UA cancels “duplicate” reservation -- due to another passenger with same name / info
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,509
This isn't going to be the highest level issue -- "weight / balance calculator is down" or "booking engine is down." So let's say it's the second-most severe category. This isn't a defect fix; this is a feature request. Somebody's going to have to go in and figure out how to add a flag that says "exclude this reservation from duplicate analysis." Then they're going to have to test that fix and make sure they don't break anything else. Then, they probably need to get change management signoff to promote their change into the production environment (the one the public sees).
Even if they know exactly what needs to happen, it's likely to be a couple of days worth fo work when you consider the testing that'd be involved.
#77
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,299
To be fair, this is the first time we've ever heard of the system going nuts about the same reservation over and over again.
This isn't going to be the highest level issue -- "weight / balance calculator is down" or "booking engine is down." So let's say it's the second-most severe category. This isn't a defect fix; this is a feature request. Somebody's going to have to go in and figure out how to add a flag that says "exclude this reservation from duplicate analysis." Then they're going to have to test that fix and make sure they don't break anything else. Then, they probably need to get change management signoff to promote their change into the production environment (the one the public sees).
Even if they know exactly what needs to happen, it's likely to be a couple of days worth fo work when you consider the testing that'd be involved.
This isn't going to be the highest level issue -- "weight / balance calculator is down" or "booking engine is down." So let's say it's the second-most severe category. This isn't a defect fix; this is a feature request. Somebody's going to have to go in and figure out how to add a flag that says "exclude this reservation from duplicate analysis." Then they're going to have to test that fix and make sure they don't break anything else. Then, they probably need to get change management signoff to promote their change into the production environment (the one the public sees).
Even if they know exactly what needs to happen, it's likely to be a couple of days worth fo work when you consider the testing that'd be involved.
#78
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: ORD | LGA | 2E
Programs: UA GS 1.6MM UC | AA CK 0.7MM AC | Bonvoy Ambassador | Hyatt Globalist | Hertz PC
Posts: 1,056
I have a very common name. I have been handed the wrong "LIH's" boarding pass by an agent more than once where the only way I noticed is that the seat assignment wasn't what I was expecting. I've never had a PNR cancelled because of another LIH on my flight (and I'm telling you, I know it's happened dozens of times because even when agents get me the right boarding pass they will often say "oh there are two of you").
Last edited by LIH; Sep 13, 2022 at 11:01 pm
#80
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MBS/FNT/LAN
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Mariott Gold
Posts: 9,633
Sorry this is happening IAH-OIL-TRASH but.....
If you end up making the flight: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try your best to meet your "name-sharer". Get a pic!
grandpa_1780 had someone with the same first and last name and both flew frequently out of our local airport IIRC they were only on the same flight once.
If you end up making the flight: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try your best to meet your "name-sharer". Get a pic!
grandpa_1780 had someone with the same first and last name and both flew frequently out of our local airport IIRC they were only on the same flight once.
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,051
Sorry this is happening IAH-OIL-TRASH but.....
If you end up making the flight: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try your best to meet your "name-sharer". Get a pic!
grandpa_1780 had someone with the same first and last name and both flew frequently out of our local airport IIRC they were only on the same flight once.
If you end up making the flight: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try your best to meet your "name-sharer". Get a pic!
grandpa_1780 had someone with the same first and last name and both flew frequently out of our local airport IIRC they were only on the same flight once.
#82
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,188
Sorry this is happening IAH-OIL-TRASH but.....
If you end up making the flight: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try your best to meet your "name-sharer". Get a pic!
grandpa_1780 had someone with the same first and last name and both flew frequently out of our local airport IIRC they were only on the same flight once.
If you end up making the flight: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try your best to meet your "name-sharer". Get a pic!
grandpa_1780 had someone with the same first and last name and both flew frequently out of our local airport IIRC they were only on the same flight once.
I-O-T I hope you make it to HI with no further computer battles required. And 5k points is absolutely an insult.
#83
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Houston TX
Programs: United Premier 1k, Hertz Presidents Circle, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 408
#84
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,299
or the FA looks up the name on the manifest on their handheld device and just walks it to the seat. And when the other appears and says it's not mine, they find the IOT's name again and walk to the other seat.
#85
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,596
I had one of these recently, which alarmed me as I only had one reservation. When I dug a bit deeper, I realized that the reason was that I had tried to book the same reservation previously but the system had rejected my credit card so I had started over with a different one. However, the system somehow also managed to preserve the original uncompleted reservation as if it was still live, and it therefore thought my new completed reservation was the duplicate and was going to cancel it. It took a bit of sorting out!
A lesson learned. I thought that if a transaction was declined, that meant there was nothing left in the record. Evidently not the case.
A lesson learned. I thought that if a transaction was declined, that meant there was nothing left in the record. Evidently not the case.
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,051
Crew rest seats 1AB were unblocked last night so I was able to grab 1A in the (very early) morning hours. Hopefully this is the conclusion of this ticket/seat saga….
#87
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: UA GS, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 264
if by "plan b," you're referring to the ability to pay saver business when only saver economy is available, and waitlist, that's irritating.
If by "plan b," you mean a backup flight, where you were intending to take one flight or the other but not both, you're lucky they haven't closed your account yet.
Ua reads the message boards too. They know that the most common "trick" suggested when people are trying to break the rules is to leave your frequent flyer number off of the alternate booking. It's not surprising that they'd ignore that field.
If by "plan b," you mean a backup flight, where you were intending to take one flight or the other but not both, you're lucky they haven't closed your account yet.
Ua reads the message boards too. They know that the most common "trick" suggested when people are trying to break the rules is to leave your frequent flyer number off of the alternate booking. It's not surprising that they'd ignore that field.
you scare me. It is ridiculous…
united do everything to get my business during past 15 years.
#88
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,299
From the contract of carriage
Rule 5
In addition to exercising any of its remedies in Rule 6 K) below, UA reserves the right to cancel bookings and/or reservations which it deems fraudulent, abusive, illogical, fictitious, which are booked and/or reserved with no intention of flying, or for which the passenger makes a misrepresentation without notice to the passenger or the individual making the booking. The types of improper reservations that UA will cancel without notice include, but are not limited to: reservations made without having been requested by or on behalf of the named passenger; reservations made to hold or block seats for the purpose of obtaining lower fares, MP award inventory, travel certificates, or upgrades that may not otherwise be available; reservations made to manipulate, abuse, or circumvent any of UA’s fare rules, policies or provisions; reservations made for the same passenger on flights traveling on or about the same date between one or more of the same or nearby origin or destination cities; and reservations with connections that depart before the arrival on the inbound flight
Rule 6k
UA’s Remedies for Violation(s) of Rules - Where a Ticket is booked, held, purchased and/or used in violation of the law, these rules or any fare rule (including Hidden Cities Ticketing, Point Beyond Ticketing, Throwaway Ticketing, or Back-to-Back Ticketing), UA, without notice to the passenger, has the right in its sole discretion to take all actions permitted by law, including but not limited to, the following:
In addition to exercising any of its remedies in Rule 6 K) below, UA reserves the right to cancel bookings and/or reservations which it deems fraudulent, abusive, illogical, fictitious, which are booked and/or reserved with no intention of flying, or for which the passenger makes a misrepresentation without notice to the passenger or the individual making the booking. The types of improper reservations that UA will cancel without notice include, but are not limited to: reservations made without having been requested by or on behalf of the named passenger; reservations made to hold or block seats for the purpose of obtaining lower fares, MP award inventory, travel certificates, or upgrades that may not otherwise be available; reservations made to manipulate, abuse, or circumvent any of UA’s fare rules, policies or provisions; reservations made for the same passenger on flights traveling on or about the same date between one or more of the same or nearby origin or destination cities; and reservations with connections that depart before the arrival on the inbound flight
Rule 6k
UA’s Remedies for Violation(s) of Rules - Where a Ticket is booked, held, purchased and/or used in violation of the law, these rules or any fare rule (including Hidden Cities Ticketing, Point Beyond Ticketing, Throwaway Ticketing, or Back-to-Back Ticketing), UA, without notice to the passenger, has the right in its sole discretion to take all actions permitted by law, including but not limited to, the following:
- Invalidate the Ticket(s);
- Cancel any remaining portion of the Passenger’s itinerary;
- Confiscate any unused Flight Coupons until the amount reflected in 5) below is collected;
- Permanently ban or refuse to board the Passenger and to carry the Passenger’s baggage, unless the difference between the fare paid and the fare for transportation used is collected prior to boarding;
- Assess the Passenger for the actual value of the Ticket which shall be the difference between the lowest fare applicable to the Passenger’s actual itinerary and the fare actually paid;
- Delete miles in the Passenger’s frequent flyer account (UA’s MileagePlus Program), revoke the Passenger’s Elite status, if any, in the MileagePlus Program, terminate the Passenger’s participation in the MileagePlus Program, terminate any other air transportation agreement between UA and the Passenger, or take any other action permitted by the MileagePlus Program Rules in UA’s “MileagePlus Rules;”
- Charge a delivery fee and penalty, set at United’s discretion, to send Checked Baggage to the Passenger; and
- Take legal action with respect to the Passenger.
#89
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,678
In hindsight, and despite good info from FT I’m surprised I got away with booking flights that clearly wouldn’t work. At one point I had three different flights booked for the same time and UA never caught it. I canceled one, but kept the other two as it was literally same day of flight before I knew which city I should fly to.
#90
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,509
They reserve the right to do so, and there are reports of them doing exactly that. Particularly if you're buying J/F.
Believe me, don't believe me; I don't care. I stand by what I wrote.