angetenar

Look up an alternative routing that works for you and your parents, including potentially other *A carriers such as LH routing through FRA or MUC, and call in to make the change. This wasn't award travel right?

abcx

+1. Keep checking. Earlier in April at least business class seats on alternative UA flights kept going in and out of availability. You can change multiple times - ask them to notate the PNR if at first you have to change to non-ideal flights.

uastarflyer

I assume PNQ-DEL is on Vistara and this trip is booked on United ticket.

See if UA will connect them onto SingaporeAir SQ403 DEL-SIN connecting to UA2 nonstop SIN to SFO

Worst case offer to fly DEL-SIN in Coach

SIN is much more pleasant a connection than FRA

abcx

Or try PNQ-DEL-EWR/ORD-SFO if there is space on the DEL-EWR/ORD flights. That's all UA so might be easier to get than DEL-SIN. Same number of stops.

uastarflyer

My impression was that the UA DEL-US flights have been flaky but if that is an option that is definitely the most obvious compromise

I do know UA makes SQ(India-SIN) —>UA SIN-SFO available via award seats (in Y) so that was where I was coming from

Luxurious

Many thanks for the helpful replies. I also booked this flight through Chase for the Ultimate Rewards 5x points, so can I still call United to rebook? My understanding is that calling the airline directly is usually preferable?

Does anyone know how exactly the airlines work it out between each other when they have to rebook on each other's flights? I was wondering if I can ask for a rebooking to Air India first class instead of biz for DEL-SFO, which is actually a true lie-flat seat and more analogous to United Polaris that I originally booked for them. (Especially with dad recovering from back injury the ergonomics seem important on such a long flight). So I'm not sure if United will balk at that if it actually costs them more based on the rebooking agreement they have with Air India, or if it doesn't actually directly cost them anything.

Right, not award travel. Would that change the options?

What would I ask them to notate? Just that I may want to change again since it was non-ideal?

Yes that's right, PNQ-DEL on Vistara and it was booked as United ticket. Air India has a direct SFO-DEL, is that a better or worse option? It is direct but not sure about Air India biz.

Maybe flying BOM-SIN-SFO on Singapore biz would be a good option? Better seat, better connection?

uastarflyer

See the ticket number, if it starts with 016 you can try United

However, because you booked via Chase (which uses Expedia IIRC as its engine) you may be told you have to work this through Chase

You won’t get to change to Air India First. You might be able to switch to AI Business DEL-SFO though. That’s obviously the most efficient option. AI Business class isn’t as nice as others but is that crucial?

marks88

I would try to get a cash refund of the unused cancelled segment, and then purchase J on SQ directly thru SIN. I booked BOM-SIN-LAX in J for under US$2k oneway, more or less last minute. Was able to upgrade BOM-SIN to Suites with 35k Chase points too (transferred to SQ).

Luxurious

Thanks, the ticket # does start with 016...does that signify something in particular?

Yes it seems like doing the AI Business DEL-SFO is the most straight-forward rebooking. Though the original Polaris booking I think cost a bit more than the same itinerary in AI biz, so maybe that is not the best bang for the buck as I imagine there is no sort of refund for the hypothetical/historical fare difference.

So I think I will also see what the cash refund would be like marks88 suggested:

Unless I could ask them to just directly rebook on SQ?

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WineCountryUA

Yes, this is very important

What are the first 3 digits (that's the issuing / booking airline)

How was this booked -- online site or an airline site?

This is important because you do not deal directly with the operating airlines but rather with the booking airline or travel agency for schedule changes.

Not being 016 / UA, will make this more difficult.

mduell

Find a few same-cabin routing you'd prefer, and contact the travel agent you booked the original itinerary with to get reaccommodated on one of those. If they won't play ball (e.g. only offer much less desirable options), review your options to refund under your travel agent's policies.

Luxurious

Okay, interesting, thanks...it does start with 016, booked through Chase Travel ("powered by Expedia").

WineCountryUA

You need to talk to Chase/Expedia first (however generally useless but UA may ask) but UA may be willing to takeover the ticket. When you call UA, there is a special desk for India tickets

Luxurious

Interesting/baffling update on this in case anyone is in a similar boat. United is only willing to do an "even exchange" for their own operated flights. And the routing with only United flights is DEL-ORD-IAH-SFO, 37+ hour trip, which for elderly parents is not practical. United said switching to the Air India DEL-SFO nonstop flight would be repriced and extra charge. So I think that is peculiar, because United was seemingly rebooking people on Lufthansa at no charge based on earlier posts in this thread. The front-line phone reps seemed to try their best, and I did say yes when the phone tree asked if this was about India travel, but is there is an escalated department I should try to ask for? (don't have United status so I didn't get automatically routed to an elite agent).

The refund is also an option. But the original roundtrip ticket cost around $2900, and the refund they estimated was only going to be $1000? Does that make sense, as I assumed if half the ticket is getting refunded it would be around half the fare? Not much transparency in this area.

I'm thinking of just booking BOM-DOH-SFO in Qatar QSuites and ending the ordeal, unless anyone has any other suggestions? Thanks for all the help so far.

zombietooth

Why not take the offered itinerary to ORD and book them on a non-stop ORD-SFO in F on your dime?