zqsn5678

im in progressive planning a round trip from Auckland (AKL) to Taipei (TPE). departing in mid-Jan 2010 and returning at the end of Feb 2010. no direct flight for this route. i've checked with air nz that it is possible for the following itinerary.
AKL (NZ) - HKG (CX) - TPE (UA) - NRT (NZ) - AKL

for the UA flight departing at the end of Feb from TPE - NRT (UA 838 / 747), air nz told me the booking class code will be booked in T class, also possibly S and W. (economy)

my question is: will i be able to phone UA advance and ''pay cash'' upgrade to business (C) or first class (F)? (pay for the fare difference).
UA ex-TPE to NRT has very nice price for C and F fare available(one-way). just wondering is it possible to pay for the fare difference or will i be better off just purchase TPE to NRT separately via UA website?

by the way will/can UA check my bag all the way through to AKL departing from TPE via NRT on a separate ticket? (both star alliance and transit time is about 3 hours)

thanks in advance.

unavaca

To UFC, you'll have to do it at OLCI and/or at the gate. There's no guarantee there will be seats.

I supposed you could use an SWU to upgrade the UA leg, but only if it's on a W fare, and you have no better uses for an SWU...

Yes, you can have your bag checked through.

ryan182

no you cant do that, they'd have to refare the ticket. UA does have some excellent D fares ex-TPE though, so what you might want to do is look at how it would price out as seperate tickets, so : AKL-HKG-TPE on the carriers you had and one ticket, then a UA ticket TPE-NRT and an NZ ticket NRT-AKL

otherwise you can ask for a UFC (upgrade for cash) in TPE for the flight to NRT, I've taken that flight probably 20 times and never missed an upgrade on that leg, so I'd guess you have a shot.

zqsn5678

hi there
thanks for the quick reply unavaca and ryan182, the currently load at the moment seems very low in the premium cabins.(C and F)
yes i'm allow to purchase AKL-HKG-TPE thank NRT-AKL with air nz as one ticket. and sort out myself TPE-NRT. (although it's same fare regardless whether i take TPE-NRT flight).

the conclusion is UA does not allow ''pay the fare difference'' advance for upgrade. only at the check-in or at the gate? (correct me if im wrong). therefore i'm better off buying a separate ticket TPE-NRT.

for the UFC, i believed you will only get the miles what you original paid for, not the class you upgraded to?)

thanks again

TerryK

UA does allow advance refare upgrade. But you don't have a separate fare for TPE-NRT, it is a NZ through fare. I mean what is your fare for TPE-NRT? There isn't one, it is part of the TPE-AKL fare.

For UFC, you are booked into NC and receive original ticketed mileage. I fly out of TPE a few times a year but have never seen UFC being offered.

zqsn5678

there is no TPE-NRT fare, just TPE-AKL via NRT fare, but air nz told me i can just book NRT-AKL route if i wish, but will cost the same.

i guess buying TPE-NRT separately is still a good option? (NRT-TPE can cost three times more than the other way around just to let everyone know)

For UFC, thats the other FT suggested, i'm not looking for UFC, i would like to have comfiered business or first class ticket.

czarina

I have been offered UFC on TATL on S,T,W fares for the past 2 years at OLCI or at the gate. I am not sure about PAC flights.

splatnz

Hi ZQSN5678,

Did you find any good fares from TPE-NRT? I have the same issue for a trip using the same route (mines in Feb) and I have a gap in my tickets for this segment.

Thanks

unavaca

I have gotten UFC on EZE flights on L fares, too.