simonoaks

Hi,
Flying tomorrow with my 10 yo daughter pbi-ewr-lhr. Our EWR-LHR upgrade already cleared over a week ago, so that is fine.

However, when I go to check in on app, there is a new screen I have not seen before: it says "traveler(s) to be upgraded", but only shows my name, not my daughter aswell. When I click "continue" a warning comes up saying it could book under new reservation, passengers might not be seated together , and more concerning, if delayed we could be put on different flights, plus under 15 would need agent for changes etc.

What is that all about, should I just deline the upgrade list ? We are 1 and 2 on the list with the J cabin being full 12/12 with 5 checked in, so unlikely to clear, but I have seen quite a few times in the past not all J seats check in and board.

Why does it only show my name and not both to add to apgrade list , does the risk of anything going wrong with the reservation out weigh the slim chance of upgrade?

cheers !

WineCountryUA

THese may be UCM issue

Your mention being upgrade and being on the waitlist. Is this PremPlus and Polaris separately? I don't think the message is about the cleared PP but more about the waitlisted request which may split the PNR and that could be a UCM issue. If only clears you would be in different cabins, which is UCM issue.

simonoaks

It was just for the PBI leg. I called the helpdesk and she was very confusing. She said it can only select me, not my daughter too, as there is only one space. I said it is full so there is no space. She said 1 space for upgrade. I said is it an instant upgrade (on M ticket as booked PZ ) she said no it was full. So I asked about the warning and she said just click opt out and it will not split us , but we would still both be in the upgrade list.

Did that and guess what? We were not on there.

Called again and got someone who clearly knows what they are talking about and they said they would un check us in and we can check in at airport and it would keep us both on the list and not split us. Which is fine as I have to check bags and probably show our UK passports at checkin anyway.

WineCountryUA

If you go on the gatewait, it will split the PNR to clear just one. Pre-gate waitlist both can clear together but not the gatelist.
When you opt out of the gatelist, you are off the waitlist.

On M fare issue, companions are not eligible and you would have to split to take advantage

mduell

At least some, and possibly all, of those warnings have been around for a year or more due to the crazy way UA handles the upgrade waitlist.

KabAir

Another thing to be cautious about - if this is a round trip booking and the itinerary gets split to clear your upgrade(s), be aware that it will stay split for the rest of your trip and so could also affect your return legs if there’s irops, etc.

frmnj

OP, just decline the PBI-EWR upgrade if you can. It’s not worth the risk. If you clear with one seat left it will split your reservation from your daughter which will cause problems for rest of the legs. Source - personal experience last week

simonoaks

Thanks all. Declined it and then checked in at airport, which was fine as I had check bag anyway..Side question: just boarded PBI to EWR and two pilots were in J. Not seen that on full flight before. Is it a new thing that United let crew take upgradeable seats over customers ?

KabAir

You made the right choice. And yes, this is a thing that happens now in certain circumstances based on a contract change. Safe travels!!

WineCountryUA

If traveling on certain types of UA ("company") business, UA purchases the seats
Use Deadheading Pilots Will Have Upgrade Priority Over Elites to discuss

simonoaks

thanks !

So, just got to EWR polaris lounge and it is SO full , no seats spare, people are sitting on the floor ! I would be pissed if I had paid $7k for flight. Me and my 10 yo daughter walked around for 10 mins. In the end I put her in the phone booth then hunted out seats. Saw two ppl packing up, so had to ask them if they were leaving then grabbed the seats the second they stood up. Crazy stuff going on since I last travelled. Like I saw my return LHR - EWR on 15th UA15 go from 23 open J seats to 6 overbooked in ONE day. We were top two on standby list , with 23 spare, so I thought that's a lock in. Never seen that happen before 3 weeks out, in 24 hours !

hotscot

That's a concern. My wife and I were thinking of splurging to Edinburgh, from LAX, this year, via Polaris. 8K-11K per seat.
The Polaris lounges could be unusable?

phkc070408

Others can add more input, but I get the impression it's mainly a problem at the EWR Polaris club, The new united Club at EWR also has overcrowding issues. EWR, (and IAD) have many Trans-Atlantic Flights departing between 5pm and 10pm and the lounges always fill up prior to those flights..

exerda

I saw the same warning when checking in the other day when we were on different PNRs. Didn't pay it much mind at the time as I'd already paid for F and the better half was sponsored for PP.