Challenge of donating e-upgrades
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: San Francisco CA, UA 1K
Posts: 225
Challenge of donating e-upgrades
Another dysfunctional problem at United:
This weekend, Mrs. G and I were flying separately to the midwest. Since I am 1K and she is a Premier, I decided to give her a pair of HK-49's so that she could get a confirmed upgrade both ways, and I would take my chances on 500-mile upgrades. While in the C-14 RCC at ORD on July 13, I personally asked the reservations agent to authorize the upgrades from my account to my wife's itinerary.
When my wife checked in on Thursday, the agent told her that her upgrade was not authorized. Frantically, she called me and I spent 10 minutes on the phone with the 1K desk to get them to fix the problem. She had the same problem returning. Fortunately I arrived at the counter shortly later and fixed the problem.
United created the e-upgrades "for our convenience" (ha!) and then they don't follow through when we follow their crazy rules. Shame on you, United.
This weekend, Mrs. G and I were flying separately to the midwest. Since I am 1K and she is a Premier, I decided to give her a pair of HK-49's so that she could get a confirmed upgrade both ways, and I would take my chances on 500-mile upgrades. While in the C-14 RCC at ORD on July 13, I personally asked the reservations agent to authorize the upgrades from my account to my wife's itinerary.
When my wife checked in on Thursday, the agent told her that her upgrade was not authorized. Frantically, she called me and I spent 10 minutes on the phone with the 1K desk to get them to fix the problem. She had the same problem returning. Fortunately I arrived at the counter shortly later and fixed the problem.
United created the e-upgrades "for our convenience" (ha!) and then they don't follow through when we follow their crazy rules. Shame on you, United.
#2
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Minnesota, USA
Posts: 846
Yep. This happens quite a bit. Best advice I can give is to call reservations after leaving the RCC or ticket counter where you made the upgrade request and ask the phone agent to verify that the upgrades are properly "authorized." Happened to me and no one in Mileage Plus or reservations would help. Finally I called someone I KNEW at the RCC and he was able to fix the problem. Otherwise I would have either had to go back to the airport AGAIN or the person receiving the gift would have not been a gift receiver after all.
You're right. It's too complicated for most agents. Best bet is probably to do it in person at a 1K room, if that's possible.
You're right. It's too complicated for most agents. Best bet is probably to do it in person at a 1K room, if that's possible.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,351
Spent a hour earlier year on phone and in 2 x RCC trying to transfer 500 milers and HK49s to next day pnr's of 2x savvy 1k friends, and it did not work. Much egg on face and raised blood pressure all round.
You may care to comment below and some consusesus to MP might be able to be offered on this. It is surely not rocket science for US to able to assign/transfer them via the secure member section of ual.com:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum50/HTML/013913.html
------------------
~ Glen ~
You may care to comment below and some consusesus to MP might be able to be offered on this. It is surely not rocket science for US to able to assign/transfer them via the secure member section of ual.com:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum50/HTML/013913.html
------------------
~ Glen ~

