WineCountryUA

Interesting, missed that
Wonder why ZN, HN still exists?

Lux Flyer

Does anything even book into those anymore? Can't honestly say the last time I've seen something be offered to actually confirm into one of those codes...

My guess is they were probably phased out when they updated the last seat availability policy with the display for them never being updated....and lets also be honest, this is probably such an edge case that rarely, if ever exists. How often does someone have enough UA miles for a last seat award booking, but doesn't have at least the credit card or premier status?

Edit: ZN and HN are definitely dead. Just to do a simple double check, I did the award booking search below without being logged into my MP account (so no way it would recognize status or being a card holder). It offered YN and JN bucket availability. So non-status and non-card definitely have access to YN/JN buckets.

kevflyer

Got it reissued today via SIN as even exchange. Agent was unable to grab SIN-HKT in SQ I, despite it showed 2 seats available in I. She said message showed SQ closed the space. So I settled for a better date with SIN-HKT in economy. Will set up an alert for I space in EF.

CIT85

I could use your AKL-WLG segment.

I encountered a new one.

My itinerary is RIC-IAH-SYD-WLG, which now has a 10:55 layover in SYD due to ANZ canceling the morning flight. I called UA to try to change to RIC-EWR-SFO-AKL-WLG,, as some here have done. After 20 minutes hold, the 1K agent came back and said because AKL-WLG exceeded 250 miles they couldn't add that as a new segment. I didn't understand the 250 mile rule and her explanation made no sense. So I thanked her and hung up. I think I could have dropped the AKL-WLG segment if I pursued it, but my wife didn't care to go back to AKL. I will try again in a few days. Back up plan is to walk around Sydney for a few hours.

Anyone here know what the 1K agent could be referring to regarding this AKL-WLG exceeding the 250 mile?

jsloan

The 250 mile rule refers to an alternate airport -- the agent is saying that you can't change destinations because AKL and WLG are more than 250 miles apart.

Since you're not actually changing destinations, it sounds like a confused agent. HUCA.

Kmxu

There was an apparent misunderstanding in agent's part. He/she might think that you wanted to change the destination witiin 250 miles radius. In your case, you want to change routing due to a schedule change (more than 6 hours). I would call to change to the same routing if my SYD-WLG flight were changed (but it is intact now; I have a long layerover at IAH, too).
Definitely call back and ask an agent to suggest an alternative routing. Then, you mention that RIC-EWR-SFO-AKL-WLG is your preference.
Good luck.

Lux Flyer

As others have mentioned, the 250 mile rule only applies to changing the final airport to an alternate, not to a routing change. And they can only do alternative airports if it is UA flying you to the alternate airport. The only limitation on you rebooking with that routing is if there is award space released to UA on AKL-WLG (assuming SFO-AKL is already on UA).

kevflyer

I thought it's 100 miles?

CIT85

That was I what suspected. I mentioned to the agent that my final destination is the same, but she insisted that AKL-WLG is 650 miles, over the 250 mile rule.

I will call again.

I first told the agent about the 10+ hr layover that I can do SFO-AKL-WLG, just had to find RIC-XXX-SFO. I then told the agent my preferred route of RIC-EWR-SFO-AKL-WLG and the specific flights. Whn she was stuck on 250 mile rule, I knew it was time for HUCA.

Strike 2. Agent I talked to first said no award space available. Agent even asked me if I called earlier and talked to someone. I told him the previous agent was mistaken about 250 mile rule, and lost him. I asked him to talk to a supervisor to open award space on SFO-AKL. Supposedly the supervisor said she could not open award space and agent claimed there is no JN space (JN9). Then agent said there is no ANZ award seat for AKL-WLG. I thanked him and hung up. The supervisor is wrong, and the agent is also wrong claiming my current itinerary is the only showing for RIC-WLG.

Award search for RIC-WLG shows RIC-XXX-SFO-AKL-WLG for 200K points. In fact, my RIC-IAH-SYD-WLG is not even showing as an option.

Aggravating dealing with 1K agents and supervisors who don't know the rules.

kevflyer

Same thing happened to me earlier today when I called to make my change. Agent said she couldn't find JN availability on SFO-SIN. Which would be quite impossible as UA is still selling that flight, but expert mode wasn't working for me so I couldn't really push back. I did suggest she or a supervisor could open the space, but she just said she can only do what the screen lets her do. A few minutes later she was able to grab the seat by, and I quote, "going behind the scenes"

AirbusFan2B

It’s gotten so far out of control. I was on the phone with the supposed 1K desk for a personal record of 2h45m this week to change two MP tix - granted, two PNRs but same itin - when DPS-SIN (I) on the DPS-SIN-BKK-CDG-ORD (I and JN) return went bust. Only reason for the convoluted routing was MP inventory at time of booking but as soon as he touched it, BKK-CDG went X only - though perfectly confirmed prior to my call - and I nixed it after he tried to pawn it off on me saying there was no other way. He went back and fourth to (? Rate desk, supervisor or whatnot) 5 times “we are actually in your record now” before DPS-SIN-SFO-ORD magically materialized, which is frankly a better routing.

kevflyer

Yeah seems like all those crazy TG routing that were available back in April are gone now.

Kmxu

Yes. So far, my HKT-ARN became HKT-BKK-ARN; BKK-HKT-BKK aircraft were changed from B777 to A320 of Thai Smile.

I just cross fingers on long-haul TG flights on my reservation. The trip is a half year away. Who knows what other schedule changes will happen.

HKT-SIN-SFO option has a long layover in SIN (9 hrs). If the evening SIN-SFO flight is merged with morning flight, it will require an overnight stay at SIN. So, I have not called 1K lines to switch to SQ/UA flights yet.

pretzlaff

I had HKT to LHR and back to the states. Thai changed it to HKT to BKK to LHR. Just got a call from United saying that the HKT to BKK was on Smile and that they did not have an agreement with Smile.

I asked if I could just drop that segment and they said “sure”. Didn’t really stop to think about requesting other options. It’s all good.

Kmxu

Interesting!
I have Thai Smile for BKK-HKT round trip in premium economy and United has not called me yet about dropping/changing the flights. BKK-HKT was originally on Thai’s B777. HKT-BKK was added due to cancellation of HKT-ARN.