lincolnjkc

Works for me I have my exit row seat, so I'll be happy and if anyone challenges me on it, I can say I asked

lost*in*cyberspace

My husband (1K, 1MM) often travels with lower or no status colleagues and has never been refused a request to bring them up to E+ with him. It never hurts to ask.

mgcsinc

It's a commonly extended courtesy, and I've done it with like four different PNRs. Six might be a bit much though. Still think most agents will do it.

Ignore the responses to the contrary, please. They don't make any sense.

You should have just booked everyone on one-ways, probably, FYI.

This response has absolutely no basis in fact, and is completely absurd.

Not sure where you got the idea that the E+ benefit was limited to family and friends, but it is not.

PTahCha

On the same flight, yes - that is a SOP benefit.

On different flights, no.

lincolnjkc

Ok, so now I'm confused...And I may be at fault for the confusion.

My original inquiry was as it relates to the outbound flight -- where all of us will be on the same flight at the same time. I hadn't even considered the return flights where we're all over creation (I mentioned that in the OP purely to explain why we're all in different PNRs).

mgcsinc

I thought it was obvious that that's what your inquiry was...

Again, you should ignore the posts that inexplicably told you it can't be done or that it's wrong to do it.

IADFlyer123

Not saying it is not possible. Just saying, its easier if it is family. Doing it for 6 completely unrelated people on different PNRs even if it is "allowed or acceptable" doesnt mean it should be done. But to each their own.

mgcsinc

Are you saying that that is true even if they were all on one PNR? If so, sorry, but that's a ridiculous position. The E+ benefit is very clear about what is allowed. Different levels get different numbers of E+ companions. No family requirement, technically or morally, whatsoever. These are colleagues, not strangers.

Baze

And quite often families are on different PNR's as some of the family may be on paid tickets and others on awards for whatever reason.

atword

I've done this twice in the last couple of months. Once for my wife and once for a co-worker that shared a flight leg with me.

A simple call to the premier desk with something like "I am traveling with my co-worker on a flight and I'd like them to sit near me" should do the trick.

The only reason YMMV is there are six of you. UA may make a concession for a spouse or one co-worker but asking for six has a better chance of being declined.

Kmxu

Some of the flights do not have a lot of elite MP members. UA gave those E+ seats to kettles for free because the standard E cabin is oversold. The hub-to-hub flights may be exception. Anyway, to balance the moral and practical considerations, you can get all of your coworkers airport at the same time and ask for E+ seats at the checkin counter or gate. This will not displace any eligible MP members's E+ seats and will save you the trouble calling CS in advance.

IADFlyer123

No, if they were on one PNR, then it isnt an issue and makes perfect sense. I only said what I did because of them being on different PNR's.

Kacee

Not sure there is any "moral" issue here. Companion E+ seating is a published benefit. AFAIK, there is no published requirement that the "companion" be on the same PNR.

lishorsh

Me and 4 colleagues of mine attended a conference last November. They all had E+ seats under my PNR. Eventually, I had to fly 2 days earlier and fly back home 2 days later due to last minute meetings in the states. I can't remember if any of our PNRs were changed or not, but with the exception of one domestic flight, I flew separately, yet, they all kept their E+ seats. We were booked through a travel agency, so perhaps the agent made a call, I really don't know, just know that it's doable. I was Plat at the time and the rest of the group were either Silver or General Members.

As for the moral side of this, I really don't see any problem. Upgrading 8 people to E+ is a benefit I get from United for being Plat, just as Gold gets one companion and Silver gets same day upgrades. Who are those people who really deserve those seats and aren't getting them because of me?

mgcsinc

Then I'm genuinely puzzled how the same PNR issue could possibly be considered to affect the morals of the situation.