ashley1245

Do you mean I need to look at the seat map and make sure there are 4 open seats in business on SNA-IAD? If so, yes, there are four seats open on the seat map. So, I should just call and ask to be moved there? Thanks for your help!!

Kmxu

Sometimes, the seat map does not accurately indicate how many seats are available for sale.

On your profile, you need to turn on “expert mode.” https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...ng-re-opt.html Then, you search for your booked flight, SNA-IAH to see available fare classes after clicking “details” below the flight info. It will show something like J9, JN9, C7, D2.. In your case, you look at the number after JN. If the number is less than 4, you need to split the reservation into two to get the remaining FC seats, as another poster suggested.

There is no guarantee that you will get those seats. But you paid 60K miles for JN although it was sort of mistake fare. There is nothing to lose to ask! Good luck.

dmark1021

Thanks for your help! It's a long story...

Yes, the agent firstly offered IAD-FRA-IST. He originally said he could rebook me into the business class for IAD-FRA, but later he said he couldn't because it was not a UA flight. So he put me into the economy class for IAD-FRA-IST. I asked the agent since I can't be in the business class, can he rebook me into the direct flight IAD-IST. He said it was full...
At the lufthansa desk, its manager was very confused, he asked me: why I was downgraded, and why not taking the direct flight for IAD-IST? He called someone in charge of UA desk, and the other side said it was because of the cheap mileage award ticket, I can only get rebooked into economy. But the other side ended up getting me a direct flight IAD-IST, even though still in economy...
I was like a ball kicked among UA, Lufthansa, and Turkish desks for several hours. Very frustrating.

Flying Machine

Why would the original miles paid for a ticket affect rebooking?

HNLbasedFlyer

They want to make it difficult to honor the original miles booking

cfischer

Right, you would have needed to take a UA flight to Europe

dmark1021

I guess it is too expensive to rebook me into the business class on a partner flight?
At least both the business and economy class were not full on that flight.

WineCountryUA

On award flights, the award fare class needs to be open to rebook by the non-flight operator. UA can rebook and honor the award fare class on its metal assuming any space is available (and does not need to be award space)

desafino

this is the case for irrops, not just advance sked change?

WineCountryUA

Irrops becomes a difficult situation as non-involved partners will push back on taking a award ticket, I think you will find some cases in irrops, especially irrops created by a partner and solvable by the same partner can work. Irrops created by one carrier, will generally get little help from another carrier.
It can happen, especially for short flights (converted to cash tickets but long haul is very rare based on reports in this forum. I'm sure someone will report a different experience but there have been many disappointed award flyers.
If UA award, UA will provide appropriate coverage where it can. Although the *A rules state booked cabin should be maintained, you will see little help except from the carrier creating the problem or UA.

This is a dark downside to award tickets.

Flying Machine

Do you happen to have a link to the Star Alliance Rules for reference? I would like to read it.. I tried searching I couldn’t find it

WineCountryUA

The last publicly published guide (2018)
page 152

Flying Machine

Thank you very much!

ashley1245

this totally worked! Expert mode showed JN7. Used the United chat function and we are all four now in business for the Sna-iAd leg. Thanks again, so appreciate your help!

Kmxu

Great!
A few of us have the same NZ routes, entering at Wellington and departing from Christchurch. My trip will be between X-mas and NYD. We could have beers in NZ together should our schedules match.😄