United removed my mobile boarding pass and ruined my trip
Jan 16, 2020, 4:58 pm
#211
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
The app did not do the wrong thing, it did what UA designed it to do, based on input from the passenger. If UA hadn't designed it this way, it wouldn't have happened. If the passenger didn't initiate a refresh cycle, or did use one of the options to save the BP to storage, this topic wouldn't have existed.
I refuse to drink that kool aid. And to believe airlines are "enhancing" everything. They aren't, many (most) things they do aren't for the benefit of the customer. It is for their benefit.
Jan 16, 2020, 9:51 pm
#213
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: United 1K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum; Hyatt Diamond/GLOB
Posts: 738
I obviously live on the edge because I've not printed a boarding pass for a domestic flight in years (nor ever thought of taking a screen shot). And I'm old.
Aside from all that, I think I'm more upset that UA did not toss an ETC for the trouble.
We get ETCs for spotty wi-fi, bad directv, or a light not working.
UA readily admitted they pulled his boarding pass at a time when he would have still made the flight. While a 2-hour delay waiting for the next flight might not be the end of the world, neither is spotty wi-fi or a seat not reclining.
This warranted some compensation.
Aside from all that, I think I'm more upset that UA did not toss an ETC for the trouble.
We get ETCs for spotty wi-fi, bad directv, or a light not working.
UA readily admitted they pulled his boarding pass at a time when he would have still made the flight. While a 2-hour delay waiting for the next flight might not be the end of the world, neither is spotty wi-fi or a seat not reclining.
This warranted some compensation.
Jan 18, 2020, 7:25 pm
#214
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,667
https://www.insider.com/paper-ticket...el-hack-2020-1
"I fly at least once a month and always insist on printing out my boarding pass. Here's why you should, too."
"I fly at least once a month and always insist on printing out my boarding pass. Here's why you should, too."
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 18, 2020 at 10:52 pm Reason: "Posts containing links should contain enough information so as to be contributive to FlyerTalk itself."
Jan 19, 2020, 1:02 am
#215
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: PNS
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA
Posts: 700
https://www.insider.com/paper-ticket...el-hack-2020-1
"I fly at least once a month and always insist on printing out my boarding pass. Here's why you should, too."
"I fly at least once a month and always insist on printing out my boarding pass. Here's why you should, too."
Jan 19, 2020, 1:08 am
#216
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: HND, NRT
Programs: UA Gold (1K 2016–2023 by miracle extensions; RIP 1K status), 1MM
Posts: 220
Over the last 9 years I have had 3 iPhones literally die.
One from unfortunately been dropped, smashing the screen and rendering the keyboard completely inoperable.
Two died by shutting down mid-use while fully charged and were never able to be resuscitated.
Yes, I always carry multiple chargers and a battery pack, and now a 2nd phone!
And yes I *always* make sure that I am carry a pepper BP, no matter where in the world my flight is.
One from unfortunately been dropped, smashing the screen and rendering the keyboard completely inoperable.
Two died by shutting down mid-use while fully charged and were never able to be resuscitated.
Yes, I always carry multiple chargers and a battery pack, and now a 2nd phone!
And yes I *always* make sure that I am carry a pepper BP, no matter where in the world my flight is.
Why would anyone travel without paper? If you checked your bags you were physically at a location (check in desk) where they hand you a piece of paper. Also if you didn't check bags, there are check-in kiosks EVERYONE walks by as they enter an airport on their way to security, regardless of what airport it is. Travelling international is all the more reason to carry paper.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 19, 2020 at 1:24 am Reason: Merged consecutive posts by same member; please use multi-quote
Jan 19, 2020, 9:21 am
#217
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,882
Jan 20, 2020, 9:40 pm
#218
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 637
I obviously live on the edge because I've not printed a boarding pass for a domestic flight in years (nor ever thought of taking a screen shot). And I'm old.
Aside from all that, I think I'm more upset that UA did not toss an ETC for the trouble.
We get ETCs for spotty wi-fi, bad directv, or a light not working.
UA readily admitted they pulled his boarding pass at a time when he would have still made the flight. While a 2-hour delay waiting for the next flight might not be the end of the world, neither is spotty wi-fi or a seat not reclining.
This warranted some compensation.
Aside from all that, I think I'm more upset that UA did not toss an ETC for the trouble.
We get ETCs for spotty wi-fi, bad directv, or a light not working.
UA readily admitted they pulled his boarding pass at a time when he would have still made the flight. While a 2-hour delay waiting for the next flight might not be the end of the world, neither is spotty wi-fi or a seat not reclining.
This warranted some compensation.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 20, 2020 at 9:56 pm Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
Jan 20, 2020, 11:22 pm
#219
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,316
As I mentioned, the BP data in UA's app is not persistently stored in memory and is subject to a refresh cycle. When you close and re-open the BP view, or when you refresh the BP view, the app considers any previous BP data stale and will attempt to refresh the data. If it manages to contact UA, it will discard the old BP data from memory and replace it with the new information received from UA. If it can't contact UA, the old data remains in memory (or "cache") until the next attempt or until a defined amount of hours after the flight.
In this case, a refresh cycle was initiated, your phone was able to contact UA, it discarded the old BP data, and it received a reply indicating that you were not checked in. That, in contradiction to the title of this topic, UA didn't go in your phone and remove your BP is the point we're trying to get across. The removal of the old BP happened because you instructed the app to retrieve a new BP when you were unknowingly no longer checked in.
So the misunderstanding here is assuming that requesting the BP display in the UA app stores the BP permanently on your phone, where you can perpetually access it without limitations. It doesn't. There are, however, options available to save a BP to the persistent storage of your phone, "Add to Wallet" is one of them.
I agree with jsloan's remark that the app should not discard a BP from cache when it is able to contact UA but is not able to refresh the BP (see my comment in post 97).
In this case, a refresh cycle was initiated, your phone was able to contact UA, it discarded the old BP data, and it received a reply indicating that you were not checked in. That, in contradiction to the title of this topic, UA didn't go in your phone and remove your BP is the point we're trying to get across. The removal of the old BP happened because you instructed the app to retrieve a new BP when you were unknowingly no longer checked in.
So the misunderstanding here is assuming that requesting the BP display in the UA app stores the BP permanently on your phone, where you can perpetually access it without limitations. It doesn't. There are, however, options available to save a BP to the persistent storage of your phone, "Add to Wallet" is one of them.
I agree with jsloan's remark that the app should not discard a BP from cache when it is able to contact UA but is not able to refresh the BP (see my comment in post 97).
Why? For situations like this.
It is bad to delete data the user may depend on. The end.
Jan 21, 2020, 12:38 am
#220
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Jan 21, 2020, 1:58 am
#221
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Posts: 102,095
I screenshot my mobile boarding passes as soon as I get them. And it’s because I trust a stored static image over something that may be remotely updated or involve a glitchy airline app.
Jan 21, 2020, 2:16 am
#222
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Oh, you no longer have proof you were on this flight? Well then there's no IDB.
Jan 21, 2020, 7:24 am
#223
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
If Starbucks allows you to load your gift card onto your phone to pay for coffee, they aren't allowed to later delete it with no warning. United loading the BP onto the phone is an agreement to accept the cell phone as proof of the reservation. Deleting it without customer consent is a breach of that contract.
Jan 21, 2020, 9:56 am
#224
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
That's wrong as a matter of law.
If Starbucks allows you to load your gift card onto your phone to pay for coffee, they aren't allowed to later delete it with no warning. United loading the BP onto the phone is an agreement to accept the cell phone as proof of the reservation. Deleting it without customer consent is a breach of that contract.
If Starbucks allows you to load your gift card onto your phone to pay for coffee, they aren't allowed to later delete it with no warning. United loading the BP onto the phone is an agreement to accept the cell phone as proof of the reservation. Deleting it without customer consent is a breach of that contract.
Jan 21, 2020, 10:32 am
#225
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
There's two arguments I don't like very much, but accept have a kernel of truth in them:
1. Passengers should have backups to their online boarding passes.
2. This passenger was only inconvenienced a little bit.
There's a third argument I vehemently dislike:
3. United did nothing wrong and was not at fault here.
No way. United was at fault and did something terrible. It made a customer think he or she had a valid boarding document and then took it away without notifying the customer, thereby stranding the person at a security checkpoint. That's terrible. Inexcusably bad. And not the customer's fault. Had UA been on the ball, none of this would have happened at all. And nobody forces an airline to have a cell phone app. If an airline decides to have one, THE AIRLINE is responsible for making sure the boarding passes work and get the customers through security. Nobody else. The airline. If United is incapable of doing this properly, then they should discontinue the app and make everyone carry a paper boarding pass.