Do you feel lucky ... ? ;)

To split or not to split PNR
 

I don't know what to do. T-60 and still 12 seats in business just sitting there.

Situation:

• goalie-parents are flying SFO-FLL on Jan, 9 and returning PBI-EWR-SFO April, 13
• goalie-dad is UA Gold and goalie-mom has no status
• CPU on the outbound will not clear and not worried about that as both are in E+)
• RPU's have been applied on the return with PBI-EWR cleared for both and EWR-SFO waitlisted for both

My understanding is that if I don't split the PNR, I'll need 2 seats in R to open up EWR-SFO as if only one seat opens, my folks will be "passed over" so my take is to split the PNR so that if R opens one seat at a time, EWR-SFO, my folks will both stand a chance at clearing-and not to split prior to check-in for the outbound so not to lose them sitting together (and then just watch for any random seat changes on the EWR-SFO leg for goalie-mom)

Am I correct with my logic?

I haven't had a CPU on a flight over two hours since 2012, but it looks like there's a fair shot to get one or two on next week's trip to MCO. But, I'm with Mrs. PVDProf and the two kids (neither old enough to fly alone). Currently on one PNR, all in E+ on my Plat (no other status).

I'm considering splitting myself and Miss PVDProf onto a separate PNR to wait list for the CPU. Wisdom in this thread seems to be that we should further subdivide that. I'm additionally concerned that splitting will strip Mrs. and Master of formal E+ entitlement. I understand reassignment COULD happen, but IME, seats stick in normal ops, so I'm inclined to discount the possibility anyone ends up in E-.

What would you do in my shoes?

(If one upgrade clears, I sit in back with two kids, which is manageable. If two clear, I sit in front with the less agreeable child. If Mrs. PVDProf ends up in E-, I will be Unhappy. This is the outbound of a roundtrip; CPU chances on the return are nil.)

Your Plat E+ entitlement includes companions on separate PNRs, so you should be fine. Just make sure you call ASAP to get your family back in E+ if anything happens to the seatmap.

Splitting PNRs before checkin to get upgrades?
 

Hi,

Four of us are ticketed on one PNR for United flights coming up next Friday. Two of us are Platinum status; two have no status. I know that at check-in 24 hours before the flight, United asks if I want to split a PNR to be added to the upgrade list. My question is this:
- Since Platinum members can theoretically get an upgrade 72 hours before the flight, do I need to request that the PNR be split before then for one or two of us to potentially upgraded? (If we stay on one PNR, will United only upgrade if 4 upgrades are available? Or, is it possible that one or two of us with Platinum status could get upgraded at 72 hours without needing to split the PNR?)

Thanks.

John H

If you want a chance at being upgraded, and are ok with 2 of the 4 being upgraded, split the PNR sometime before 72 hours prior to the flight - split this into two PNRs with two people each - each should have one of the plats and one of the non-status. If one group gets upgraded, split the upgrades as you wish (I.e., if these are two couples, no matter who is upgraded, give the wives the F seat😀 - though if switching folks in the party like this, may want to let the FA know). I think this may be accomplished online, though not positive if splitting off 2 will actually give you three itineraries (he original one with 2, and two separate ones for each of the other two), so if you don't get a better answer with someone with personal experience with this, probably better to call and have an agent do this explaining carefully exactly what you want - as once split, this can't be undone).

If necessary and you are ok getting cleared on a single basis if some or all aren't upgraded by checkin, then split at checkin. The non-status who is split will be added based on plat priority (though IME, below all other plats vs. right under the plat on the reservation - IME, this is not what I understand the publicized priority to describe, however, given the history of UA, it is possible the language used just was written poorly or that the systems have a bug resulting in this).

My rule for splitting at check in is to take a look at seats and inventory prior to check in, and decide to split based on the chances of an upgrade that I actually want. If CVG-ORD looks like a maybe, but the ORD- west coast flight looks like there are one or two seats left, often I generally won't split on the outbound. But that is more of a preference thing.

Thanks so much. Quick question: The other Platinum in my reservation has that status because I am a 2MM flyer. If we split the PNR (4 people into 2 PNRs: him on one, me on the other), will I appear higher on the waitlist than he does? (That is, since I am the 2MM flyer who is responsible for his Platinum status, if we are traveling on the same fare and split PNRs, will I always be higher on the wait list than he is, even though we are both Platinum?)

Thanks

2MM status and the accompanying c:eek:mpanion status doesn't count at all toward where you are on a wait list. For that purpose you're both Platinum. You may be higher on the list because of check-in time or some other factor.

Thanks -- I have always appeared first on the CPU wait list when I split a PNR at checkin that the two of us are on. May just be a coincidence

Correct. MM status has no bearing on anything other than you don't need to earn the status that comes with the MM (or multiple) milestone.

It's probably alphabetical.

travel with kids, split PNR?
 

I'm going to travel with my 17 yo daughter and 12 yo son. daughter and I are GOLD.

now, if we want to increase chance of upgrades, and split PNR, it could result I get up in front and kids in economy. does UA consider them as unaccompanied children? I know several other airlines consider no parents/guardians in same cabin as unaccompanied, but I can't find UA rules after searching UA site and here. somehow the tickets show 3 adults though, I wonder whether they even care?

although, I'm newbie to UA, but after we split PNR, my son still could get CPU, and with our status ranking?

Don't know about the UM part, but about upgrades in general:

- if you want the chance to get upgraded in advance, soemtime before gold upgrade window, split this into two reservations - make sure you and your daughter are in different reservations - if you put your son alone, as no-status, he won't be able to be upgraded - but if on the reservation with either you or your daughter, he would be upgraded at the same time (pending availability at the Window, of course). It's possible that the set of 2 get upgraded at the window if there are 2 seats, possible there is only one seat left, so 2 gets skipped and only one gets it, or of course, the possibility that despite the split, there is no availability beforehand
- At check in, for chance of upgrade, split whatever record has two for both to get on the upgrade list. Son with no status will hold gold priority, however, while I don't believe this is how it is publicized, the no-status will go to below actual golds, but above silver - depending on composition If fares for gold status folks on the list, it's possible several people will be prioritized below you and daughter (who should be one above the other), but above your son.
- if you are all happier together, might be better to skip the upgrade altogether and remain on one res the whole time (including declining the split at check in). If theres a decent amount of F available, and not too many in E+, might be worth a shot, but if not, I might not bother. Probably would depend on a few factors.

You are technically supposed to be in the same cabin as the kids. In my experience, as long as you purchased all of the tickets as 'adult' tickets UA is not going to notice your splitting the kid(s) into different reservation(s) and flying in a different cabin. Purchasing 'child' tickets always became pr:eek:blematic if and when reservation splits were necessary and never provided any sort of advantage so when my kids were of the age to worry about this sort of thing we always bought all of the tickets as 'adult'.