a zero-day refundable (without penalty) fare. There is no need for any of this complication; you can simply refund the ticket and buy a new one.
MAA0AFFY is a zero-day refundable (without penalty) fare. There is no need for any of this complication; you can simply refund the ticket and buy a new one.
